mercurynews--2020-11-09--How and when will President Donald Trump leave office?

The United States has a long history of peaceful transfers of power that is likely to continue despite President Donald Trump ’ s attacks on the legitimacy of the election result , national security experts said .
Here is what to expect in the weeks and months to come .
Yes .
The U.S. presidential election is not formally over .
Electors – party loyalists who typically pledge to support the candidate who gets the most votes in their state – will convene on Dec. 14 to formally cast their votes .
The newly seated Congress accepts the results from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If Biden wins the Electoral College vote , as expected , he will be sworn in at noon on Jan. 20 — a date set in the Constitution .
CAN BIDEN TRANSITION INTO POWER OVER TRUMP ’ S OBJECTIONS ?
Yes .
Trump has only so much power to slow Biden ’ s transition .
A law called the Presidential Transition Act of 1963 makes career civil servants vital to the transfer of power .
They face deadlines for providing data and access to incoming officials .
Under the law , the transition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a federal agency called the U.S. General Services Administration ( GSA ) , which manages federal buildings , names an apparent winner of the election .
At that point , the incoming president ’ s team can obtain briefing books , tap into funds , and send representatives to visit government agencies .
On Sunday , experts in transitions sent a letter to the GSA ’ s administrator , Emily Murphy , urging her to recognize Biden as the winner .
“ While there will be legal disputes requiring adjudication , the outcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must now begin , ” the letter from the Center for Presidential Transition said .
The GSA said in a statement on Saturday it “ ascertains the apparent successful candidate once a winner is clear based on the process laid out in the Constitution.
” Political scientists told Reuters they are optimistic about the resilience of this legal framework .
Despite the animosity between Trump and Biden on the campaign trail , the Trump administration earlier this year complied with statutory requirements for providing federal office space and government resources to the Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to uphold the U.S. Constitution .
This oath would require recognizing Biden as the incoming president if he wins the Electoral College , regardless of what Trump says , said Robert Chesney , a professor of national security law at the University of Texas .
“ I find it very hard to believe the military , the Secret Service , the FBI , or any other relevant part of the bureaucracy would go along with Trump if the Electoral College or a court says otherwise , ” said Chesney .
WOULD THE MILITARY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LEAVE ?
Two U.S. army veterans raised the possibility of the military forcefully removing Trump in an “ open letter ” to the top U.S. general , Mark Milley , in August .
“ If Donald Trump refuses to leave office at the expiration of his constitutional term , the United States military must remove him by force , and you must give that order , ” stated the letter , published in Defense One and written by John Nagl , a retired Army officer , and Paul Yingling , a retired U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said such a move would be better left to the U.S. Secret Service , citing a bedrock U.S. legal principle that military personnel should stay out of domestic law enforcement matters .
• President Trump faces calls to work with Joe Biden team on transition • Claims that dead people voted went viral .
These are the facts “ We have constitutional processes for dealing with this , and the military is nowhere in that equation , ” said Kori Schake , a director of foreign and defense policy at the American Enterprise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave the White House , on Jan. 20 he would become a “ trespasser , ” Chesney said .
“ The Secret Service would come and escort him out , ” he said .

By Jan Wolfe | Reuters
The United States has a long history of peaceful transfers of power that is likely to continue despite President Donald Trump’s attacks on the legitimacy of the election result, national security experts said.
Here is what to expect in the weeks and months to come.
DOES TRUMP FACE A DEADLINE TO LEAVE OFFICE?
Yes. The U.S. presidential election is not formally over. Electors – party loyalists who typically pledge to support the candidate who gets the most votes in their state – will convene on Dec. 14 to formally cast their votes. The newly seated Congress accepts the results from the Electoral College on Jan. 6. If Biden wins the Electoral College vote, as expected, he will be sworn in at noon on Jan. 20 — a date set in the Constitution.
CAN BIDEN TRANSITION INTO POWER OVER TRUMP’S OBJECTIONS?
Yes. Trump has only so much power to slow Biden’s transition.
A law called the Presidential Transition Act of 1963 makes career civil servants vital to the transfer of power. They face deadlines for providing data and access to incoming officials.
Under the law, the transition process will shift into high gear once a federal agency called the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which manages federal buildings, names an apparent winner of the election. At that point, the incoming president’s team can obtain briefing books, tap into funds, and send representatives to visit government agencies.
On Sunday, experts in transitions sent a letter to the GSA’s administrator, Emily Murphy, urging her to recognize Biden as the winner.
“While there will be legal disputes requiring adjudication, the outcome is sufficiently clear that the transition process must now begin,” the letter from the Center for Presidential Transition said.
The GSA said in a statement on Saturday it “ascertains the apparent successful candidate once a winner is clear based on the process laid out in the Constitution.”
Political scientists told Reuters they are optimistic about the resilience of this legal framework.
Despite the animosity between Trump and Biden on the campaign trail, the Trump administration earlier this year complied with statutory requirements for providing federal office space and government resources to the Biden campaign.
Government officials take an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution. This oath would require recognizing Biden as the incoming president if he wins the Electoral College, regardless of what Trump says, said Robert Chesney, a professor of national security law at the University of Texas.
“I find it very hard to believe the military, the Secret Service, the FBI, or any other relevant part of the bureaucracy would go along with Trump if the Electoral College or a court says otherwise,” said Chesney.
WOULD THE MILITARY KICK TRUMP OUT IF HE REFUSES TO LEAVE?
Two U.S. army veterans raised the possibility of the military forcefully removing Trump in an “open letter” to the top U.S. general, Mark Milley, in August.
“If Donald Trump refuses to leave office at the expiration of his constitutional term, the United States military must remove him by force, and you must give that order,” stated the letter, published in Defense One and written by John Nagl, a retired Army officer, and Paul Yingling, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel.
But others have said such a move would be better left to the U.S. Secret Service, citing a bedrock U.S. legal principle that military personnel should stay out of domestic law enforcement matters.
“We have constitutional processes for dealing with this, and the military is nowhere in that equation,” said Kori Schake, a director of foreign and defense policy at the American Enterprise Institute.
If Trump truly refused to leave the White House, on Jan. 20 he would become a “trespasser,” Chesney said.
“The Secret Service would come and escort him out,” he said.
Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal


mercurynews--2020-11-09--Inside the Raiders: It won’t be easy, but schedule looks favorable for playoff push

Devontae Booker was talking about what it was like to have Raiders guard Gabe Jackson and center Rodney Hudson pulling to the right and leading the way on his 23-yard touchdown run Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers .
“ It was like the Red Sea just opened up , ” Booker said Sunday on a video teleconference following a 31-26 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
” I got two big dogs in front of me .
Can ’ t go wrong with that .
Just had to finish it out.
” While it won ’ t be nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — he said he would have scored in flag football — his run to end zone serves as a metaphor for the second half of the season .
Nothing is ever easy in the NFL .
There will be more nail-biters on the schedule , although maybe not to the extreme of having a game-ending touchdown overturned and flipping agony to ecstasy .
That ’ s how it ended against the Chargers , with seldom-used Daniel Parham having the ball dislodged by seldom-used Isaiah Johnson on the final play of the game .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a potential playoff berth at the very least should be easier than the one that got the Raiders to 5-3 at the midway point of the season .
Included in the Raiders ’ start is a 4-1 record on the road and against opposition with a 39-28 record .
The Raiders have beaten New Orleans ( 6-2 ) and Kansas City ( 8-1 ) and lost to Buffalo ( 7-2 ) and Tampa Bay ( 6-3 ) .
They won on the road against Cleveland ( 5-2 ) in a wind and snowstorm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quality of opposition was losing 36-20 in New England ( 2-5 ) in Week 3 .
The second half of the season , which begins with Denver ( 3-5 ) at Allegiant Stadium , includes five home games against opposition that is currently 26-33 ( the Broncos , who the Raiders play twice , are only counted once ) .
There are potential bad weather games against the Jets ( 0-8 ) in New Jersey on Dec. 6 and in Denver to close out the season .
Those are the only two games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are winning despite a revolving door on an offensive line that keeps protecting Derek Carr and opening holes for Josh Jacobs , Booker and a hard-nosed running game .
Despite not getting much production out of the rookie or free agent classes .
Despite a defense that has the fan base terrified every time it takes the field .
Despite a spate of bad publicity due to fines for coronavirus violations .
“ I think we like where we are .
We ’ re not satisfied though , ” Jacobs said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near our peak .
I feel like when we get there as a unit on offense and defense and special teams , we ’ ll be something great.
” Carr is elated at having different solutions to weekly problems .
“ We ’ ve won games where we ’ ve had to throw it for 300 yards .
We ’ ve won games where we ’ ve rushed it for 200 yards , ” Carr said .
“ This is a fun group , because depending on what we ’ re seeing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win in a lot of different ways.
” Defensive end Maxx Crosby realizes there is room for improvement as well as a need to get healthy .
“ Guys are injured at almost every level of our team , ” Crosby said .
“ We ’ re all on the roster for a reason and everyone ’ s got to step up when their name is called .
We ’ re 5-3 , which is pretty good , but we ’ re still just getting started.
” That ’ s probably the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Raiders can ’ t pull out another win or two like they did against the Chargers , or keep getting key players injured , or the defense simply isn ’ t up to making enough stops , they could run out of gas .
But if you told coach Jon Gruden , general manager Mike Mayock or most everyone else in the organization they ’ d be 5-3 at midseason , they ’ d have taken it and run with it as Booker did with Jackson and Hudson leading the way .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Raiders I wrote last week Carr ’ s bad weather win in Cleveland was one of the most significant of his career .
It ’ s a good sign for the Raiders that he keeps topping himself .
Because after Carr lost a fumble while being sacked by Jerry Tillery on a play both he and Gruden swear was going to produce a big play to Darren Waller in the final seconds of the first half , it had all the makings of a classic Raiders collapse .
How did Carr react ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ back-to-back series ’ of his career , all things considered .
Trailing 17-14 on the first possession of the second half , Carr threw a third-and-10 bomb to Nelson Agholor against top Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward for a touchdown for a 21-17 Raiders lead .
A Raiders three-and-out on defense ( it does happen sometimes ) led to more Carr magic .
Flushed from the pocket on third-and-4 , he rolled right , waved Hunter Renfrow deep with his left hand then hit him with a 53-yard strike to the Chargers 16 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ faced with third-and-10 at the 16 , Carr dropped back , saw room up the middle and ran 12 yards for a first down .
The play ended with Carr getting upended and doing a helicopter flip reminiscent of John Elway in Super Bowl XXXII .
Two plays later , he threaded a 2-yard strike Waller for the touchdown , putting the Raiders up 28-17 .
Carr ’ s totals from the last two games — 47 attempts , 28 completions , 276 yards , three touchdowns , zero interceptions — don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what he did to influence a pair of road wins .
Carr hits the midway point with 2,002 yards passing , 16 touchdowns and two interceptions , completing 69.8 percent of his passes .
In terms of passing efficiency , the the top five quarterbacks quarterbacks through Week 9 are Aaron Rodgers , Russell Wilson , Patrick Mahomes , Drew Brees and Carr .
And Carr looks like he belongs .
“ Derek ’ s not thinking , ” Crosby said .
“ He ’ s playing , not worried about what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to compete on every down .
He ’ s not afraid to run the ball , put his head down , take his shot .
I love Derek .
He ’ s getting better every day and I know he puts in the time so I ’ m glad he ’ s putting it together.
” Defense : Will playing hard be enough ?
The Raiders came within an officials replay of giving it up against the Chargers .
Justin Herbert passed for 326 yards , the Chargers gained 440 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regularity .
The only way to look at the Raiders defense at this point is through small victories .
The there-and-out that preceded the score that put the Raiders up 28-17 .
The back-to-back plays by Carl Nassib in which he batted down a Herbert pass and then got his first sack .
The 13 tackles and clutch stop of Tyrod Taylor on a two-point conversion by Nick Kwiatkoski .
LaMarcus Joyner making 12 tackles as an undersized slot corner .
The Raiders aren ’ t a good defense .
Not even close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be complementary enough to set things up for the offense and special teams .
• What the Raiders are saying after a dramatic win over the Chargers • Raiders hold on as last-second touchdown is overturned against Chargers • Raiders ’ Kolton Miller out against Chargers ; Trent Brown reportedly out another month It ’ s impossible not to notice they ’ re still playing with enthusiasm and hustle even when things are going poorly .
That means they could and should improve over the last eight games .
“ You have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really have to respect the way that they play the game , ” Gruden said .
“ They play hard .
We have to keep getting better and that ’ s what we ’ re going to try to do in the second half of the season.
” Maybe Gruden was just worn out after a down-to-the-wire finish , or perhaps it had something to do with the $ 250,000 in fines ( currently on appeal ) he ’ s picked up for the Raiders coronavirus violations as levied by the NFL .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire postgame teleconference for the first time with his mask on .

Devontae Booker described what it was like to have Raiders guard Gabe Jackson and center Rodney Hudson pulling to the right and leading the way on his 23-yard touchdown run Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“It was like the Red Sea just opened up,” Booker said Sunday on a video teleconference following a 31-26 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. “I got two big dogs in front of me. Can’t go wrong with that. Just had to finish it out.”
While it won’t be nearly as easy as Booker’s touchdown — he said he would have scored in flag football — his run to end zone serves as a metaphor for the second half of the season.
Nothing is ever easy in the NFL. There will be more nail-biters on the schedule, although maybe not to the extreme of having a game-ending touchdown overturned and flipping agony to ecstasy. That’s how it ended against the Chargers, with seldom-used Daniel Parham having the ball dislodged by seldom-used Isaiah Johnson on the final play of the game.
But the path to 10 wins and a potential playoff berth at the very least should be easier than the one that got the Raiders to 5-3 at the midway point of the season.
Included in the Raiders’ start is a 4-1 record on the road and against opposition with a 39-28 record. The Raiders have beaten New Orleans (6-2) and Kansas City (8-1) and lost to Buffalo (7-2) and Tampa Bay (6-3). They won on the road against Cleveland (5-3) in a wind and snowstorm. The only real stinker considering the quality of opposition was losing 36-20 in New England (2-5) in Week 3.
The second half of the season, which begins with Denver (3-5) at Allegiant Stadium, includes five home games against opposition that is currently 26-33 (the Broncos, who the Raiders play twice, are only counted once). There are potential bad weather games against the Jets (0-8) in New Jersey on Dec. 6 and in Denver to close out the season.
Those are the only two games that are not indoors.
The Raiders are winning despite a revolving door on an offensive line that keeps protecting Derek Carr and opening holes for Josh Jacobs, Booker and a hard-nosed running game. Despite not getting much production out of the rookie or free agent classes. Despite a defense that has the fan base terrified every time it takes the field. Despite a spate of bad publicity due to fines for coronavirus violations.
“I think we like where we are. We’re not satisfied though,” Jacobs said. “I feel like we’re nowhere near our peak. I feel like when we get there as a unit on offense and defense and special teams, we’ll be something great.”
Carr is elated at having different solutions to weekly problems.
“We’ve won games where we’ve had to throw it for 300 yards. We’ve won games where we’ve rushed it for 200 yards,” Carr said. “This is a fun group, because depending on what we’re seeing and depending on the adjustments, we can win in a lot of different ways.”
Defensive end Maxx Crosby realizes there is room for improvement as well as a need to get healthy.
“Guys are injured at almost every level of our team,” Crosby said. “We’re all on the roster for a reason and everyone’s got to step up when their name is called. We’re 5-3, which is pretty good, but we’re still just getting started.”
That’s probably the best way to look at it. If the Raiders can’t pull out another win or two like they did against the Chargers, or keep getting key players injured, or the defense simply isn’t up to making enough stops, they could run out of gas.
But if you told coach Jon Gruden, general manager Mike Mayock or most everyone else in the organization they’d be 5-3 at midseason, they’d have taken it and run with it as Booker did with Jackson and Hudson leading the way.
As Carr goes, so go the Raiders
I wrote last week Carr’s bad-weather win in Cleveland was one of the most significant of his career. It’s a good sign for the Raiders that he keeps topping himself.
Because after Carr lost a fumble while being sacked by Jerry Tillery on a play both he and Gruden swear was going to produce a big play to Darren Waller in the final seconds of the first half, it had all the makings of a classic Raiders collapse.
How did Carr react? With what might have been his best back-to-back series’ of his career, all things considered.
Trailing 17-14 on the first possession of the second half, Carr threw a third-and-10 bomb to Nelson Agholor against top Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward for a touchdown for a 21-17 Raiders lead.
A Raiders three-and-out on defense (it does happen sometimes) led to more Carr magic. Flushed from the pocket on third-and-4, he rolled right, waved Hunter Renfrow deep with his left hand then hit him with a 53-yard strike to the Chargers 16. Once again, against Hayward.
When faced with third-and-10 at the 16, Carr dropped back, saw room up the middle and ran 12 yards for a first down. The play ended with Carr getting upended and doing a helicopter flip reminiscent of John Elway in Super Bowl XXXII. Two plays later, he threaded a 2-yard strike Waller for the touchdown, putting the Raiders up 28-17.
Carr’s totals from the last two games — 47 attempts, 28 completions, 276 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions — don’t even begin to tell the story of what he did to influence a pair of road wins. Carr hits the midway point with 2,002 yards passing, 16 touchdowns and two interceptions, completing 69.8 percent of his passes.
In terms of passing efficiency, the the top five quarterbacks quarterbacks through Week 9 are Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes, Drew Brees and Carr. And Carr looks like he belongs.
“Derek’s not thinking,” Crosby said. “He’s playing, not worried about what everybody is saying. He’s going to compete on every down. He’s not afraid to run the ball, put his head down, take his shot. I love Derek. He’s getting better every day and I know he puts in the time so I’m glad he’s putting it together.”
Defense: Will playing hard be enough?
The Raiders came within an officials replay of giving it up against the Chargers. Justin Herbert passed for 326 yards, the Chargers gained 440, and receivers broke into the clear with alarming regularity.
The only way to look at the Raiders defense at this point is through small victories. The there-and-out that preceded the score that put the Raiders up 28-17. The back-to-back plays by Carl Nassib in which he batted down a Herbert pass and then got his first sack. The 13 tackles and clutch stop of Tyrod Taylor on a two-point conversion by Nick Kwiatkoski. LaMarcus Joyner making 12 tackles as an undersized slot corner.
The Raiders aren’t a good defense. Not even close. The key is if it can be complementary enough to set things up for the offense and special teams.
It’s impossible not to notice they’re still playing with enthusiasm and hustle even when things are going poorly. That means they could and should improve over the last eight games.
“You have to tip your hat to them and you really have to respect the way that they play the game,” Gruden said. “They play hard. We have to keep getting better and that’s what we’re going to try to do in the second half of the season.”
Masked man
Maybe Gruden was just worn out after a down-to-the-wire finish, or perhaps it had something to do with the $250,000 in fines (currently on appeal) he’s picked up for the Raiders coronavirus violations as levied by the NFL.
Whatever the reason, Gruden did his entire postgame teleconference for the first time with his mask on.
Can’t be too careful.


mercurynews--2020-11-09--Referendum on Donald Trump shatters presidential election turnout records

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI | The Associated Press With votes still being counted , turnout in the 2020 presidential election has hit a 50-year high , exceeding the record set by the 2008 presidential election of Barack Obama — an extraordinary engagement in what amounted to a referendum on President Donald Trump ’ s leadership .
As of Sunday , the tallied votes accounted for 62 % of the eligible voting-age population in the U.S. That ’ s a 0.4 percentage point increase so far over the rate hit in 2008 , when the nation elected its first Black president .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ records , although that ’ s a less remarkable milestone given the country ’ s growing population .
So far 148 million votes have been tallied , with Democrat Joe Biden winning more than 75 million — the highest number for a presidential candidate in history .
Trump received more than 70 million — the highest total for a losing candidate .
The numbers are certain to rise as election officials continue to count more ballots .
But election experts and partisans already are debating the forces behind the swell of civic participation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence of what happens when states expand the time and the ways voters can cast ballots , as many states did this year .
Other noted the extraordinary high passions Trump provoked — both for and against .
The result : the highest turnout since 1968 , according to data from the Associated Press and the United States Elections Project , which tracks turnout .
Experts think the 2020 rate could hit heights not seen since the beginning of the 20th century , before all women were allowed to vote .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get higher than this , ” said Michael McDonald , a political scientist at the University of Florida who runs the Elections Project .
An Associated Press analysis shows that some of the biggest turnout increases to date occurred in states that liberalized their mail-voting rules .
In two states where it was expanded significantly , Montana and Vermont , turnout rose by more than 10 percentage points and more than 9 percentage points , respectively , over the previous presidential election , enough to put the states into the top 10 increases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a more than 14 percentage point jump so far .
Texas , which did not expand mail voting but gave voters extra time to cast early ballots in person , saw a whopping more than 9 percentage point increase in turnout , moving from 50 % to 59 % of its citizen voting-age population going to the polls .
Many of the states with the biggest turnout increases — including Arizona , Texas and Georgia — were new battlegrounds in the presidential race , places where Democrats sought to mobilize new voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted the number proved the efficacy of voter outreach and organization efforts .
“ People vote when they ’ re asked to vote , ” said Seth Masket , a political scientist at Denver University .
But the record high participation , to Democrats ’ surprise , did not always help them .
The party lost House seats and failed to win enough Senate seats outright to take control of the upper chamber — that now rests on runoffs in Georgia .
They also failed to turn a single state legislature from Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conventional wisdom that Democrats benefit most from high turnout .
It ’ s a theory even Trump espoused this year , when he warned of “ levels of voting ” so high that “ you ’ d never have a Republican elected in this country again.
” Democrats were excited about massive early voting in places with normally underperforming electorates , like Texas , “ Our position in Texas was always that , we ’ re not a red state , we ’ re a non-voting state , ” said Gilbert Hinojosa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which had hoped to take control of the Texas House of Representatives .
Instead , Texas Democrats didn ’ t even come close , despite the jump in voting , losing the presidential vote by 5.5 percentage points , failing to gain any congressional seats or make up ground in the state legislature .
The results had some Democrats second-guessing the party ’ s decision to idle its door-knocking and in-person voter outreach for months , out of concern about spreading the coronavirus .
“ Perhaps we were not reaching the people we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ I ’ ve got to believe that ’ s just much more effective face-to-face.
” It ’ s still early to know exactly who turned out on Tuesday .
But Tom Bonier , a Democratic data analyst , looked at information from three all-mail states — Colorado , Nevada and Oregon — and saw sizable increases in younger and non-white voters , as well as other core Democratic constituencies .
Calculating historical turnout rates is tricky because of changes in the ways voter records were kept when larger shares of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Predictions of a record high rate are based on records maintained by McDonald , who has calculated the number of eligible voters every election year all the way back to the founding .
The Associated Press determined the current turnout rate by comparing the number of tallied votes to the Elections Project ’ s estimated number of current potential voters in the U.S .
Turnout was higher before 1920 , when some women won the right to vote , because the pool of people who could cast a ballot was smaller .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ think the 2020 election may surpass the 1908 high-water mark of 65.7 % .
The highest turnout in the post-World War II era was in 1960 , when 63.8 % of eligible voters cast ballots , according to McDonald ’ s records .
• President Trump faces calls to work with Joe Biden team on transition • Claims that dead people voted went viral .
These are the facts The 2020 turnout records come after 2018 saw the highest turnout of a midterm election since 1912 .
The two recent elections had one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ send a message about Trump .
“ He motivated Democrats who hated him and Republicans who thought he was better than most Republicans , ” said Brad Todd , a Republican strategist .
That raises the question of whether future elections will draw as much attention or as many votes .
“ With him not at the top of the ticket , what does this look like ?
” Masket asked .
Associated Press data editor Meghan Hoyer and Associated Press data journalist Angeliki Kastanis contributed to this report .

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI | The Associated Press
With votes still being counted, turnout in the 2020 presidential election has hit a 50-year high, exceeding the record set by the 2008 presidential election of Barack Obama — an extraordinary engagement in what amounted to a referendum on President Donald Trump’s leadership.
As of Sunday, the tallied votes accounted for 62% of the eligible voting-age population in the U.S. That’s a 0.4 percentage point increase so far over the rate hit in 2008, when the nation elected its first Black president.
The sheer number of votes also set records, although that’s a less remarkable milestone given the country’s growing population. So far 148 million votes have been tallied, with Democrat Joe Biden winning more than 75 million — the highest number for a presidential candidate in history. Trump received more than 70 million — the highest total for a losing candidate.
The numbers are certain to rise as election officials continue to count more ballots. But election experts and partisans already are debating the forces behind the swell of civic participation. Some pointed to the numbers as evidence of what happens when states expand the time and the ways voters can cast ballots, as many states did this year. Other noted the extraordinary high passions Trump provoked — both for and against.
The result: the highest turnout since 1968, according to data from the Associated Press and the United States Elections Project, which tracks turnout. Experts think the 2020 rate could hit heights not seen since the beginning of the 20th century, before all women were allowed to vote.
“It’s hard to imagine we can get higher than this,” said Michael McDonald, a political scientist at the University of Florida who runs the Elections Project.
An Associated Press analysis shows that some of the biggest turnout increases to date occurred in states that liberalized their mail-voting rules. In two states where it was expanded significantly, Montana and Vermont, turnout rose by more than 10 percentage points and more than 9 percentage points, respectively, over the previous presidential election, enough to put the states into the top 10 increases. Hawaii saw the biggest turnout increase, a more than 14 percentage point jump so far.
Texas, which did not expand mail voting but gave voters extra time to cast early ballots in person, saw a whopping more than 9 percentage point increase in turnout, moving from 50% to 59% of its citizen voting-age population going to the polls.
Many of the states with the biggest turnout increases — including Arizona, Texas and Georgia — were new battlegrounds in the presidential race, places where Democrats sought to mobilize new voters and shift Republican strongholds. Some analysts noted the number proved the efficacy of voter outreach and organization efforts.
“People vote when they’re asked to vote,” said Seth Masket, a political scientist at Denver University.
But the record high participation, to Democrats’ surprise, did not always help them. The party lost House seats and failed to win enough Senate seats outright to take control of the upper chamber — that now rests on runoffs in Georgia. They also failed to turn a single state legislature from Republican control.
Those results undermine the longtime conventional wisdom that Democrats benefit most from high turnout. It’s a theory even Trump espoused this year, when he warned of “levels of voting” so high that “you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.”
Democrats were excited about massive early voting in places with normally underperforming electorates, like Texas, “Our position in Texas was always that, we’re not a red state, we’re a non-voting state,” said Gilbert Hinojosa, chairman of the Texas Democratic Party, which had hoped to take control of the Texas House of Representatives.
Instead, Texas Democrats didn’t even come close, despite the jump in voting, losing the presidential vote by 5.5 percentage points, failing to gain any congressional seats or make up ground in the state legislature.
The results had some Democrats second-guessing the party’s decision to idle its door-knocking and in-person voter outreach for months, out of concern about spreading the coronavirus.
“Perhaps we were not reaching the people we needed to for persuasion,” Hinojosa said. “I’ve got to believe that’s just much more effective face-to-face.”
It’s still early to know exactly who turned out on Tuesday. But Tom Bonier, a Democratic data analyst, looked at information from three all-mail states — Colorado, Nevada and Oregon — and saw sizable increases in younger and non-white voters, as well as other core Democratic constituencies.
Calculating historical turnout rates is tricky because of changes in the ways voter records were kept when larger shares of the population were not allowed to vote. Predictions of a record high rate are based on records maintained by McDonald, who has calculated the number of eligible voters every election year all the way back to the founding.
The Associated Press determined the current turnout rate by comparing the number of tallied votes to the Elections Project’s estimated number of current potential voters in the U.S.
Turnout was higher before 1920, when some women won the right to vote, because the pool of people who could cast a ballot was smaller. That’s why McDonald and others think the 2020 election may surpass the 1908 high-water mark of 65.7%.
The highest turnout in the post-World War II era was in 1960, when 63.8% of eligible voters cast ballots, according to McDonald’s records.
The 2020 turnout records come after 2018 saw the highest turnout of a midterm election since 1912. The two recent elections had one thing in common: a chance to send a message about Trump.
“He motivated Democrats who hated him and Republicans who thought he was better than most Republicans,” said Brad Todd, a Republican strategist.
That raises the question of whether future elections will draw as much attention or as many votes. “With him not at the top of the ticket, what does this look like?” Masket asked.
___
Associated Press data editor Meghan Hoyer and Associated Press data journalist Angeliki Kastanis contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-11-09--‘Jeopardy!’ episodes hosted by Alex Trebek will air through December 25

For the next six weeks , “ Jeopardy !
” will continue to air episodes hosted by Alex Trebek , who died of pancreatic cancer Sunday .
Trebek ’ s last day recording the show in the studio was October 29 , “ Jeopardy !
” Executive Producer Mike Richards said in the statement .
Although Trebek had suggested a few potential replacements , the show said it would not announce plans for a new host just yet .
Trebek told TMZ in 2018 that he would like LA Kings announcer Alex Faust or CNN legal analyst Laura Coates to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Ken Jennings , the winningest and perhaps the most famous Jeopardy contestant of all time .
The show hired Jennings in the fall as a consulting producer and brand ambassador , but it stopped short of naming him as Trebek ’ s replacement .
Trebek was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2019 and he continued to host “ Jeopardy !
” for the next 18 months , the statement reads .
• TV tonight : On ’ 60 Minutes , ’ worries over the COVID vaccine • MSNBC ’ s Rachel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close contact ’ gets coronavirus “ Throughout that time , Alex was open and public about his battle with cancer , ” said Richards .
“ This is an enormous loss for the Jeopardy !
staff , crew and all of Alex ’ s millions of fans .
He was a legend of the industry that we were all lucky to watch night after night for 37 years .
Working beside him for the past year and a half as he heroically continued to host Jeopardy !
was an incredible honor.
” Alex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , Jean , and children Matthew , Emily , and Nicky .
Though no plans for a service have been announced , the family said gifts in Alex ’ s memory could go to World Vision .
— CNN ’ s Jon Passantino and Artemis Moshtaghian contributed to this report

For the next six weeks, “Jeopardy!” will continue to air episodes hosted by Alex Trebek, who died of pancreatic cancer Sunday.
Trebek’s last day recording the show in the studio was October 29, “Jeopardy!” Executive Producer Mike Richards said in the statement.
Although Trebek had suggested a few potential replacements, the show said it would not announce plans for a new host just yet. Trebek told TMZ in 2018 that he would like LA Kings announcer Alex Faust or CNN legal analyst Laura Coates to replace him.
Coates tweeted a statement about Trebek’s passing Sunday.
[vemba-video id=”entertainment/2020/11/07/alex-trebek-burt-thakur-jeopardy-english-orig-llr.cnn”]
Another frequently rumored replacement is Ken Jennings, the winningest and perhaps the most famous Jeopardy contestant of all time. The show hired Jennings in the fall as a consulting producer and brand ambassador, but it stopped short of naming him as Trebek’s replacement.
Trebek was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2019 and he continued to host “Jeopardy!” for the next 18 months, the statement reads.
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SAG-AFTRA working to cover reality stars in its contract TV Streaming | The writers strike has hit 100 days with no end in sight “Throughout that time, Alex was open and public about his battle with cancer,” said Richards. “This is an enormous loss for the Jeopardy! staff, crew and all of Alex’s millions of fans. He was a legend of the industry that we were all lucky to watch night after night for 37 years. Working beside him for the past year and a half as he heroically continued to host Jeopardy! was an incredible honor.”
Alex is survived by his wife of 30 years, Jean, and children Matthew, Emily, and Nicky. Though no plans for a service have been announced, the family said gifts in Alex’s memory could go to World Vision.
— CNN’s Jon Passantino and Artemis Moshtaghian contributed to this report
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


mercurynews--2020-11-09--California women smash ceilings in national politics — not so much in state politics

California is home to the first woman vice president-elect , Kamala Harris , and first female House speaker , Nancy Pelosi .
So why does it lag on women holding power in the statehouse ?
“ While I may be the first woman in this office , I will not be the last , ” Harris vowed in her victory speech Saturday night .
California also is home to the first woman to become Speaker of the House , Democrat Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco , who first won the post in 2007 .
And , when voters elected Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , California became the first state in the nation to send two women to the United States Senate .
But such ceiling smashing has not happened in Sacramento .
When it comes to women leading in state politics , California lags other parts of the nation .
More than half the states have had a woman governor , but California never has .
The Golden State elected Eleni Kounalakis its first female lieutenant governor just two years ago — something Vermont did in 1955 .
Harris , the Democrat who will serve as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became California ’ s first woman elected attorney general in 2010 .
But Rhode Island elected the nation ’ s first female attorney general in 1985 .
Similarly , though women have been prominent in California ’ s legislative leadership in the last dozen years , other states blazed that trail long ago .
California Senate leader Toni Atkins , a San Diego Democrat , became the state ’ s first woman to hold the post in 2018 , and is one of three women to have served as Assembly speaker .
Women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first state legislature to choose a woman speaker ?
North Dakota ’ s , in 1933 .
“ There is a great tradition of California women leading at the federal level , ” said Susannah Delano , executive director of Close the Gap California , which recruits Democratic women to run for elected office .
“ We are sort of middling on our statehouse ’ s gender balance.
” Even though women are poised to hold more seats in the California Legislature than ever before when votes from this month ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is likely to comprise roughly one-third of state lawmakers .
At the start of the Legislature ’ s last session , California tied Georgia for 20th place in female representation .
Next door in Nevada , women made up more than half the state legislature .
Women currently hold 38 of the Legislature ’ s 120 seats — the most ever , in part because voters chose women to fill seats vacated by a handful of men who resigned during the # MeToo movement .
Between one and five more women will join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcome of several close races .
That will bring women to the highest numbers they ’ ve ever had in the California Legislature , comprising a little more or less than a third of the body .
California ’ s vast size , expensive media markets and legislative term limits may explain why women have trailed in Sacramento .
“ We ’ re constantly facing the dual challenge of women who have termed out or retired , needing to replace and backfill them… and then also recruiting new women to go ahead and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Delano said .
By contrast , Congress does not have term limits , making it easier for a representative like Pelosi to build power over time .
Harris ’ rise exhibits a different dynamic .
She broke barriers as San Francisco ’ s first woman district attorney and California ’ s first woman attorney general .
Her election to the Senate reflects a more common way that women have found success in electoral politics — through the legislative branch .
“ Women have a much harder time getting elected to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Democratic political strategist who led Boxer ’ s Senate campaigns .
“ The many women running for president in 2020 all had impressive profiles and records and yet , none of them survived until the end .
Harris didn ’ t stay in even for Iowa .
She became vice president with an electorate of one : Joe Biden.
” Harris said Biden showed his character in selecting a woman as VP , saying in her speech Saturday that “ he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Another factor that may explain the meteoric national rise of Pelosi and Harris : their political roots in San Francisco .
Cutthroat politics in the progressive city has proven to be a formidable training ground .
• Indians in Kamala Harris ’ ancestral home wake up to her victory • Bay Area erupts with joy and relief over Biden-Harris victory “ People would have looked at us like we were crazy if you said a person would emerge from San Francisco and become vice president of the United States , ” said Ace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has run campaigns for Harris and fellow San Franciscan Gov .
Gavin Newsom .
“ But there ’ s a huge amount of upside in having come out of that , and it is an incredibly talented pool of people who really have to emerge from a cauldron.
” Women nationally also gained seats in Congress in this election , and are poised to make up a greater share of the House and Senate than ever before .
Much of that is due to gains by Republicans , who worked to elect more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year of House victories in 2018 .
Three female House candidates in California — Democrat Christy Smith of Santa Clarita , and Orange County Republicans Michelle Steel and Young Kim — are challenging incumbent men in tight races that haven ’ t yet been called .
In the domino effect of politics , Harris will soon resign her Senate seat to become vice president , and Gov .
Newsom will appoint a replacement to fulfill her term as senator .
Which has some Californians urging him to choose another woman for the post @

California is home to the first woman vice president-elect, Kamala Harris, and first female House speaker, Nancy Pelosi. So why does it lag on women holding power in the statehouse?
With California’s junior senator Kamala Harris poised to become America’s first female vice president, a remarkable pattern has taken hold: Once again, a woman from California is making history in the nation’s capital.
“While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last,” Harris vowed in her victory speech Saturday night.
California also is home to the first woman to become Speaker of the House, Democrat Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, who first won the post in 2007. And, when voters elected Democrats Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein in 1992, California became the first state in the nation to send two women to the United States Senate.
But such ceiling smashing has not happened in Sacramento. When it comes to women leading in state politics, California lags other parts of the nation. More than half the states have had a woman governor, but California never has. The Golden State elected Eleni Kounalakis its first female lieutenant governor just two years ago — something Vermont did in 1955. Harris, the Democrat who will serve as Joe Biden’s vice president, became California’s first woman elected attorney general in 2010. But Rhode Island elected the nation’s first female attorney general in 1985.
Similarly, though women have been prominent in California’s legislative leadership in the last dozen years, other states blazed that trail long ago. California Senate leader Toni Atkins, a San Diego Democrat, became the state’s first woman to hold the post in 2018, and is one of three women to have served as Assembly speaker. Women also lead both Republican caucuses. But the first state legislature to choose a woman speaker? North Dakota’s, in 1933.
“There is a great tradition of California women leading at the federal level,” said Susannah Delano, executive director of Close the Gap California, which recruits Democratic women to run for elected office. “We are sort of middling on our statehouse’s gender balance.” Even though women are poised to hold more seats in the California Legislature than ever before when votes from this month’s election are all tallied, the number is likely to comprise roughly one-third of state lawmakers. At the start of the Legislature’s last session, California tied Georgia for 20th place in female representation. Next door in Nevada, women made up more than half the state legislature.
Women currently hold 38 of the Legislature’s 120 seats — the most ever, in part because voters chose women to fill seats vacated by a handful of men who resigned during the #MeToo movement. Between one and five more women will join them next year, depending on the outcome of several close races. That will bring women to the highest numbers they’ve ever had in the California Legislature, comprising a little more or less than a third of the body.
California’s vast size, expensive media markets and legislative term limits may explain why women have trailed in Sacramento.
“We’re constantly facing the dual challenge of women who have termed out or retired, needing to replace and backfill them… and then also recruiting new women to go ahead and challenge and drive the overall numbers up,” Delano said.
By contrast, Congress does not have term limits, making it easier for a representative like Pelosi to build power over time.
Harris’ rise exhibits a different dynamic. She broke barriers as San Francisco’s first woman district attorney and California’s first woman attorney general. Her election to the Senate reflects a more common way that women have found success in electoral politics — through the legislative branch.
“Women have a much harder time getting elected to an executive position,” said Rose Kapolczynski, a Democratic political strategist who led Boxer’s Senate campaigns.
“The many women running for president in 2020 all had impressive profiles and records and yet, none of them survived until the end. Harris didn’t stay in even for Iowa. She became vice president with an electorate of one: Joe Biden.”
Harris said Biden showed his character in selecting a woman as VP, saying in her speech Saturday that “he had the audacity to break one of the most substantial barriers that exists in our country.”
Another factor that may explain the meteoric national rise of Pelosi and Harris: their political roots in San Francisco. Cutthroat politics in the progressive city has proven to be a formidable training ground.
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Opinion: Republican racism has finally weaponized Kamala Harris Election | VP Harris: Florida rules on Black history pushed by Gov. DeSantis are ‘propaganda’ “People would have looked at us like we were crazy if you said a person would emerge from San Francisco and become vice president of the United States,” said Ace Smith, a Democratic political consultant who has run campaigns for Harris and fellow San Franciscan Gov. Gavin Newsom.
“But there’s a huge amount of upside in having come out of that, and it is an incredibly talented pool of people who really have to emerge from a cauldron.”
Women nationally also gained seats in Congress in this election, and are poised to make up a greater share of the House and Senate than ever before. Much of that is due to gains by Republicans, who worked to elect more women after Democratic women had a historic year of House victories in 2018. Three female House candidates in California — Democrat Christy Smith of Santa Clarita, and Orange County Republicans Michelle Steel and Young Kim — are challenging incumbent men in tight races that haven’t yet been called.
In the domino effect of politics, Harris will soon resign her Senate seat to become vice president, and Gov. Newsom will appoint a replacement to fulfill her term as senator. Which has some Californians urging him to choose another woman for the post.


mercurynews--2020-11-09--Estonia’s far-right minister resigns over Biden remarks

By JAN M. OLSEN | The Associated Press COPENHAGEN , Denmark — Estonia ’ s far-right interior minister , Mart Helme , resigned Monday , a day after he called President-elect Joe Biden and his son Hunter “ corrupt characters ” without providing further details or evidence .
“ Last night I decided to resign ( when ) looking at the slander and lies produced by the Estonian media , ” said Helme , of the Estonian Conservative People ’ s Party , or EKRE .
“ I am tired .
I did nothing yesterday that would endanger Estonia ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything that has not already been told by the American media , the American free media , ” he told public broadcaster ERR .
He made the remarks on Sunday in an Estonian radio show which interviewed both Mart Helme and his son Martin , who is the country ’ s finance minister .
There they also discussed a hypothetical scenario of a U.S. civil war after the election result .
U.S. President Donald Trump “ will win eventually .
It will happen as a result of an immense struggle , maybe even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end , ” Mart Helme told the TRE radio station according to local media .
“ There is no question that these elections were falsified , ” the younger Helme said in the interview , according to Estonian news portal Delfi and national broadcaster ERR .
“ I believe all normal people should speak up against it .
There is no point in talking about democracy or rule of law in a situation where elections can be faked so plainly , boldly and on a massive scale.
” On Facebook Sunday , Estonian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop issuing unsubstantiated statements that he said damage Estonian and U.S. bilateral relations .
Ratas congratulated Biden and stressed the U.S. elections were “ fair , free and transparent.
” The populist EKRE , which Helme co-founded and has an anti-immigrant and anti-EU agenda , emerged from a March 2019 election as Estonia ’ s third-largest party .
In July , Martin took over the EKRE chairmanship .
Both men have been embroiled in various political scandals in Estonia in past years due to their controversial public comments .
On Sunday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show where Martin Helme said that “ there is no question that these elections ( in the United States ) were falsified.
” “ If this ( U.S. election result ) goes through , then the Constitution will no longer apply in America , ” he added .
On Monday , Martin Helme told reporters that what he said was what “ the whole of the U.S. media is saying .
The press ( in Estonia ) is not telling the Estonian people what the entire American media is saying , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the younger Helme said , according to the Baltic News Service .
The comments are seen as highly embarrassing to Estonia , a small former Soviet republic of 1.3 million and a European Union and NATO member that is a staunch ally of Washington .
Martin Helme , 44 , and his father Mart , 71 , have been embroiled in various political scandals in past few years due to their controversial public comments .
• President Trump faces calls to work with Joe Biden team on transition • Claims that dead people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facts In October , Mart Helme told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle that marriage should only be a union between a man and a woman and suggested that gay couples should go to Sweden .
Martin Helme has insisted that his father ’ s interview was mistranslated , and Mart Helme himself has denied being homophobic .
Last year , Mart Helme called Estonia ’ s first female president , Kersti Kaljulaid , an “ emotionally heated woman ” for walking out during the swearing-in of a Cabinet minister accused of domestic violence .

By JAN M. OLSEN | The Associated Press
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Estonia’s far-right interior minister, Mart Helme, resigned Monday, a day after he called President-elect Joe Biden and his son Hunter “corrupt characters” without providing further details or evidence.
“Last night I decided to resign (when) looking at the slander and lies produced by the Estonian media,” said Helme, of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party, or EKRE.
“I am tired. I did nothing yesterday that would endanger Estonia’s security. I have not said anything that has not already been told by the American media, the American free media,” he told public broadcaster ERR.
He made the remarks on Sunday in an Estonian radio show which interviewed both Mart Helme and his son Martin, who is the country’s finance minister. There they also discussed a hypothetical scenario of a U.S. civil war after the election result.
U.S. President Donald Trump “will win eventually. It will happen as a result of an immense struggle, maybe even bloodshed but justice will win in the end,” Mart Helme told the TRE radio station according to local media.
“There is no question that these elections were falsified,” the younger Helme said in the interview, according to Estonian news portal Delfi and national broadcaster ERR. “I believe all normal people should speak up against it. There is no point in talking about democracy or rule of law in a situation where elections can be faked so plainly, boldly and on a massive scale.”
On Facebook Sunday, Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas urged the pair to stop issuing unsubstantiated statements that he said damage Estonian and U.S. bilateral relations. Ratas congratulated Biden and stressed the U.S. elections were “fair, free and transparent.”
The populist EKRE, which Helme co-founded and has an anti-immigrant and anti-EU agenda, emerged from a March 2019 election as Estonia’s third-largest party.
In July, Martin took over the EKRE chairmanship. Both men have been embroiled in various political scandals in Estonia in past years due to their controversial public comments.
On Sunday, they appeared together on an Estonian radio show where Martin Helme said that “there is no question that these elections (in the United States) were falsified.”
“If this (U.S. election result) goes through, then the Constitution will no longer apply in America,” he added.
On Monday, Martin Helme told reporters that what he said was what “the whole of the U.S. media is saying. The press (in Estonia) is not telling the Estonian people what the entire American media is saying, but I did it — election fraud,” the younger Helme said, according to the Baltic News Service.
The comments are seen as highly embarrassing to Estonia, a small former Soviet republic of 1.3 million and a European Union and NATO member that is a staunch ally of Washington.
Martin Helme, 44, and his father Mart, 71, have been embroiled in various political scandals in past few years due to their controversial public comments.
In October, Mart Helme told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle that marriage should only be a union between a man and a woman and suggested that gay couples should go to Sweden. Martin Helme has insisted that his father’s interview was mistranslated, and Mart Helme himself has denied being homophobic.
Last year, Mart Helme called Estonia’s first female president, Kersti Kaljulaid, an “emotionally heated woman” for walking out during the swearing-in of a Cabinet minister accused of domestic violence.


mercurynews--2020-11-09--Pfizer says early analysis shows its Covid-19 vaccine is 90% effective

Drugmaker Pfizer said Monday an early look at data from its coronavirus vaccine shows it is more than 90 % effective — a much better than expected efficacy if the trend continues .
The so-called interim analysis looked at the first 94 confirmed cases of Covid-19 among the more than 43,000 volunteers who got either two doses of the vaccine or a placebo .
It found that fewer than 10 % of infections were in participants who had been given the vaccine .
More than 90 % of the cases were in people who had been given a placebo .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven days after the second dose and 28 days after the initial dose of the vaccine .
The final goal of the trial is to reach 164 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection .
In a news release , the pharmaceutical giant said it plans to seek emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration soon after volunteers have been monitored for two months after getting their second dose of vaccine , as requested by the FDA .
Pfizer said it anticipated reaching that marker by the third week of November .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine , made with German partner BioNTech , has enrolled 43,538 particpants since July 27 .
As of Sunday , 38,955 of the volunteers have received a second dose of the vaccine .
The company says 42 % of international trial sites and 30 % of US trial sites involve volunteers of racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds .
“ With today ’ s news , we are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
“ We look forward to sharing additional efficacy and safety data generated from thousands of participants in the coming weeks.
” • California Veterinary Medical Association ’ s top vet talks about how the industry is surviving COVID-19 • How to celebrate Thanksgiving safely during COVID-19 Pfizer says it has added a secondary endpoint to its study .
It will evaluate whether the vaccines protects people against severe Covid-19 disease and whether the vaccine can provide long-term protection against Covid-19 disease , even in patients who have been infected before .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least 50 % efficacy from any coronavirus vaccine .

Drugmaker Pfizer said Monday an early look at data from its coronavirus vaccine shows it is more than 90% effective — a much better than expected efficacy if the trend continues.
The so-called interim analysis looked at the first 94 confirmed cases of Covid-19 among the more than 43,000 volunteers who got either two doses of the vaccine or a placebo. It found that fewer than 10% of infections were in participants who had been given the vaccine. More than 90% of the cases were in people who had been given a placebo.
Pfizer said that the vaccine provided protection seven days after the second dose and 28 days after the initial dose of the vaccine. The final goal of the trial is to reach 164 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection.
In a news release, the pharmaceutical giant said it plans to seek emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration soon after volunteers have been monitored for two months after getting their second dose of vaccine, as requested by the FDA.
Pfizer said it anticipated reaching that marker by the third week of November.
The Phase 3 trial of the Pfizer vaccine, made with German partner BioNTech, has enrolled 43,538 particpants since July 27. As of Sunday, 38,955 of the volunteers have received a second dose of the vaccine. The company says 42% of international trial sites and 30% of US trial sites involve volunteers of racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds.
“With today’s news, we are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement. “We look forward to sharing additional efficacy and safety data generated from thousands of participants in the coming weeks.”
Pfizer says it has added a secondary endpoint to its study. It will evaluate whether the vaccines protects people against severe Covid-19 disease and whether the vaccine can provide long-term protection against Covid-19 disease, even in patients who have been infected before.
The FDA has said it would expect at least 50% efficacy from any coronavirus vaccine.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.


mercurynews--2020-11-09--Caltrans prepares for winter, expects no preemptive closures of Highway 1 in Big Sur

BIG SUR — As Caltrans prepares for winter in the Big Sur area , a spokesman said Friday there are no plans to continue with preemptive closures before major storms on Highway 1 at Mud Creek and Paul ’ s Slide .
In May 2017 , more than 5 million cubic yards of dirt and rocks slid down the hillside and covered a quarter-mile of the roadway at Mud Creek with as much as 40 feet of debris .
Crews rebuilt Highway 1 atop the slide for $ 54 million , buttressing the new roadway with a series of embankments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culverts and other stabilizing material .
Highway 1 at Mud Creek , about 9 miles north of the San Luis Obispo County border , reopened in July 2018 .
“ At present , we do not plan on performing preemptive closures on Highway 1 at Mud Creek and Paul ’ s Slide as we have for the past two winters , ” said Kevin Drabinski , a public information officer for Caltrans District 5 .
“ We will continue to monitor the sites and slides and will be shifting into more of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Big Sur Coast.
” Caltrans installed gates and preemptively closed the roadway as a safety precaution the past two winters .
Paul ’ s Slide , about 13 miles north of Mud Creek , gave out in January 2017 leading to major storm damage on Highway 1 , taking out part of the embankment and the southbound lane .
Caltrans installed a new retaining wall at Paul ’ s Slide in 2018 and cut a new slope into the hillside before last winter to limit rocks and dirt from sliding down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crews have been dealing with the aftermath of the Dolan Fire along Highway 1 .
Caltrans entered into a $ 2.2 million contract early on to assess fire damage , make repairs and begin preventative measures .
“ We ’ ve been proactive ever since the Dolan Fire was 40 % contained , to do what we could to assess damage and protect the highway , ” Drabinski said .
Caltrans crews and contractors have conducted scraping operations to dislodge any loose debris , have installed debris flow racks at 32 locations to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ material from blocking culverts causing water flooding the highway and have installed debris flow netting to try and prevent rocks and other debris from sliding down to Highway 1 .
Caltrans District 5 field staff removes rocks above Highway 1 near Plaskett Creek in Monterey County .
( Courtesy Caltrans ) “ Some of that is in response to the Dolan Fire specifically , ” Drabinski said .
“ The part that ’ s familiar to us is we do winter preparation work every year and are involved in that assessment and repair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Big Sur , set to reopen with renewed focus • Seven young condors set to be released in Big Sur • Map : Here ’ s where PG & E shut off power to prevent wildfires Crews normally inspect the land above and below Highway 1 as part of winter preparations to prepare for possible slides .
In addition to that work , Caltrans is nearly completed with a $ 24 million pavement rehabilitation project on Highway 1 that stretches from Carpenter Street in Carmel to the Torre Canyon Bridge in Big Sur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ striping and continue to work on guardrail installation , signage and conforming the new road elevation with existing roads and driveways .
“ We hope that it ’ s going to be enjoyed by motorists for years to come , ” Drabinski said .

BIG SUR — As Caltrans prepares for winter in the Big Sur area, a spokesman said Friday there are no plans to continue with preemptive closures before major storms on Highway 1 at Mud Creek and Paul’s Slide.
In May 2017, more than 5 million cubic yards of dirt and rocks slid down the hillside and covered a quarter-mile of the roadway at Mud Creek with as much as 40 feet of debris. Crews rebuilt Highway 1 atop the slide for $54 million, buttressing the new roadway with a series of embankments, berms, rocks, netting, culverts and other stabilizing material. Highway 1 at Mud Creek, about 9 miles north of the San Luis Obispo County border, reopened in July 2018.
“At present, we do not plan on performing preemptive closures on Highway 1 at Mud Creek and Paul’s Slide as we have for the past two winters,” said Kevin Drabinski, a public information officer for Caltrans District 5. “We will continue to monitor the sites and slides and will be shifting into more of a reactionary mode, similar to the rest of the Big Sur Coast.”
Caltrans installed gates and preemptively closed the roadway as a safety precaution the past two winters. Paul’s Slide, about 13 miles north of Mud Creek, gave out in January 2017 leading to major storm damage on Highway 1, taking out part of the embankment and the southbound lane. Caltrans installed a new retaining wall at Paul’s Slide in 2018 and cut a new slope into the hillside before last winter to limit rocks and dirt from sliding down.
Besides normal winter preparations, Caltrans crews have been dealing with the aftermath of the Dolan Fire along Highway 1. Caltrans entered into a $2.2 million contract early on to assess fire damage, make repairs and begin preventative measures.
“We’ve been proactive ever since the Dolan Fire was 40% contained, to do what we could to assess damage and protect the highway,” Drabinski said.
Caltrans crews and contractors have conducted scraping operations to dislodge any loose debris, have installed debris flow racks at 32 locations to armor the entrances to culverts to prevent material from blocking culverts causing water flooding the highway and have installed debris flow netting to try and prevent rocks and other debris from sliding down to Highway 1.
Caltrans District 5 field staff removes rocks above Highway 1 near Plaskett Creek in Monterey County. (Courtesy Caltrans)
“Some of that is in response to the Dolan Fire specifically,” Drabinski said. “The part that’s familiar to us is we do winter preparation work every year and are involved in that assessment and repair every winter.”
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Sadly, Natalie Portman’s Big Sur wedding (with guest Ivanka Trump) didn’t end in a fairytale Transportation | 2-mile closure of Highway 1 remains in effect on Big Sur coast due to recent slide activity Crews normally inspect the land above and below Highway 1 as part of winter preparations to prepare for possible slides.
In addition to that work, Caltrans is nearly completed with a $24 million pavement rehabilitation project on Highway 1 that stretches from Carpenter Street in Carmel to the Torre Canyon Bridge in Big Sur. Crews have finished paving and permanent striping and continue to work on guardrail installation, signage and conforming the new road elevation with existing roads and driveways.
“We hope that it’s going to be enjoyed by motorists for years to come,” Drabinski said.


mercurynews--2020-11-09--President Trump faces calls to work with Joe Biden team on transition

By WILL WEISSERT | The Associated Press WILMINGTON , Del .
— President Donald Trump is facing pressure to cooperate with President-elect Joe Biden ’ s team to ensure a smooth transfer of power when the new administration takes office in January .
The General Services Administration is tasked with formally recognizing Biden as president-elect , which begins the transition .
But the agency ’ s Trump-appointed administrator , Emily Murphy , has not started the process and has given no guidance on when she will do so .
That lack of clarity is fueling questions about whether Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s victory and has falsely claimed the election was stolen , will impede Democrats as they try to establish a government .
There is little precedent in the modern era of a president erecting such hurdles for his successor .
The stakes are especially high this year because Biden will take office amid a raging pandemic , which will require a comprehensive government response .
“ America ’ s national security and economic interests depend on the federal government signaling clearly and swiftly that the United States government will respect the will of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smooth and peaceful transfer of power , ” Jen Psaki , a Biden transition aide , tweeted Sunday .
The advisory board of the nonpartisan Center for Presidential Transition also urged the Trump administration to “ immediately begin the post-election transition process and the Biden team to take full advantage of the resources available under the Presidential Transition Act.
” Biden , who was elected the 46th president on Saturday , is taking steps to build a government despite questions about whether Trump will offer the traditional assistance .
He is focusing first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killed nearly 240,000 people in the United States .
Biden on Monday announced details of a task force that will create a blueprint to attempt to bring the pandemic under control that he plans to begin implementing after assuming the presidency on Jan. 20 .
Former Surgeon General , Dr. Vivek Murthy , ex-Food Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. David Kessler and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith , a Yale University associated professor and associate dean whose research focuses on promoting health care equality for marginalized populations , are its co-chairs .
“ Dealing with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important battles our administration will face , and I will be informed by science and by experts , ” Biden said in a statement .
“ The advisory board will help shape my approach to managing the surge in reported infections ; ensuring vaccines are safe , effective , and distributed efficiently , equitably , and free ; and protecting at-risk populations.
” There are also 10 members , including two former Trump administration officials : Rick Bright , who said he was ousted as head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s response to the coronavirus , and Luciana Borio , who until last year was a biodefense specialist on the National Security Council .
The remainder of the panel includes experts with expertise in a number of areas , including Eric Goosby , who was then-President Barack Obama ’ s global AIDS coordinator .
Biden was also launching agency review teams , groups of transition staffers that have access to key agencies in the current administration .
They will collect and review information such as budgetary and staffing decisions , pending regulations and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration staff at the departments to help Biden ’ s team prepare to transition .
But that process can ’ t begin in full until the GSA recognizes Biden as president-elect .
The definition of what constitutes a clear election winner for the GSA is legally murky , making next steps unclear , especially in the short term .
The GSA ’ s leadership is supposed to act independently and in a nonpartisan manner , and at least some elements of the federal government already have begun implementing transition plans .
Aviation officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ airspace over Biden ’ s lakefront home in Wilmington , Delaware , while the Secret Service has begun using agents from its presidential protective detail for the president-elect and his family .
There were other signs that some leaders were preparing for a new administration .
Biden aides said the president-elect and transition team had been in touch with Republican lawmakers .
Israel ’ s prime minister , Benjamin Netanyahu , one of Trump ’ s closest allies , opened a Cabinet meeting on Sunday by congratulating Biden , a former vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long and warm personal connection with Joe Biden for nearly 40 years , and I know him as a great friend of the state of Israel , ” Netanyahu said .
George W. Bush , the only living Republican former president , called Biden “ a good man , who has won his opportunity to lead and unify our country.
” But other Republicans , including Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina , urged Trump to continue pursuing legal challenges related to the election , making a bumpy transition more likely .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ president-elect on Sunday by attending church at St. Joseph on the Brandywine near his home in Wilmington , as he does nearly every week .
After the service , he visited the church cemetery where several family members have been laid to rest , including his son Beau .
He otherwise spent most of the day inside his home while some of his staff spent hours on a conference call focused on transition planning .
Those plans also may hinge on two Senate races in Georgia that have advanced to a Jan. 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they ’ ll likely retain the Senate majority and be in a position to slow confirmation of Biden ’ s top Cabinet choices and complicate his legislative goals , including sweeping calls for expanding access to health care and bolstering the post-pandemic economy with green jobs and infrastructure designed to combat climate change .
That could test Biden ’ s campaign pledge to move past the divisiveness of the Trump era and govern in a bipartisan manner .
During his victory speech on Saturday , he vowed to be a president who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unify ” and appealed to Trump supporters to “ give each other a chance.
” • Claims that dead people voted went viral .
These are the facts Those close to Biden say he will navigate the period ahead by harnessing his sense of empathy that became a trademark of his campaign .
Biden often spoke of the pain he experienced following the death of his wife and young daughter in a 1972 car crash , and Beau ’ s 2015 death due to brain cancer .
“ My brother knows how to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Biden ’ s sister and longtime top adviser .
“ Joe ’ s strength has been resilience and recovery and that ’ s what we need as a country.
” Associated Press writer Zeke Miller in Washington and Aamer Madhani contributed to this report .

By ALEXANDRA JAFFE and WILL WEISSERT
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden is looking to build out his nascent White House staff with more traditional Washington insiders, a notable departure from four years in which President Donald Trump filled his team with outsiders and government antagonists.
Ron Klain is an early favorite to become Biden’s chief of staff, according to multiple people familiar with planning who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak freely about private discussions. He has decades of Washington experience that includes being Biden’s chief of staff when he was vice president in addition to serving as the Ebola response coordinator in 2014 and having a central role in the Obama administration’s financial crisis response.
Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, a longtime Biden ally and friend, is seen as a potential choice for secretary of state. Rep. Karen Bass of California, whom Biden considered for vice president, is seen as a potential housing and urban development secretary. Both served in Congress for the past decade.
Biden is expected to move quickly to name a chief of staff, but other top Cabinet positions will likely take longer.
The names under consideration represent Biden’s effort to move Washington past the tumult of President Donald Trump’s administration and fill out his government with more seasoned professionals. The task is taking on even greater urgency than in past transitions because Biden will take office in January amid a raging pandemic that will likely consume the early days of his presidency and require a full government response.
Biden made clear on Monday that he would focus on the pandemic by forming a coronavirus advisory board. Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who was named a co-chair of that panel, is seen as a contender for the top job at the Department of Health and Human Services. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who ran her state’s health department, is also being eyed for the position.
Even for roles where Biden has the opportunity to make history and appoint the first woman or African American Cabinet secretary, like at defense and treasury, Biden is said to be considering options with decades of experience in their chosen fields.
Roger Ferguson, who served as vice chair of the Federal Reserve under Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, is a potential treasury secretary, while Michele Flournoy, a former under secretary of defense, is seen as a top pick to lead the Pentagon.
Some Democrats are hopeful that the more traditional picks will help rebuild morale among the thousands of civil servants who felt thwarted at doing their jobs under Trump.
“You’re not only talking about people who have an expertise in government functions, you’re talking about people who have a great deal of respect for government functions,” said Ed Espinoza, former western states political director for the Democratic National Committee. “That’s a key distinction between the Trump administration and a Biden administration.”
It’s a striking shift from Trump, who built out his Cabinet with a raft of unorthodox picks, many of whom were openly skeptical of the federal government’s role in the jobs they were tasked with.
Betsy DeVos, an advocate for steering federal money to private charter schools, led the Education Department. Scott Pruitt, the former Oklahoma attorney general who’s a skeptic of the science showing humans contribute to climate change, ran the Environmental Protection Agency.
And Republican Rep. Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina, who initially served as White House budget director, supported shutting down the government to rein in federal spending and was critical of some of the proposals Trump aimed to invest in, like a massive infrastructure policy.
Still, Biden faces a number of major unknowns as he prepares for the presidency.
First, the scope of Biden’s first-term agenda will hinge on which party controls the Senate, which remains in question with two special Senate elections in Georgia scheduled for the first week in January. Democrats have acknowledged they will likely need to pare back some of Biden’s campaign trail promises even if they do hold the majority in a closely divided Senate, and a slim majority could also affect the kinds of nominees Biden can hope to get approved for top Cabinet slots.
The most imminent unknown for Biden, however, remains to what extent Trump and his administration will work with the former vice president as his team begins its efforts to transition the government.
The General Services Administration is tasked with formally recognizing Biden as president-elect, beginning the transition process. But the agency’s Trump-appointed administrator, Emily Murphy, has not started the process and has given no guidance on when she will do so.
That lack of clarity is fueling questions about whether Trump, who has not publicly recognized Biden’s victory and has falsely claimed the election was stolen, will impede Democrats as they try to establish a government.
There is little precedent in the modern era of a president erecting such hurdles for his successor. The stakes are especially high this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, which will require a comprehensive government response.
“America’s national security and economic interests depend on the federal government signaling clearly and swiftly that the United States government will respect the will of the American people and engage in a smooth and peaceful transfer of power,” Jen Psaki, a Biden transition aide, tweeted Sunday.
South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, an ally of Biden’s on Capitol Hill, said that if Trump continues to drag his feet, then he hopes that “my conservative friends in Congress will have an intervention.”
“This country is bigger than one person, and to allow the people of this country to suffer — we are near 245,000 deaths, and we’re still messing around and won’t get the relief that people need,” he said.
Indeed, some Republicans on Capitol Hill called for a smooth transition Monday. Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a moderate Republican and occasional Trump antagonist, congratulated Biden on his victory and said in a statement that “presidential transitions are important” and that Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris should “be given every opportunity to ensure that they are ready to govern on January 20th.”
___
Jaffe reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Meg Kinnard in Columbia, S.C., and Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine, contributed to this report.


mercurynews--2020-11-10--Man fatally shot in East Oakland is city’s 100th homicide of 2020

OAKLAND — Police were at the scene of a fatal shooting Monday evening in an East Oakland neighborhood , authorities said .
The death is the 100th homicide investigation by police this year , 93 of which are classified as murders .
In all of 2019 , Oakland had 78 homicides , 75 of them murders .
Around 5:05 p.m. , officers responded to reported ShotSpotter activity in the 10400 block of Nattress Way just west of 105th Avenue in the city ’ s Sobrante Park neighborhood .
When they arrived , they found a man behind the wheel of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his neck and multiple gunshot wounds to his back .
Officers provided emergency life-saving measures until medical personnel arrived at the scene , but the man was pronounced dead at the scene .
A motive for the shooting was still under investigation , and officers did not release any suspect or vehicle description .
Investigators were canvassing along Gramercy Place in search of evidence and at least one casing found .
Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $ 10,000 in reward money in the homicide .
Anyone with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572.Check back for updates .

OAKLAND, CA – NOV. 9: Police officers and Alameda County SheriffÕs Office deputies investigate the city’s 101st homicide this year on East 19th Street between 22nd and 23rd Avenues in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, November 9, 2020. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA – NOV. 9: Police officers and Alameda County SheriffÕs Office deputies investigate the city’s 101st homicide this year on East 19th Street between 22nd and 23rd Avenues in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, November 9, 2020. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA – NOV. 9: Police officers and Alameda County SheriffÕs Office deputies investigate the city’s 101st homicide this year on East 19th Street between 22nd and 23rd Avenues in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, November 9, 2020. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA – NOV. 9: Officers investigate the 100th homicide in Oakland, Calif., this year on Nattress Way, between 105th Avenue and Gramercy Place, on Monday, November 9, 2020. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA – NOV. 9: Officers investigate the 100th homicide in Oakland, Calif., this year on Nattress Way, between 105th Avenue and Gramercy Place, on Monday, November 9, 2020. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND, CA – NOV. 9: Officers investigate the 100th homicide in Oakland, Calif., this year on Nattress Way, between 105th Avenue and Gramercy Place, on Monday, November 9, 2020. (Dylan Bouscher/Bay Area News Group)
CLICK HERE if you’re viewing on a mobile device.
OAKLAND — One man was fatally shot and another man deliberately ran over with a vehicle and killed in incidents only a few minutes apart Monday evening in East Oakland, authorities said, pushing the city over a grim mark in homicides for the year.
The names of the two men were not immediately released.
The two deaths are the 100th and 101st homicides investigated by police this year, 94 of which are classified as murders. In all of 2019, Oakland had 78 homicides, 75 of them murders.
The last time Oakland recorded more than 100 homicides was 2012, when there were 131, with 126 classified as murders.
At 5:01 p.m. Monday, officers responded to reported ShotSpotter activity in the 10400 block of Nattress Way just west of 105th Avenue in the city’s Sobrante Park neighborhood.
When they arrived, they found a 47-year-old man behind the wheel of a vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Officers provided life-saving measures until medical personnel arrived, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
A motive for the shooting was still under investigation. Authorities said a person was seen running away from the scene, but no arrests had been made by .
At 5:12 p.m., officers received reports of a possible shooting near East 19th Street and 23rd Avenue in the city’s Highland Terrace neighborhood.
A 38-year-old man was found injured at the scene. At first it was thought the man may have been shot, but further investigation determined he had been deliberately hit by a vehicle that kept going, authorities said.
The man was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
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A motive for the man’s death has not been determined and no arrests have been made.
Police and Crime Stoppers of Oakland are offering up to $10,000 in reward money in each death. Anyone with information may call police at 510-238-3821 or 510-238-7950 or Crime Stoppers at 510-777-8572.
Staff writer Harry Harris contributed to this report. Contact George Kelly at 408-859-5180.


mercurynews--2020-11-10--Man gets 21 months in federal prison for bringing loaded gun into Richmond hospital

OAKLAND — A Bay Area man was given 21 months in federal prison last week , in connection with an incident last year when he entered the Kaiser hospital in Richmond carrying a stolen gun and nearly 200 rounds of ammo , court records show .
Michael Armstrong , 51 , was experiencing a delusion related to his mental illness in October 2019 when he ran into the hospital with the gun protruding from his pants , his attorney wrote in court records .
He believed he was being chased , and had a similar experience three months later when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chase after an officer spotted him with a machete at his hip , drove to the Kaiser in Walnut Creek , and was ultimately arrested .
Four months after that , Armstrong ran into an Alameda County Sheriff ’ s station and demanded to be taken into a psychiatric center .
It was only after this third incident that he was indicted on federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm , according to court records .
Armstrong ’ s attorney , John Paul Reichmuth , wrote in a sentencing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illness was the “ driving factor ” behind the charge .
“ This case was resolved during an unprecedented time in legal history , ” Reichmuth wrote .
“ Mr .
Armstrong first appeared in May 2020 , when the pandemic was at a disruptive height .
Mr. Armstrong missed an appearance , for example , because he was in quarantine.
” The 21-month sentence was agreed upon by both prosecutors and the defense , though Armstrong could have been sentenced to up to 46 months in federal prison .
His criminal history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting and a 2016 gun possession case , according to court records .
“ To the members of the community in the hospital , to include patients , family members , doctors , nurses and other personnel , the volatile behavior of a man armed with a gun screaming and running through the facility must have been terrifying , ” assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lee wrote in court records .

OAKLAND — A Bay Area man was given 21 months in federal prison last week, in connection with an incident last year when he entered the Kaiser hospital in Richmond carrying a stolen gun and nearly 200 rounds of ammo, court records show.
Michael Armstrong, 51, was experiencing a delusion related to his mental illness in October 2019 when he ran into the hospital with the gun protruding from his pants, his attorney wrote in court records. He believed he was being chased, and had a similar experience three months later when he led police on a 60 mile-an-hour chase after an officer spotted him with a machete at his hip, drove to the Kaiser in Walnut Creek, and was ultimately arrested.
Four months after that, Armstrong ran into an Alameda County Sheriff’s station and demanded to be taken into a psychiatric center. It was only after this third incident that he was indicted on federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to court records.
Armstrong’s attorney, John Paul Reichmuth, wrote in a sentencing memo that his client’s mental illness was the “driving factor” behind the charge.
“This case was resolved during an unprecedented time in legal history,” Reichmuth wrote. “Mr. Armstrong first appeared in May 2020, when the pandemic was at a disruptive height. Mr. Armstrong missed an appearance, for example, because he was in quarantine.”
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“To the members of the community in the hospital, to include patients, family members, doctors, nurses and other personnel, the volatile behavior of a man armed with a gun screaming and running through the facility must have been terrifying,” assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lee wrote in court records.