dailysignal--2020-04-17--Trump Outlines 3-Phase Approach to ‘Opening Up America Again’ Amid COVID-19

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a cautious , three-phase approach—one that still gives wide latitude to governors—for reopening the shuttered economy in states that have had low rates of transmission of COVID-19 .
“ Based on the latest data , our team of experts now agrees that we can begin the next front in our war , which we ’ re calling , ‘ Opening up America again , ’ ” Trump said .
“ … We are not opening all at once , but one careful step at a time.
” The president has said he would like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even before—May 1 in some states .
He said the plan is based on “ hard , verifiable data ” and that the peak death rate from the disease is now behind us .
> > > When can America reopen ?
The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission , a project of The Heritage Foundation , is gathering America ’ s top thinkers together to figure that out .
Learn more here .
“ Thanks to our all-out military operation and the extraordinary devotion of our people , we believe we will experience far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Trump said .
“ We have incredible people that we ’ re working with , and we ’ re going to bring our country back , and it ’ s going to be bigger and better and stronger than ever before , ” he said .
Dr. Deborah Birx , coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force , presented slides to explain the phases of the process of reopening the country .
Birx said each phases would be “ related to 14 days of decreasing evidence of illness.
” • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk of resurgence ” and would allow public venues , such as arenas , theaters , and restaurants to reopen , only under certain social distancing conditions .
However , “ all vulnerable individuals should continue to shelter in place , ” and low-risk individuals should continue social distancing .
• Phase two only applies for regions with no evidence of a rebound .
Visits to hospitals , nursing homes , and similar locations will remain prohibited .
However , schools , day care centers , and camps can reopen , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can begin to ease social distancing restrictions .
• Phase three is also for states or areas with no evidence of a rebound , but has fewer restrictions than phase two .
Even vulnerable individuals would have more freedom , but should still practice social distancing , while others are urged to avoid “ crowded environments.
” The president noted that “ benchmarks must be met at each phase.
” Reacting to the president ’ s plan , Heritage Foundation President Kay C. James stressed that “ good public health policy is good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rightly working to restore livelihoods in the midst of catastrophic job losses , while also taking care to balance Americans ’ health and safety , ” said James , who is also chairwoman of The Heritage Foundation ’ s 17-member National Coronavirus Recovery Commission .
The panel is working to provide recommendations to federal , state , and local governments , as well as to the private sector .
“ I look forward to working with the administration to help move prudently toward getting Americans ’ lives back to normal , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the phased approach will focus on preventing recurrence of the coronavirus in states where it has declined .
“ There is a focus in the president ’ s new guidelines on the most vulnerable , ” Pence said .
“ We made this very clear to the governors today .
These new guidelines for opening up America again can be implemented on a statewide basis or on a county-by-county basis.
” “ The predominant and completely driving element that we put into this was the safety and the health of the American public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , who also serves on the White House ’ s coronavirus task force .

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a cautious, three-phase approach—one that still gives wide latitude to governors—for reopening the shuttered economy in states that have had low rates of transmission of COVID-19.
“Based on the latest data, our team of experts now agrees that we can begin the next front in our war, which we’re calling, ‘Opening up America again,’” Trump said. “… We are not opening all at once, but one careful step at a time.”
The president has said he would like to see the economy moving again by—or even before—May 1 in some states. He said the plan is based on “hard, verifiable data” and that the peak death rate from the disease is now behind us.
>>> When can America reopen? The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission, a project of The Heritage Foundation, is gathering America’s top thinkers together to figure that out. Learn more here.
“Thanks to our all-out military operation and the extraordinary devotion of our people, we believe we will experience far fewer deaths than even the optimistic projections,” Trump said.
“We have incredible people that we’re working with, and we’re going to bring our country back, and it’s going to be bigger and better and stronger than ever before,” he said.
Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, presented slides to explain the phases of the process of reopening the country. Birx said each phases would be “related to 14 days of decreasing evidence of illness.”
Phase one is designed to “mitigate the risk of resurgence” and would allow public venues, such as arenas, theaters, and restaurants to reopen, only under certain social distancing conditions. However, “all vulnerable individuals should continue to shelter in place,” and low-risk individuals should continue social distancing.
Phase two only applies for regions with no evidence of a rebound. Visits to hospitals, nursing homes, and similar locations will remain prohibited. However, schools, day care centers, and camps can reopen, and nonessential travel can resume. Public venues can begin to ease social distancing restrictions.
Phase three is also for states or areas with no evidence of a rebound, but has fewer restrictions than phase two. Even vulnerable individuals would have more freedom, but should still practice social distancing, while others are urged to avoid “crowded environments.”
The president noted that “benchmarks must be met at each phase.”
Reacting to the president’s plan, Heritage Foundation President Kay C. James stressed that “good public health policy is good economic policy.”
“The administration is rightly working to restore livelihoods in the midst of catastrophic job losses, while also taking care to balance Americans’ health and safety,” said James, who is also chairwoman of The Heritage Foundation’s 17-member National Coronavirus Recovery Commission. The panel is working to provide recommendations to federal, state, and local governments, as well as to the private sector.
“I look forward to working with the administration to help move prudently toward getting Americans’ lives back to normal,” she added.
Vice President Mike Pence said the phased approach will focus on preventing recurrence of the coronavirus in states where it has declined.
“There is a focus in the president’s new guidelines on the most vulnerable,” Pence said. “We made this very clear to the governors today. These new guidelines for opening up America again can be implemented on a statewide basis or on a county-by-county basis.”
“The predominant and completely driving element that we put into this was the safety and the health of the American public,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who also serves on the White House’s coronavirus task force.


dailysignal--2020-04-17--Coronavirus Authoritarianism Is Getting Out of Hand

It ’ s reasonable to assume that the vast majority of Americans process news and data , and calculate that self-quarantining , wearing masks and social distancing make sense for themselves , their families and the country .
Free people act out of self-preservation , but they shouldn ’ t be coerced to act through the authoritarian whims of the state .
Yet this is exactly what ’ s happening .
There has been lots of pounding of keyboards over the power grabs of authoritarians in Central and Eastern Europe , and rightly so .
Yet right here , politicians @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them license to lord over the most private activities of the American people in ways that are wholly inconsistent with the spirit and letter of the Constitution .
> > > When can America reopen ?
The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission , a project of The Heritage Foundation , is gathering America ’ s top thinkers together to figure that out .
Learn more here .
I ’ m not even talking about national political and media elites who , after fueling years of hysteria over the coming Republican dictatorship , now demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m talking about local governments .
Under what imperious conception of governance does Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer believe it is within her power to unilaterally ban garden stores from selling fruit or vegetable plants and seeds ?
What business is it of Vermont or Howard County , Indiana , to dictate that Walmart , Costco , or Target stop selling “ nonessential ” items , such as electronics or clothing ?
Vermont has 628 cases of coronavirus as of this writing .
Is that the magic number authorizing the governor to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gardens ?
Maybe a family needs new pajamas for their young kids because they ’ re stuck in a new town .
Or maybe Mom needs a remote hard drive to help her work remotely .
Or maybe Dad just likes apples .
Whatever the case , it ’ s absolutely none of your mayor ’ s business .
It makes sense for places like Washington , D.C. ; Virginia ; and Maryland to ban large , avoidable gatherings .
But it is an astonishing abuse of power to issue stay-at-home orders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to harass and fine individuals for nothing more than taking a walk .
The criminalization of movement ends with 10 Philly cops dragging a passenger off a bus for not wearing a face mask .
It ends with local Brighton , Colorado , cops handcuffing a father in front of his family for playing softball with his daughter in an empty park .
It ends with three Massachusetts men being arrested , and facing the possibility of 90 days in jail , for crossing state lines and golfing—a sport built for social distancing—in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to close “ public ” parks , where Americans can maintain social distance while getting some air or space for their mental and physical well-being—or maybe see a grandchild from afar .
In California , surfers , who stay far away from each other , are banned from going in the water .
Elsewhere , hikers are banned from roaming the millions of acres in national parks .
Millions of lower-income and urban-dwelling Americans don ’ t have the luxury of backyards , and there is absolutely no reason to inhibit their movement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville , Kentucky , attempted to unilaterally ban drive-in church services for the most holy day in Christianity .
It ’ s one thing if people are purposely and openly undermining public health .
The constitutional right to assemble peacefully and protest or practice your religion , however , is not inoperable in the presence of a viral pandemic .
Would-be petty tyrants , such as Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins—who implores residences to rat out neighbors who sell cigarettes for “ putting profits over public health , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by him , and that he is merely our temporary servant .
But it ’ s important and necessary , say the experts .
Great .
Convince us .
Most polls show that 80-something percent of Americans will stay home for the rest of this month even if lockdowns are lifted .
The question of how many lives would be lost if we didn ’ t shut down the economy is a vital one , but it is not the only one .
There is an array of factors that goes into these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preserving our laws and our freedom in times of crisis .
We aren ’ t at “ war.
” There are no coronavirus spies and no coronavirus sabotage .
Affixing “ war ” to societal problems—the “ war on drugs ” being the most obvious example—is typically a justification for expanding state power .
Also , authoritarianism isn ’ t defined as “ strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom except when there is a pandemic.
” Your declarative sentences and forceful feelings do not transform the meaning of either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ principles every time there ’ s a crisis , they might as well .

It’s reasonable to assume that the vast majority of Americans process news and data, and calculate that self-quarantining, wearing masks, and social distancing make sense for themselves, their families, and the country.
Free people act out of self-preservation, but they shouldn’t be coerced to act through the authoritarian whims of the state. Yet this is exactly what’s happening.
There has been lots of pounding of keyboards over the power grabs of authoritarians in Central and Eastern Europe, and rightly so.
Yet right here, politicians act as though a health crisis gives them license to lord over the most private activities of the American people in ways that are wholly inconsistent with the spirit and letter of the Constitution.
>>> When can America reopen? The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission, a project of The Heritage Foundation, is gathering America’s top thinkers together to figure that out. Learn more here.
I’m not even talking about national political and media elites who, after fueling years of hysteria over the coming Republican dictatorship, now demand Donald Trump dominate state actions. I’m talking about local governments.
Under what imperious conception of governance does Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer believe it is within her power to unilaterally ban garden stores from selling fruit or vegetable plants and seeds?
What business is it of Vermont or Howard County, Indiana, to dictate that Walmart, Costco, or Target stop selling “nonessential” items, such as electronics or clothing?
Vermont has 628 cases of the coronavirus as of this writing. Is that the magic number authorizing the governor to ban people from buying seeds for their gardens?
Maybe a family needs new pajamas for their young kids because they’re stuck in a new town. Or maybe Mom needs a remote hard drive to help her work remotely. Or maybe Dad just likes apples. Whatever the case, it’s absolutely none of your mayor’s business.
It makes sense for places like Washington, D.C.; Virginia; and Maryland to ban large, avoidable gatherings. But it is an astonishing abuse of power to issue stay-at-home orders, enforced by criminal law, empowering police to harass and fine individuals for nothing more than taking a walk.
The criminalization of movement ends with 10 Philly cops dragging a passenger off a bus for not wearing a face mask.
It ends with local Brighton, Colorado, cops handcuffing a father in front of his family for playing softball with his daughter in an empty park.
It ends with three Massachusetts men being arrested, and facing the possibility of 90 days in jail, for crossing state lines and golfing—a sport built for social distancing—in Rhode Island.
There is no reason to close “public” parks, where Americans can maintain social distance while getting some air or space for their mental and physical well-being—or maybe see a grandchild from afar.
In California, surfers, who stay far away from each other, are banned from going in the water. Elsewhere, hikers are banned from roaming the millions of acres in national parks.
Millions of lower-income and urban-dwelling Americans don’t have the luxury of backyards, and there is absolutely no reason to inhibit their movement, either.
Two days before Easter, Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville, Kentucky, attempted to unilaterally ban drive-in church services for the most holy day in Christianity.
It’s one thing if people are purposely and openly undermining public health. The constitutional right to assemble peacefully and protest or practice your religion, however, is not inoperable in the presence of a viral pandemic.
Would-be petty tyrants, such as Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins—who implores residences to rat out neighbors who sell cigarettes for “putting profits over public health”—forget that we are not ruled by him, and that he is merely our temporary servant.
But it’s important and necessary, say the experts. Great. Convince us. Most polls show that 80-something percent of Americans will stay home for the rest of this month even if lockdowns are lifted.
The question of how many lives would be lost if we didn’t shut down the economy is a vital one, but it is not the only one. There is an array of factors that goes into these decisions. One of them should be preserving our laws and our freedom in times of crisis.
We aren’t at “war.” There are no coronavirus spies and no coronavirus sabotage. Affixing “war” to societal problems—the “war on drugs” being the most obvious example—is typically a justification for expanding state power.
Also, authoritarianism isn’t defined as “strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom except when there is a pandemic.”
Your declarative sentences and forceful feelings do not transform the meaning of either authoritarianism or freedom—though if we dump our principles every time there’s a crisis, they might as well.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM


dailysignal--2020-04-17--California Mayor to Resign After Comparing Trump Supporters to KKK

The mayor of a Northern California city this week announced plans to step down after outrage erupted over recent social media posts comparing President Donald Trump ’ s supporters to members of the Ku Klux Klan , Fox News reported .
The angry Auburn community , about 33 miles northeast of Sacramento , weighed in on Mayor William Kirby ’ s controversial comments on Facebook during a virtual City Council meeting by video Monday .
Kirby addressed the controversy after several voicemails from residents were played .
“ I spent 40 years dedicating my life to serving the community of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volunteer efforts .
Am I perfect ?
No .
We ’ re all a little flawed , ” Kirby said , admitting some of his recent posts were misguided .
Kirby said in a statement to CBS Sacramento , “ Some people have viewed my posts , which were meant to be private and made out of frustration as over the top .
Some were , and I regret that.
” “ I want to share with you where my frustrations have come from , ” he said .
He said that as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , respiratory therapists , other medical staff , first responders and my medical colleagues , as well as their patients , dying unnecessarily due to lack of preparation ” for the coronavirus .
“ The president has put us all at risk.
” In one of the posts , the mayor shared a photo of a Ku Klux Klan hood , with the caption , “ Good news for Trump supporters is that most of them already have masks , ” the report said .
The post was later taken down .
Kirby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : “ If Hitler and everyone who supported him was removed from the face of the earth in 1939 , the world would be a much better place ” and that , “ The same is more true of Trump and his supporters today.
” At the council meeting , Kirby said he “ absolutely ” thinks Trump is a racist and that the Facebook posts have “ nothing to do with my job , ” the Auburn Journal reported .

The mayor of a Northern California city this week announced plans to step down after outrage erupted over recent social media posts comparing President Donald Trump’s supporters to members of the Ku Klux Klan, Fox News reported.
The angry Auburn community, about 33 miles northeast of Sacramento, weighed in on Mayor William Kirby’s controversial comments on Facebook during a virtual City Council meeting by video Monday.
Kirby addressed the controversy after several voicemails from residents were played.
“I spent 40 years dedicating my life to serving the community of Auburn as a physician and through my volunteer efforts. Am I perfect? No. We’re all a little flawed,” Kirby said, admitting some of his recent posts were misguided.
Kirby said in a statement to CBS Sacramento, “Some people have viewed my posts, which were meant to be private and made out of frustration as over the top. Some were, and I regret that.”
“I want to share with you where my frustrations have come from,” he said. He said that as a doctor, he sees “nurses, respiratory therapists, other medical staff, first responders and my medical colleagues, as well as their patients, dying unnecessarily due to lack of preparation” for the coronavirus. “The president has put us all at risk.”
In one of the posts, the mayor shared a photo of a Ku Klux Klan hood, with the caption, “Good news for Trump supporters is that most of them already have masks,” the report said. The post was later taken down.
Kirby’s comments from a screenshot, said: “If Hitler and everyone who supported him was removed from the face of the earth in 1939, the world would be a much better place” and that, “The same is more true of Trump and his supporters today.”
At the council meeting, Kirby said he “absolutely” thinks Trump is a racist and that the Facebook posts have “nothing to do with my job,” the Auburn Journal reported.
Originally published by American Greatness


dailysignal--2020-04-18--Trump’s Attack on VOA Over COVID-19 Shows Need for New Agency Chief

At his April 15 press conference , President Donald Trump launched into a fierce attack on the Voice of America , the U.S. government ’ s broadcasting entity that reaches out to the world in 47 different languages and is a part of the U.S. Agency for Global Media .
The president called the VOA ’ s coverage of the COVID-19 crisis “ disgusting ” and a “ disgrace , ” and accused it of bias and of spreading Chinese propaganda about the coronavirus .
That ’ s an extraordinary state of affairs , with the executive branch attacking itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to recess Congress in order to be able to make recess appointments for positions that Democrats in the Senate have blocked , in some cases for years .
One case of particular relevance to Trump ’ s irate accusations is that of Michael Pack , a documentary filmmaker and former president of the Claremont Institute .
Pack was nominated two years ago by Trump to fill the position of chief executive officer of the Broadcasting Board of Governors , as the U.S. Agency for Global Media used to be called .
He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in confirmation hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee , only to face a stone wall off opposition and obstructionism by Senate Democrats .
Meanwhile , the largely anti-Trump leadership of U.S. Agency for Global Media has entrenched itself .
Following the 2016 election , a slew of leaks to the media suggested that management and reporters were in despair , fearing the VOA would become a propaganda organ for Trump .
At the head of Voice of America is Amanda Bennett , a true Washington insider , former Wall Street Journal journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owner Donald Graham Jr. Bennett and the CEO who hired her for the position at VOA , John Lansing ( who recently moved to NPR ) , were both appointees of President Barack Obama .
The board overseeing the work of the U.S. Agency for Global Media is composed of Democrats and Republicans in equal numbers , but even the Republicans on the board are dominated by so-called Never-Trumpers .
Under Bennett ’ s leadership , the coverage of the coronavirus has been influenced by Chinese propaganda .
The VOA is far from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but its charter mandates that it should reflect U.S. government policy .
1 ) VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news .
VOA news will be accurate , objective , and comprehensive .
2 ) VOA will represent America , not any single segment of American society , and will therefore present a balanced and comprehensive projection of significant American thought and institutions .
3 ) VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively , and will also present responsible discussions and opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , the VOA praised China ’ s Wuhan lockdown as a successful “ model ” copied by much of the rest of the world to end the quarantine .
VOA even tweeted out video of the communist government ’ s light show at the quarantine ’ s alleged end .
The VOA went a step further , creating graphics with communist government statistics to compare China ’ s coronavirus death toll to America ’ s .
But there is simply no way to verify China ’ s statistics , especially in light @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling of the origins of the pandemic .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated in his appearance on March 27 , 2019 , before the House Appropriations Committee ’ s state , foreign operations and related programs subcommittee : I would urge to get a CEO of that organization in place so that the [ Broadcasting Board of Governors ] will have the right leadership , so they can do the traditional mission ; perhaps in a different information environment than we did back in the Cold War , but can perform its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and noble , and reflects the enormous resources that … American taxpayers have put towards that .
In an April 14 op-ed column in The Washington Times , Cliff May , president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies , wrote that Trump “ in theory , should have someone he trusts heading the VOA and other taxpayer-funded , U.S. overseas broadcasting services , including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty , Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks , ” adding : The Senate needs urgently to do its job and allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under these extraordinarily challenging times .

At his April 15 press conference, President Donald Trump launched into a fierce attack on the Voice of America, the U.S. government’s broadcasting entity that reaches out to the world in 47 different languages and is a part of the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
The president called the VOA’s coverage of the COVID-19 crisis “disgusting” and a “disgrace,” and accused it of bias and of spreading Chinese propaganda about the coronavirus.
That’s an extraordinary state of affairs, with the executive branch attacking itself, no less.
Trump then threatened to recess Congress in order to be able to make recess appointments for positions that Democrats in the Senate have blocked, in some cases for years.
One case of particular relevance to Trump’s irate accusations is that of Michael Pack, a documentary filmmaker and former president of the Claremont Institute.
Pack was nominated two years ago by Trump to fill the position of chief executive officer of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, as the U.S. Agency for Global Media used to be called.
He was renominated in January, and performed well in confirmation hearings before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, only to face a stone wall off opposition and obstructionism by Senate Democrats.
Meanwhile, the largely anti-Trump leadership of U.S. Agency for Global Media has entrenched itself.
Following the 2016 election, a slew of leaks to the media suggested that management and reporters were in despair, fearing the VOA would become a propaganda organ for Trump.
The opposite has happened.
At the head of Voice of America is Amanda Bennett, a true Washington insider, former Wall Street Journal journalist, and wife of former Washington Post owner Donald Graham Jr.
Bennett and the CEO who hired her for the position at VOA, John Lansing (who recently moved to NPR), were both appointees of President Barack Obama.
The board overseeing the work of the U.S. Agency for Global Media is composed of Democrats and Republicans in equal numbers, but even the Republicans on the board are dominated by so-called Never-Trumpers.
Under Bennett’s leadership, the coverage of the coronavirus has been influenced by Chinese propaganda.
The VOA is far from alone in this among the U.S. media, but its charter mandates that it should reflect U.S. government policy.
1) VOA will serve as a consistently reliable and authoritative source of news. VOA news will be accurate, objective, and comprehensive. 2) VOA will represent America, not any single segment of American society, and will therefore present a balanced and comprehensive projection of significant American thought and institutions. 3) VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussions and opinion on these policies.
Instead, last week, the VOA praised China’s Wuhan lockdown as a successful “model” copied by much of the rest of the world to end the quarantine. VOA even tweeted out video of the communist government’s light show at the quarantine’s alleged end.
The VOA went a step further, creating graphics with communist government statistics to compare China’s coronavirus death toll to America’s. But there is simply no way to verify China’s statistics, especially in light of China’s secretive and culpable handling of the origins of the pandemic.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated in his appearance on March 27, 2019, before the House Appropriations Committee’s state, foreign operations and related programs subcommittee:
I would urge to get a CEO of that organization in place so that the [Broadcasting Board of Governors] will have the right leadership, so they can do the traditional mission; perhaps in a different information environment than we did back in the Cold War, but can perform its function in a way that is important and noble, and reflects the enormous resources that … American taxpayers have put towards that.
In an April 14 op-ed column in The Washington Times, Cliff May, president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, wrote that Trump “in theory, should have someone he trusts heading the VOA and other taxpayer-funded, U.S. overseas broadcasting services, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks,” adding:
In practice, however, President Trump has been deprived of that prerogative, with much of the media cheering.
The Senate needs urgently to do its job and allow Trump to have the leaders he needs under these extraordinarily challenging times.


dailysignal--2020-04-18--Trump Administration Touts Boost in New Coronavirus Testing

President Donald Trump and administration officials indicated that testing for the coronavirus is headed for a big increase , as the administration moves toward reopening the economy .
“ Earlier this week the [ Food and Drug Administration ] authorized two new antibody tests , which is very exciting , that will determine whether someone has been previously infected with the virus , bringing the total to four authorized antibody tests already , ” Trump said Friday during a press briefing .
“ This will help us assess the number of cases that have been asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work by showing us who might have developed wonderful , beautiful immunity , ” the president added .
Vice President Mike Pence said the “ states could actually more than double the amount of daily testing that is happening today by simply activating all of the labs.
” “ The FDA is currently working on an antibody test that could literally add 20 million new tests to our supply even before the end of April , ” Pence said .
“ Our best scientists and health experts assess that states today have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phase one if they choose to do so , ” Pence said .
“ States that meet the criteria for going into phase one and then are preparing the testing that is contemplated into going into phase one , our best scientists and health experts assess that today , we have a sufficient amount of testing to meet the requirements of phase one reopening if state governors should choose to do that.
” There are two types of tests for coronavirus tests , explained Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he tested negative earlier that day .
One of them is to actually test for the infection .
… The other is to test , as we just mentioned , if someone has been infected .
Usually someone has been infected who has recovered that you can assume–although we need to do some more work on that–that that person is actually protected against subsequent exposure and infection with an identical organism .
… The pluses and minuses are going to impact how we best use the tests and how the tests actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed a map of the United States , demonstrating which states had the largest testing capacity .
Larger states such as Texas and New York have capacity to do 1 million tests per month , she said .
We are working with each of those states on unlocking that full potential .
How are we doing that ?
We ’ re calling on the American Society of Microbiologists .
They work closely with 300 lab directors around the country and the Walter Reed team who developed the entire HIV testing for the military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve called them back into service and they are calling lab by lab to find out what are the technical difficulties to bring up all of the platforms that exist in your lab .
Trump also announced that the Agriculture Department will be implementing a $ 19 billion relief program “ for our great farmers and ranchers as they cope with the fallout of the global pandemic.
” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said at the press briefing , “ Having to dump milk or plow under vegetables ready to market is not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heartbreaking as well to those who produce them .
”

President Donald Trump and administration officials indicated that testing for the coronavirus is headed for a big increase, as the administration moves toward reopening the economy.
“Earlier this week the [Food and Drug Administration] authorized two new antibody tests, which is very exciting, that will determine whether someone has been previously infected with the virus, bringing the total to four authorized antibody tests already,” Trump said Friday evening during a press briefing on COVID-19.
“This will help us assess the number of cases that have been asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic and support our efforts to get Americans back to work by showing us who might have developed wonderful, beautiful immunity,” the president said.
Vice President Mike Pence said the “states could actually more than double the amount of daily testing that is happening today by simply activating all of the labs.”
“The FDA is currently working on an antibody test that could literally add 20 million new tests to our supply even before the end of April,” Pence said, adding:
Our best scientists and health experts assess that states today have enough tests to implement the criteria of phase one if they choose to do so. States that meet the criteria for going into phase one and then are preparing the testing that is contemplated into going into phase one, our best scientists and health experts assess that today, we have a sufficient amount of testing to meet the requirements of phase one reopening if state governors should choose to do that.
There are two types of tests for coronavirus tests, explained Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, who said he tested negative earlier that day:
One of them is to actually test for the infection. … The other is to test, as we just mentioned, if someone has been infected. Usually someone has been infected who has recovered that you can assume–although we need to do some more work on that–that that person is actually protected against subsequent exposure and infection with an identical organism. … The pluses and minuses are going to impact how we best use the tests and how the tests actually should be used.
Dr. Deborah Birx, response coordinator for the White House’s coronavirus task force, showed a map of the United States demonstrating which states had the largest testing capacity.
Larger states such as Texas and New York have capacity to do 1 million tests per month, she said:
We are working with each of those states on unlocking that full potential. How are we doing that? We’re calling on the American Society of Microbiologists. They work closely with 300 lab directors around the country and the Walter Reed team who developed the entire HIV testing for the military program 35 years ago. I’ve called them back into service and they are calling lab by lab to find out what are the technical difficulties to bring up all of the platforms that exist in your lab.
Trump also announced that the Agriculture Department will be implementing a $19 billion relief program “for our great farmers and ranchers as they cope with the fallout of the global pandemic.”
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said at the press briefing: “Having to dump milk or plow under vegetables ready to market is not only financially distressing, but it’s heartbreaking as well to those who produce them.”


dailysignal--2020-04-21--Trump, Advisers Look to Specifics of Reopening Economy in Phases

The states of Georgia and Tennessee reportedly are taking steps to restart their economies after the coronavirus shutdown , and South Carolina has plans to do the same .
The White House guidelines issued last week , however , call for any state to enter the first phase of reopening only after 14 days of decline in the spread of COVID-19 .
“ We have asked every governor to follow the guidelines , just as we have asked every American to follow the guidelines put out by the president , ” Dr. Deborah Birx , response coordinator for the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evening during the daily briefing on the pandemic .
“ But each of the governors can decide for themselves whether they have reached [ the goals of ] specific guidelines in specific areas , ” Birx said .
The White House last week released a three-phase plan to reopen the U.S. economy on a state-by-state basis .
Also Monday , The Heritage Foundation ’ s National Coronavirus Recovery Commission released 47 recommendations for cautiously reopening the American economy .
Trump announced that New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo , a Democrat , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The governor of the nation ’ s hardest-hit state and the president have had something of a love-hate relationship during the COVID-19 crisis that has played out through their daily press conferences .
On some days they have taken jabs at one another , on others they have been mutually complimentary .
“ Andrew is going to be coming in with some of his people , so we look forward to that , ” Trump told reporters .
Trump said states are equipped to test for COVID-19 and held up and flipped through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He noted that federal labs also are open for testing .
“ That ’ s more than anybody thought .
And it ’ s already there .
They have to use it , that ’ s all , ” Trump said of reports that testing remains unavailable in some areas .
Vice President Mike Pence , describing a conference call with all 50 governors held earlier Monday , said he got a positive reception and that the United States is succeeding in slowing the spread of the virus .
“ We continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , lower hospitalizations even in hot spots around the country , ” the vice president said .
“ We commended America ’ s governors for their efforts in that regard .
… We ’ ve built a great number of hospitals around the country , but the utilization rate has been fairly low because of the mitigation efforts , the cooperation of the American people ; we have not had to use them.
” Trump stressed that the pandemic and an initial problem accessing drugs—many of them made in China—highlighted the need for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This pandemic has reaffirmed the importance of keeping vital supply chains at home .
We can not outsource our independence .
We can not be reliant on foreign nations , ” Trump said , adding :

The states of Georgia and Tennessee reportedly are taking steps to restart their economies after the coronavirus shutdown, and South Carolina has plans to do the same.
The White House guidelines issued last week, however, call for any state to enter the first phase of reopening only after 14 days of decline in the spread of COVID-19.
“We have asked every governor to follow the guidelines, just as we have asked every American to follow the guidelines put out by the president,” Dr. Deborah Birx, response coordinator for the White House coronavirus task force, said Monday evening during the daily briefing on the pandemic.
“But each of the governors can decide for themselves whether they have reached [the goals of] specific guidelines in specific areas,” Birx said.
The White House last week released a three-phase plan to reopen the U.S. economy on a state-by-state basis.
President Donald Trump said he anticipates “an economic resurgence”:
Following the release of our reopening guidelines, governors across the country are looking forward to phase one and announcing plans for an economic resurgence. At a time when millions of American workers and families are struggling with the financial consequences of the virus, it’s critical to continue the medical war while reopening the economy in a safe and responsible fashion.
Also Monday, The Heritage Foundation’s National Coronavirus Recovery Commission released 47 recommendations for cautiously reopening the American economy.
Trump announced that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, would visit the White House on Tuesday.
The governor of the nation’s hardest-hit state and the president have had something of a love-hate relationship during the COVID-19 crisis that has played out through their daily press conferences. On some days they have taken jabs at one another, on others they have been mutually complimentary.
“Andrew is going to be coming in with some of his people, so we look forward to that,” Trump told reporters.
Trump said states are equipped to test for COVID-19 and held up and flipped through pages listing more than 5,000 testing locations. He noted that federal labs also are open for testing.
“That’s more than anybody thought. And it’s already there. They have to use it, that’s all,” Trump said of reports that testing remains unavailable in some areas.
Vice President Mike Pence, describing a conference call with all 50 governors held earlier Monday, said he got a positive reception and that the United States is succeeding in slowing the spread of the virus.
“We continue to see steady progress and less cases, lower hospitalizations even in hot spots around the country,” the vice president said. “We commended America’s governors for their efforts in that regard. … We’ve built a great number of hospitals around the country, but the utilization rate has been fairly low because of the mitigation efforts, the cooperation of the American people; we have not had to use them.”
Trump stressed that the pandemic and an initial problem accessing drugs—many of them made in China—highlighted the need for his “America first” agenda.
“This pandemic has reaffirmed the importance of keeping vital supply chains at home. We cannot outsource our independence. We cannot be reliant on foreign nations,” Trump said, adding:


dailysignal--2020-04-22--Trump Suspends Immigration for 60 Days to ‘Put Unemployed Americans First in Line’

President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Wednesday to suspend all immigration into the United States for 60 days , with the chance of extensions , as the nation struggles with the coronavirus pandemic and reopening the economy .
“ We have a solemn duty to make sure these unemployed Americans regain their jobs and their livelihoods .
Therefore , in order to protect American workers , I will be issuing a temporary suspension of immigration into the United States , ” the president said Tuesday during the press briefing .
“ By pausing immigration , we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line for jobs as America reopens.
” Trump first mentioned the plan to do so in a tweet late Monday , but offered more details at the briefing .
He later added the restriction could go beyond 60 days .
“ We must first take care of the American worker .
This pause will be in effect for 60 days , after which the need for any extension or modification will be evaluated , ” Trump said .
Dr. Deborah Birx , the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Atlanta , Baltimore , and St. Louis seem to be declining in the number of cases , but Washington , D.C. isn ’ t showing a decline .
As of Tuesday , the United States has 820,104 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 24,648 deaths , according to the tracker by Johns Hopkins University .
The briefing came just hours after an agreement was reached on Capitol Hill for a $ 484 billion aid package extending a federal loan program for small businesses .
The loans granted under the program can be forgiven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employees .
The package also provides money for hospitals and testing for coronavirus .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that so far the Paycheck Protection Program has saved 30 million jobs .
The secretary was enthusiastic that the loan program would continue , but acknowledged that large employers managed to access the money .
“ We have over a million companies that have received this with less than 10 workers , ” Mnuchin said .
“ So , there is very broad participation in really small business .
I will comment , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken these loans .
I was pleased to see that Shake Shack returned the money .
… The intent of this program was not for big public companies that have access to capital.
” Mnuchin said the Treasury Department is giving companies who were not eligible but applied for loans the benefit of the doubt , and would not impose penalties if the companies paid back the money .
Trump jumped in to say he would request the big companies , including Harvard University , pay back the money .
“ Harvard is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Trump said .
“ They shouldn ’ t be taking it .
Harvard is going to .
I ’ m not going to mention any other names , but when I saw Harvard , they have one of the largest endowments anywhere in the country , maybe in the world.
” Mnuchin said the administration supports a “ Phase 4 ” spending package to boost the economy that will be focused on infrastructure , aid to restaurants , and a payroll tax cut .
Trump also met earlier Tuesday at the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuomo .
The two talked about federal support for a statewide coronavirus testing program .
Asked later about whether the United States had adequate testing , Trump said , “ We have tested more people than any other country in the world.
” During the briefing , Trump also got a question about reports that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un was facing death .
“ I wish him well .
We ’ ve have a good relationship , ” Trump said .

President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Wednesday to suspend all immigration into the United States for 60 days, with the chance of extensions, as the nation struggles with the coronavirus pandemic and reopening the economy.
“We have a solemn duty to make sure these unemployed Americans regain their jobs and their livelihoods. Therefore, in order to protect American workers, I will be issuing a temporary suspension of immigration into the United States,” the president said Tuesday evening during the daily press briefing on COVID-19. “By pausing immigration, we’ll help put unemployed Americans first in line for jobs as America reopens.”
Trump first mentioned the plan to do so in a tweet late Monday, but offered more details at the briefing. He later added the restriction could go beyond 60 days.
>>> When can America reopen? The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission, a project of The Heritage Foundation, is gathering America’s top thinkers together to figure that out. Learn more here.
“We must first take care of the American worker. This pause will be in effect for 60 days, after which the need for any extension or modification will be evaluated,” Trump said.
Dr. Deborah Birx, response coordinator for the White House coronavirus task force, said Chicago, Boston, Houston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Baltimore, and St. Louis seem to be declining in the number of COVID-19 cases, but Washington, D.C., isn’t showing a decline.
As of Tuesday, the United States has 820,104 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 24,648 deaths, according to the tracker at Johns Hopkins University.
The briefing came just hours after the White House reached an agreement with lawmakers on Capitol Hill for a $484 billion aid package extending a federal loan program for small businesses.
The loans granted under the coronavirus relief program can be forgiven if the firms do not fire their employees. The package also provides money for hospitals and testing for coronavirus.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that so far the Paycheck Protection Program has saved 30 million jobs.
The treasury secretary was enthusiastic that the loan program would continue, but acknowledged that large employers managed to access the money.
“We have over a million companies that have received this with less than 10 workers,” Mnuchin said. “So, there is very broad participation in really small business. I will comment, there have been some big businesses that have taken these loans. I was pleased to see that Shake Shack returned the money. … The intent of this program was not for big public companies that have access to capital.”
Mnuchin said the Treasury Department is giving companies that were not eligible but applied for loans the benefit of the doubt, and would not impose penalties if the companies paid back the money.
Trump jumped in to say he would request the big companies, including Harvard University, return the money.
“Harvard is going to pay back the money,” Trump said. “They shouldn’t be taking it. Harvard is going to. I’m not going to mention any other names, but when I saw Harvard, they have one of the largest endowments anywhere in the country, maybe in the world.”
Mnuchin said the administration supports a “Phase 4” spending package to boost the economy that will be focused on infrastructure, aid to restaurants, and a payroll tax cut.
Trump also met earlier Tuesday at the White House with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The two talked about federal support for a statewide coronavirus testing program.
Asked later about whether the United States had adequate testing, Trump said, “We have tested more people than any other country in the world.”
During the briefing, Trump also got a question about reports that North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un was facing death.
“I wish him well. We’ve had a good relationship,” Trump said.


dailysignal--2020-04-23--Every Crisis an Opportunity

Every Crisis an Opportunity

This week , the price of oil futures collapsed catastrophically .
In fact , the prices collapsed into negative territory in the near term .
This bizarre situation , prompted by lack of consumer demand and lack of storage facility , led the irrepressible Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , D-N.Y. , to tweet : “ You absolutely love to see it .
This along with record low interest rates means it ’ s the right time for a worker-led , mass investment in green infrastructure to save our planet.
” This tweet was too dumb even for her—an extraordinary bar , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But she then reiterated the point in a follow-up tweet , characterizing the rock-bottom oil prices as a “ key opportunity ” to “ create millions of jobs transitioning to renewable and clean energy.
” Needless to say , investing in expensive green energy at a time when oil producers can not give away oil is peak stupidity .
But the Boston University economics major ’ s faux pas merely underscores an uncomfortable truth regarding this pandemic and its aftermath : For the most partisan , every crisis is an opportunity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agenda item for those on the political left has been the growth of government .
Dan Balz , chief correspondent of The Washington Post , drooled while saying : “ For the first time , many Americans are looking to government for their very economic survival .
In time , that could make them look at government differently.
” Sen. Bernie Sanders , I-Vt. , wrote for The New York Times that the “ unequal impact of the pandemic and economic collapse are forcing us to rethink the assumptions of our system.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy ( Sanders terms the free market “ the path of greed and unfettered capitalism ” ) .
The New York Times termed the coronavirus a “ new frontier in the fight for civil rights ” and quoted race hustler the Rev .
Jesse Jackson , who is calling for a government commission to investigate the “ racism and discrimination built into public policies ” that result in racial health disparities .
Precisely this attitude—that every crisis is a new weapon in the war for more expansive government , and in favor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead more and more Americans to view shutdown orders with skepticism .
It is one thing to lock down populations on a bipartisan basis with clear goals—goals like preventing coronavirus patients from swamping the health care system .
Most Americans will go along with that , and most Americans are willing to grant policymakers the benefit of the doubt .
But when politicians begin to reveal ulterior motives for such shutdowns , Americans begin to ask questions .
When politicians simultaneously take measures that obviously do nothing to combat the coronavirus—measures like locking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or banning Americans from buying gardening supplies but ensuring access to abortion remains fully available—Americans begin to wonder whether their politicians are trustworthy .
And when politicians meet such questions with hysterical accusations that the questioners simply don ’ t care about human life , Americans grow even more suspicious .
Crises require trust in authority .
But authorities must earn our trust with well-founded , sensible policy .
They must be transparent about what they are doing and why they are doing it .
When authorities instead suggest openly that their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus but remaking America along the lines of their own political priors , they lose our trust .
And they should .

This week, the price of oil futures collapsed catastrophically. In fact, the prices collapsed into negative territory in the near term.
This bizarre situation, prompted by lack of consumer demand and lack of storage facility, led the irrepressible Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., to tweet: “You absolutely love to see it. This along with record low interest rates means it’s the right time for a worker-led, mass investment in green infrastructure to save our planet.”
This tweet was too dumb even for her—an extraordinary bar, given her past commentary—and she deleted it. But she then reiterated the point in a follow-up tweet, characterizing the rock-bottom oil prices as a “key opportunity” to “create millions of jobs transitioning to renewable and clean energy.”
>>> When can America reopen? The National Coronavirus Recovery Commission, a project of The Heritage Foundation, is gathering America’s top thinkers together to figure that out. Learn more here.
Needless to say, investing in expensive green energy at a time when oil producers cannot give away oil is peak stupidity. But the Boston University economics major’s faux pas merely underscores an uncomfortable truth regarding this pandemic and its aftermath: For the most partisan, every crisis is an opportunity to push political priors.
The most obvious agenda item for those on the political left has been the growth of government. Dan Balz, chief correspondent of The Washington Post, drooled while saying: “For the first time, many Americans are looking to government for their very economic survival. In time, that could make them look at government differently.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., wrote for The New York Times that the “unequal impact of the pandemic and economic collapse are forcing us to rethink the assumptions of our system.” Among those assumptions: the free market economy (Sanders terms the free market “the path of greed and unfettered capitalism”).
The New York Times termed the coronavirus a “new frontier in the fight for civil rights” and quoted race hustler the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who is calling for a government commission to investigate the “racism and discrimination built into public policies” that result in racial health disparities.
Precisely this attitude—that every crisis is a new weapon in the war for more expansive government, and in favor of a complete rethinking of the constitutional bargain—will lead more and more Americans to view shutdown orders with skepticism.
It is one thing to lock down populations on a bipartisan basis with clear goals—goals like preventing coronavirus patients from swamping the health care system. Most Americans will go along with that, and most Americans are willing to grant policymakers the benefit of the doubt.
But when politicians begin to reveal ulterior motives for such shutdowns, Americans begin to ask questions.
When politicians simultaneously take measures that obviously do nothing to combat the coronavirus—measures like locking public parks where people are social distancing, or banning Americans from buying gardening supplies but ensuring access to abortion remains fully available—Americans begin to wonder whether their politicians are trustworthy.
And when politicians meet such questions with hysterical accusations that the questioners simply don’t care about human life, Americans grow even more suspicious.
Crises require trust in authority. But authorities must earn our trust with well-founded, sensible policy. They must be transparent about what they are doing and why they are doing it.
When authorities instead suggest openly that their agenda isn’t solely curbing the coronavirus but remaking America along the lines of their own political priors, they lose our trust. And they should.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CREATORS.COM


dailysignal--2020-04-24--New Judges Biggest Accomplishment of Trump’s Presidency, Sean Spicer Says

Two special guests are featured on today ’ s Daily Signal Podcast .
Sean Spicer , former White House press secretary for the Trump administration , and Diamond and Silk , who host a livestream video blog , join the podcast in two pre-recorded interviews .
We also cover these stories : • An additional 4.4 million people filed for unemployment last week , bringing the total number of unemployment claims to over 26 million since March .
• The House passed a $ 484 billion bill Thursday to alleviate the economic fallout small businesses have experienced due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren ’ s oldest brother , Don Reed , died from the coronavirus .
He was 86 years old .
The Daily Signal Podcast is available on Ricochet , Apple Podcasts , Pippa , Google Play , or Stitcher .
All of our podcasts can be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts .
If you like what you hear , please leave a review .
You can also leave us a message at 202-608-6205 or write us at [ email protected ] .
Enjoy the show !
Rachel del Guidice : We are joined today on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He served as the 28th White House press secretary and White House Communications Director under President [ Donald ] Trump .
Sean , thank you for being with us today .
Sean Spicer : Thanks for having me .
Del Guidice : To start off , can you take us back to what it was like to be the 28th White House press secretary ?
What was that like ?
Spicer : It was a lot of things .
The first thing is , I always tell people it ’ s an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working-class kid that never thought , you know , I did a tour of the White House , never mind working it , and to have that privilege is something that I still pinch myself [ about ] once in a while .
So that part was there .
There was an intensity , though , to the job that I didn ’ t ever fathom .
It ’ s an awesome responsibility because you ’ re almost on call seven days a week , 24 hours a day , because you don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to happen that you ’ re going to have to be ready to respond to .
So , after six years at the [ Republican National Committee ] and two presidential campaigns , jumping into that , in some ways I was ready for it , but it adds a layer of intensity that I had never expected .
And then I would say the other thing is , in the Trump administration , there ’ s a level of scrutiny that I just had never anticipated as well .
Del Guidice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too .
What was it like working with mainstream media and what was the kind of scrutiny that you experienced while there ?
Spicer : I ’ ve been … in and out of PR work and media relations for campaigns , for the RNC for six years , in the military .
A lot of these people I ’ ve known for decades .
The difference was , I think , that they viewed this as a totally different deal , and there was an attempt to make it much more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been .
And that was what was so different and kind of took me off guard , if you will , because there were folks that I thought , “ OK , we can go back and forth … ” but it became a much more personal relationship and attack than I had ever seen before .
Del Guidice : … Were there times where the media would attack you personally versus— Del Guidice : There ’ s policy discussion then there ’ s personal attacks .
So what was that like ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ jump to conclusions all the time .
Politico did a whole thing about how I tweeted out something and never [ took ] the time to look at the handle and [ realize ] that it wasn ’ t me , or the press secretary .
Someone put my face on a Twitter profile and tweeted some stuff out .
But the attempts to jump the gun and constantly make it personal were always there .
Del Guidice : Speaking of that , what was the hardest part about that role for you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part for press secretaries in general ?
Spicer : … I wrote a book that detailed my time in the White House [ and talked about this ] .
And the hardest part for me was realizing that when you ’ re under attack and you ’ re the press secretary , it can never be about you .
You ’ re supposed to be speaking for somebody else .
And the second that it ’ s about you , you ’ re in trouble .
I realized that it was increasingly tough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had tried to focus on me .
There were a couple of mistakes that I made , admittedly , that they amplified to make sure that it was a very , very intense and awkward situation .
Del Guidice : What about the role did you enjoy the most ?
Spicer : I think the thing that I enjoyed the most was the opportunity to see , to be part of history in so many ways .
… I had served in the Bush White House , I ’ d seen things , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you ’ re in the room when the president ’ s saying and doing things or deciding things .
You ’ re on the plane with him as we ’ re headed to summits .
And to literally , in every way , shape , and form , have a front row seat to so many historic things was amazing .
Del Guidice : That ’ s incredible .
… [ Is there ] any one experience that stands out during your time there , whether it was in the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where it was a story that really just stood out to you ?
Spicer : Yeah , yeah .
I don ’ t know that everyone ’ s going to love my story , but I ’ m a die-hard New England Patriots fan , and … I ’ d gone to one game growing up .
That wasn ’ t really in our budget .
So when they had won [ the Super Bowl ] , they were coming to the White House , and the Patriots were all gathered in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the starters .
And my family had been able to come with me .
My children , my brother , his children , my mom , my sister .
It was just a moment where I stopped and I realized , “ How crazy and amazing is this opportunity that I have been given ?
That I am sitting here , in the White House , 25 feet from the Oval Office , with the starting lineup of the New England Patriots in my office.
” … But the best part about it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me .
I mean , it was kind of about me , but the idea that I had had my family there .
It wasn ’ t like I called them afterward and said , “ Hey , guys , really cool thing happened.
” I was able to share that moment and that was the coolest part about it .
Del Guidice : That ’ s so incredible .
So looking at President Trump ’ s time in office and working as his press secretary … what do you think to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : I think , hands down , it ’ s his judicial appointments .
Those will last well beyond the Trump administration and shape the judiciary for at least a generation .
That ’ s key .
And then , I think , just the overall conservative agenda that he ’ s enacted , whether you ’ re talking about social issues and standing up for life or the economic stuff , cutting taxes , cutting regulations , and moving the economy forward .
The president has done exactly what he said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then , we ’ re getting the results of that .
The economy ’ s moving forward , people are going back to work , veterans are getting the care that they need .
The military is getting plussed up .
We ’ re taking on our trade deals and reforming them in a way that ’ s positive to manufacturers , service providers .
It ’ s amazing , all the stuff .
We ’ re not making excuses heading into a reelection .
We ’ re actually trying to figure out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time to highlight .
Del Guidice : Thank you for sharing that .
So looking at your work as a press secretary , and then thinking back to when you were growing up in school and how media coverage was at that point , and then what it is now , what kind of a change have you seen ?
Spicer : A massive sea change .
I think the thing that people forget when they talk about this is that the media had a monopoly back in those days when I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NBC , CBS .
You actually had to get up and turn a dial .
There were no remotes .
There was no cable .
And you got an evening or a morning newspaper that told you everything you needed to know .
There was no internet .
They dominated what you saw , read , and heard , and the narrative that was dictated to you .
Now , there ’ s The Daily Signal Podcast , there ’ s Fox News , there ’ s Newsmax , there ’ s One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there ’ s The Daily Caller .
All of these organizations have been able to come out and say , “ Hey , we ’ re going to cover things that aren ’ t being covered .
We ’ re going to talk about issues and the people that are being ignored by the mainstream media.
” And they ’ ve added an element of competition , which is so great .
Del Guidice : On a little bit of a lighter note , you had an experience on “ Dancing With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Spicer : It was a nervousness that I ’ d never felt going into it , but I ended up absolutely loving my experience and the people that were involved in it .
Del Guidice : Did you face any kind of backlash from people from different points of view ?
What was that like ?
How did you handle it ?
Spicer : The only backlash I felt was from the media , and that what they hated—and The New York Times wrote a story about this—was that they didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually all working , that I was getting along , that I was succeeding , and the people were enjoying hanging out together .
They wanted this to be difficult , and the media couldn ’ t stand the fact that it was actually turning out to be a fun and enjoyable experience , not just for me , but for everyone involved .
Del Guidice : So you have a new show coming out .
Can you tell us a little bit about that ?
Spicer : Yeah .
[ It ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be a weeknight show on Newsmax Television .
If you go to my website , seanspicer.com , you can sign up for updates on the show .
But every night , 6 o ’ clock , on Newsmax .
You can set your DVR or watch it live .
I don ’ t really care .
We ’ re going to actually have a conversation like you and I are having , as opposed to a newscast .
It ’ s a show .
We ’ re going to talk about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covered , what is being covered , what it really means .
So often , the media likes to make everything very black-and-white and simplify all these issues , which , frankly , are very complicated , or have an impact on your life or maybe don ’ t , but they ’ re blowing it up and magnifying it .
And I think we want to bring guests in and have an enjoyable , informative conversation .
Del Guidice : Speaking of what is being covered , what ’ s not being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an issue today that really isn ’ t being covered as it should be ?
Spicer : I think the deficit ’ s not being covered adequately .
I think the threat that the president ’ s been out there talking about , Huawei .
There are existential national security threats that our country faces that I think we ’ ve gotten complacent as a country , and we think , “ OK , we ’ re the superpower of the world.
” But China is knocking on that doorstep and threatening our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t wake up one day , this idea of socialism going through society and being an acceptable way of life is just something I never thought I ’ d see in my lifetime .
Del Guidice : … Working in the news a lot , you see how reporters act , you see how the American public produces and reads news , all of that .
What would you say to the American public about how they receive their news and where to get good news ?
Spicer : Well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show a Newsmax , so they should go there .
But they should look at a lot of things .
I don ’ t think you should just focus on one thing .
That ’ s the beauty of it now , is that you ’ re finally able to recognize that there ’ s a lot of perspectives , and that you should go kind of the same way that you have your diet—fruits , vegetables , meat .
You try to vary it to be a healthy person .
Vary your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look at different sources , follow different people on Twitter , but also don ’ t be myopic in this .
I think this is where the country is right now , is that you just get what you want to hear , versus looking at the other side .
I dip in once in a while to the left-wing media , just so that I see how they ’ re presenting issues and how they ’ re covering things .
Del Guidice : Well , Sean , thank you so much for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Spicer : Thanks very much .
We appreciate it .
Have a great CPAC [ Conservative Political Action Conference ] .
Del Guidice : Good to have you .

Two special guests are featured on today’s Daily Signal Podcast. Sean Spicer, former White House press secretary for the Trump administration, and Diamond and Silk, who host a livestream video blog, join the podcast in two pre-recorded interviews.
We also cover these stories:
An additional 4.4 million people filed for unemployment last week, bringing the total number of unemployment claims to over 26 million since March.
The House passed a $484 billion bill Thursday to alleviate the economic fallout small businesses have experienced due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s oldest brother, Don Reed, died from the coronavirus. He was 86 years old.
The Daily Signal Podcast is available on Ricochet, Apple Podcasts, Pippa, Google Play, or Stitcher. All of our podcasts can be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts. If you like what you hear, please leave a review. You can also leave us a message at 202-608-6205 or write us at letters@dailysignal.com. Enjoy the show!
Rachel del Guidice: We are joined today on The Daily Signal Podcast by Sean Spicer. He served as the 28th White House press secretary and White House Communications Director under President [Donald] Trump. Sean, thank you for being with us today.
Sean Spicer: Thanks for having me.
Del Guidice: To start off, can you take us back to what it was like to be the 28th White House press secretary? What was that like?
Spicer: It was a lot of things. The first thing is, I always tell people it’s an unbelievable honor.
I grew up a working-class kid that never thought, you know, I did a tour of the White House, never mind working it, and to have that privilege is something that I still pinch myself [about] once in a while. So that part was there.
There was an intensity, though, to the job that I didn’t ever fathom. It’s an awesome responsibility because you’re almost on call seven days a week, 24 hours a day, because you don’t know when something’s going to happen that you’re going to have to be ready to respond to.
So, after six years at the [Republican National Committee] and two presidential campaigns, jumping into that, in some ways I was ready for it, but it adds a layer of intensity that I had never expected.
And then I would say the other thing is, in the Trump administration, there’s a level of scrutiny that I just had never anticipated as well.
Del Guidice: Let’s talk about that, too. What was it like working with mainstream media and what was the kind of scrutiny that you experienced while there?
Spicer: I’ve been … in and out of PR work and media relations for campaigns, for the RNC for six years, in the military. A lot of these people I’ve known for decades. The difference was, I think, that they viewed this as a totally different deal, and there was an attempt to make it much more personal and petty than it had ever been.
And that was what was so different and kind of took me off guard, if you will, because there were folks that I thought, “OK, we can go back and forth … ” but it became a much more personal relationship and attack than I had ever seen before.
Del Guidice: … Were there times where the media would attack you personally versus—
Spicer: Oh, absolutely. …
Del Guidice: There’s policy discussion then there’s personal attacks. So what was that like?
Spicer: Absolutely. And they would jump to conclusions all the time.
Politico did a whole thing about how I tweeted out something and never [took] the time to look at the handle and [realize] that it wasn’t me, or the press secretary. Someone put my face on a Twitter profile and tweeted some stuff out.
But the attempts to jump the gun and constantly make it personal were always there.
Del Guidice: Speaking of that, what was the hardest part about that role for you? And … what is the hardest part for press secretaries in general?
Spicer: … I wrote a book that detailed my time in the White House [and talked about this]. And the hardest part for me was realizing that when you’re under attack and you’re the press secretary, it can never be about you. You’re supposed to be speaking for somebody else. And the second that it’s about you, you’re in trouble.
I realized that it was increasingly tough to do my job because the press had tried to focus on me. There were a couple of mistakes that I made, admittedly, that they amplified to make sure that it was a very, very intense and awkward situation.
Del Guidice: What about the role did you enjoy the most?
Spicer: I think the thing that I enjoyed the most was the opportunity to see, to be part of history in so many ways. … I had served in the Bush White House, I’d seen things, but never that close.
I mean, you’re in the room when the president’s saying and doing things or deciding things. You’re on the plane with him as we’re headed to summits. And to literally, in every way, shape, and form, have a front row seat to so many historic things was amazing.
Del Guidice: That’s incredible. … [Is there] any one experience that stands out during your time there, whether it was in the White House or maybe you were traveling for something, where it was a story that really just stood out to you?
Spicer: Yeah, yeah. I don’t know that everyone’s going to love my story, but I’m a die-hard New England Patriots fan, and … I’d gone to one game growing up. That wasn’t really in our budget.
So when they had won [the Super Bowl], they were coming to the White House, and the Patriots were all gathered in my office at one point, all the starters. And my family had been able to come with me. My children, my brother, his children, my mom, my sister.
It was just a moment where I stopped and I realized, “How crazy and amazing is this opportunity that I have been given? That I am sitting here, in the White House, 25 feet from the Oval Office, with the starting lineup of the New England Patriots in my office.” …
But the best part about it is that it wasn’t about me. I mean, it was kind of about me, but the idea that I had had my family there. It wasn’t like I called them afterward and said, “Hey, guys, really cool thing happened.” I was able to share that moment and that was the coolest part about it.
Del Guidice: That’s so incredible. So looking at President Trump’s time in office and working as his press secretary … what do you think to be the biggest accomplishments so far?
Spicer: I think, hands down, it’s his judicial appointments. Those will last well beyond the Trump administration and shape the judiciary for at least a generation. That’s key.
And then, I think, just the overall conservative agenda that he’s enacted, whether you’re talking about social issues and standing up for life or the economic stuff, cutting taxes, cutting regulations, and moving the economy forward.
The president has done exactly what he said he would do as a candidate, and then, we’re getting the results of that.
The economy’s moving forward, people are going back to work, veterans are getting the care that they need. The military is getting plussed up. We’re taking on our trade deals and reforming them in a way that’s positive to manufacturers, service providers.
It’s amazing, all the stuff. We’re not making excuses heading into a reelection. We’re actually trying to figure out how many of the accomplishments we have time to highlight.
Del Guidice: Thank you for sharing that. So looking at your work as a press secretary, and then thinking back to when you were growing up in school and how media coverage was at that point, and then what it is now, what kind of a change have you seen?
Spicer: A massive sea change. I think the thing that people forget when they talk about this is that the media had a monopoly back in those days when I was growing up.
It was ABC, NBC, CBS. You actually had to get up and turn a dial. There were no remotes. There was no cable. And you got an evening or a morning newspaper that told you everything you needed to know. There was no internet. They dominated what you saw, read, and heard, and the narrative that was dictated to you.
Now, there’s The Daily Signal Podcast, there’s Fox News, there’s Newsmax, there’s One America News, there’s Breitbart, there’s The Daily Caller.
All of these organizations have been able to come out and say, “Hey, we’re going to cover things that aren’t being covered. We’re going to talk about issues and the people that are being ignored by the mainstream media.” And they’ve added an element of competition, which is so great.
Del Guidice: On a little bit of a lighter note, you had an experience on “Dancing With the Stars.” What was that like?
Spicer: It was a nervousness that I’d never felt going into it, but I ended up absolutely loving my experience and the people that were involved in it.
Del Guidice: Did you face any kind of backlash from people from different points of view? What was that like? How did you handle it?
Spicer: The only backlash I felt was from the media, and that what they hated—and The New York Times wrote a story about this—was that they didn’t like the fact that it was actually all working, that I was getting along, that I was succeeding, and the people were enjoying hanging out together.
They wanted this to be difficult, and the media couldn’t stand the fact that it was actually turning out to be a fun and enjoyable experience, not just for me, but for everyone involved.
Del Guidice: So you have a new show coming out. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
Spicer: Yeah. [It] starts Tuesday. It’s going to be a weeknight show on Newsmax Television. If you go to my website, seanspicer.com, you can sign up for updates on the show.
But every night, 6 o’clock, on Newsmax. You can set your DVR or watch it live. I don’t really care. We’re going to actually have a conversation like you and I are having, as opposed to a newscast. It’s a show. We’re going to talk about the issues, what’s not being covered, what is being covered, what it really means.
So often, the media likes to make everything very black-and-white and simplify all these issues, which, frankly, are very complicated, or have an impact on your life or maybe don’t, but they’re blowing it up and magnifying it. And I think we want to bring guests in and have an enjoyable, informative conversation.
Del Guidice: Speaking of what is being covered, what’s not being covered, what do you think is an issue today that really isn’t being covered as it should be?
Spicer: I think the deficit’s not being covered adequately. I think the threat that the president’s been out there talking about, Huawei.
There are existential national security threats that our country faces that I think we’ve gotten complacent as a country, and we think, “OK, we’re the superpower of the world.”
But China is knocking on that doorstep and threatening our way of life, and if we don’t wake up one day, this idea of socialism going through society and being an acceptable way of life is just something I never thought I’d see in my lifetime.
Del Guidice: … Working in the news a lot, you see how reporters act, you see how the American public produces and reads news, all of that. What would you say to the American public about how they receive their news and where to get good news?
Spicer: Well, obviously, I’ve got a show a Newsmax, so they should go there. But they should look at a lot of things. I don’t think you should just focus on one thing.
That’s the beauty of it now, is that you’re finally able to recognize that there’s a lot of perspectives, and that you should go kind of the same way that you have your diet—fruits, vegetables, meat. You try to vary it to be a healthy person.
Vary your media diet. Watch different programs, look at different sources, follow different people on Twitter, but also don’t be myopic in this.
I think this is where the country is right now, is that you just get what you want to hear, versus looking at the other side. I dip in once in a while to the left-wing media, just so that I see how they’re presenting issues and how they’re covering things.
Del Guidice: Well, Sean, thank you so much for joining us on The Daily Signal Podcast.
Spicer: Thanks very much. We appreciate it. Have a great CPAC [Conservative Political Action Conference].
Del Guidice: Good to have you.
Spicer: Thank you.


dailysignal--2020-04-28--Trump Showcases Jobs Preserved by Paycheck Protection Program Amid COVID-19 Shutdown

Michael Heup not only got his job back at Bitty & Beau ’ s Coffee , which was temporarily closed because of the COVID-19 crisis , but he also had the chance to talk about it at the White House on Tuesday .
“ I love my job , and I am excited about going back to work , ” Heup , a disabled employee , said at the East Room event .
“ At Bitty & Beau ’ s , we like to use the phrase called ‘ not broken.
’ That means me and all my amazing co-workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lots to offer .
I know the great country of the United States isn ’ t broken either.
” The Wilmington , North Carolina-based Bitty & Beau ’ s Coffee had to temporarily close and lay off 120 employees at the company , most with intellectual and developmental disabilities .
But it was able to rehire all the employees after getting a federal loan through the Paycheck Protection Program .
The White House had representatives from eight companies at the event sharing their stories of staying afloat after governments ’ COVID-19 mitigation efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Under the program , if businesses with fewer than 500 employees do not lay off employees , the principal on the loan is forgivable .
Employers still have to pay the interest .
Bitty & Beau ’ s Coffee has locations in North Carolina , South Carolina , Georgia , and Maryland .
For most of the employees , it ’ s their first paying job .
The employees are now “ working from home , writing handwritten notes that we include with each online order we ship , ” said Amy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s , also speaking at the event .
“ I know everyone is ready to return to normal , ” Wright said .
“ I believe it ’ s time for a new normal , one where people with disabilities are valued , especially in the workplace .
As a recipient of the [ Paycheck Protection Program ] loan , we will continue to take up the charge and help everyone , especially people with disabilities , pursue the American dream.
” The Paycheck Protection Program has disbursed $ 350 billion to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more than 1.6 million forgivable loans have been approved by the Small Business Administration .
Trump said the SBA has issued more loans in the past 14 days than it has in the past 14 years .
However , the program has come under scrutiny for doling out loans to large employers , such as Harvard University and Shake Shack .
Several of the big businesses returned the loans after the rash of bad publicity .
“ The press has commented on a lot of big companies that inappropriately took the money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the event .
“ We ’ ve been very clear .
We ’ ve announced today that any loan over $ 2 million will have a full review for forgiveness before they are repaid because this is the story of small business here.
” When taking questions from reporters , Trump was asked about Democrats in Congress calling for guaranteed incomes that could go on for months .
“ I like payroll tax cuts .
I ’ ve liked that from the beginning .
That was a thing that I would really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree with me , ” Trump said .
The president expressed skepticism of bailing out states , but he said aid could come with the precondition of changing sanctuary policies , in which local jurisdictions refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities .
“ We are not looking to recover 25 years of bad management and to give them the money they lost .
That ’ s unfair to other states .
Now , if it ’ s COVID-related , I guess we could talk about it , ” Trump said , adding @

Michael Heup not only got his job back at Bitty & Beau’s Coffee, which was temporarily closed because of the COVID-19 crisis, but he also had the chance to talk about it at the White House on Tuesday.
“I love my job, and I am excited about going back to work,” Heup, a disabled employee, said at the East Room event. “At Bitty & Beau’s, we like to use the phrase called ‘not broken.’ That means me and all my amazing co-workers are not broken, and we have lots to offer. I know the great country of the United States isn’t broken either.”
The Wilmington, North Carolina-based Bitty & Beau’s Coffee had to temporarily close and lay off 120 employees at the company, most with intellectual and developmental disabilities. But it was able to rehire all the employees after getting a federal loan through the Paycheck Protection Program.
The White House had representatives from eight companies at the event sharing their stories of staying afloat after governments’ COVID-19 mitigation efforts forced much of the economy to close.
Under the program, if businesses with fewer than 500 employees do not lay off employees, the principal on the loan is forgivable. Employers still have to pay the interest.
Bitty & Beau’s Coffee has locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Maryland. For most of the employees, it’s their first paying job. The employees are now “working from home, writing handwritten notes that we include with each online order we ship,” said Amy Wright, CEO of Bitty & Beau’s, also speaking at the event.
“I know everyone is ready to return to normal,” Wright said. “I believe it’s time for a new normal, one where people with disabilities are valued, especially in the workplace. As a recipient of the [Paycheck Protection Program] loan, we will continue to take up the charge and help everyone, especially people with disabilities, pursue the American dream.”
The Paycheck Protection Program has disbursed $350 billion to small businesses across the United States, and more than 1.6 million forgivable loans have been approved by the Small Business Administration. Trump said the SBA has issued more loans in the past 14 days than it has in the past 14 years.
However, the program has come under scrutiny for doling out loans to large employers, such as Harvard University and Shake Shack. Several of the big businesses returned the loans after the rash of bad publicity.
“The press has commented on a lot of big companies that inappropriately took the money,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at the event. “We’ve been very clear. We’ve announced today that any loan over $2 million will have a full review for forgiveness before they are repaid because this is the story of small business here.”
When taking questions from reporters, Trump was asked about Democrats in Congress calling for guaranteed incomes that could go on for months.
“I like payroll tax cuts. I’ve liked that from the beginning. That was a thing that I would really love to see happen. Most economists agree with me,” Trump said.
The president expressed skepticism of bailing out states, but he said aid could come with the precondition of changing sanctuary policies, in which local jurisdictions refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
“We are not looking to recover 25 years of bad management and to give them the money they lost. That’s unfair to other states. Now, if it’s COVID-related, I guess we could talk about it,” Trump said, adding:


dailysignal--2020-04-30--Text Messages Reveal Peter Strzok Intervened in FBI’s Planned Closure of Michael Flynn Investigation

Former FBI counterintelligence official Peter Strzok intervened at the last minute in early 2017 to stop the bureau from closing an investigation into Michael Flynn , the incoming national security adviser , according to government files unsealed Thursday .
The FBI was investigating Flynn and several other Trump campaign associates at the time for possible links to Russia as part of Crossfire Hurricane .
But as of Jan. 4 , 2017 , the FBI ’ s Washington Field Office had determined that there was no justification to continue investigating Flynn , who the FBI referred to with the code name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is closing this investigation .
If new information is identified or reported to the FBI regarding the activities of CROSSFIRE RAZOR , the FBI will consider reopening the investigation if warranted , ” the memo says .
According to the memo , a review of intelligence databases “ did not yield any information ” to justify continuing an investigation of Flynn , which focused on whether the retired lieutenant general was wittingly or unwittingly working on behalf of the Russian government .
But text messages released on Thursday show that Strzok stopped the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Hey if you haven ’ t closed RAZOR don ’ t do so yet , ” Strozk wrote to an FBI colleague .
The memo and text messages were part of a batch of FBI documents unsealed on Thursday in Flynn ’ s legal case .
Lawyers for Flynn are trying to convince a judge to throw out Flynn ’ s case , arguing that the FBI trapped him into lying during a White House interview on Jan. 24 , 2017 .
Andrew McCabe , who served as deputy director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the interview .
He dispatched Strzok and another FBI agent to interview Flynn regarding phone calls he had in late December 2016 with Sergey Kislyak , who then served as Russia ’ s ambassador to the U.S .
Documents unsealed on Wednesday showed that the FBI team strategized on how to approach the Flynn interview .
Bill Priestap , who was Strzok ’ s boss , wrote a note questioning whether the goal of the interview was to force Flynn to lie , in order to either lead to his prosecution or his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 , 2017 , to lying during the interview about speaking to Kislyak about sanctions against Russia .
But he claimed in a Jan. 29 , 2020 court filing that he pleaded guilty to protect prosecutors from going after his son .
He denied lying in the FBI interview .
The newly released documents do not show Strzok ’ s rationale for stopping the Flynn investigative file from being closed .
It is unclear when Strzok and the Crossfire Hurricane team received evidence of Flynn ’ s phone calls with Kislyak , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s position in the Russian government .
The FBI opened the Crossfire Hurricane investigation on July 31 , 2016 .
The initial targets of the probe were Flynn and former campaign aides Carter Page , George Papadopoulos , and Paul Manafort .
The special counsel ’ s report said that investigators could find no evidence that any Trump associates were conspiring with Russia or working as agents of the Kremlin .
Strzok was removed from the special counsel ’ s probe in July 2017 after the discovery of text messages he exchanged with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed the pair speaking negatively about Donald Trump .
Strzok was fired in August 2018 .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities for this original content , email [ email protected ] .

Former FBI counterintelligence official Peter Strzok intervened at the last minute in early 2017 to stop the bureau from closing an investigation into Michael Flynn, the incoming national security adviser, according to government files unsealed Thursday.
The FBI was investigating Flynn and several other Trump campaign associates at the time for possible links to Russia as part of Crossfire Hurricane. But as of Jan. 4, 2017, the FBI’s Washington Field Office had determined that there was no justification to continue investigating Flynn, who the FBI referred to with the code name “Crossfire Razor.”
“The FBI is closing this investigation. If new information is identified or reported to the FBI regarding the activities of CROSSFIRE RAZOR, the FBI will consider reopening the investigation if warranted,” the memo says.
According to the memo, a review of intelligence databases “did not yield any information” to justify continuing an investigation of Flynn, which focused on whether the retired lieutenant general was wittingly or unwittingly working on behalf of the Russian government.
But text messages released on Thursday show that Strzok stopped the FBI from formally closing the Flynn file.
“Hey if you haven’t closed RAZOR don’t do so yet,” Strozk wrote to an FBI colleague.
The memo and text messages were part of a batch of FBI documents unsealed on Thursday in Flynn’s legal case. Lawyers for Flynn are trying to convince a judge to throw out Flynn’s case, arguing that the FBI trapped him into lying during a White House interview on Jan. 24, 2017.
Andrew McCabe, who served as deputy director of the FBI, called Flynn to arrange the interview. He dispatched Strzok and another FBI agent to interview Flynn regarding phone calls he had in late December 2016 with Sergey Kislyak, who then served as Russia’s ambassador to the U.S.
Documents unsealed on Wednesday showed that the FBI team strategized on how to approach the Flynn interview. Bill Priestap, who was Strzok’s boss, wrote a note questioning whether the goal of the interview was to force Flynn to lie, in order to either lead to his prosecution or his firing.
Flynn pleaded guilty on Dec. 1, 2017, to lying during the interview about speaking to Kislyak about sanctions against Russia. But he claimed in a Jan. 29, 2020, court filing that he pleaded guilty to protect prosecutors from going after his son. He denied lying in the FBI interview.
The newly released documents do not show Strzok’s rationale for stopping the Flynn investigative file from being closed. It is unclear when Strzok and the Crossfire Hurricane team received evidence of Flynn’s phone calls with Kislyak, which were reportedly monitored because of Kislyak’s position in the Russian government.
The FBI opened the Crossfire Hurricane investigation on July 31, 2016. The initial targets of the probe were Flynn and former campaign aides Carter Page, George Papadopoulos, and Paul Manafort.
The special counsel’s report said that investigators could find no evidence that any Trump associates were conspiring with Russia or working as agents of the Kremlin.
Strzok was removed from the special counsel’s probe in July 2017 after the discovery of text messages he exchanged with FBI attorney Lisa Page. The messages showed the pair speaking negatively about Donald Trump. Strzok was fired in August 2018.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities for this original content, email licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.