washingtontimes--2020-11-01--Trump admin funds plasma company based in owner's condo

WASHINGTON ( AP ) - When the Trump administration gave a well-connected Republican donor seed money to test a possible COVID-19-fighting blood plasma technology , it noted the company ’ s “ manufacturing facilities ” in Charleston , South Carolina .
Plasma Technologies LLC is indeed based in the stately waterfront city .
But there are no manufacturing facilities .
Instead , the company exists within the luxury condo of its majority owner , Eugene Zurlo .
Zurlo ’ s company may be in line for as much as $ 65 million in taxpayer dollars ; enough to start building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internal government records and other documents obtained by The Associated Press .
The story of how a tiny business that exists only on paper has managed to snare attention from the highest reaches of the U.S. military and government is emblematic of the Trump administration ’ s frenetic response to the coronavirus pandemic .
It ’ s also another in a series of contracts awarded to people with close political ties to key officials despite concerns voiced by government scientists .
Among the others : an ill-conceived $ 21 million study of Pepcid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a half billion dollars to ApiJect Systems America , a startup with an unapproved medicine injection technology and no factory to manufacture the devices .
In addition , a government whistleblower claimed that a $ 1.6 billion vaccine contract to Novavax Inc. was made over objections of scientific staff .
At the center of these deals is Dr. Robert Kadlec , a senior Trump appointee at the Department of the Health and Human Services who backed the Pepcid , Novavax and ApiJect projects .
Records obtained by the AP also describe Kadlec as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company .
In one government email obtained by the AP , an official said Kadlec , whose job as assistant secretary for preparedness and response is to help guide the nation through public health emergencies , was “ all in ” on Plasma Technologies .
This was the case despite misgivings from the scientists he oversees .
One of them said the company would be just another “ mouth to feed ” that would distract from other important work on the pandemic .
An HHS spokesperson said Kadlec “ does not have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in negotiating contracts.
” Kadlec has come under pressure from the White House to act with more urgency and not be bound by lower-level officials whom Trump has castigated as the “ deep state ” and accused of politically motivated delays in fielding COVID-19 vaccines and remedies .
This pressure has led to investments in numerous untested companies .
The AP reached out to more than a dozen blood plasma industry leaders and medical experts .
Few had heard of Zurlo ’ s company or its technology , and would not comment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a former pharmaceutical industry executive , told the AP in an email that the renewed interest in his company is being driven by COVID and other diseases .
“ It is increasingly clear that the collection of adequate supplies of plasma is not possible ; the answer being the adoption of new process technology that fully utilizes the scarce plasma currently available , ” he said .
But whether Zurlo ’ s technology , which claims to increase the amount of disease-fighting plasma harvested from human blood , will be an improvement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s guess .
Top government officials began to take notice of Plasma Technologies after Rick Santorum , a former Republican senator from Pennsylvania and two-time presidential candidate , became part-owner , according to the records and AP interviews .
After Congress supplied hundreds of billions of dollars to combat the pandemic , Santorum stepped up his sales pitch for the company ’ s method of turning human plasma into a therapeutic product - a process the company has described as a game changer .
In mid-August , the federal government awarded Plasma Technologies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it could deliver on its promises .
Santorum , who ’ s held no elective office since 2007 , remains influential among social conservatives , a key part of President Donald Trump ’ s political base .
Santorum has extolled the president ’ s handling of the pandemic on national television in his job as a CNN commentator , arguing that the nation ’ s response would have been worse under a Democratic administration .
Trump “ didn ’ t botch it , ” Santorum said recently in response to charges that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country through COVID-19 .
“ I mean you guys keep blaming Trump .
This is a local decision.
” HHS would not comment when asked whether Santorum ’ s public backing of the president led to a company he has a financial stake in getting a government contract .
Zurlo has deep ties to the Republican Party .
He has contributed thousands of dollars to Santorum ’ s campaigns and to other GOP campaigns and political action committees .
He entertained Santorum and his family at the mansion Zurlo used to own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resort in South Carolina .
They would play golf during the day and enjoy evenings overlooking the Atlantic , according to Michel “ Mitch ” LaPlante , a former business associate of Zurlo ’ s who attended several dinners with Santorum and Zurlo .
The business relationship between Zurlo and LaPlante turned ugly after those days of hobnobbing on Kiawah .
A real estate deal they had invested in together fell into foreclosure , leading to a suit seeking more than $ 700 million by their mortgage lender .
Each man sued the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ties acrimoniously .
Zurlo founded Plasma Technologies in 2003 , according to articles of organization and other records filed with South Carolina ’ s secretary of state .
The company ’ s most recently listed address is Zurlo ’ s condominium in Charleston ’ s French Quarter .
The company has no other presence in South Carolina - or any other state - even though a U.S. government spokeswoman told the AP that Plasma Technologies has “ manufacturing facilities ” in Charleston .
“ Fairy tale , ” LaPlante said when asked if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Carolina ’ s most populous city .
OUTSIDE , LOOKING IN Granting tens of millions of dollars to Plasma Technologies would track with Trump ’ s support for treating COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma .
Plasma , the yellowish liquid part of blood , harbors various antibodies , the soldiers of the body ’ s immune response that can target specific intruders such as viruses .
Studies are underway to see if plasma taken from people who have recently recovered from COVID-19 can help those newly diagnosed fight the infection .
Zurlo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sector of the pharmaceutical industry that manufactures therapies using antibodies called immunoglobulins , which are taken from healthy people to treat immune disorders .
But routine immunoglobulin treatments are only one part of the field .
During the pandemic , many plasma companies are focusing on “ hyperimmune globulin , ” a therapy that pools and purifies plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients .
The result is a powerful “ potential global treatment for people at risk for serious complications from COVID-19 , ” according to the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance , an industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest plasma companies .
Hyperimmune globulin produced by several companies is being tested in new COVID-19 patients .
The process for making these plasma-based therapies is called fractionation , and Plasma Technologies markets its approach as a “ disruptive and transformative ” technology that makes for a more potent product , according to the records .
A document prepared by Plasma Technologies in late May that outlines the company ’ s business strategy is focused on how much better its method is than a World War II-era process named for its developer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an infectious disease specialist at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis , said it is very likely that many companies have already developed improvements over the decades-old “ Cohn ” method .
They just don ’ t discuss them publicly because they are trade secrets .
“ There may be 50 technologies in use that are an improvement over Cohn fractionation , ” Henderson said .
But Santorum described the plasma fractionation industry as more interested in keeping shareholders happy than adopting new technologies that would require expensive modifications to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve got companies that are doing really well and don ’ t want to change anything , ” Santorum said in an interview with the AP .
“ We ’ re the little guy trying to fight City Hall.
” Plasma Technologies seemed to be on its way in 2014 .
The company had licensed its system to Dallas-based Access Pharmaceuticals , according to financial records filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission .
One filing described Zurlo as a trailblazer whose technology would “ fundamentally change the economics of plasma fractionation.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Plasma Technologies was to be paid $ 1 million in cash with an additional $ 4 million in cash or stock to come .
But three years later , the agreement ended abruptly , according to the SEC records .
Now named Abeona Therapeutics , the company was grappling with crushing deficits - $ 346 million in June 2017 .
It ’ s unclear whether any of that red ink was due to the deal with Plasma Technologies .
But by the end of 2017 , “ the agreement was terminated and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s company , according to an Abeona SEC filing .
A spokesman for Abeona Therapeutics declined to comment on the licensing agreement with Plasma Technologies .
Santorum blamed the deal ’ s demise on onerous regulatory hurdles imposed by the Food and Drug Administration to ensure patient safety .
“ They basically killed the product , ” he said .
Santorum rejected any suggestion that Zurlo ’ s innovation is unproven , even though his company has never made an FDA-approved product .
Plasma Technologies , he declared , is on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a fraction of the cost to develop a coronavirus vaccine .
“ I ’ m just telling you , it ’ s gon na happen , ” Santorum said .
Zurlo brought Santorum aboard after the agreement with Abeona fell through .
“ We ’ ve got an FDA problem .
Can you help me ?
” Santorum recalled Zurlo telling him .
Zurlo ’ s close relationship to Santorum offered a direct line into the FDA .
The former senator had built a connection with Dr. Peter Marks , a senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtained by AP .
In September 2019 , Marks introduced Santorum at an FDA workshop held to explore the development of therapies for a rare disease .
Santorum told the group about his youngest child , who was born with a life-threatening condition known as Trisomy 18 , according to a transcript .
Immunoglobulin treatments had saved her life , he told the audience .
Santorum ’ s personal story about his child ’ s illness was intertwined with a promotion of Plasma Technologies .
Santorum said Zurlo , whom he called “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a groundbreaking technology for better plasma-based therapies to help his child and others .
Santorum credited Marks , director of FDA ’ s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research , for pledging to remove barriers that have kept Plasma Technologies on the outside , looking in .
“ All I ’ m saying is , we have an opportunity because of Dr. Marks and what he has laid forward , ” Santorum said at the workshop .
The former senator told the AP it would have been a “ crime ” if he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get Plasma Technologies recognized .
“ Shame on me if I hadn ’ t , ” he said .
In mid-April , a few weeks after Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency , Santorum described Marks as an enthusiastic backer of Plasma Technologies , according to an email routed to multiple officials in the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority , or BARDA , an HHS office Kadlec oversees .
Calling himself a “ small shareholder ” in Plasma Technologies , Santorum wrote , “ Dr .
Marks said I should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excited about this process and looks forward to working with us to get our process adopted by the industry.
’ ” The FDA declined a request to interview Marks and also declined to answer questions about whether he ’ s been helping Plasma Technologies secure a commercial foothold .
“ Dr .
Marks ’ enthusiastic nature should not be mistaken for support for any specific product or technology , ” FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Caccomo said .
Federal ethics rules ban government employees from giving preferential treatment to any private organization or individual , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the nonprofit Project on Government Oversight .
“ Public trust in government decisions and a level playing field is essential to good government , so this situation deserves a look , ” Amey said .
Santorum confirmed that he communicated directly with Kadlec , whom he described as “ very supportive ” of Plasma Technologies .
But Santorum ’ s initial pitch at HHS failed to gain traction among the agency ’ s scientists , who didn ’ t see Zurlo ’ s technology as worthy of millions in emergency pandemic funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bright , the former BARDA director .
They were focused on COVID-19 vaccines and treatments that could be delivered quickly , and saw the Plasma Technologies project as a longer-term effort .
“ They were not excited , ” recalled Bright , a vaccine expert who ’ s been sharply critical of Kadlec ’ s tenure at HHS .
“ They did not jump all over this and say , ‘ We ’ ve got to get this going right away.
’ ” Bright filed a whistleblower complaint in May that alleges the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onslaught of the coronavirus .
With HHS scientists unconvinced , Plasma Technologies submitted a proposal dated May 28 to the Defense Department , which also is heavily engaged in the government ’ s COVID-19 response .
The detailed proposal , obtained by the AP , sought $ 51.6 million to build a plasma fractionation facility in Atlanta or Raleigh , North Carolina .
With a military audience in mind , the proposal emphasizes the national security implications of the coronavirus pandemic , stressing the need to churn out sufficient doses of antibody-rich hyperimmune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for members of our military who are at especially high risk of infection , or whose performance is critical to national security and safety.
” The proposal adds these plasma-derived proteins can be used as a treatment for viral infections until a vaccine is available .
The pitch fell flat .
At first .
In a June 12 email to HHS scientists , Army Lt. Col. Kara Schmid wrote that the price tag for Plasma Technologies was too high , even for the Pentagon , and that key parts of the company ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m just unclear if it has $ 50M worth of value , ” Schmid wrote , adding she was “ lukewarm at this point.
” Brian Tse , a BARDA health scientist , told Schmid that his office had passed on Plasma Technologies .
With no production facility , Zurlo ’ s company intended to get COVID-19 patient plasma from blood donation centers that were already under heavy stress because of the pandemic .
“ I believe that adding one additional ‘ mouth to feed ’ to the same source is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projects already underway than it is to solve problems , ” Tse wrote .
Despite the doubts , Kadlec didn ’ t lose interest in Plasma Technologies , according to the emails .
“ Dr .
Kadlec has specifically asked us to take a closer look , ” an early July message read .
Over the rest of July , the messages among his staff expressed misgivings about Zurlo ’ s technology , yet the company remained in play .
Several days later , an HHS contracting officer rejected the idea that Plasma @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plasma companies that the government was already working with .
“ The connection is not viable from a contractual standpoint , ” the officer wrote in a July 16 email .
Still , a week later , Plasma Technologies had a champion at the Pentagon .
Santorum said he was contacted by Steven Morani , the deputy assistant secretary of defense for materiel readiness .
Defense Department officials were drawn to the idea of a U.S.-owned and operated fractionation facility , according to Santorum .
It ’ s not clear what changed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other defense officials had conferred and would support the Plasma Technologies project .
An initial $ 750,000 in emergency coronavirus spending would be used to prove the concept , a move backed by HHS , with as much as $ 65 million in government money to come later to build a commercial facility and to purchase plasma and other materials , according to the emails .
That ’ s more even than Plasma Technologies requested .
The messages don ’ t say where that money would come from or why the additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ referred AP ’ s emailed questions about the company and the contract to a Defense Department spokeswoman , Jessica Maxwell , who declined to discuss future funding for Plasma Technologies .
“ The $ 750,000 is currently the total amount of government funding planned for the effort , ” Maxwell said .
Santorum , who criticized a reporter for writing what he termed a “ political hit piece , ” said Zurlo intends to donate any profits Plasma Technologies generates to charities that support the mission of the Catholic Church .
But Santorum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his investment .
“ I have made no such claims as a father of seven who has three weddings this year , ” he said .
“ If any money were to come , I would welcome that money to help pay my bills.
” Dearen reported from New York .
Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Charleston , South Carolina , contributed to this report .

WASHINGTON (AP) - When the Trump administration gave a well-connected Republican donor seed money to test a possible COVID-19-fighting blood plasma technology, it noted the company’s “manufacturing facilities” in Charleston, South Carolina.
Plasma Technologies LLC is indeed based in the stately waterfront city. But there are no manufacturing facilities. Instead, the company exists within the luxury condo of its majority owner, Eugene Zurlo.
Zurlo’s company may be in line for as much as $65 million in taxpayer dollars; enough to start building an actual production plant, according to internal government records and other documents obtained by The Associated Press.
The story of how a tiny business that exists only on paper has managed to snare attention from the highest reaches of the U.S. military and government is emblematic of the Trump administration’s frenetic response to the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s also another in a series of contracts awarded to people with close political ties to key officials despite concerns voiced by government scientists. Among the others: an ill-conceived $21 million study of Pepcid as a COVID therapy and more than a half billion dollars to ApiJect Systems America, a startup with an unapproved medicine injection technology and no factory to manufacture the devices.
In addition, a government whistleblower claimed that a $1.6 billion vaccine contract to Novavax Inc. was made over objections of scientific staff.
At the center of these deals is Dr. Robert Kadlec, a senior Trump appointee at the Department of the Health and Human Services who backed the Pepcid, Novavax and ApiJect projects. Records obtained by the AP also describe Kadlec as a key supporter of Zurlo’s company.
In one government email obtained by the AP, an official said Kadlec, whose job as assistant secretary for preparedness and response is to help guide the nation through public health emergencies, was “all in” on Plasma Technologies.
This was the case despite misgivings from the scientists he oversees. One of them said the company would be just another “mouth to feed” that would distract from other important work on the pandemic. An HHS spokesperson said Kadlec “does not have a role in technical review of proposals nor in negotiating contracts.”
Kadlec has come under pressure from the White House to act with more urgency and not be bound by lower-level officials whom Trump has castigated as the “deep state” and accused of politically motivated delays in fielding COVID-19 vaccines and remedies. This pressure has led to investments in numerous untested companies.
The AP reached out to more than a dozen blood plasma industry leaders and medical experts. Few had heard of Zurlo’s company or its technology, and would not comment.
Zurlo, the company’s founder and a former pharmaceutical industry executive, told the AP in an email that the renewed interest in his company is being driven by COVID and other diseases.
“It is increasingly clear that the collection of adequate supplies of plasma is not possible; the answer being the adoption of new process technology that fully utilizes the scarce plasma currently available,” he said.
But whether Zurlo’s technology, which claims to increase the amount of disease-fighting plasma harvested from human blood, will be an improvement over other methods is still anyone’s guess.
___
A FORMER SENATOR ON BOARD
Top government officials began to take notice of Plasma Technologies after Rick Santorum, a former Republican senator from Pennsylvania and two-time presidential candidate, became part-owner, according to the records and AP interviews.
After Congress supplied hundreds of billions of dollars to combat the pandemic, Santorum stepped up his sales pitch for the company’s method of turning human plasma into a therapeutic product - a process the company has described as a game changer. In mid-August, the federal government awarded Plasma Technologies a $750,000 grant to demonstrate that it could deliver on its promises.
Santorum, who’s held no elective office since 2007, remains influential among social conservatives, a key part of President Donald Trump’s political base. Santorum has extolled the president’s handling of the pandemic on national television in his job as a CNN commentator, arguing that the nation’s response would have been worse under a Democratic administration.
Trump “didn’t botch it,” Santorum said recently in response to charges that the president had done a poor job leading the country through COVID-19. “I mean you guys keep blaming Trump. This is a local decision.”
HHS would not comment when asked whether Santorum’s public backing of the president led to a company he has a financial stake in getting a government contract.
Zurlo has deep ties to the Republican Party. He has contributed thousands of dollars to Santorum’s campaigns and to other GOP campaigns and political action committees. He entertained Santorum and his family at the mansion Zurlo used to own on Kiawah Island, an exclusive golf resort in South Carolina. They would play golf during the day and enjoy evenings overlooking the Atlantic, according to Michel “Mitch” LaPlante, a former business associate of Zurlo’s who attended several dinners with Santorum and Zurlo.
The business relationship between Zurlo and LaPlante turned ugly after those days of hobnobbing on Kiawah. A real estate deal they had invested in together fell into foreclosure, leading to a suit seeking more than $700 million by their mortgage lender. Each man sued the other for fraud and severed their business ties acrimoniously.
Zurlo founded Plasma Technologies in 2003, according to articles of organization and other records filed with South Carolina’s secretary of state. The company’s most recently listed address is Zurlo’s condominium in Charleston’s French Quarter.
The company has no other presence in South Carolina - or any other state - even though a U.S. government spokeswoman told the AP that Plasma Technologies has “manufacturing facilities” in Charleston.
“Fairy tale,” LaPlante said when asked if Plasma Technologies operates any commercial space in South Carolina’s most populous city.
___
OUTSIDE, LOOKING IN
Granting tens of millions of dollars to Plasma Technologies would track with Trump’s support for treating COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma. Plasma, the yellowish liquid part of blood, harbors various antibodies, the soldiers of the body’s immune response that can target specific intruders such as viruses. Studies are underway to see if plasma taken from people who have recently recovered from COVID-19 can help those newly diagnosed fight the infection.
Zurlo has spent years trying to break into a sector of the pharmaceutical industry that manufactures therapies using antibodies called immunoglobulins, which are taken from healthy people to treat immune disorders. But routine immunoglobulin treatments are only one part of the field.
During the pandemic, many plasma companies are focusing on “hyperimmune globulin,” a therapy that pools and purifies plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients. The result is a powerful “potential global treatment for people at risk for serious complications from COVID-19,” according to the CoVIg-19 Plasma Alliance, an industry group that includes the world’s largest plasma companies. Hyperimmune globulin produced by several companies is being tested in new COVID-19 patients.
The process for making these plasma-based therapies is called fractionation, and Plasma Technologies markets its approach as a “disruptive and transformative” technology that makes for a more potent product, according to the records. A document prepared by Plasma Technologies in late May that outlines the company’s business strategy is focused on how much better its method is than a World War II-era process named for its developer, Edwin Cohn.
Dr. Jeff Henderson, an infectious disease specialist at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said it is very likely that many companies have already developed improvements over the decades-old “Cohn” method. They just don’t discuss them publicly because they are trade secrets.
“There may be 50 technologies in use that are an improvement over Cohn fractionation,” Henderson said.
But Santorum described the plasma fractionation industry as more interested in keeping shareholders happy than adopting new technologies that would require expensive modifications to their manufacturing lines.
“You’ve got companies that are doing really well and don’t want to change anything,” Santorum said in an interview with the AP.
“We’re the little guy trying to fight City Hall.”
Plasma Technologies seemed to be on its way in 2014. The company had licensed its system to Dallas-based Access Pharmaceuticals, according to financial records filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
One filing described Zurlo as a trailblazer whose technology would “fundamentally change the economics of plasma fractionation.” Under the terms of the licensing agreement, Plasma Technologies was to be paid $1 million in cash with an additional $4 million in cash or stock to come.
But three years later, the agreement ended abruptly, according to the SEC records.
Now named Abeona Therapeutics, the company was grappling with crushing deficits - $346 million in June 2017. It’s unclear whether any of that red ink was due to the deal with Plasma Technologies. But by the end of 2017, “the agreement was terminated and the technology was returned” to Zurlo’s company, according to an Abeona SEC filing.
A spokesman for Abeona Therapeutics declined to comment on the licensing agreement with Plasma Technologies.
Santorum blamed the deal’s demise on onerous regulatory hurdles imposed by the Food and Drug Administration to ensure patient safety.
“They basically killed the product,” he said.
Santorum rejected any suggestion that Zurlo’s innovation is unproven, even though his company has never made an FDA-approved product. Plasma Technologies, he declared, is on the verge of transforming the industry, and for a fraction of the cost to develop a coronavirus vaccine.
“I’m just telling you, it’s gonna happen,” Santorum said.
___
A LINE IN
Zurlo brought Santorum aboard after the agreement with Abeona fell through. “We’ve got an FDA problem. Can you help me?” Santorum recalled Zurlo telling him.
Zurlo’s close relationship to Santorum offered a direct line into the FDA. The former senator had built a connection with Dr. Peter Marks, a senior FDA official, according to the documents obtained by AP.
In September 2019, Marks introduced Santorum at an FDA workshop held to explore the development of therapies for a rare disease. Santorum told the group about his youngest child, who was born with a life-threatening condition known as Trisomy 18, according to a transcript. Immunoglobulin treatments had saved her life, he told the audience.
Santorum’s personal story about his child’s illness was intertwined with a promotion of Plasma Technologies. Santorum said Zurlo, whom he called “a good friend,” had invented a groundbreaking technology for better plasma-based therapies to help his child and others.
Santorum credited Marks, director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, for pledging to remove barriers that have kept Plasma Technologies on the outside, looking in. “All I’m saying is, we have an opportunity because of Dr. Marks and what he has laid forward,” Santorum said at the workshop.
The former senator told the AP it would have been a “crime” if he hadn’t used his influence to get Plasma Technologies recognized.
“Shame on me if I hadn’t,” he said.
___
A SMALL SHAREHOLDER
In mid-April, a few weeks after Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency, Santorum described Marks as an enthusiastic backer of Plasma Technologies, according to an email routed to multiple officials in the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, an HHS office Kadlec oversees.
Calling himself a “small shareholder” in Plasma Technologies, Santorum wrote, “Dr. Marks said I should communicate to you that he is ‘excited about this process and looks forward to working with us to get our process adopted by the industry.’”
The FDA declined a request to interview Marks and also declined to answer questions about whether he’s been helping Plasma Technologies secure a commercial foothold.
“Dr. Marks’ enthusiastic nature should not be mistaken for support for any specific product or technology,” FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Caccomo said.
Federal ethics rules ban government employees from giving preferential treatment to any private organization or individual, according to Scott Amey, general counsel at the nonprofit Project on Government Oversight.
“Public trust in government decisions and a level playing field is essential to good government, so this situation deserves a look,” Amey said.
Santorum confirmed that he communicated directly with Kadlec, whom he described as “very supportive” of Plasma Technologies.
But Santorum’s initial pitch at HHS failed to gain traction among the agency’s scientists, who didn’t see Zurlo’s technology as worthy of millions in emergency pandemic funding, according to the emails and Rick Bright, the former BARDA director. They were focused on COVID-19 vaccines and treatments that could be delivered quickly, and saw the Plasma Technologies project as a longer-term effort.
“They were not excited,” recalled Bright, a vaccine expert who’s been sharply critical of Kadlec’s tenure at HHS. “They did not jump all over this and say, ‘We’ve got to get this going right away.’”
Bright filed a whistleblower complaint in May that alleges the Trump administration failed to prepare for the onslaught of the coronavirus.
With HHS scientists unconvinced, Plasma Technologies submitted a proposal dated May 28 to the Defense Department, which also is heavily engaged in the government’s COVID-19 response.
The detailed proposal, obtained by the AP, sought $51.6 million to build a plasma fractionation facility in Atlanta or Raleigh, North Carolina.
With a military audience in mind, the proposal emphasizes the national security implications of the coronavirus pandemic, stressing the need to churn out sufficient doses of antibody-rich hyperimmune globulin “to bolster force health protection for members of our military who are at especially high risk of infection, or whose performance is critical to national security and safety.” The proposal adds these plasma-derived proteins can be used as a treatment for viral infections until a vaccine is available.
The pitch fell flat. At first.
___
ANOTHER MOUTH TO FEED
In a June 12 email to HHS scientists, Army Lt. Col. Kara Schmid wrote that the price tag for Plasma Technologies was too high, even for the Pentagon, and that key parts of the company’s proposal were too vague.
“I’m just unclear if it has $50M worth of value,” Schmid wrote, adding she was “lukewarm at this point.”
Brian Tse, a BARDA health scientist, told Schmid that his office had passed on Plasma Technologies. With no production facility, Zurlo’s company intended to get COVID-19 patient plasma from blood donation centers that were already under heavy stress because of the pandemic.
“I believe that adding one additional ‘mouth to feed’ to the same source is more likely to induce delays to the projects already underway than it is to solve problems,” Tse wrote.
Despite the doubts, Kadlec didn’t lose interest in Plasma Technologies, according to the emails. “Dr. Kadlec has specifically asked us to take a closer look,” an early July message read.
Over the rest of July, the messages among his staff expressed misgivings about Zurlo’s technology, yet the company remained in play.
Several days later, an HHS contracting officer rejected the idea that Plasma Technologies might partner with one of the plasma companies that the government was already working with.
“The connection is not viable from a contractual standpoint,” the officer wrote in a July 16 email.
Still, a week later, Plasma Technologies had a champion at the Pentagon.
Santorum said he was contacted by Steven Morani, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for materiel readiness. Defense Department officials were drawn to the idea of a U.S.-owned and operated fractionation facility, according to Santorum.
It’s not clear what changed, but messages from late July show Morani and other defense officials had conferred and would support the Plasma Technologies project. An initial $750,000 in emergency coronavirus spending would be used to prove the concept, a move backed by HHS, with as much as $65 million in government money to come later to build a commercial facility and to purchase plasma and other materials, according to the emails. That’s more even than Plasma Technologies requested.
The messages don’t say where that money would come from or why the additional $13.4 million is required.
Morani referred AP’s emailed questions about the company and the contract to a Defense Department spokeswoman, Jessica Maxwell, who declined to discuss future funding for Plasma Technologies.
“The $750,000 is currently the total amount of government funding planned for the effort,” Maxwell said.
Santorum, who criticized a reporter for writing what he termed a “political hit piece,” said Zurlo intends to donate any profits Plasma Technologies generates to charities that support the mission of the Catholic Church.
But Santorum had different plans for any returns on his investment.
“I have made no such claims as a father of seven who has three weddings this year,” he said. “If any money were to come, I would welcome that money to help pay my bills.”
___
Dearen reported from New York. Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Charleston, South Carolina, contributed to this report.
___
To contact AP’s investigative team, email investigative@ap.org


washingtontimes--2020-11-01--Amid high unemployment some workers look for new careers

PARK CITY , Utah ( AP ) - Normally , Jacob Narayan works as a waiter at an upscale steakhouse in Park City .
But given all that ’ s happened in 2020 , he ’ s set his sights on a new career .
On a clear day outside Park City , he pulled over on the side of a narrow , tree-lined road that winds its way through a mountainous valley .
He grabbed his drone with a camera mounted on the front .
The propellers whirred into action and he sent it flying off over the trees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ film a small house about five miles away .
It sits on a quiet cul-de-sac next to a lake .
Mt .
Timpanogos - the second highest peak in the Wasatch Range - is visible in the distance .
Narayan filmed all of it , with the hope that the footage can help sell the house .
He ’ s not a real estate agent , but was hired by one to make a video they can show to prospective buyers .
He hopes to make a career out of flying drones , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to find work in the still-thriving real estate market .
Narayan and many other Utahns have had to pivot their plans when they were laid off or when business slowed down at their old place of work .
“ Right now , we ’ re fishing , ” he said .
“ We ’ re finding a really cool shot that can make my real estate video very competitive .
Because I ’ m not just selling the house , I ’ m selling the environment that the house is in.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ booming industries in Utah during the pandemic .
New home construction has hit record levels , with the median price of a single-family home up 10 % since April alone .
In Park City , realtors have reported selling million dollar properties to out-of-state buyers , some without ever seeing them in person .
Narayan is hoping he can parlay that into a new career in aerial photography .
Even though he ’ s back to working at the restaurant now after being laid off for a few months , he doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I think if the economy really takes a hit , people are not going to go and have a $ 75 steak , ” he said .
“ I saw that and I knew that I needed to do something.
” At 46 , Narayan became one of the 325,000 people in Utah who lost their jobs after the coronavirus began spreading through the U.S .
While applying for unemployment benefits , he heard about some of the retraining programs available in the state .
Several have recently been created in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Learn & Work in Utah program , which launched in July to give workers displaced by COVID-19 free or low-cost training at local colleges in high demand fields .
The Utah Department of Workforce Service also offers training under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act .
The federal program was signed into law in 2014 and is open to applicants year-round .
Both programs look to the labor market to see what opportunities are available and then help people get the resources and training they need to land a job in those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to get some money to help buy his drone and start an apprenticeship .
It ’ s a path state officials are suggesting others in his position take .
“ We understand that it ’ s not going to be easy , ” said DWS Assistant Deputy Director Nate McDonald at a press conference in September .
“ We understand that there are going to be hundreds of people searching for potentially the same job you are .
And that is why now is the time to start looking.
” Embarking on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially for older workers , said University of Utah Eccles School of Business Dean Taylor Randall , who is also an advisor on the governor ’ s coronavirus economic response task force .
Utah unemployment claims hit their peak in early May , with 127,532 people filing for benefits .
Many have since returned to work or found new jobs , though the state unemployment rate jumped up slightly in September as more people are looking for work .
Unlike previous recessions , which almost uniformly flattened the economy , Randall said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as real estate - are actually doing better than ever .
Construction , he said , has seen 8,000 more jobs this year compared to last .
The transportation and utilities and finance industries have also seen growth of about 1,500 jobs each .
The DWS “ hot jobs ” website also lists over 33,000 open positions , he said , from entry level to management positions .
But other industries are suffering .
Randall said the leisure and hospitality sector , which includes hotel , restaurant and tourism jobs , has lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business services , which includes jobs like architects , lawyers and office administrators , have lost another 6,000 jobs .
The challenge is it ’ s almost impossible to tell where things are heading .
“ We ’ re walking a fine line between trying to preserve a workforce for an industry that may just be delayed in coming back and then trying to make a prediction on which industries are going away permanently , ” he said .
“ I think you ’ re clearly going to see some permanent shifts .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is we just don ’ t have a crystal ball.
” Randall said given the uncertainty , retraining for a new job is the best way for people to hedge their bets , so that if their jobs don ’ t return they ’ ll have another skill-set to fall back on .
And he said the best time to start is while still receiving unemployment benefits , which people can only get for 39 weeks - a deadline that ’ s fast approaching for many .
Longtime tech executive Trina Limpert said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also an opportunity - for women .
In Utah , they face one of the country ’ s biggest wage gaps , making 70 % of their male counterparts - compared to 80 % nationally - according to a report from YWCA Utah .
Nationally , they ’ ve also been leaving the workforce about four times the rate of men because of the pandemic .
“ This is a very emotional journey for a lot of these women , ” Limpert said .
“ I ’ ve seen things from ‘ my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I need a more stable income.
’ It ’ s created this urgency and need to be able to shift.
” Limpert recently launched a 9-week coding and networking bootcamp in Utah , TECH-MOMS , to help women break into the industry at a time when they need it most .
She said tech is a great choice for women not only because it is doing well right now , but it also is a field women tend to earn more in and one that offers flexibility .
Classes are taught in two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Lehi .
Women attend classes in person on Saturdays , and they ’ re limited to 15 people for social distancing .
Participants learn the basics of a few coding languages and network with experts in the field .
Limpert said she is working on expanding the program to other universities across the state , and is accepting applications for its second round of classes .
For 31-year-old single mom Lizadel Yarisantos , the class has given her a new sense of direction .
She lost her job in March , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a manufacturing company , she ’ s still finishing the program and hoping tech is in her future .
Yarisantos said the whole process has been like running a marathon .
“ There are spurts where you ’ re excited and then you ’ re like , ‘ this sucks , ’ ” she said .
“ And then when you ’ re almost getting close to the finish line , it ’ s like , ‘ oh , my gosh , there ’ s the finish line right there !
’ ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ milestone , she knows the race isn ’ t over yet .
Limpert said it may take time for people to make the jump .
But the goal is to help women build skills , so they can start to take their careers in their own hands .
“ There ’ s definitely some challenges in these transitions .
It ’ s not an easy ‘ oh , I ’ ve got this , go !
’ ” she said .
“ It ’ s just getting that mindset that it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ develop and improve.
” It ’ s a philosophy Jacob Narayan shares .
He said it ’ s hard to tell what curveballs the 21st century economy is going to throw .
So it ’ s all about being versatile .
And sometimes it means taking a risk .
“ This is a brave , bold move , ” he said .
“ But I don ’ t mind that because I believe and I see a place for me in this industry.
” The hard work has paid off .
Narayan recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real estate company , which he said he can do in between restaurant shifts .
He said he ’ ll stay on at the restaurant through the winter , but by this time next year , he ’ s hoping he ’ ll be flying drones full time - pandemic or not .

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) - Normally, Jacob Narayan works as a waiter at an upscale steakhouse in Park City. But given all that’s happened in 2020, he’s set his sights on a new career.
On a clear day outside Park City, he pulled over on the side of a narrow, tree-lined road that winds its way through a mountainous valley. He grabbed his drone with a camera mounted on the front.
The propellers whirred into action and he sent it flying off over the trees.
Narayan was using the drone to film a small house about five miles away. It sits on a quiet cul-de-sac next to a lake. Mt. Timpanogos - the second highest peak in the Wasatch Range - is visible in the distance.
Narayan filmed all of it, with the hope that the footage can help sell the house. He’s not a real estate agent, but was hired by one to make a video they can show to prospective buyers.
He hopes to make a career out of flying drones, and so far he’s been able to find work in the still-thriving real estate market. Narayan and many other Utahns have had to pivot their plans when they were laid off or when business slowed down at their old place of work.
“Right now, we’re fishing,” he said. “We’re finding a really cool shot that can make my real estate video very competitive. Because I’m not just selling the house, I’m selling the environment that the house is in.”
Real estate is one of the few booming industries in Utah during the pandemic. New home construction has hit record levels, with the median price of a single-family home up 10% since April alone. In Park City, realtors have reported selling million dollar properties to out-of-state buyers, some without ever seeing them in person.
Narayan is hoping he can parlay that into a new career in aerial photography. Even though he’s back to working at the restaurant now after being laid off for a few months, he doesn’t know how long it will last.
“I think if the economy really takes a hit, people are not going to go and have a $75 steak,” he said. “I saw that and I knew that I needed to do something.”
At 46, Narayan became one of the 325,000 people in Utah who lost their jobs after the coronavirus began spreading through the U.S.
While applying for unemployment benefits, he heard about some of the retraining programs available in the state. Several have recently been created in response to the pandemic, such as the Learn & Work in Utah program, which launched in July to give workers displaced by COVID-19 free or low-cost training at local colleges in high demand fields.
The Utah Department of Workforce Service also offers training under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The federal program was signed into law in 2014 and is open to applicants year-round.
Both programs look to the labor market to see what opportunities are available and then help people get the resources and training they need to land a job in those areas.
Through WIOA, Narayan was able to get some money to help buy his drone and start an apprenticeship. It’s a path state officials are suggesting others in his position take.
“We understand that it’s not going to be easy,” said DWS Assistant Deputy Director Nate McDonald at a press conference in September. “We understand that there are going to be hundreds of people searching for potentially the same job you are. And that is why now is the time to start looking.”
Embarking on a new career is a tough decision, especially for older workers, said University of Utah Eccles School of Business Dean Taylor Randall, who is also an advisor on the governor’s coronavirus economic response task force.
Utah unemployment claims hit their peak in early May, with 127,532 people filing for benefits. Many have since returned to work or found new jobs, though the state unemployment rate jumped up slightly in September as more people are looking for work.
Unlike previous recessions, which almost uniformly flattened the economy, Randall said this time around certain industries - such as real estate - are actually doing better than ever. Construction, he said, has seen 8,000 more jobs this year compared to last. The transportation and utilities and finance industries have also seen growth of about 1,500 jobs each.
The DWS “hot jobs” website also lists over 33,000 open positions, he said, from entry level to management positions.
But other industries are suffering. Randall said the leisure and hospitality sector, which includes hotel, restaurant and tourism jobs, has lost around 26,000 positions statewide. Professional and business services, which includes jobs like architects, lawyers and office administrators, have lost another 6,000 jobs.
The challenge is it’s almost impossible to tell where things are heading.
“We’re walking a fine line between trying to preserve a workforce for an industry that may just be delayed in coming back and then trying to make a prediction on which industries are going away permanently,” he said. “I think you’re clearly going to see some permanent shifts. And the difficulty we have right now is we just don’t have a crystal ball.”
Randall said given the uncertainty, retraining for a new job is the best way for people to hedge their bets, so that if their jobs don’t return they’ll have another skill-set to fall back on. And he said the best time to start is while still receiving unemployment benefits, which people can only get for 39 weeks - a deadline that’s fast approaching for many.
Longtime tech executive Trina Limpert said transitioning is a particular challenge - but also an opportunity - for women. In Utah, they face one of the country’s biggest wage gaps, making 70% of their male counterparts - compared to 80% nationally - according to a report from YWCA Utah.
Nationally, they’ve also been leaving the workforce about four times the rate of men because of the pandemic.
“This is a very emotional journey for a lot of these women,” Limpert said. “I’ve seen things from ‘my husband got laid off’ or ‘I need a more stable income.’ It’s created this urgency and need to be able to shift.”
Limpert recently launched a 9-week coding and networking bootcamp in Utah, TECH-MOMS, to help women break into the industry at a time when they need it most. She said tech is a great choice for women not only because it is doing well right now, but it also is a field women tend to earn more in and one that offers flexibility.
Classes are taught in two cohorts, one in Ogden and another in Lehi. Women attend classes in person on Saturdays, and they’re limited to 15 people for social distancing. Participants learn the basics of a few coding languages and network with experts in the field. Limpert said she is working on expanding the program to other universities across the state, and is accepting applications for its second round of classes.
For 31-year-old single mom Lizadel Yarisantos, the class has given her a new sense of direction. She lost her job in March, and though she recently got a position at a manufacturing company, she’s still finishing the program and hoping tech is in her future.
Yarisantos said the whole process has been like running a marathon.
“There are spurts where you’re excited and then you’re like, ‘this sucks,’” she said. “And then when you’re almost getting close to the finish line, it’s like, ‘oh, my gosh, there’s the finish line right there!’”
And even though she just reached a milestone, she knows the race isn’t over yet.
Limpert said it may take time for people to make the jump. But the goal is to help women build skills, so they can start to take their careers in their own hands.
“There’s definitely some challenges in these transitions. It’s not an easy ‘oh, I’ve got this, go!’” she said. “It’s just getting that mindset that it’s never too late. You can always develop and improve.”
It’s a philosophy Jacob Narayan shares. He said it’s hard to tell what curveballs the 21st century economy is going to throw. So it’s all about being versatile. And sometimes it means taking a risk.
“This is a brave, bold move,” he said. “But I don’t mind that because I believe and I see a place for me in this industry.”
The hard work has paid off. Narayan recently landed an in-house cinematographer position for a real estate company, which he said he can do in between restaurant shifts. He said he’ll stay on at the restaurant through the winter, but by this time next year, he’s hoping he’ll be flying drones full time - pandemic or not.


washingtontimes--2020-11-01--Democrats, GOP brace for legal action in Florida election

ST. PETERSBURG , Fla. ( AP ) - Democrats and Republicans in Florida have engaged legions of lawyers ready to rush to court at any sign of voter suppression , fraud or other political shenanigans in this year ’ s election .
So far , the lawsuits have been few , but Florida is well-known for its legal battles in past elections .
The main hot-button legal issue this year is the use and counting of mail-in ballots , which President Donald Trump has criticized as a potential source of fraud , but which both parties have promoted in Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Juanica Fernandes , executive director of the nonprofit State Voices Florida group that promotes voting and civic engagement , said hundreds of Florida mail-in ballots have already been rejected because of issues such as new addresses and mismatched signatures .
Voters do have the right to “ cure ” these problems , but that may not be enough .
“ This leaves a voter without an opportunity to have their voice heard , and that ’ s not acceptable , ” Fernandes said .
“ What ’ s happening is they are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week ahead of Tuesday ’ s election , advocates said about 21,000 mail-in ballots had been flagged in Florida because of a signature problem .
About a third of those had already been fixed .
More than 4.2 million votes had been cast by mail statewide , according to the Florida Secretary of State ’ s office .
As yet , there has not been widespread litigation in Florida related to the election .
One battle fought earlier this year was over felons regaining their right to vote after the passage of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeals court ruling affirming a state law stating they must first satisfy any fines or fees in addition to a prison sentence .
But given Florida ’ s history and its prized 29 electoral votes , anything is possible .
Of course , perhaps the most famous legal battle in presidential election history came in 2000 , when Republican George W. Bush wound up defeating Democrat Al Gore in Florida by 537 votes - handing Bush the presidency after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in his favor .
Tallahassee attorney Barry Richard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that experience casts a long shadow over elections in Florida , although voting practices and laws have changed markedly since then .
“ My primary premise is that there ’ s a lot more angst about what could happen as opposed to what may actually happen this time , ” Richard said .
“ I think the biggest problem we might have would be delay .
We don ’ t have that as much in Florida because ballots have to be in by Election Day.
” Richard Hasen , a law and political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and election law expert , said Florida may not be quite in the forefront of the nation ’ s election-related legal battles as in past years .
“ It ’ s still in my top five , ” Hasen said .
“ It ’ s not as high on my list as it has been in the past .
It ’ s that other states , especially during a pandemic , are doing a worse job and are more likely to be pivotal.
” Yet the GOP and the Trump campaign , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden , are taking no chances .
Florida Republicans , for example , have trained attorneys and volunteers in advance of the election .
Some will be poll watchers , some will observe canvassing boards where votes are counted , and others will monitor legal developments , state party spokeswoman Alia Faraj said .
“ Our efforts include ensuring that supervisors of elections are following the law and observing and documenting any potential fraud or irregularities that could impact the election , ” Faraj said in an email .
“ Our top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is counted , that no voter is disenfranchised , and that voters understand election laws and procedures.
” There are very few cases of election fraud in the U.S. , despite Trump ’ s many claims to the contrary .
Similarly , the Biden campaign is training volunteers and lawyers to watch for evidence of voter suppression , especially among Black and Hispanic voters .
“ Voting as a fundamental right is under attack from a range of bad actors , ” said Mone Holder , voter protection advocate for the Advancement Project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization .
“ These voting suppression tactics highly impact voters of color.
” Richard , the Bush lawyer from 2000 , said he thinks Florida courts have learned how to deal quickly with election challenges and changes in state laws make a lengthy delay less likely .
But , he added , you never know .
“ In my business , nothing is out of the realm of possibility , ” Richard said .
“ The kind of fraud you would need to affect the election would have to be massive .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about this time is just the fact we had that experience in 2000 .
”

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Democrats and Republicans in Florida have engaged legions of lawyers ready to rush to court at any sign of voter suppression, fraud or other political shenanigans in this year’s election. So far, the lawsuits have been few, but Florida is well-known for its legal battles in past elections.
The main hot-button legal issue this year is the use and counting of mail-in ballots, which President Donald Trump has criticized as a potential source of fraud, but which both parties have promoted in Florida - especially during the coronavirus pandemic.
Juanica Fernandes, executive director of the nonprofit State Voices Florida group that promotes voting and civic engagement, said hundreds of Florida mail-in ballots have already been rejected because of issues such as new addresses and mismatched signatures. Voters do have the right to “cure” these problems, but that may not be enough.
“This leaves a voter without an opportunity to have their voice heard, and that’s not acceptable,” Fernandes said. “What’s happening is they are not counting the ballots at all.”
A week ahead of Tuesday’s election, advocates said about 21,000 mail-in ballots had been flagged in Florida because of a signature problem. About a third of those had already been fixed. More than 4.2 million votes had been cast by mail statewide, according to the Florida Secretary of State’s office.
As yet, there has not been widespread litigation in Florida related to the election. One battle fought earlier this year was over felons regaining their right to vote after the passage of a 2018 amendment, which ended in an appeals court ruling affirming a state law stating they must first satisfy any fines or fees in addition to a prison sentence.
But given Florida’s history and its prized 29 electoral votes, anything is possible. Of course, perhaps the most famous legal battle in presidential election history came in 2000, when Republican George W. Bush wound up defeating Democrat Al Gore in Florida by 537 votes - handing Bush the presidency after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in his favor.
Tallahassee attorney Barry Richard, who represented Bush in 2000, said that experience casts a long shadow over elections in Florida, although voting practices and laws have changed markedly since then.
“My primary premise is that there’s a lot more angst about what could happen as opposed to what may actually happen this time,” Richard said. “I think the biggest problem we might have would be delay. We don’t have that as much in Florida because ballots have to be in by Election Day.”
Richard Hasen, a law and political science professor at the University of California-Irvine and election law expert, said Florida may not be quite in the forefront of the nation’s election-related legal battles as in past years.
“It’s still in my top five,” Hasen said. “It’s not as high on my list as it has been in the past. It’s that other states, especially during a pandemic, are doing a worse job and are more likely to be pivotal.”
Yet the GOP and the Trump campaign, as well as the Democrats and presidential nominee Joe Biden, are taking no chances.
Florida Republicans, for example, have trained attorneys and volunteers in advance of the election. Some will be poll watchers, some will observe canvassing boards where votes are counted, and others will monitor legal developments, state party spokeswoman Alia Faraj said.
“Our efforts include ensuring that supervisors of elections are following the law and observing and documenting any potential fraud or irregularities that could impact the election,” Faraj said in an email. “Our top priority remains ensuring that every legal vote is counted, that no voter is disenfranchised, and that voters understand election laws and procedures.”
There are very few cases of election fraud in the U.S., despite Trump’s many claims to the contrary.
Similarly, the Biden campaign is training volunteers and lawyers to watch for evidence of voter suppression, especially among Black and Hispanic voters.
“Voting as a fundamental right is under attack from a range of bad actors,” said Mone Holder, voter protection advocate for the Advancement Project, a civil rights and voting rights organization. “These voting suppression tactics highly impact voters of color.”
Richard, the Bush lawyer from 2000, said he thinks Florida courts have learned how to deal quickly with election challenges and changes in state laws make a lengthy delay less likely. But, he added, you never know.
“In my business, nothing is out of the realm of possibility,” Richard said. “The kind of fraud you would need to affect the election would have to be massive. A lot of what people are freaking out about this time is just the fact we had that experience in 2000.”


washingtontimes--2020-11-01--UK says 4-week coronavirus lockdown may have to last longer

LONDON ( AP ) - A new national lockdown in England may have to last longer than the planned four weeks if coronavirus infection rates don ’ t fall quickly enough , a senior government minister said Sunday .
The lockdown announced Saturday by Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to run from Thursday until Dec. 2 .
Johnson says it ’ s needed to stop hospitals from becoming overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients within weeks .
Cabinet minister Michael Gove said it was the government ’ s “ fervent hope ” that the lockdown would end on time , but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a virus this malignant , and with its capacity to move so quickly , it would be foolish to predict with absolute certainty what will happen in four weeks ’ time , ” he told Sky News .
Under the new restrictions , bars and restaurants can only offer take-out , non-essential shops must close and people will only be able to leave home for a short list of reasons including exercise .
Hairdressers , gyms , golf courses , swimming pools and bowling alleys are among venues that must shut down , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the U.K. ’ s first three-month lockdown earlier this year , schools , universities , construction sites and manufacturing businesses will stay open .
Britain has the worst virus death toll in Europe , with over 46,500 dead , and it passed 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Saturday .
Like other European countries , virus cases in the U.K. began to climb after lockdown measures were eased in the summer and people began to return to workplaces , schools , universities and social life .
Johnson had hoped regional restrictions introduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the numbers of new infections down .
But government scientific advisers predict that on the outbreak ’ s current trajectory , demand for hospital beds will exceed capacity by the first week of December , even if temporary hospitals set up during the first peak of the virus are reopened .
“ Unless we act , we could see deaths in this country running at several thousand a day , ” Johnson said as he announced the lockdown during a televised news conference on Saturday evening .
But owners of pubs , restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say the measures will be devastating .
Leaders of the Roman Catholic church joined the criticism .
Under the new measures , places of worship can stay open for private prayer and funerals , but not for communal worship .
England ’ s top two Catholic clergy , Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Archbishop Malcolm McMahon , said the suspension of services would cause “ deep anguish ” and the Conservative government should show the evidence supporting the decision .
“ Faith communities have played a vital role in sustaining personal , spiritual and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” during the pandemic , they said .
“ That critical service towards the common good of all is created and sustained by communal worship and prayer .
”

LONDON (AP) - A new national lockdown in England may have to last longer than the planned four weeks if coronavirus infection rates don’t fall quickly enough, a senior government minister said Sunday.
The lockdown announced Saturday by Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to run from Thursday until Dec. 2. Johnson says it’s needed to stop hospitals from becoming overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients within weeks.
Cabinet minister Michael Gove said it was the government’s “fervent hope” that the lockdown would end on time, but that could not be guaranteed.
“With a virus this malignant, and with its capacity to move so quickly, it would be foolish to predict with absolute certainty what will happen in four weeks’ time,” he told Sky News. “We’re going to review it on the 2nd of December but we’re always driven by what the data says.”
Under the new restrictions, bars and restaurants can only offer take-out, non-essential shops must close and people will only be able to leave home for a short list of reasons including exercise. Hairdressers, gyms, golf courses, swimming pools and bowling alleys are among venues that must shut down, and foreign holidays are barred.
Unlike during the U.K.’s first three-month coronavirus lockdown earlier this year, schools, universities, construction sites and manufacturing businesses will stay open.
Britain has the worst virus death toll in Europe, with more than 46,700 dead. It passed 1 million confirmed coronavirus cases on Saturday and confirmed another 23,254 new infections on Sunday.
Like other European countries, virus cases in the U.K. began to climb after lockdown measures were eased in the summer and people began to return to workplaces, schools, universities and social life. In recent weeks, new infections have been soaring across the continent, especially in Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Spain and the U.K.
Johnson had hoped regional restrictions introduced in October, mostly in northern England, would be enough to push the numbers of new infections down. But government scientific advisers predict that on the outbreak’s current trajectory, the demand for hospital beds will exceed the capacity by the first week of December, even if temporary hospitals are set up again.
“Unless we act, we could see deaths in this country running at several thousand a day,” Johnson said as he announced the lockdown during a televised news conference on Saturday evening.
But owners of pubs, restaurants, theaters and gyms all say the measures will be devastating.
A government program that has paid the wages of millions of furloughed employees during the pandemic has been extended during the new lockdown. Many businesses say that is not enough, especially in the arts, where most people work as freelancers.
Mark Davyd, chief executive of the Music Venue Trust, urged the government to offer the live events industry further financial support, as has been done in France and Germany.
“We look forward to urgent details from ministers on the financial package that will protect businesses and livelihoods in this vital, world-leading British industry,” he said.
Also Sunday, the government and Transport for London struck a deal to keep buses and subways running in the capital, where passenger numbers have collapsed because of the pandemic. The mix of grants and loans worth 1.8 billion pounds ($2.3 billion) is earmarked to keep the system operating until the end of March.
Under the new restrictions, places of worship can stay open for private prayer and funerals, but not for communal services. That has drawn criticism from England’s top two Roman Catholic clergy, Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Archbishop Malcolm McMahon, who say the suspension would cause “deep anguish.”
“Faith communities have played a vital role in sustaining personal, spiritual and mental health and encouraging vital charitable activities” during the pandemic, they said. “That critical service towards the common good of all is created and sustained by communal worship.”
The new lockdown needs Parliament’s approval and a vote is scheduled for Wednesday. Some members of Johnson’s Conservative Party oppose tighter restrictions because of the economic damage they inflict, but the main opposition Labour Party says it will vote for the new lockdown.
The restrictions will apply to England. Other parts of the U.K. govern their own public health measures, with Wales and Northern Ireland already effectively in lockdown and Scotland under a set of tough regional restrictions.
___
Follow AP’s coronavirus pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


washingtontimes--2020-11-01--In final blitz, campaigns storm through battleground Florida

TALLAHASSEE , Fla. ( AP ) - A final flurry of campaigning whipped through the crucial state of Florida in the waning days of the election season , including another visit by President Donald Trump , as beleaguered voters took solace that Election Day was finally close at hand .
Trump scheduled a late evening event Sunday in his adopted state to make his case to extend his residency at the White House for four more years by defeating Democratic challenger Joe Biden .
California Sen. Kamala Harris , who could become the first woman elected vice president , returned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden , the wife of former Vice President Biden , was scheduled to visit Sunday to persuade voters who had yet to cast a ballot .
Biden was in Florida on Thursday , as was Trump .
The last-minute push by both presidential campaigns underscored the importance of Florida ’ s 29 electoral votes , the largest cache among the country ’ s prized swing states .
By Saturday , more than 8.3 million Floridians had already cast ballots - approaching the 9.5 million total cast in the 2016 presidential election - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to drive the rest of the state ’ s 14 million registered voters to the polls Tuesday .
The coronavirus outbreak had brought concerns over Election Day turnout , with Republicans hoping to narrow the advantage opened up by Democrats in their push to encourage people to vote by mail .
The most recent presidential polls show Florida remains a toss up - and the last-minute campaign blitzes are signs of that uncertainty , said Susan MacManus , a longtime professor of political science at the University of South Florida .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to win , you ’ re not going to spend your last precious moments coming over to a state like this if you think you ’ ve got it in the bag , ” she said .
“ And they are leaving no part of Florida untouched , ” MacManus added .
From the Florida Keys to the Panhandle , legions of supporters stood at street corners waving signs , made phone calls to undecided voters or fanned out into communities to go door-to-door to get out the vote .
Early voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials cautioned people who had planned to vote by mail to play it safe by hand delivering their completed ballots to elections offices or deposit them in official drop boxes .
It ’ s been a grueling and intense campaign , not just for the candidates and their surrogates , but for ordinary voters like Noelle Navarro who have been bombarded in recent weeks - on television and the radio , in the mail , on their phones and online .
There was nowhere to escape .
“ I ’ m looking forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Navarro , a Coconut Creek independent who voted last week to reelect the president .
Chad Farnsworth , an independent voter from Mount Dora , said he ’ d had enough of the campaign .
“ I ’ m absolutely thrilled that it ’ s almost over .
I ’ m tired of all of it , ” said Farnsworth , among the millions of Floridians who cast their votes early .
“ Its time to move forward , ” said Farnsworth , who declined to say who got his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Orlando is looking for a respite from all the talk about elections .
“ Now it ’ s to the point that you hear the same rhetoric over and over , ” said Melby , who voted by mail for Biden weeks ago .
“ For better or worse , I just hope we can move forward.
” The campaign being waged by Trump and Biden is Tuesday ’ s marquee contest , but Floridians will also be deciding who to send to Congress and the statehouse .
They will also weigh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimum wage to $ 15 an hour and whether to change the way elections are run .
Republicans are defending their majorities in the state Legislature as Democrats make a bid to wrest control of at least one chamber by fielding the biggest roster of candidates in decades .
Democrats are also hoping to win a majority of the state ’ s 27 congressional seats , which now favor Republicans by a single post .
That could prove important if uncertainty over Tuesday ’ s outcome produces the unlikely scenario that the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote , decides who will be the next president .
Both parties have come out against a ballot measure before voters Tuesday that would establish a so-called “ jungle primary ” in Florida and undo the state ’ s closed primary system .
If approved by voters , Amendment 3 would establish a blanket primary similar to California ’ s .
The top two finishers , regardless of party , would advance to the decisive general election .
Voters are also being asked whether they should be required to ratify ballot propositions twice @ @ @ @

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - A final flurry of campaigning whipped through the crucial state of Florida in the waning days of the election season, including another visit by President Donald Trump, as beleaguered voters took solace that Election Day was finally close at hand.
Trump scheduled a late evening event Sunday in his adopted state to make his case to extend his residency at the White House for four more years by defeating Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
California Sen. Kamala Harris, who could become the first woman elected vice president, returned to Florida on Saturday. And Jill Biden, the wife of former Vice President Biden, was scheduled to visit Sunday to persuade voters who had yet to cast a ballot. Former President Barack Obama was also scheduled to return to the state Monday. Biden was in Florida on Thursday, as was Trump.
The last-minute push by both presidential campaigns underscored the importance of Florida’s 29 electoral votes, the largest cache among the country’s prized swing states.
By Sunday, more than 8.7 million Floridians had already cast ballots - approaching the 9.5 million total cast in the 2016 presidential election - and the campaigns were making their final appeals to drive the rest of the state’s 14 million registered voters to the polls Tuesday.
The coronavirus outbreak had brought concerns over Election Day turnout, with Republicans hoping to narrow the advantage opened up by Democrats in their push to encourage people to vote by mail.
The most recent presidential polls show Florida remains a toss up - and the last-minute campaign blitzes are signs of that uncertainty, said Susan MacManus, a longtime professor of political science at the University of South Florida.
“If you feel confident your side’s going to win, you’re not going to spend your last precious moments coming over to a state like this if you think you’ve got it in the bag,” she said.
“And they are leaving no part of Florida untouched,” MacManus added.
From the Florida Keys to the Panhandle, legions of supporters stood at street corners waving signs, made phone calls to undecided voters or fanned out into communities to go door-to-door to get out the vote.
Early voting in Florida ends Sunday, and elections officials cautioned people who had planned to vote by mail to play it safe by hand delivering their completed ballots to elections offices or deposit them in official drop boxes.
It’s been a grueling and intense campaign, not just for the candidates and their surrogates, but for ordinary voters like Noelle Navarro who have been bombarded in recent weeks - on television and the radio, in the mail, on their phones and online.
There was nowhere to escape.
“I’m looking forward to seeing who is going to win,” said Navarro, a Coconut Creek independent who voted last week to reelect the president.
Chad Farnsworth, an independent voter from Mount Dora, said he’d had enough of the campaign.
“I’m absolutely thrilled that it’s almost over. I’m tired of all of it,” said Farnsworth, among the millions of Floridians who cast their votes early.
“Its time to move forward,” said Farnsworth, who declined to say who got his vote.
Similarly, Lee Anne Melby of Orlando is looking for a respite from all the talk about elections.
“Now it’s to the point that you hear the same rhetoric over and over,” said Melby, who voted by mail for Biden weeks ago. “For better or worse, I just hope we can move forward.”
The campaign being waged by Trump and Biden is Tuesday’s marquee contest, but Floridians will also be deciding who to send to Congress and the statehouse. They will also weigh in on whether to incrementally raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and whether to change the way elections are run.
Republicans are defending their majorities in the state Legislature as Democrats make a bid to wrest control of at least one chamber by fielding the biggest roster of candidates in decades.
Democrats are also hoping to win a majority of the state’s 27 congressional seats, which now favor Republicans by a single post. That could prove important if uncertainty over Tuesday’s outcome produces the unlikely scenario that the U.S. House of Representatives, in a state-by-state vote, decides who will be the next president.
Both parties have come out against a ballot measure before voters Tuesday that would establish a so-called “jungle primary” in Florida and undo the state’s closed primary system. If approved by voters, Amendment 3 would establish a blanket primary similar to California’s. The top two finishers, regardless of party, would advance to the decisive general election.
Voters are also being asked whether they should be required to ratify ballot propositions twice before becoming law.


washingtontimes--2020-11-01--Starbucks targets new market, in coffee exporting Laos

BANGKOK ( AP ) - Starbucks said Monday it plans to open an outlet in Laos as it expands its network of more than 10,000 stores in Asian countries .
The company said it plans to open the shop in the Laotian capital Vientiane by next summer .
The outlet will be operated by Coffee Concepts ( Laos ) Ltd. , a part of Hong Kong-based Maxim ’ s Caterers Ltd. Starbuck said in a statement that it intends to use its global scale to have a positive impact and career opportunities in the impoverished , landlocked country bordered by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and China .
“ We are pleased to introduce the Starbucks brand into Laos , which further builds on our 20 year relationship with Starbucks to grow the coffee industry across Asia , ” said Michael Wu , Chairman and Managing Director , Maxim ’ s Caterers Limited .
Many Laotians drink powdered coffee drinks that include milk and sugar , as is true across much of Asia , but the country of 7.2 million is a coffee exporter and has its own artisanal coffee roasters and shops .
Before the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of foreign tourists , with more than 4 million visiting in 2018 .
Local incomes have been rising , but still average around $ 300 a month .
The company said in a statement that it intends to take a “ locally relevant approach ” for its customers , both tourists and Laotions .
“ We will take a thoughtful approach to driving sustainable growth in Laos and look forward to contributing to the country ’ s vibrant coffee culture , ” Starbucks said .
Starbucks said it was monitoring the coronavirus situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in summer 2021 .
Laos , a landlocked country bordered by Thailand , Myanmar , Cambodia , Vietnam and China , has so far reported only 24 COVID-19 infections , according to a tally kept by the Johns Hopkins University .
Such records are thought to understate the actual number of cases due to testing issues and large numbers of asymptomatic coronavirus cases .
But pandemic precautions are severely limiting travel in the region .
“ We will work closely with local health authorities , as we do in all markets , making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and customers top of mind , ” Starbucks said .

BANGKOK (AP) - Starbucks said Monday it plans to open an outlet in Laos as it expands its network of more than 10,000 stores in Asian countries.
The company said it plans to open the shop in the Laotian capital Vientiane by next summer.
The outlet will be operated by Coffee Concepts (Laos) Ltd., a part of Hong Kong-based Maxim’s Caterers Ltd. Starbuck said in a statement that it intends to use its global scale to have a positive impact and career opportunities in the impoverished, landlocked country bordered by Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and China.
“We are pleased to introduce the Starbucks brand into Laos, which further builds on our 20 year relationship with Starbucks to grow the coffee industry across Asia,” said Michael Wu, Chairman and Managing Director, Maxim’s Caterers Limited.
Many Laotians drink powdered coffee drinks that include milk and sugar, as is true across much of Asia, but the country of 7.2 million is a coffee exporter and has its own artisanal coffee roasters and shops.
Before the coronavirus pandemic hit, Laos was drawing growing numbers of foreign tourists, with more than 4 million visiting in 2018. Local incomes have been rising, but still average around $300 a month.
The company said in a statement that it intends to take a “locally relevant approach” for its customers, both tourists and Laotions.
“We will take a thoughtful approach to driving sustainable growth in Laos and look forward to contributing to the country’s vibrant coffee culture,” Starbucks said.
Starbucks said it was monitoring the coronavirus situation but is still aiming at an opening in summer 2021.
Laos, a landlocked country bordered by Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and China, has so far reported only 24 COVID-19 infections, according to a tally kept by the Johns Hopkins University.
Such records are thought to understate the actual number of cases due to testing issues and large numbers of asymptomatic coronavirus cases. But pandemic precautions are severely limiting travel in the region.
“We will work closely with local health authorities, as we do in all markets, making decisions with the health of our partners and customers top of mind,” Starbucks said.


washingtontimes--2020-11-01--Trump rips FBI for probe of Biden bus surrounded by convoy of Trump supporters

President Trump criticized the FBI and Justice Department on Sunday night for investigating an incident in Texas in which his campaign supporters surrounded a Biden-Harris campaign bus with a convoy of vehicles on a highway .
“ In my opinion , these patriots did nothing wrong , ” the president tweeted .
“ Instead , the FBI & Justice should be investigating the terrorists , anarchists , and agitators of ANTIFA , who run around burning down our Democrat run cities and hurting our people !
” The FBI ’ s office in San Antonio confirmed that it is investigating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but had no further comment .
Several dozen cars , trucks and SUVs bearing pro-Trump flags and signs surrounded the Biden-Harris campaign bus on I-35 outside of Austin after waiting for the bus on a side road , according to videos of the incident posted on social media .
The Biden campaign said vehicles pulled in front of the bus and tried to slow it down .
Campaign staffers on the bus called 911 , concerned for their safety .
Local police met the bus at its final planned stop , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The president said Sunday of the incident , “ You see the way our people — they were protecting his bus yesterday because they ’ re nice.
” Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said Sunday that she saw “ a little bit ” of the video of Trump supporters surrounding the Biden bus .
“ Certainly you don ’ t want harm , and we shouldn ’ t be hurting other people .
So the president would not endorse that , ” she said on CBS ’ s “ Face the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t comment on that because I haven ’ t seen the whole video.
” Democrat Wendy Davis , who is running for a House seat in Texas , was aboard the bus .
“ Prepare to lose … stop bothering me , ” Mr. West said in a statement .
Rep. Matt Gaetz , Florida Republican , tweeted of the FBI ’ s action , “ If you needed any further proof that the FBI will look for any reason to target Trump supporters… ”

President Trump criticized the FBI and Justice Department on Sunday night for investigating an incident in Texas in which his campaign supporters surrounded a Biden-Harris campaign bus with a convoy of vehicles on a highway.
“In my opinion, these patriots did nothing wrong,” the president tweeted. “Instead, the FBI & Justice should be investigating the terrorists, anarchists, and agitators of ANTIFA, who run around burning down our Democrat run cities and hurting our people!”
The FBI’s office in San Antonio confirmed that it is investigating the incident that took place on Friday, but had no further comment.
Several dozen cars, trucks and SUVs bearing pro-Trump flags and signs surrounded the Biden-Harris campaign bus on I-35 outside of Austin after waiting for the bus on a side road, according to videos of the incident posted on social media. The Biden campaign said vehicles pulled in front of the bus and tried to slow it down.
Campaign staffers on the bus called 911, concerned for their safety. Local police met the bus at its final planned stop, but shaken Biden staffers canceled three scheduled events.
The president said Sunday of the incident, “You see the way our people — they were protecting his bus yesterday because they’re nice.”
SEE ALSO: Biden rips Trump over video of convoy surrounding bus Biden-Harris campaign
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said Sunday that she saw “a little bit” of the video of Trump supporters surrounding the Biden bus. “Certainly you don’t want harm, and we shouldn’t be hurting other people. So the president would not endorse that,” she said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “But I can’t comment on that because I haven’t seen the whole video.”
Democrat Wendy Davis, who is running for a House seat in Texas, was aboard the bus.
Texas GOP Chairman Allen West called reports of alleged intimidation “more fake news and propaganda.”
“Prepare to lose … stop bothering me,” Mr. West said in a statement.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, Florida Republican, tweeted of the FBI’s action, “If you needed any further proof that the FBI will look for any reason to target Trump supporters…”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.