truthout--2020-07-13--Trump Elevates a Game Show Host’s Views on COVID While Stifling Fauci

“ The most outrageous lies are the ones about Covid 19 , ” read the Monday morning retweet on Donald Trump ’ s Twitter page .
“ Everyone is lying .
The CDC , Media , Democrats , our Doctors , not all but most that we are told to trust .
I think it ’ s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back , which is about the election .
I ’ m sick of it.
” Who was the original author of this since-deleted retweet ?
Why , none other than Chuck Woolery , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ esteemed man of science… wait , no , you mean it was that Chuck Woolery ?
The game show host turned dunderheaded right-wing YouTube yowler ?
Yeah , that Chuck Woolery .
Trump retweeted and subsequently deleted the former host of The Dating Game ’ s deep thoughts on how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is lying about COVID-19 to mess with Trump ’ s reelection chances .
Pro tip , Chuck : Trump doesn ’ t need help from the CDC to mangle his campaign .
He ’ s doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his lonesome .
Sure , “ Media , Democrats , our Doctors , not all but most that we are told to trust ” were thrown onto the Don/Chuck/Twitter tire fire this morning , but the CDC and science were the main target for Trump ’ s retweeted and deleted ire .
Science is pissing Trump off these days , you see .
Specifically , science in the guise of Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and ongoing White House hostage .
As Fauci and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s brazen malfeasance turns hospitals in the South and West inside out with tens of thousands of new daily infections , Fauci the scientist overcame the quieting inertia of Fauci the newbie politician , and the president did not like the sound of it .
After the White House stifled Fauci ’ s media opportunities for fear he might criticize Trump or intimate that bad things are actually happening , Fauci late last week gave the kindest , softest , friendliest criticism ever proffered regarding the nation ’ s blighted pandemic response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are parts of the United States , like where you live right now [ in New York ] , that are doing really well , that you ’ ve been through something really bad and you have things under control , ” Fauci told the FiveThirtyEight podcast on Thursday .
“ And you have a governor and mayor in the city who understand what it means to go by the guidelines for the gateway , phase one , phase two , phase three .
So you ’ re doing well .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a country , when you compare us to other countries , I don ’ t think you can say we ’ re doing great .
I mean , we ’ re just not.
” Pretty straightforward , right ?
All true , that statement , and worthy of criticism itself for being too easy about the situation given the skyrocketing infection rate and growing death toll .
For Trump , however , this gentle critique was the equivalent of a brass-knuckle punch to his glass-jaw ego .
First of all , praise of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists just painted a giant “ Black Lives Matter ” mural on the street in front of Trump Tower , and whose district attorney is about to take a bath in Trump ’ s long-hidden financial documents — is not acceptable .
Trump ’ s own former home town is now a “ hellhole , ” according to him .
Fauci ’ s praise for the city ’ s laudable handling of the pandemic to date , which could be mirrored across the rest of this afflicted nation with the aid of responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — tantamount to an attack on Trump himself .
More pointedly , though , is the fact that Fauci represents science , and science is politically inconvenient for this president .
After Fauci gave those remarks last week , the White House circulated a document seeking to discredit him and his work .
Let that sink in : The White House fired off an opposition memo attacking Fauci , their hood ornament virus expert , in the middle of a pandemic that is eating half the country alive .
Trump put a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reed National Military Medical Center , and that is nothing but a good thing .
Four months and thousands of dead people late , to be sure , but this had to happen and now it has .
Trump ’ s devout supporters , who joined him in shunning masks for all that time , now suddenly believe masks are the hot new item and cheered their man on for his bold move .
If masks become a fad in Trump ’ s strongholds in the South and West , nobody will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ save lives .
Yet behind that mask , Trump slanders Fauci , and science , and anyone who dares to say his reaction to the pandemic has been anything other than flawless .
He retweets human clown shows like Woolery , and thus by proxy calls the CDC , most doctors and all Democrats liars .
In doing so , Trump empowers and elevates astonishingly incorrect statements like the one he retweeted by Woolery , and the one proffered on Thursday by Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas .
“ We still don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it and transmit it to others , ” Cornyn said of COVID-19 .
On that very same day , Cornyn ’ s own state reported more than 550 COVID infections in children under the age of nine .
As we barrel heedlessly and with no preparation toward a potentially catastrophic back-to-school deadline next month , the fact that so many children are getting infected flies directly in the face of all the happy talk about children being unlikely to catch and spread the virus .
Cornyn ’ s shameless denial of black-letter fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president wants to hear and right in line with what he ’ s been peddling , and it is getting people killed , again .
I have reached a saturation point with this shit spigot of a president .
Everything Trump does is more than merely wrong and cruel .
He is actively dangerous to the basic well-being of millions .
He attacked his own citizens using soldiers so he could flap a Bible at the cameras , made overt racism his campaign platform , commuted the prison sentence of the execrable Roger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cronyism and pulled out of the World Health Organization in the throat of a pandemic .
Meanwhile Trump holds political rallies that serve as superspreaders for that pandemic , and discredits the very science that could — if applied — bring this fiasco under control and save lives .
More than 135,000 people are dead now .
This is all only since March .
It ’ s a much-abridged list , and the lies are nowhere near stopping .
Enjoy your summer if you can ; because of Trump and his mealy-mouthed minions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuff of nightmares .
If the well-known behavior of COVID holds true into the fall , which it almost certainly will , we will see more than 100,000 new infections a day ( as Fauci warned ) and a ruthlessly spiking death toll that could well include our children .
Say something then , Chuck .
I dare you .

“The most outrageous lies are the ones about Covid 19,” read the Monday morning retweet on Donald Trump’s Twitter page. “Everyone is lying. The CDC, Media, Democrats, our Doctors, not all but most that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it.”
Who was the original author of this since-deleted retweet? Why, none other than Chuck Woolery, the world-renowned epidemiologist, noted virologist and esteemed man of science… wait, no, you mean it was that Chuck Woolery? The game show host turned dunderheaded right-wing YouTube yowler?
Yeah, that Chuck Woolery. Trump retweeted and subsequently deleted the former host of The Dating Game’s deep thoughts on how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is lying about COVID-19 to mess with Trump’s reelection chances. Pro tip, Chuck: Trump doesn’t need help from the CDC to mangle his campaign. He’s doing a bang-up job of that all by his lonesome.
Sure, “Media, Democrats, our Doctors, not all but most that we are told to trust” were thrown onto the Don/Chuck/Twitter tire fire this morning, but the CDC and science were the main target for Trump’s retweeted and deleted ire. Science is pissing Trump off these days, you see.
Specifically, science in the guise of Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and ongoing White House hostage. As Fauci and the world have watched in horror as Trump’s brazen malfeasance turns hospitals in the South and West inside out with tens of thousands of new daily infections, Fauci the scientist overcame the quieting inertia of Fauci the newbie politician, and the president did not like the sound of it.
After the White House stifled Fauci’s media opportunities for fear he might criticize Trump or intimate that bad things are actually happening, Fauci late last week gave the kindest, softest, friendliest criticism ever proffered regarding the nation’s blighted pandemic response.
“Well, let me say there are parts of the United States, like where you live right now [in New York], that are doing really well, that you’ve been through something really bad and you have things under control,” Fauci told the FiveThirtyEight podcast on Thursday. “And you have a governor and mayor in the city who understand what it means to go by the guidelines for the gateway, phase one, phase two, phase three. So you’re doing well. Other cities are doing well. But as a country, when you compare us to other countries, I don’t think you can say we’re doing great. I mean, we’re just not.”
Fauci represents science, and science is politically inconvenient for this president.
Pretty straightforward, right? All true, that statement, and worthy of criticism itself for being too easy about the situation given the skyrocketing infection rate and growing death toll. For Trump, however, this gentle critique was the equivalent of a brass-knuckle punch to his glass-jaw ego.
First of all, praise of Democratic stronghold New York City — where activists just painted a giant “Black Lives Matter” mural on the street in front of Trump Tower, and whose district attorney is about to take a bath in Trump’s long-hidden financial documents — is not acceptable.
Trump’s own former home town is now a “hellhole,” according to him. Fauci’s praise for the city’s laudable handling of the pandemic to date, which could be mirrored across the rest of this afflicted nation with the aid of responsible leadership, is — according to Trump — tantamount to an attack on Trump himself.
More pointedly, though, is the fact that Fauci represents science, and science is politically inconvenient for this president. After Fauci gave those remarks last week, the White House circulated a document seeking to discredit him and his work. Let that sink in: The White House fired off an opposition memo attacking Fauci, their hood ornament virus expert, in the middle of a pandemic that is eating half the country alive.
Trump put a mask on this weekend while visiting the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and that is nothing but a good thing. Four months and thousands of dead people late, to be sure, but this had to happen and now it has.
Trump’s devout supporters, who joined him in shunning masks for all that time, now suddenly believe masks are the hot new item and cheered their man on for his bold move. If masks become a fad in Trump’s strongholds in the South and West, nobody will be happier than I, because it will save lives.
Yet behind that mask, Trump slanders Fauci, and science, and anyone who dares to say his reaction to the pandemic has been anything other than flawless. He retweets human clown shows like Woolery, and thus by proxy calls the CDC, most doctors and all Democrats liars.
In doing so, Trump empowers and elevates astonishingly incorrect statements like the one he retweeted by Woolery, and the one proffered on Thursday by Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. “We still don’t know whether children can get it and transmit it to others,” Cornyn said of COVID-19. On that very same day, Cornyn’s own state reported more than 550 COVID infections in children under the age of nine.
Trump holds political rallies that serve as superspreaders for that pandemic, and discredits the very science that could — if applied — bring this fiasco under control.
As we barrel heedlessly and with no preparation toward a potentially catastrophic back-to-school deadline next month, the fact that so many children are getting infected flies directly in the face of all the happy talk about children being unlikely to catch and spread the virus. Cornyn’s shameless denial of black-letter fact is pure Trump, exactly what the president wants to hear and right in line with what he’s been peddling, and it is getting people killed, again.
I have reached a saturation point with this shit spigot of a president. Everything Trump does is more than merely wrong and cruel. He is actively dangerous to the basic well-being of millions. He attacked his own citizens using soldiers so he could flap a Bible at the cameras, made overt racism his campaign platform, commuted the prison sentence of the execrable Roger Stone in an orgiastic act of corrupt cronyism and pulled out of the World Health Organization in the throat of a pandemic. Meanwhile Trump holds political rallies that serve as superspreaders for that pandemic, and discredits the very science that could — if applied — bring this fiasco under control and save lives.
More than 135,000 people are dead now. This is all only since March. It’s a much-abridged list, and the lies are nowhere near stopping.
Enjoy your summer if you can; because of Trump and his mealy-mouthed minions, the coming months will be the stuff of nightmares. If the well-known behavior of COVID holds true into the fall, which it almost certainly will, we will see more than 100,000 new infections a day (as Fauci warned) and a ruthlessly spiking death toll that could well include our children. Say something then, Chuck. I dare you.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-07-13--Disability Rights Activists Take on Twin Pandemics of Police Brutality and COVID

We ’ re in this together We know that everyone in Truthout ’ s reader community will be touched by @ @ @ @ @ or another .
That ’ s why we ’ re devoting ourselves to covering it @ @ @ @ @ creatively as possible .
Truthout relies on donations from readers to keep publishing , and @ @ @ @ @ moving more quickly than ever .
If you can , please chip in to support @ @ @ @ @ this time when it ’ s needed most .

According to at least one study, up to one half of people killed by law enforcement in the U.S. have a disability.
Two months after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis sparked an international uprising, we look at the underreported but devastating impact police violence has on people with disabilities, especially Black disabled people. According to at least one study, up to one half of people killed by law enforcement in the U.S. have a disability. “People with disabilities have always been attacked by police. And people with disabilities and poor people have our own answers,” says Leroy Moore, a Black disabled activist and artist, POOR Magazine co-founder and founder of the Krip-Hop Nation. “Our own answer is to really get rid of police.” We also speak with POOR Magazine co-founder Lisa “Tiny” Gray-Garcia and discuss challenges they’ve faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Please check back later for full transcript.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-07-13--Washington NFL Team Drops Its Racist Name Following Decades of Activism

The Washington NFL franchise officially retired its racist name and logo .
And the saying goes : Never say never .
It ’ s the famous phrase coined by Charles Dickens but apparently a rule the owner of the Washington football team , Dan Snyder , doesn ’ t follow .
“ We ’ ll never change the name .
It ’ s that simple .
NEVER — you can use caps , ” Snyder told USA Today Sports in a 2013 interview .
But pressure in 2020 began mounting as George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis spurred the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the country , including the Washington NFL franchise .
The Washington NFL franchise said it is retiring the team ’ s name and logo after completing its internal review , the team announced 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday .
“ On July 3rd , we announced the commencement of a thorough review of the team ’ s name , ” the press release said .
“ Today we are announcing we will be retiring the ( deleted ) name and logo upon completion of this review.
” Synder and Coach Ron Rivera @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud , tradition rich franchise and inspire our sponsors , fans and community for the next 100 years , ” the statement said .
The new name and logo were not announced but will be revealed later .
Warriors , Red Wolves and Redtails have ranked among the most popular among fans , USA Today reported .
A fresh start for the franchise seems to be caught up in a trademark battle , according to sources from multiple reports .
News broke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Snyder will retire the name and reveal a new team name Monday morning , according to USA Today .
Sports Business Journal reporter Ben Fischer also reported the news of the coming name change .
Earlier this month , the franchise announced that it would do a “ thorough review of the team ’ s name ” after mounting pressure by investors and business partners of the team .
Amazon , Target , Walmart , Nike and Dick ’ s Sporting Goods have pulled team merchandise from their websites .
On June 26 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than $ 620 billion in assets sent an open letter to FedEx , Nike and PepsiCo calling for them to terminate business and public relationships with the team until the racist team name is changed .
Activists have been calling for Native-themed mascots to be retired since as early as the 1970s .
Over the years , research from Native academics has shown Native mascots cause harm to Native people , especially Native youth .
Advocates like Suzan Harjo , Hodulgee Muscogee and Cheyenne , and Amanda Blackhorse , Dine , have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blackhorse , who is expecting , said Sunday on her public Facebook page that she is due any day now and will welcome a name change .
“ Wouldn ’ t it be great for my Indigenous baby to be born into a world where there are no racist “ Native mascot/names , ” she wrote .
Native American advocacy groups have tried for decades to force a change , and a peer-reviewed UC Berkeley study released earlier this year revealed 67 percent of those surveyed who strongly identify as Native agreed or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The death of George Floyd in Minnesota and other examples of police brutality against Black people in the U.S. sparked protests worldwide and changes to various brands considered racially insensitive .
Also on Sunday , the Atlanta Braves said it was not changing its name , but is looking at its controversial tomahawk chop celebration , according to ESPN .
The Cleveland professional baseball team is also considering a name change .
The team only removed its Chief Wahoo logo in 2019 .
Here is a breakdown of the final events leading up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the change was made .
• A group of 88 investors totaling more than $ 620 billion in assets send a letter to FedEx , Nike and PepsiCo calling for the termination of business and public relationships with the team until racist team name is changed • The Washington football team officially announces it will undergo a “ thorough review ” of its team name and mascot • Walmart discontinues sales of all items promoting the Washington team ’ s logo • 14 Native leaders and organizations pen a letter to NFL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the team to “ immediately change ” its name • President Donald Trump tweets support of Washington NFL team , writing : “ They name teams out of STRENGTH , not weakness , but now the Washington ( deleted ) & Cleveland Indians , two fabled sports franchises , look like they are going to be changing their names in order to be politically correct .
Indians , like Elizabeth Warren , must be very angry right now !
” • Amazon notifies sellers Washington NFL team gear will need to be removed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retirement of racist mascot .
The new team name will be announced at another date .

The retirement of the racist team name is official.
The Washington NFL franchise officially retired its racist name and logo.
And the saying goes: Never say never.
It’s the famous phrase coined by Charles Dickens but apparently a rule the owner of the Washington football team, Dan Snyder, doesn’t follow.
“We’ll never change the name. It’s that simple. NEVER — you can use caps,” Snyder told USA Today Sports in a 2013 interview.
But pressure in 2020 began mounting as George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis spurred the crashing of racist symbols of all kinds across the country, including the Washington NFL franchise.
The Washington NFL franchise said it is retiring the team’s name and logo after completing its internal review, the team announced 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday.
“On July 3rd, we announced the commencement of a thorough review of the team’s name,” the press release said. “Today we are announcing we will be retiring the (deleted) name and logo upon completion of this review.”
Synder and Coach Ron Rivera are working “to develop a new name and design approach that will enhance the standing of our proud, tradition rich franchise and inspire our sponsors, fans and community for the next 100 years,” the statement said.
The new name and logo were not announced but will be revealed later. Warriors, Red Wolves and Redtails have ranked among the most popular among fans, USA Today reported.
A fresh start for the franchise seems to be caught up in a trademark battle, according to sources from multiple reports.
News broke over the weekend that team owner Daniel Snyder will retire the name and reveal a new team name Monday morning, according to USA Today.
Sports Business Journal reporter Ben Fischer also reported the news of the coming name change.
News: The @Redskins intend to announce Monday that they will be retiring the nickname, per sources. New name still TBA. https://t.co/SHkLlBQpAx — Ben Fischer (@BenFischerSBJ) July 13, 2020
Earlier this month, the franchise announced that it would do a “thorough review of the team’s name” after mounting pressure by investors and business partners of the team. Amazon, Target, Walmart, Nike and Dick’s Sporting Goods have pulled team merchandise from their websites.
On June 26, a group of 88 investors representing more than $620 billion in assets sent an open letter to FedEx, Nike and PepsiCo calling for them to terminate business and public relationships with the team until the racist team name is changed.
Activists have been calling for Native-themed mascots to be retired since as early as the 1970s. Over the years, research from Native academics has shown Native mascots cause harm to Native people, especially Native youth.
Advocates like Suzan Harjo, Hodulgee Muscogee and Cheyenne, and Amanda Blackhorse, Dine, have been leading the fight for change.
Blackhorse, who is expecting, said Sunday on her public Facebook page that she is due any day now and will welcome a name change.
“Wouldn’t it be great for my Indigenous baby to be born into a world where there are no racist “Native mascot/names,” she wrote.
Native American advocacy groups have tried for decades to force a change, and a peer-reviewed UC Berkeley study released earlier this year revealed 67 percent of those surveyed who strongly identify as Native agreed or strongly agreed the name was offensive.
The death of George Floyd in Minnesota and other examples of police brutality against Black people in the U.S. sparked protests worldwide and changes to various brands considered racially insensitive.
Also on Sunday, the Atlanta Braves said it was not changing its name, but is looking at its controversial tomahawk chop celebration, according to ESPN. The Cleveland professional baseball team is also considering a name change. The team only removed its Chief Wahoo logo in 2019.
Here is a breakdown of the final events leading up to this long-awaited change starting 17 days before the change was made.
June 26, 2020:
A group of 88 investors totaling more than $620 billion in assets send a letter to FedEx, Nike and PepsiCo calling for the termination of business and public relationships with the team until racist team name is changed
July 3, 2020:
The Washington football team officially announces it will undergo a “thorough review” of its team name and mascot
Nike pulls Washington NFL franchise gear from website
Walmart discontinues sales of all items promoting the Washington team’s logo
July 6, 2020:
Target pulls Washington NFL team gear from its website
14 Native leaders and organizations pen a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asking him to require the team to “immediately change” its name
President Donald Trump tweets support of Washington NFL team, writing: “They name teams out of STRENGTH, not weakness, but now the Washington (deleted) & Cleveland Indians, two fabled sports franchises, look like they are going to be changing their names in order to be politically correct. Indians, like Elizabeth Warren, must be very angry right now!”
July 8, 2020:
Amazon notifies sellers Washington NFL team gear will need to be removed within 48 hours
July 13, 2020:
Snyder announces the retirement of racist mascot. The new team name will be announced at another date.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-07-13--Trump Shares Tweet Calling CDC, Doctors Liars After Surpassing His 20,000th Lie

President Donald Trump shared a tweet on Monday morning from a former game show host which claimed that lies about the coronavirus were being spread to harm the economy and influence the 2020 election .
“ The most outrageous lies are the ones about Covid 19 .
Everyone is lying , ” Chuck Woolery wrote .
“ The CDC , Media , Democrats , our Doctors , not all but most , that we are told to trust.
” Woolery stated , without evidence , that the supposed lies were “ all about the election and keeping the economy from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy is seen as being Trump ’ s strongest selling point for his reelection this fall .
“ I ’ m sick of it , ” Woolery , who has no medical background or expertise , added .
In a second tweet from him , which the president also shared , Woolery said there is “ scientific evidence that schools should open this fall.
” “ It ’ s worldwide and it ’ s overwhelming .
BUT NO , ” he said .
Woolery ’ s claim that “ everyone is lying , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that notion through his retweet of Woolery ’ s social media post , comes on the same day that The Washington Post reported that the president has told more than 20,000 lies or misleading statements since stepping into the White House .
Trump has made 20,055 statements to the American people , from his inauguration in January 2017 to July 9 of this year , that have not been supported by , or directly contradict , factual evidence , averaging about 16 lies or misleading statements per day .
In his most recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place in just the past 440 days , the president has issued about 23 misleading statements or lies per day on average .
Woolery ’ s tweets that Trump shared to his followers may be referring to statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics ( AAP ) that initially recommended schools across the U.S. be reopened , based on evidence from Europe that suggested children are less likely to transmit the disease than are adults , per reporting from The Wrap .
But the AAP has since walked back those recommendations .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unions , while still insisting that schools should reopen , the AAP said students should only return to classrooms “ in a way that is safe for all students , teachers , and staff.
” “ Public health agencies must make recommendations based on evidence , not politics , ” they said .
Just last week , Trump decried guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) for being too restrictive , calling their recommendations for reopening schools as being “ impractical.
” CDC Director Robert Redfield said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but to supplement them with additional information sometime this week .
In addition to insisting schools and businesses are safe to reopen , the Trump administration is set to issue statements that aim to discredit other trusted voices on coronavirus that may take the opposite view .
According to reporting from ABC News , the White House will soon begin a smear campaign against Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert and a member of the president ’ s own coronavirus task force , who has made many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the pandemic ’ s spread in the U.S. Trump and his surrogates will reportedly say Fauci has “ been wrong on many things ” during the coronavirus crisis , and plan to refer to him as “ Dr .
Gloom and Doom ” in the future , per a statement from a White House official over the weekend .

In the past 440 days, Trump, on average, has lied to the American people about 23 times per day.
President Donald Trump shared a tweet on Monday morning from a former game show host which claimed that lies about the coronavirus were being spread to harm the economy and influence the 2020 election.
“The most outrageous lies are the ones about Covid 19. Everyone is lying,” Chuck Woolery wrote. “The CDC, Media, Democrats, our Doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust.”
Woolery stated, without evidence, that the supposed lies were “all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back.” The state of the economy is seen as being Trump’s strongest selling point for his reelection this fall.
“I’m sick of it,” Woolery, who has no medical background or expertise, added.
In a second tweet from him, which the president also shared, Woolery said there is “scientific evidence that schools should open this fall.”
“It’s worldwide and it’s overwhelming. BUT NO,” he said.
Woolery’s claim that “everyone is lying,” and Trump’s endorsement of that notion through his retweet of Woolery’s social media post, comes on the same day that The Washington Post reported that the president has told more than 20,000 lies or misleading statements since stepping into the White House.
Trump has made 20,055 statements to the American people, from his inauguration in January 2017 to July 9 of this year, that have not been supported by, or directly contradict, factual evidence, averaging about 16 lies or misleading statements per day. In his most recent 10,000 lies, however, which took place in just the past 440 days, the president has issued about 23 misleading statements or lies per day on average.
Woolery’s tweets that Trump shared to his followers may be referring to statements from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) that initially recommended schools across the U.S. be reopened, based on evidence from Europe that suggested children are less likely to transmit the disease than are adults, per reporting from The Wrap. But the AAP has since walked back those recommendations.
In a joint statement with several teachers’ unions, while still insisting that schools should reopen, the AAP said students should only return to classrooms “in a way that is safe for all students, teachers, and staff.”
“Public health agencies must make recommendations based on evidence, not politics,” they said.
Just last week, Trump decried guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for being too restrictive, calling their recommendations for reopening schools as being “impractical.” CDC Director Robert Redfield said he has no plans to change those guidelines, but to supplement them with additional information sometime this week.
In addition to insisting schools and businesses are safe to reopen, the Trump administration is set to issue statements that aim to discredit other trusted voices on coronavirus that may take the opposite view.
According to reporting from ABC News, the White House will soon begin a smear campaign against Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert and a member of the president’s own coronavirus task force, who has made many statements countering Trump’s rosy outlook on the pandemic’s spread in the U.S.
Trump and his surrogates will reportedly say Fauci has “been wrong on many things” during the coronavirus crisis, and plan to refer to him as “Dr. Gloom and Doom” in the future, per a statement from a White House official over the weekend.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
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truthout--2020-07-13--Trump Regulator Shelved Discrimination Probes Into Big Banks and Other Lenders

In the spring of 2018 , bank regulators trained to spot discriminatory lending detected something alarming at Bank of America .
The bank was offering fewer loans to minority homebuyers in Philadelphia than to white people in a way that troubled examiners from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency ( OCC ) , according to two people directly involved in the probe and internal documents reviewed by ProPublica and The Capitol Forum .
The officials suspected the second-largest bank in the United States was “ redlining , ” or deliberately turning its back on minority homebuyers , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bank of America , the OCC ’ s investigation stalled by September 2018 .
The OCC , which is part of the U.S. Treasury Department , never sanctioned the bank .
The abandoned Bank of America inquiry is part of a larger , previously unreported pattern in which the Trump administration has pulled back on civil rights enforcement as a part of its overall relaxation of bank oversight .
Since President Donald Trump took office , the OCC has quietly shelved at least six investigations of discrimination and redlining , according to internal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cases .
Flagstar Bank , a leading lender in Michigan , wrongly charged Black homeowners more through a network of mortgage lending affiliates , OCC officials concluded in 2017 .
That same year , agency examiners found that Colorado Federal Bank , an online lender , was doing the same to female borrowers .
Another inquiry by OCC officials concluded that Chicago-based MB Financial , a lender acquired by Fifth Third Bank last year , charged Latinos too much on mortgage loans .
Cadence Bank , a lender in several Southern states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Houston , according to an OCC investigation .
Fulton Bank , a lender based in Pennsylvania , had been discriminating against minorities in parts of Richmond , Virginia , and its home state , regulators concluded .
In each case , despite staff recommendations that fines or other penalties be imposed , the OCC took no public action and closed the investigations quietly .
In the past , banks have had to pay substantial sums after similar investigations .
In 2012 , in the wake of the housing crisis , Wells Fargo paid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it charged Blacks and Hispanics more to buy a home after an investigation that began with the OCC years earlier .
Each of the banks declined to comment on the specifics of the investigations and said they are committed to providing equal access to credit .
The OCC has historically prioritized the well-being of banks over bank customers , said current and former examiners , but the balance has shifted even further under the Trump administration .
“ We have not always been the biggest defender of consumers , ” said one veteran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but asked not to be named for fear of losing his job .
“ Lately , though , we are outright hostile.
” Career staff and ordinary agency employees who have raised alarms about discrimination and other consumer abuses have seen their concerns brushed aside by the agency ’ s leadership , according to two current and two former OCC officials who have left in the last three years .
The OCC was run from November 2017 until May of this year by Joseph Otting , a former bank executive with ties to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not only held back from redlining enforcement but tinkered with rules for applying the Community Reinvestment Act , a law that has helped combat discrimination for five decades .
Homeownership remains a key path to building family wealth in America , but the homeownership rate among blacks is 44 percent compared to whites at 74 percent , according to the most recent census data .
One major obstacle to narrowing that gap is discrimination in mortgage lending .
A 2019 study by the Consumer Financial Bureau found that white borrowers are more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black borrowers with the same credit score .
Yet in June 2018 , as OCC examiners on the ground in Philadelphia scanned loan records and interviewed Bank of America employees to detect discrimination on mortgages , Otting testified before Congress that he had never seen racial bias in banking .
“ I have not personally observed that , ” Otting told the House Financial Services Committee , stunning lawmakers with a statement that he tried to walk back a day later , telling the Senate Banking Committee that “ there ’ s lots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Brian Brooks , a former bank executive who has led the OCC on an interim basis since Otting stepped down in May , said recently that public enforcement actions were of limited value in addressing the “ root cause ” of banking discrimination .
“ The root cause is not going to be solved by bringing an enforcement action against some small bank , ” Brooks told Politico .
In a statement to ProPublica , Brooks said : “ I will not comment on decisions and actions that preceded me , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all our tools as warranted to ensure everyone has fair access to banking services and receives fair treatment from the banks and savings associations the OCC oversees.
” The OCC is the grandaddy of banking regulators , conceived under Abraham Lincoln to make sure banks were safe and sound , and it has a unique role in fighting discrimination .
The OCC is responsible for checking that national banks comply with the landmark Fair Housing Act of 1968 , which banned redlining .
The agency also has a key role enforcing the Community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lend in poor neighborhoods and grades banks on how well they meet the goals of the law .
Otting spent much of his two and a half years in office rewriting the rules for the CRA , and he stepped down the day after he unveiled a reform plan that gives banks more flexibility in satisfying the law .
In a different era , regulators and law enforcement worked together to try to stamp out racial bias .
Eight federal agencies have a role in policing discrimination in the marketplace , and all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when they see it .
The Justice Department received 22 fair lending referrals from a variety of agencies in 2016 , President Barack Obama ’ s last year in office .
In 2018 , under Trump , the Justice Department received four referrals , according to the latest Justice report .
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has made a large share of fair lending referrals since the agency was created in 2010 .
During the Obama administration , the OCC made six referrals and worked closely with the CFPB on other fair lending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first CFPB chief .
“ There was just a lot more cooperation and a lot more interest in taking on banks to protect consumers , ” Cordray said of the Obama years .
“ That has changed dramatically.
” As Otting downplayed racial discrimination in his congressional testimony , his examiners in Philadelphia saw enough troubling data to take the next step in the probe .
Officials involved in the Bank of America matter declined to say exactly what raised alarms except that it was rooted in data they saw about the price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ examiners can see information such as customer credit scores and the costs associated with a loan .
Overall in the city , African-Americans are disproportionately denied when they seek to purchase homes , according to reporting by Reveal .
The examiners brought in OCC lawyers who were trained to tell when a bank ’ s lending practices could be deemed discriminatory , according to two people involved in the Bank of America matter .
Bringing OCC lawyers into an exam often signals that the agency is moving toward an enforcement action , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its lawyers , Bank of America bristled .
Bank of America ’ s chief counsel ’ s office insisted that its own attorneys be in the room if OCC examiners wanted to keep talking to its employees .
The OCC exam manual explicitly discourages such involvement .
When conducting investigations , OCC examiners should generally resist allowing a bank ’ s lawyers to be part of a routine exam since that “ may be an unacceptable restriction on the examiner ’ s access to information , ” according to portions of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a routine exam becomes a deeper probe , the agency should allow examiners to finish their work to build a case , said the former examiners , who declined to be named since they still have professional dealings with the OCC .
A bank ’ s lawyers would typically become involved in the later stages of an investigation if OCC examiners believed they had found wrongdoing , several former examiners said .
Nevertheless , Morris Morgan , the OCC ’ s head of large bank supervision , who had previously been the regulator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America , agreed to the bank ’ s request to have its lawyers sit in early on the probe .
The OCC then took another step that potentially helped Bank of America .
The agency assigned a separate team of OCC lawyers to scrutinize the whole Bank of America probe — an unusual step considering that the exam was still ongoing and that such a move could chill an investigation , said the two former examiners .
Moreover , said two officials involved in the probe , the OCC never fully engaged the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the agency ’ s Risk Analysis Division who are trained to spot patterns of abuse among hundreds of thousands of mortgage loans and who can help build a case against a bank .
Within the OCC , one step below the Comptroller is the Major Matters Supervision Review Committee , a panel that decides the most sensitive enforcement issues at the agency .
Fair housing matters are typically decided by this committee , which is largely staffed by officials who report to the Comptroller .
It ’ s not clear if Otting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Otting did not respond to multiple requests seeking comment .
The Bank of America probe was not brought before the committee .
By September 2018 , the OCC had killed the Bank of America probe .
The OCC did not bring any sanctions against the bank .
The matter was shelved before examiners could decide if their first suspicions about Bank of America had merit , according to the two officials involved who said the agency ’ s investigation was halted before it could finish .
The OCC and Morgan both declined to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter , which involves confidential supervisory work .
David Leitch , Bank of America ’ s chief counsel , declined to comment .
Bank of America also declined to comment on the investigation but said : “ We are committed to fairly and responsibly meeting the credit needs of our clients and to complying fully with the letter and spirit of fair lending laws , regulations and principles.
” A spokesman also pointed to a recent Bank of America statement that the lender has earmarked $ 1 billion in future corporate gifts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The bank is still finalizing details of the plan .
In 2018 , as OCC examiners in Philadelphia were looking at Bank of America , a separate team of examiners looking at loans in Texas spotted abuse at Cadence Bancorp , a regional lender based in Houston .
Cadence was making minority borrowers pass a wealth threshold that white customers did not have to meet when they borrowed against the equity in their home in second-lien or “ piggyback ” mortgages , according to OCC documents reviewed by ProPublica and The Capitol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pushed its findings through several internal reviews for most of 2018 .
The bank said any unequal treatment was accidental , but OCC experts did not find that credible .
Experts within the Risk Analysis Division endorsed the Cadence findings .
In controversial cases , the OCC gets a second opinion from its independent ombudsman , Larry Hattix , who backed the OCC staffers .
In December 2018 , the OCC referred the redlining matter to the Justice Department as a civil rights concern .
By early last year , the Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It sent the matter back to the OCC but said the agency could use its own power to sanction the bank , according to a Justice Department spokesman .
“ It is not unusual that we defer to the financial regulators , ” said the spokesman .
“ Deferral may be appropriate , for example , when the lender has self-identified the problem , changed its policies , and compensated any affected borrowers.
” But OCC officials reporting to Otting decided last year not to publicly sanction Cadence , according to OCC documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the matter .
In a statement , Cadence said that it could not comment on its dealings with the OCC but that it stopped offering piggyback mortgage loans last year and that the bank never discriminated .
“ Cadence Bank does — and always has — treated minority consumers in a fair and non-discriminatory manner and is always looking for ways we can do better , ” the bank said .
In another investigation , OCC examiners scrutinized home loans at MB Financial , a lender based in Illinois , and found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discount mortgages as often as white men , according to three people with direct knowledge of the matter .
This looked like deliberate bias , examiners determined after reviewing loan records , and by late 2018 economists at the OCC Risk Analysis Division agreed , as did Hattix , the agency ’ s ombudsman .
The OCC referred the matter to the Justice Department as a discrimination case , but the DOJ , under Attorney General William Barr , sent it back , according to two people involved in the matter .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they would have to do it themselves .
In the end , the OCC did nothing .
MB Financial was bought by Fifth Third Bank , an Ohio lender , and essentially slipped out of OCC jurisdiction .
The OCC notified the Federal Reserve , which oversees Fifth Third , about what it found at MB Financial .
The Fed has the ability to block mergers if it sees wrongdoing but it allowed the MB Financial deal to go ahead .
“ Discrimination has no place in our society and the Fed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overseeing banking organizations , ” a Fed spokesman said .
“ However , the Fed does not have direct supervisory authority over all banks.
” In a statement , Fifth Third said : “ The intent of Fifth Third is to be in full compliance with all fair lending regulations .
MB Financial had a similar intent.
” Two of the scuttled redlining investigations involved banks that use outside agents to originate a significant portion of their mortgage loans .
The OCC found that agents working for Flagstar Bank of Michigan were charging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Federal , an online lender , was charging women more than men , according to two people involved in the matters .
Both cases had come to light during the Trump administration , and both were dropped without a public enforcement action .
Flagstar Bank declined to comment for this story .
Colorado Federal did not respond to several requests for comment .
Regulators fall short if they turn a blind eye to discrimination or only issue quiet reprimands and private wrist-slaps when they find abuses , said Jeremy Kress , a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less likely to misbehave if they think they are going to be called out for wrongdoing , ” he said .
“ We can ’ t rely on regulators to do their job in secret , as recent scandals have shown .
”

At least six investigations into mortgage loan redlining have been halted or stalled against staff recommendations.
This story was co-published with The Capitol Forum.
In the spring of 2018, bank regulators trained to spot discriminatory lending detected something alarming at Bank of America.
The bank was offering fewer loans to minority homebuyers in Philadelphia than to white people in a way that troubled examiners from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), according to two people directly involved in the probe and internal documents reviewed by ProPublica and The Capitol Forum.
The officials suspected the second-largest bank in the United States was “redlining,” or deliberately turning its back on minority homebuyers, the people said.
But after complaints from Bank of America, the OCC’s investigation stalled by September 2018. The OCC, which is part of the U.S. Treasury Department, never sanctioned the bank.
The abandoned Bank of America inquiry is part of a larger, previously unreported pattern in which the Trump administration has pulled back on civil rights enforcement as a part of its overall relaxation of bank oversight.
Since President Donald Trump took office, the OCC has quietly shelved at least six investigations of discrimination and redlining, according to internal agency documents and eight people familiar with the cases. Flagstar Bank, a leading lender in Michigan, wrongly charged Black homeowners more through a network of mortgage lending affiliates, OCC officials concluded in 2017. That same year, agency examiners found that Colorado Federal Bank, an online lender, was doing the same to female borrowers.
Another inquiry by OCC officials concluded that Chicago-based MB Financial, a lender acquired by Fifth Third Bank last year, charged Latinos too much on mortgage loans. Cadence Bank, a lender in several Southern states, was turning away minority borrowers in Houston, according to an OCC investigation. Fulton Bank, a lender based in Pennsylvania, had been discriminating against minorities in parts of Richmond, Virginia, and its home state, regulators concluded.
In each case, despite staff recommendations that fines or other penalties be imposed, the OCC took no public action and closed the investigations quietly. In the past, banks have had to pay substantial sums after similar investigations. In 2012, in the wake of the housing crisis, Wells Fargo paid $175 million to resolve allegations that it charged Blacks and Hispanics more to buy a home after an investigation that began with the OCC years earlier.
Each of the banks declined to comment on the specifics of the investigations and said they are committed to providing equal access to credit.
The OCC has historically prioritized the well-being of banks over bank customers, said current and former examiners, but the balance has shifted even further under the Trump administration.
“We have not always been the biggest defender of consumers,” said one veteran OCC attorney who has handled enforcement matters but asked not to be named for fear of losing his job. “Lately, though, we are outright hostile.”
Career staff and ordinary agency employees who have raised alarms about discrimination and other consumer abuses have seen their concerns brushed aside by the agency’s leadership, according to two current and two former OCC officials who have left in the last three years. The OCC was run from November 2017 until May of this year by Joseph Otting, a former bank executive with ties to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
The administration has not only held back from redlining enforcement but tinkered with rules for applying the Community Reinvestment Act, a law that has helped combat discrimination for five decades.
Homeownership remains a key path to building family wealth in America, but the homeownership rate among blacks is 44 percent compared to whites at 74 percent, according to the most recent census data.
One major obstacle to narrowing that gap is discrimination in mortgage lending. A 2019 study by the Consumer Financial Bureau found that white borrowers are more likely to get a home loan than Black borrowers with the same credit score.
Yet in June 2018, as OCC examiners on the ground in Philadelphia scanned loan records and interviewed Bank of America employees to detect discrimination on mortgages, Otting testified before Congress that he had never seen racial bias in banking. “I have not personally observed that,” Otting told the House Financial Services Committee, stunning lawmakers with a statement that he tried to walk back a day later, telling the Senate Banking Committee that “there’s lots of evidence of inequity in the world.”
Brian Brooks, a former bank executive who has led the OCC on an interim basis since Otting stepped down in May, said recently that public enforcement actions were of limited value in addressing the “root cause” of banking discrimination. “The root cause is not going to be solved by bringing an enforcement action against some small bank,” Brooks told Politico.
In a statement to ProPublica, Brooks said: “I will not comment on decisions and actions that preceded me, but under my leadership the OCC will use all our tools as warranted to ensure everyone has fair access to banking services and receives fair treatment from the banks and savings associations the OCC oversees.”
***
The OCC is the grandaddy of banking regulators, conceived under Abraham Lincoln to make sure banks were safe and sound, and it has a unique role in fighting discrimination. The OCC is responsible for checking that national banks comply with the landmark Fair Housing Act of 1968, which banned redlining.
The agency also has a key role enforcing the Community Reinvestment Act, which requires banks to lend in poor neighborhoods and grades banks on how well they meet the goals of the law. Otting spent much of his two and a half years in office rewriting the rules for the CRA, and he stepped down the day after he unveiled a reform plan that gives banks more flexibility in satisfying the law.
In a different era, regulators and law enforcement worked together to try to stamp out racial bias. Eight federal agencies have a role in policing discrimination in the marketplace, and all are required to inform the Justice Department when they see it. The Justice Department received 22 fair lending referrals from a variety of agencies in 2016, President Barack Obama’s last year in office. In 2018, under Trump, the Justice Department received four referrals, according to the latest Justice report.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has made a large share of fair lending referrals since the agency was created in 2010. During the Obama administration, the OCC made six referrals and worked closely with the CFPB on other fair lending cases, said Richard Cordray, the first CFPB chief.
“There was just a lot more cooperation and a lot more interest in taking on banks to protect consumers,” Cordray said of the Obama years. “That has changed dramatically.”
***
As Otting downplayed racial discrimination in his congressional testimony, his examiners in Philadelphia saw enough troubling data to take the next step in the probe. Officials involved in the Bank of America matter declined to say exactly what raised alarms except that it was rooted in data they saw about the price and availability of home loans.
OCC examiners can see information such as customer credit scores and the costs associated with a loan. Overall in the city, African-Americans are disproportionately denied when they seek to purchase homes, according to reporting by Reveal.
The examiners brought in OCC lawyers who were trained to tell when a bank’s lending practices could be deemed discriminatory, according to two people involved in the Bank of America matter. Bringing OCC lawyers into an exam often signals that the agency is moving toward an enforcement action, said former examiners. When the OCC brought in its lawyers, Bank of America bristled.
Bank of America’s chief counsel’s office insisted that its own attorneys be in the room if OCC examiners wanted to keep talking to its employees. The OCC exam manual explicitly discourages such involvement. When conducting investigations, OCC examiners should generally resist allowing a bank’s lawyers to be part of a routine exam since that “may be an unacceptable restriction on the examiner’s access to information,” according to portions of the exam manual seen by ProPublica.
As a routine exam becomes a deeper probe, the agency should allow examiners to finish their work to build a case, said the former examiners, who declined to be named since they still have professional dealings with the OCC. A bank’s lawyers would typically become involved in the later stages of an investigation if OCC examiners believed they had found wrongdoing, several former examiners said.
Nevertheless, Morris Morgan, the OCC’s head of large bank supervision, who had previously been the regulator’s top examiner overseeing Bank of America, agreed to the bank’s request to have its lawyers sit in early on the probe.
The OCC then took another step that potentially helped Bank of America. The agency assigned a separate team of OCC lawyers to scrutinize the whole Bank of America probe — an unusual step considering that the exam was still ongoing and that such a move could chill an investigation, said the two former examiners.
Moreover, said two officials involved in the probe, the OCC never fully engaged the expert economists, statisticians and other specialists of the agency’s Risk Analysis Division who are trained to spot patterns of abuse among hundreds of thousands of mortgage loans and who can help build a case against a bank.
Within the OCC, one step below the Comptroller is the Major Matters Supervision Review Committee, a panel that decides the most sensitive enforcement issues at the agency. Fair housing matters are typically decided by this committee, which is largely staffed by officials who report to the Comptroller. It’s not clear if Otting himself weighed in on the case. Otting did not respond to multiple requests seeking comment. The Bank of America probe was not brought before the committee.
By September 2018, the OCC had killed the Bank of America probe. The OCC did not bring any sanctions against the bank. The matter was shelved before examiners could decide if their first suspicions about Bank of America had merit, according to the two officials involved who said the agency’s investigation was halted before it could finish.
The OCC and Morgan both declined to comment on the Bank of America redlining matter, which involves confidential supervisory work. David Leitch, Bank of America’s chief counsel, declined to comment. Bank of America also declined to comment on the investigation but said: “We are committed to fairly and responsibly meeting the credit needs of our clients and to complying fully with the letter and spirit of fair lending laws, regulations and principles.”
A spokesman also pointed to a recent Bank of America statement that the lender has earmarked $1 billion in future corporate gifts and loans to help local communities fight inequality. The bank is still finalizing details of the plan.
***
In 2018, as OCC examiners in Philadelphia were looking at Bank of America, a separate team of examiners looking at loans in Texas spotted abuse at Cadence Bancorp, a regional lender based in Houston. Cadence was making minority borrowers pass a wealth threshold that white customers did not have to meet when they borrowed against the equity in their home in second-lien or “piggyback” mortgages, according to OCC documents reviewed by ProPublica and The Capitol Forum.
Examiners opened a formal investigation and pushed its findings through several internal reviews for most of 2018. The bank said any unequal treatment was accidental, but OCC experts did not find that credible. Experts within the Risk Analysis Division endorsed the Cadence findings. In controversial cases, the OCC gets a second opinion from its independent ombudsman, Larry Hattix, who backed the OCC staffers.
In December 2018, the OCC referred the redlining matter to the Justice Department as a civil rights concern. By early last year, the Justice Department had decided against taking action. It sent the matter back to the OCC but said the agency could use its own power to sanction the bank, according to a Justice Department spokesman.
“It is not unusual that we defer to the financial regulators,” said the spokesman. “Deferral may be appropriate, for example, when the lender has self-identified the problem, changed its policies, and compensated any affected borrowers.”
But OCC officials reporting to Otting decided last year not to publicly sanction Cadence, according to OCC documents and two people with direct knowledge of the matter.
In a statement, Cadence said that it could not comment on its dealings with the OCC but that it stopped offering piggyback mortgage loans last year and that the bank never discriminated. “Cadence Bank does — and always has — treated minority consumers in a fair and non-discriminatory manner and is always looking for ways we can do better,” the bank said.
In another investigation, OCC examiners scrutinized home loans at MB Financial, a lender based in Illinois, and found that Latinos and women were not being offered discount mortgages as often as white men, according to three people with direct knowledge of the matter.
This looked like deliberate bias, examiners determined after reviewing loan records, and by late 2018 economists at the OCC Risk Analysis Division agreed, as did Hattix, the agency’s ombudsman. The OCC referred the matter to the Justice Department as a discrimination case, but the DOJ, under Attorney General William Barr, sent it back, according to two people involved in the matter. If bank regulators wanted to punish MB Financial, they would have to do it themselves.
In the end, the OCC did nothing. MB Financial was bought by Fifth Third Bank, an Ohio lender, and essentially slipped out of OCC jurisdiction. The OCC notified the Federal Reserve, which oversees Fifth Third, about what it found at MB Financial. The Fed has the ability to block mergers if it sees wrongdoing but it allowed the MB Financial deal to go ahead.
“Discrimination has no place in our society and the Fed takes these issues seriously in its role overseeing banking organizations,” a Fed spokesman said. “However, the Fed does not have direct supervisory authority over all banks.”
In a statement, Fifth Third said: “The intent of Fifth Third is to be in full compliance with all fair lending regulations. MB Financial had a similar intent.”
Two of the scuttled redlining investigations involved banks that use outside agents to originate a significant portion of their mortgage loans. The OCC found that agents working for Flagstar Bank of Michigan were charging Black homebuyers more than whites and Colorado Federal, an online lender, was charging women more than men, according to two people involved in the matters. Both cases had come to light during the Trump administration, and both were dropped without a public enforcement action.
Flagstar Bank declined to comment for this story. Colorado Federal did not respond to several requests for comment.
Regulators fall short if they turn a blind eye to discrimination or only issue quiet reprimands and private wrist-slaps when they find abuses, said Jeremy Kress, a former Federal Reserve attorney.
“Banks are less likely to misbehave if they think they are going to be called out for wrongdoing,” he said. “We can’t rely on regulators to do their job in secret, as recent scandals have shown.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-07-13--Trump Accused of Burying CDC Warning on Risk Posed by Full School Reopenings

The leader of one of the largest teachers ’ unions in the U.S. accused President Donald Trump over the weekend of “ trying to bury ” federal guidelines warning that fully reopening schools and universities in the fall poses a high risk of spreading Covid-19 and endangering the health of students , faculty , and parents .
A 69-page packet ( pdf ) of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention materials obtained by the New York Times and labeled “ For Internal Use Only ” cautions that the “ more people a student or staff member interacts with , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk of Covid-19 spread.
” The documents , many of which had already been posted online , warn that “ full-sized , in-person classes ” present the “ highest risk ” of spreading coronavirus compared to virtual courses and small classes in which students remain at least six feet apart at all times .
The packet , according to the Times , “ was among material for federal response teams that are being dispatched to hot spots around the country for short periods of time.
” While it ’ s “ unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the Times reported , “ what is clear is that federal health experts are using a road map that is vastly different from what Mr. Trump wanted.
” Randi Weingarten , president of the 1.7 million-member American Federation of Teachers , slammed Trump , Vice President Mike Pence , and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for recklessly pushing to reopen schools as federal experts privately warned of the severe risks of doing so without a clear safety plan .
“ Trump suppressed a CDC report that concluded ‘ fully opening schools and universities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus , ” Weingarten tweeted Saturday .
“ Trump , Pence , DeVos had this report and said the exact opposite .
His intentional lies will endanger thousands.
” Last week , Trump complained on Twitter that non-binding school reopening guidelines offered by the CDC—which recommends that students maintain six feet of distance from each other and wear face coverings — are “ very tough ” and “ expensive.
” In an apparent attempt to mollify the president — who also threatened to cut off funding to schools that don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefing last Wednesday that the CDC plans to release new documents “ giving even more clarity on the guidance going forward.
” CDC director Robert Redfield said in an interview the following day that the new documents would not alter the agency ’ s existing guidelines .
During an interview Sunday morning on CNN ’ s “ State of the Union , ” DeVos repeatedly refused to say whether schools should follow the CDC ’ s reopening guidelines and claimed “ there ’ s nothing in the data that suggests that kids being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Rep. Ayanna Pressley ( D-Mass . )
ripped DeVos for offering “ no plan ” to safely reopen schools as “ teachers , kids , and parents are fearing for their lives.
” “ You point to a private sector that has put profits over people and claimed the lives of thousands of essential workers , ” Pressley tweeted .
“ I wouldn ’ t trust you to care for a house plant let alone my child .
”

The more people students and staff interact with — and the longer they interact — the greater the risk of COVID spread.
The leader of one of the largest teachers’ unions in the U.S. accused President Donald Trump over the weekend of “trying to bury” federal guidelines warning that fully reopening schools and universities in the fall poses a high risk of spreading Covid-19 and endangering the health of students, faculty, and parents.
A 69-page packet (pdf) of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention materials obtained by the New York Times and labeled “For Internal Use Only” cautions that the “more people a student or staff member interacts with, and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of Covid-19 spread.”
The documents, many of which had already been posted online, warn that “full-sized, in-person classes” present the “highest risk” of spreading coronavirus compared to virtual courses and small classes in which students remain at least six feet apart at all times.
The packet, according to the Times, “was among material for federal response teams that are being dispatched to hot spots around the country for short periods of time.”
While it’s “unclear whether Mr. Trump saw the document,” the Times reported, “what is clear is that federal health experts are using a road map that is vastly different from what Mr. Trump wanted.”
Randi Weingarten, president of the 1.7 million-member American Federation of Teachers, slammed Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for recklessly pushing to reopen schools as federal experts privately warned of the severe risks of doing so without a clear safety plan.
“Trump suppressed a CDC report that concluded ‘fully opening schools and universities remained the highest risk for the spread of coronavirus,” Weingarten tweeted Saturday. “Trump, Pence, DeVos had this report and said the exact opposite. His intentional lies will endanger thousands.”
By trying to bury what the CDC recommends, Trump is betraying every student, teacher and parent in this country. Shame on him. Shame on those who enable him. https://t.co/mLDfLWsq0Y — Randi Weingarten (@rweingarten) July 11, 2020
Last week, Trump complained on Twitter that non-binding school reopening guidelines offered by the CDC—which recommends that students maintain six feet of distance from each other and wear face coverings — are “very tough” and “expensive.”
In an apparent attempt to mollify the president — who also threatened to cut off funding to schools that don’t reopen — Pence said during a press briefing last Wednesday that the CDC plans to release new documents “giving even more clarity on the guidance going forward.” CDC director Robert Redfield said in an interview the following day that the new documents would not alter the agency’s existing guidelines.
During an interview Sunday morning on CNN’s “State of the Union,” DeVos repeatedly refused to say whether schools should follow the CDC’s reopening guidelines and claimed “there’s nothing in the data that suggests that kids being in school is in any way dangerous.”
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos calls on schools to reopen despite CDC guidelines that say children meeting in groups can put everyone at risk: “There is going to be the exception to the rule. But the rule should be that kids go back to school this fall” #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/XDwaFdjLCX — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 12, 2020
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) ripped DeVos for offering “no plan” to safely reopen schools as “teachers, kids, and parents are fearing for their lives.”
“You point to a private sector that has put profits over people and claimed the lives of thousands of essential workers,” Pressley tweeted. “I wouldn’t trust you to care for a house plant let alone my child.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-07-13--COVID Catch-22: They Got a Big ER Bill Because Hospitals Couldn’t Test for Virus

Fresh off a Caribbean cruise in early March , John Campbell developed a cough and fever of 104 degrees .
He went to his primary care physician and got a flu test , which came up negative .
Then things got strange .
Campbell said the doctor then turned to him and said , “ I ’ ve called the ER next door , and you need to go there .
This is a matter of public health .
They ’ re expecting you.
” It was March 3 , and no one had an inkling yet of just how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. At the JFK Medical Center near his home in Boynton Beach , Florida , staffers met him in protective gear , then ran a battery of tests — including bloodwork , a chest X-ray and an electrocardiogram — before sending him home .
But because he had not traveled to China — a leading criterion at the time for coronavirus testing — Campbell was not swabbed for the virus .
A $ 2,777 bill for the emergency room visit came the next month .
Now Campbell , 52 , is among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the costs associated with seeking a COVID-19 diagnosis .
While most insurers have promised to cover the costs of testing and related services — and Congress passed legislation in mid-March enshrining that requirement — there ’ s a catch : The law requires the waiver of patient cost sharing only when a test is ordered or administered .
And therein lies the problem .
In the early weeks of the pandemic and through mid-April in many places , testing was often limited to those with specific symptoms or situations , likely excluding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the virus or had not traveled overseas .
“ They do pay for the test , but I didn ’ t have the test , ” said Campbell , who appealed the bill to his insurer , Florida Blue .
More on how that turned out later .
“ These loopholes exist , ” said Wendell Potter , a former insurance industry executive who is now an industry critic .
“ We ’ re just relying on these companies to act in good faith.
” Exacerbating the problem : Many of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency departments — the most expensive place to get care — which can result in huge bills for patients-deductible insurance .
Insurers say they fully cover costs when patients are tested for the coronavirus , but what happens with enrollees who sought a test — but were not given one — is less clear .
KHN asked nine national and regional insurers for specifics about how they are handling these situations .
Results were mixed .
Three — UnitedHealthcare , Kaiser Permanente and Anthem — said they do some level of automatic review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic , while a fourth , Quartz , said it would investigate and waive cost sharing for suspected COVID patients if the member asks for a review .
Humana said it is reviewing claims made in early March , but only those showing confirmed or suspected COVID .
Florida Blue , similarly , said it is manually reviewing claims , but only those involving COVID tests or diagnoses .
The remaining insurers pointed to other efforts , such as routine audits that look for all sorts of errors , along with efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proper COVID billing codes to use to ensure patients aren ’ t incorrectly hit with cost sharing .
Those were Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan , CIGNA and the Health Care Services Corp. , which operates Blues plans in Illinois , Montana , New Mexico , Oklahoma and Texas .
All nine said patients should reach out to them or appeal a claim if they suspect an error .
To be sure , it would be a complex effort for insurers to go back over claims from March and April , looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more generous interpretation of the cost waiver because they were unable to get a coronavirus test .
And there ’ s nothing in the CARES Act passed by Congress — or subsequent guidance from regulatory agencies — about what to do in such situations .
Still , insurers could review claims , for example , by looking for patients who received chest X-rays , and diagnoses of pneumonia or high fever and cough , checking to see if any might qualify as suspected COVID cases , even if they were not given a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing was clear from the responses : Much of the burden falls on patients who think they ’ ve been wrongly billed to call that to the attention of the insurer and the hospital , urgent care center or doctor ’ s office where they were treated .
Some states have broader mandates that could be read to require the waiver of cost sharing even if a COVID test was not ordered or administered , said Sabrina Corlette , a research professor and co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live , she said , patients who get bills they think are incorrect should contest them .
“ I ’ ve heard a lot of comments that claims are not coded properly , ” said Corlette .
“ Insurers and providers are on a learning curve .
If you get a bill , ask for a review.
” In some places , including the state of Indiana , the city of Los Angeles and St. Louis County , Missouri , a test is now offered to anyone who seeks one .
Until recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even though more comprehensive testing could have helped health officials battle the epidemic .
But even in the early weeks , when Campbell and many others sought a diagnosis , insurers nationwide were promising to cover the cost of testing and related services .
That was good PR and good public health : Removing cost barriers to testing means more people will seek care and thus could prevent others from being infected .
Currently , the majority of insurers offering job-based or Affordable Care Act insurance say they are fully waiving copays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as long as the claims are coded correctly .
( The law does not require short-term plans to waive cost sharing . )
Some insurers have even promised to fully cover the cost of treatment for COVID , including hospital care .
But getting stuck with a sizable bill has become commonplace .
“ I only went in because I was really sick and I thought I had it , ” said Rayone Moyer , 63 , of La Crosse , Wisconsin , who was extra concerned because she has diabetes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when I was doing stuff.
” On March 27 , she went to Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center , which is in her Quartz insurance network , complaining of body aches and shortness of breath .
Those symptoms could be COVID-related , but could also signal other conditions .
While there , she was given an array of tests , including bloodwork , a chest X-ray and a CT scan .
She was billed in May : $ 2,421 by the hospital and more than $ 350 in doctor bills .
“ My insurance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
“ Because they refused to test me , I ’ ve got to pay the bill .
No one said , ‘ Hey , we ’ ll give you $ 3,000 worth of tests instead of the $ 100 COVID test , ’ ” she said .
Quartz spokesperson Christina Ott said patients with concerns like Moyer ’ s should call the insurance company ’ s customer service number and ask for an appeals specialist .
The insurer , she wrote in response to KHN ’ s survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for some members who sought a diagnosis .
“ During the public health emergency , if the member presented with similar symptoms as COVID , but didn ’ t receive a COVID-19 test and received testing for other illnesses on an outpatient basis , then cost sharing would be waived , ” she wrote .
Moyer said she has filed an appeal and was notified by the insurer of a review expected in mid-July .
Back in Florida , Campbell filed an appeal of his bill with Florida Blue on April 22 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day after a KHN reporter called the insurer about his case in June .
Then , Campbell received phone calls from Florida Blue representatives .
A supervisor apologized , saying the insurer should not have billed him and that 100 % of his costs would be covered .
“ Basically they said , ‘ We ’ ve changed our minds , ’ ” said Campbell .
“ Because I was there so early on , and the bill was coded incorrectly .
”

Some patients have been directed to go to hospital emergency rooms — the most expensive place to get care.
Fresh off a Caribbean cruise in early March, John Campbell developed a cough and fever of 104 degrees. He went to his primary care physician and got a flu test, which came up negative.
Then things got strange. Campbell said the doctor then turned to him and said, “I’ve called the ER next door, and you need to go there. This is a matter of public health. They’re expecting you.”
It was March 3, and no one had an inkling yet of just how bad the COVID-19 pandemic would become in the U.S.
At the JFK Medical Center near his home in Boynton Beach, Florida, staffers met him in protective gear, then ran a battery of tests — including bloodwork, a chest X-ray and an electrocardiogram — before sending him home. But because he had not traveled to China — a leading criterion at the time for coronavirus testing — Campbell was not swabbed for the virus.
A $2,777 bill for the emergency room visit came the next month.
Now Campbell, 52, is among those who say they were wrongly billed for the costs associated with seeking a COVID-19 diagnosis.
While most insurers have promised to cover the costs of testing and related services — and Congress passed legislation in mid-March enshrining that requirement — there’s a catch: The law requires the waiver of patient cost sharing only when a test is ordered or administered.
And therein lies the problem. In the early weeks of the pandemic and through mid-April in many places, testing was often limited to those with specific symptoms or situations, likely excluding thousands of people who had milder cases of the virus or had not traveled overseas.
“They do pay for the test, but I didn’t have the test,” said Campbell, who appealed the bill to his insurer, Florida Blue. More on how that turned out later.
“These loopholes exist,” said Wendell Potter, a former insurance industry executive who is now an industry critic. “We’re just relying on these companies to act in good faith.”
Exacerbating the problem: Many of these patients were directed to go to hospital emergency departments — the most expensive place to get care — which can result in huge bills for patients-deductible insurance.
Insurers say they fully cover costs when patients are tested for the coronavirus, but what happens with enrollees who sought a test — but were not given one — is less clear.
KHN asked nine national and regional insurers for specifics about how they are handling these situations.
Results were mixed. Three — UnitedHealthcare, Kaiser Permanente and Anthem — said they do some level of automatic review of potential COVID-related claims from earlier in the pandemic, while a fourth, Quartz, said it would investigate and waive cost sharing for suspected COVID patients if the member asks for a review. Humana said it is reviewing claims made in early March, but only those showing confirmed or suspected COVID. Florida Blue, similarly, said it is manually reviewing claims, but only those involving COVID tests or diagnoses. The remaining insurers pointed to other efforts, such as routine audits that look for all sorts of errors, along with efforts to train hospitals and doctors in the proper COVID billing codes to use to ensure patients aren’t incorrectly hit with cost sharing. Those were Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, CIGNA and the Health Care Services Corp., which operates Blues plans in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.
All nine said patients should reach out to them or appeal a claim if they suspect an error.
To be sure, it would be a complex effort for insurers to go back over claims from March and April, looking for patients that might qualify for a more generous interpretation of the cost waiver because they were unable to get a coronavirus test. And there’s nothing in the CARES Act passed by Congress — or subsequent guidance from regulatory agencies — about what to do in such situations.
Still, insurers could review claims, for example, by looking for patients who received chest X-rays, and diagnoses of pneumonia or high fever and cough, checking to see if any might qualify as suspected COVID cases, even if they were not given a diagnostic test, said Potter.
One thing was clear from the responses: Much of the burden falls on patients who think they’ve been wrongly billed to call that to the attention of the insurer and the hospital, urgent care center or doctor’s office where they were treated.
Some states have broader mandates that could be read to require the waiver of cost sharing even if a COVID test was not ordered or administered, said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor and co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University.
But no matter where you live, she said, patients who get bills they think are incorrect should contest them. “I’ve heard a lot of comments that claims are not coded properly,” said Corlette. “Insurers and providers are on a learning curve. If you get a bill, ask for a review.”
Scarce Tests, Rampant Virus
In some places, including the state of Indiana, the city of Los Angeles and St. Louis County, Missouri, a test is now offered to anyone who seeks one. Until recently, tests were scarce and essentially rationed, even though more comprehensive testing could have helped health officials battle the epidemic.
But even in the early weeks, when Campbell and many others sought a diagnosis, insurers nationwide were promising to cover the cost of testing and related services. That was good PR and good public health: Removing cost barriers to testing means more people will seek care and thus could prevent others from being infected. Currently, the majority of insurers offering job-based or Affordable Care Act insurance say they are fully waiving copays, deductibles and other fees for testing, as long as the claims are coded correctly. (The law does not require short-term plans to waive cost sharing.) Some insurers have even promised to fully cover the cost of treatment for COVID, including hospital care.
But getting stuck with a sizable bill has become commonplace. “I only went in because I was really sick and I thought I had it,” said Rayone Moyer, 63, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, who was extra concerned because she has diabetes. “I had a hard time breathing when I was doing stuff.”
On March 27, she went to Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center, which is in her Quartz insurance network, complaining of body aches and shortness of breath. Those symptoms could be COVID-related, but could also signal other conditions. While there, she was given an array of tests, including bloodwork, a chest X-ray and a CT scan.
She was billed in May: $2,421 by the hospital and more than $350 in doctor bills.
“My insurance applied the whole thing to my deductible,” she said. “Because they refused to test me, I’ve got to pay the bill. No one said, ‘Hey, we’ll give you $3,000 worth of tests instead of the $100 COVID test,’” she said.
Quartz spokesperson Christina Ott said patients with concerns like Moyer’s should call the insurance company’s customer service number and ask for an appeals specialist. The insurer, she wrote in response to KHN’s survey of insurers, will waive cost sharing for some members who sought a diagnosis.
“During the public health emergency, if the member presented with similar symptoms as COVID, but didn’t receive a COVID-19 test and received testing for other illnesses on an outpatient basis, then cost sharing would be waived,” she wrote.
Moyer said she has filed an appeal and was notified by the insurer of a review expected in mid-July. Back in Florida, Campbell filed an appeal of his bill with Florida Blue on April 22, but didn’t hear anything until the day after a KHN reporter called the insurer about his case in June.
Then, Campbell received phone calls from Florida Blue representatives. A supervisor apologized, saying the insurer should not have billed him and that 100% of his costs would be covered.
“Basically they said, ‘We’ve changed our minds,’” said Campbell. “Because I was there so early on, and the bill was coded incorrectly.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.