freebeacon--2020-03-31--Kennedy Center Axes National Symphony Orchestra Staff After Receiving $25 Million in Stimulus Funds

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday laid off approximately 20 administrative staffers who support the National Symphony Orchestra .
The announcement comes just four days after President Donald Trump signed a stimulus bill that provided $ 25 million in relief funds for the cultural institution .
The news , which was delivered on an all-staff conference call organized by the National Symphony Orchestra 's executive director Gary Ginstling , followed another announcement from Kennedy Center president Deborah Rutter on Friday indicating that National Symphony Orchestra musicians would stop receiving paychecks after April 3—a move that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed a grievance and spurred GOP lawmakers to begin trying to claw back the money sent to the organization in the stimulus package .
The Kennedy Center , which did not return multiple requests for comment prior to publication , defended the recent layoffs and outlined a projected breakdown of its bailout money on Tuesday afternoon .
Rutter said in an email to supporters obtained by the Free Beacon that the center plans to spend $ 12.75 million on employee compensation and another $ 7.5 million on health benefits .
Despite having an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the arts organization claims it will run out of funds by July even if it reopens on schedule in May .
`` It is imperative that we scale back the entire institution ’ s personnel costs during this time of closure and dearth of ticket income , '' Rutter said .
`` If no changes are made to our spending patterns , even if we are able to open in mid-May , with the recent $ 25 million federal stimulus funding , the Kennedy Center would run out of cash as early as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cuts , saying in a Saturday statement that the decision to stop paying musicians `` may seem drastic , '' but that it was `` the only way through this . ''
She warned then that future layoffs could come .
A veteran orchestra member who requested anonymity said the speed with which the organization has dropped employees gives the impression that leadership misled Congress when it lobbied for the multimillion dollar bailout .
`` It 's starting to look like the Kennedy Center knew it was going to lay everyone off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bailout , '' this person told the Free Beacon .
`` That 's very disturbing and a huge hit to morale .
I 'm not sure how we can trust our leadership after this . ''
Republican lawmakers are pushing to rescind the bailout in the wake of the layoffs .
Rep. Bryan Steil ( R. , Wis. ) has introduced legislation that would revoke the $ 25 million awarded to the cultural center in the $ 2 trillion bailout package signed last week , known as the CARES Act , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic .
`` This money should be spent fighting the virus or in taxpayers ' pockets , '' Steil wrote in a Tuesday tweet .
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise ( R. , La . )
expressed support for Steil ’ s bill in a Monday evening interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity .
Scalise criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) for pushing to include money for the Kennedy Center in the package , saying that it `` shows [ her ] misplaced priorities . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ up for days to get her pet projects , including the money for the Kennedy Center , '' Scalise said .
`` Interesting she ’ d use the choice of words , ‘ fiddlers , ' because it was the fiddlers , the violin players , all the musicians at the Kennedy Center that got laid off right as the bill was signed .
They ought to give that money back , '' he added in reference to Pelosi 's Sunday morning attacks on President Trump .
The orchestra filed a grievance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violated its contract , which stipulates that artists be given at least six-weeks notice before laying off the members .
They were informed of the layoffs just a week in advance .
`` While the Union understands that the Kennedy Center has decided to cancel all performances through May 10 , 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic , those cancellations do not give the Association any contractual basis for failing to comply with the sections of the [ agreement ] , '' the grievance says .
Pelosi faced bipartisan criticism for including provisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stimulus bill , including the Kennedy Center money .
The organization argued that it needed the money in order to reopen when the pandemic passes .
`` Our workforce includes artists , programmers , administrative and production staff , ushers , bartenders , food service employees , parking attendants , and many more , all of whom have been impacted or will soon be impacted by the closure of the Kennedy Center , '' the organization said in a statement .
`` The ability to deliver on our mandated mission is at risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding is the only way we will be in a position to reopen the nation ’ s cultural center when our government officials tell us it is safe to do so . ''
The stimulus legislation provided $ 25 million to `` cover operating expenses required to ensure the continuity of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and its affiliates , including for employee compensation and benefits , grants , contracts , payments for rent or utilities , fees for artists or performers . ''
The Kennedy Center is scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can continue spending stimulus funds through September 2021 .
Update 4:50 p.m. : This piece has been updated to include a public statement from the Kennedy Center .

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday laid off approximately 20 administrative staffers who support the National Symphony Orchestra. The announcement comes just four days after President Donald Trump signed a stimulus bill that provided $25 million in relief funds for the cultural institution.
The news, which was delivered on an all-staff conference call organized by the National Symphony Orchestra's executive director Gary Ginstling, followed another announcement from Kennedy Center president Deborah Rutter on Friday indicating that National Symphony Orchestra musicians would stop receiving paychecks after April 3—a move that infuriated the musicians, whose union immediately filed a grievance and spurred GOP lawmakers to begin trying to claw back the money sent to the organization in the stimulus package.
The Kennedy Center, which did not return multiple requests for comment prior to publication, defended the recent layoffs and outlined a projected breakdown of its bailout money on Tuesday afternoon. Rutter said in an email to supporters obtained by the Free Beacon that the center plans to spend $12.75 million on employee compensation and another $7.5 million on health benefits. Despite having an endowment of nearly $100 million, the arts organization claims it will run out of funds by July even if it reopens on schedule in May.
"It is imperative that we scale back the entire institution’s personnel costs during this time of closure and dearth of ticket income," Rutter said. "If no changes are made to our spending patterns, even if we are able to open in mid-May, with the recent $25 million federal stimulus funding, the Kennedy Center would run out of cash as early as July."
Rutter had previously defended the cuts, saying in a Saturday statement that the decision to stop paying musicians "may seem drastic," but that it was "the only way through this." She warned then that future layoffs could come.
A veteran orchestra member who requested anonymity said the speed with which the organization has dropped employees gives the impression that leadership misled Congress when it lobbied for the multimillion dollar bailout. "It's starting to look like the Kennedy Center knew it was going to lay everyone off even before they lobbied for funds in the bailout," this person told the Free Beacon. "That's very disturbing and a huge hit to morale. I'm not sure how we can trust our leadership after this."
Republican lawmakers are pushing to rescind the bailout in the wake of the layoffs. Rep. Bryan Steil (R., Wis.) has introduced legislation that would revoke the $25 million awarded to the cultural center in the $2 trillion bailout package signed last week, known as the CARES Act, which provides relief to those left unemployed by the coronavirus pandemic.
"This money should be spent fighting the virus or in taxpayers' pockets," Steil wrote in a Tuesday tweet.
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R., La.) expressed support for Steil’s bill in a Monday evening interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity. Scalise criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) for pushing to include money for the Kennedy Center in the package, saying that it "shows [her] misplaced priorities."
"Nancy Pelosi literally held the bill up for days to get her pet projects, including the money for the Kennedy Center," Scalise said.
"Interesting she’d use the choice of words, ‘fiddlers,' because it was the fiddlers, the violin players, all the musicians at the Kennedy Center that got laid off right as the bill was signed. They ought to give that money back," he added in reference to Pelosi's Sunday morning attacks on President Trump.
The orchestra filed a grievance, released Saturday, saying that the center violated its contract, which stipulates that artists be given at least six-weeks notice before laying off the members. They were informed of the layoffs just a week in advance.
"While the Union understands that the Kennedy Center has decided to cancel all performances through May 10, 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, those cancellations do not give the Association any contractual basis for failing to comply with the sections of the [agreement]," the grievance says.
Pelosi faced bipartisan criticism for including provisions unrelated to the coronavirus crisis in her stimulus bill, including the Kennedy Center money. The organization argued that it needed the money in order to reopen when the pandemic passes.
"Our workforce includes artists, programmers, administrative and production staff, ushers, bartenders, food service employees, parking attendants, and many more, all of whom have been impacted or will soon be impacted by the closure of the Kennedy Center," the organization said in a statement. "The ability to deliver on our mandated mission is at risk. As a result, federal relief funding is the only way we will be in a position to reopen the nation’s cultural center when our government officials tell us it is safe to do so."
The stimulus legislation provided $25 million to "cover operating expenses required to ensure the continuity of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and its affiliates, including for employee compensation and benefits, grants, contracts, payments for rent or utilities, fees for artists or performers."
The Kennedy Center is scheduled to reopen on May 10, though it can continue spending stimulus funds through September 2021.
Update 4:50 p.m.: This piece has been updated to include a public statement from the Kennedy Center.


freebeacon--2020-03-31--Pelosi Pushes Tax Cut for the Wealthy as Coronavirus Stimulus

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D. , Calif. ) said Monday that she would like to see the next coronavirus stimulus bill include provisions that would hand millions of dollars to the super-wealthy .
Pelosi told the New York Times in an interview that , as part of the next round of fiscal stimulus , she would like to `` retroactively undo SALT , '' referring to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 's capping of the federal deductibility of state and local taxes at $ 10,000 .
The `` undoing '' would apply retroactively for 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Times that it would be `` tailored to focus on middle-class earners and include limitations on the higher end . ''
Repealing the SALT cap has been a major goal for representatives from states with high taxes , especially Democratic strongholds like New York , New Jersey , Illinois , and Pelosi 's own state , California .
Pelosi 's push for its repeal makes for another case of Democrats ' use of the coronavirus crisis to push long-standing policy goals—in this case , a change that would give millions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The proposal comes as many on Capitol Hill mull a follow up to the $ 2 trillion coronavirus stimulus passed last week .
That bill targeted aid to those most in need , giving direct cash payments to individuals making under $ 75,000 a year and substantially expanding federal support for unemployment insurance .
Removing the SALT cap , by contrast , would almost exclusively benefit those least in need , Joshua McCabe , a welfare policy expert and professor at Endicott College , told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SALT deduction in general but I ca n't think of a single tax expert who would defend removing the current cap—especially retroactively—as a stimulus measure , '' McCabe said .
`` It 's almost the exact opposite of what Congress was trying to do with the phase three rebates .
Rather than provide relief to the bottom 85 percent of Americans , this proposal would shower almost all the benefits on the top 15 percent of taxpayers—those who need it least . ''
Data from the nonpartisan congressional Joint Committee on Taxation quantify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those making $ 50,000 per year or less would see no effect on their tax bill , while those making as much as $ 200,000 to $ 500,000 would see a reduction of only $ 177 on average .
Those making an annual income of $ 1 million or more , by contrast , would experience a savings of $ 58,636 on average .
This disparity is much of why Republicans pushed for the SALT cap in the 2017 TCJA .
High-earning households already have much larger state and local tax bills , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SALT credit .
They are also much more likely to itemize , rather than take the standard deduction : Only about 13 percent of all taxpayers itemize , but among the top 1 percent , 9 in 10 do .
While the wealthy would benefit from a SALT cap repeal , federal revenues would take a major hit .
The Tax Policy Center estimated that repealing in 2018 would have cost the federal government $ 620 billion in lost tax revenue over the following 10 years .
In McCabe 's view , Pelosi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she has been forced to walk a narrow line between her party 's more moderate and more radical factions .
`` Last week , she spent much of her time trying to please the progressive wing of the party by floating radical amendments to the relief bill , '' he said .
`` This week , she is trying to please representatives of wealthy suburbs by proposing reinstating their special tax benefits .
It 's not an enviable position . ''
Pelosi previously delayed passage of the third round of coronavirus stimulus by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diversity mandates and targeted subsidies than with addressing the coronavirus .
Other Democrats have followed her lead—Sen .
Patty Murray ( D. , Wash. ) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro ( D. , Conn. ) used the cover of the disease to reintroduce the same paid sick leave bill they have floated annually since 2004 .

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) said Monday that she would like to see the next coronavirus stimulus bill include provisions that would hand millions of dollars to the super-wealthy.
Pelosi told the New York Times in an interview that, as part of the next round of fiscal stimulus, she would like to "retroactively undo SALT," referring to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act's capping of the federal deductibility of state and local taxes at $10,000. The "undoing" would apply retroactively for 2018 and 2019, although a Pelosi spokesman told the Times that it would be "tailored to focus on middle-class earners and include limitations on the higher end."
Repealing the SALT cap has been a major goal for representatives from states with high taxes, especially Democratic strongholds like New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and Pelosi's own state, California. Pelosi's push for its repeal makes for another case of Democrats' use of the coronavirus crisis to push long-standing policy goals—in this case, a change that would give millions in tax dollars back to the ultra-wealthy.
The proposal comes as many on Capitol Hill mull a follow up to the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus passed last week. That bill targeted aid to those most in need, giving direct cash payments to individuals making under $75,000 a year and substantially expanding federal support for unemployment insurance.
Removing the SALT cap, by contrast, would almost exclusively benefit those least in need, Joshua McCabe, a welfare policy expert and professor at Endicott College, told the Washington Free Beacon.
"There is some disagreement on the merits of the SALT deduction in general but I can't think of a single tax expert who would defend removing the current cap—especially retroactively—as a stimulus measure," McCabe said. "It's almost the exact opposite of what Congress was trying to do with the phase three rebates. Rather than provide relief to the bottom 85 percent of Americans, this proposal would shower almost all the benefits on the top 15 percent of taxpayers—those who need it least."
Data from the nonpartisan congressional Joint Committee on Taxation quantify the disparity. The committee estimates that those making $50,000 per year or less would see no effect on their tax bill, while those making as much as $200,000 to $500,000 would see a reduction of only $177 on average. Those making an annual income of $1 million or more, by contrast, would experience a savings of $58,636 on average.
This disparity is much of why Republicans pushed for the SALT cap in the 2017 TCJA. High-earning households already have much larger state and local tax bills, so they will necessarily enjoy a larger SALT credit. They are also much more likely to itemize, rather than take the standard deduction: Only about 13 percent of all taxpayers itemize, but among the top 1 percent, 9 in 10 do.
While the wealthy would benefit from a SALT cap repeal, federal revenues would take a major hit. The Tax Policy Center estimated that repealing in 2018 would have cost the federal government $620 billion in lost tax revenue over the following 10 years.
In McCabe's view, Pelosi's floating of SALT repeal reveals how she has been forced to walk a narrow line between her party's more moderate and more radical factions.
"Last week, she spent much of her time trying to please the progressive wing of the party by floating radical amendments to the relief bill," he said. "This week, she is trying to please representatives of wealthy suburbs by proposing reinstating their special tax benefits. It's not an enviable position."
Pelosi previously delayed passage of the third round of coronavirus stimulus by pushing a 1,400-page bill preoccupied more with diversity mandates and targeted subsidies than with addressing the coronavirus. Other Democrats have followed her lead—Sen. Patty Murray (D., Wash.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D., Conn.) used the cover of the disease to reintroduce the same paid sick leave bill they have floated annually since 2004.


freebeacon--2020-03-31--U.S. Army Corps to Build Hundreds of Temporary Hospitals for Coronavirus Crisis

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK ( Reuters ) – U.S. officials want to build hundreds of temporary hospitals across the country to cope with the thousands of new coronavirus cases being diagnosed daily after the United States endured its deadliest day yet on Monday with 575 fatalities .
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , which converted a New York convention center into a 1,000-bed hospital in the space of a week , is searching for hotels , dormitories , convention centers and large open space to build as many as 341 temporary hospitals , the chief of corps said on Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lieutenant General Todd Semonite of the corps told the ABC News `` Good Morning America '' program .
`` We ’ re looking right now at around 341 different facilities across all of the United States . ''
The U.S. caseload rose by more than 20,000 confirmed cases on Monday , overwhelming hospitals that are running out of doctors , nurses , medical equipment and protective gear .
The number of U.S. dead climbed past 3,000 , more than the number who died in the attacks of Sept. 11 , 2001 , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to a Reuters tally of official statistics .
U.S. officials estimate the death toll could reach 100,000 to 200,000 .
The corps , the engineering arm of the U.S. Army , joined with New York state officials to convert New York ’ s Jacob Javits Convention Center into a facility to treat non-coronavirus patients .
The conversion will relieve the pressure on hospitals treating patients with COVID-19 , the respiratory ailment caused by the novel coronavirus .
In addition , construction of a 68-bed field hospital began on Sunday in Manhattan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Mount Sinai Health System and non-profit organization Samaritan ’ s Purse , the makeshift facility is expected to begin accepting patients on Tuesday , Mayor Bill de Blasio said .
The converted convention center is blocks away from the pier where the U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort docked on Monday .
The floating hospital will take up to 1,000 non-coronavirus patients starting on Tuesday .
Another temporary New York hospital is planned for the Arthur Ashe Stadium where the U.S. Open tennis championship is played .
The temporary hospitals are aimed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20,000 hospital beds for coronavirus patients , de Blasio said .
The city is still short on doctors and nurses , and de Blasio asked the U.S. military for help .
`` We are going to need a lot more military presence .
We ’ re going to need a lot more help from the federal government , including medical personnel from the military , very , very quickly , '' de Blasio told NBC ’ s `` Today '' show .
`` I told that to President Trump .
We need folks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get ahead of that horrible onslaught we expect in the next week or two , '' de Blasio said .
In Los Angeles , the USNS Mercy , similar to the Comfort , is already treating patients .
Throughout California , the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations had nearly doubled over the past four days and the number of ICU patients had tripled , Governor Gavin Newsom said .
Authorities in New Orleans were setting up a field hospital at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – the same site where thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to handle an expected overflow of patients .
U.S. health officials are urging Americans to follow stay-at-home orders until the end of April to contain the spread of the virus , which originated in China and has infected about three-quarters of a million people around the world .
U.S .
Surgeon General Jerome Adams said he was frustrated to see people gathering in large groups , defying state orders and federal social distancing guidelines .
`` People need to stay at home , '' Adams told Fox News .
`` We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cities across the country – to mayors and to governors .
But we are not going to supply our way out of this problem .
The way we solve this problem is by everyone coming together , stopping the spread , by eliminating large gatherings , staying at home . ''
Reporting by Susan Heavey , Doina Chiacu and Barbara Goldbeg ; Writing by Daniel Trotta ; Editing by Frank McGurty and Howard Goller

By Susan Heavey and Barbara Goldberg
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. officials want to build hundreds of temporary hospitals across the country to cope with the thousands of new coronavirus cases being diagnosed daily after the United States endured its deadliest day yet on Monday with 575 fatalities.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which converted a New York convention center into a 1,000-bed hospital in the space of a week, is searching for hotels, dormitories, convention centers and large open space to build as many as 341 temporary hospitals, the chief of corps said on Tuesday.
"The scope is immense," Lieutenant General Todd Semonite of the corps told the ABC News "Good Morning America" program. "We’re looking right now at around 341 different facilities across all of the United States."
The U.S. caseload rose by more than 20,000 confirmed cases on Monday, overwhelming hospitals that are running out of doctors, nurses, medical equipment and protective gear.
The number of U.S. dead climbed past 3,000, more than the number who died in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, as the caseload rose to more than 163,000, according to a Reuters tally of official statistics.
U.S. officials estimate the death toll could reach 100,000 to 200,000.
The corps, the engineering arm of the U.S. Army, joined with New York state officials to convert New York’s Jacob Javits Convention Center into a facility to treat non-coronavirus patients. The conversion will relieve the pressure on hospitals treating patients with COVID-19, the respiratory ailment caused by the novel coronavirus.
In addition, construction of a 68-bed field hospital began on Sunday in Manhattan’s Central Park. Provided by the Mount Sinai Health System and non-profit organization Samaritan’s Purse, the makeshift facility is expected to begin accepting patients on Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
The converted convention center is blocks away from the pier where the U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort docked on Monday. The floating hospital will take up to 1,000 non-coronavirus patients starting on Tuesday. Another temporary New York hospital is planned for the Arthur Ashe Stadium where the U.S. Open tennis championship is played.
The temporary hospitals are aimed at freeing all of the city’s 20,000 hospital beds for coronavirus patients, de Blasio said. The city is still short on doctors and nurses, and de Blasio asked the U.S. military for help.
"We are going to need a lot more military presence. We’re going to need a lot more help from the federal government, including medical personnel from the military, very, very quickly," de Blasio told NBC’s "Today" show.
"I told that to President Trump. We need folks by Sunday, starting this Sunday, to get ahead of that horrible onslaught we expect in the next week or two," de Blasio said.
In Los Angeles, the USNS Mercy, similar to the Comfort, is already treating patients. Throughout California, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations had nearly doubled over the past four days and the number of ICU patients had tripled, Governor Gavin Newsom said.
Authorities in New Orleans were setting up a field hospital at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center - the same site where thousands of Hurricane Katrina refugees gathered in 2005 - to handle an expected overflow of patients.
U.S. health officials are urging Americans to follow stay-at-home orders until the end of April to contain the spread of the virus, which originated in China and has infected about three-quarters of a million people around the world.
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said he was frustrated to see people gathering in large groups, defying state orders and federal social distancing guidelines.
"People need to stay at home," Adams told Fox News. "We’re working around the clock to get supplies to cities across the country - to mayors and to governors. But we are not going to supply our way out of this problem. The way we solve this problem is by everyone coming together, stopping the spread, by eliminating large gatherings, staying at home."
Reporting by Susan Heavey, Doina Chiacu and Barbara Goldbeg; Writing by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Frank McGurty and Howard Goller


freebeacon--2020-04-01--What We Don’t Know About the Coronavirus Could Kill Us

As the novel coronavirus spreads through the country , states from New York to California have been forced to implement draconian public health measures , ordering citizens to remain in their homes and shutting down all nonessential businesses .
These policies are a response to the rapid spread of the disease , with the United States now reporting over 150,000 cases , more than any other country on earth ( although China and Iran are almost certainly lying about their statistics ) .
But the rules are also a response to a lack of knowledge about who has and has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forcing widespread lockdowns in light of reports that the virus may be spread even by people who are asymptomatic .
Widespread testing would address the specter of silent illness , but a dearth of tests has left the supplies largely reserved for the most ill .
This has left policymakers and the public laboring under what Atlantic staff writer Derek Thompson labeled `` the fog of pandemic . ''
Experts tell the Washington Free Beacon that figures key to modeling the pandemic—how many people contract the disease and are asymptomatic , or how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in turn , makes it hard to know how long an outbreak will last or where it will strike next , leaving public health authorities operating half-blind .
Until this situation is rectified , experts argue , America will remain in the dark .
Widespread testing , however , could help bring millions out of quarantine .
How many people are infected with SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes the disease COVID-19 ?
Recent figures indicate that there are about 175,000 confirmed cases in the United States , a precipitous increase from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , can not tell the whole story .
In total , just under a million Americans have received a test , about 3 in 1,000. Who gets a test is overwhelmingly determined by those showing symptoms .
Current CDC guidance recommends prioritizing those who are showing symptoms or , if testing resources are available , medical professionals and EMS workers .
New Yorkers need a doctor 's note to get tested , and public health authorities in both New York City and Los Angeles previously instructed doctors only to give tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of treatment .
The `` symptoms first '' approach saves lives .
Because it is not collected randomly , however , it also makes it harder to know how many cases there are nationwide and how quickly the disease is spreading .
`` In population disease surveillance , a key question that has to be answered is—how many cases does each identified case represent in the population ? ''
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya , a professor of medicine at Stanford , told the Free Beacon by email .
`` With non-systematically collected test data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that question with any degree of precision .
In the case of COVID-19 , it seems likely that the number of cases represented by each case is very different from state to state and even county to county . ''
Knowing the true prevalence of something in a population—eye color , height , or COVID-19 infection—would require either surveying the entire population or taking a random sample to estimate the share of the population with the trait .
Current testing , constrained by resources , does neither .
The United States ' slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because the number of tests has risen exponentially , it is hard to tease out how many cases added each day reflect new infections versus added testing capacity .
`` This is all a moving picture .
We did n't know how many cases we had with such limited testing , '' Dr. Laura Kahn , an internist and research scholar at Princeton 's Program on Science and Global Security , told the Free Beacon .
`` And now that that 's being ramped up , we 're getting more of an idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population , evidence of its incidence rate and new cases . ''
Such concerns have major ramifications for policymakers , who are used to relying on data to make projections and identify where resources are most needed .
`` We never have anything approaching perfect measurement for anything , and we always have to make decisions with imperfect information , '' Bhattacharya said .
`` The problem with the COVID-19 policy response is that we are making difficult-to-reverse policy decisions with momentous consequences in the face of uncertainty , without having made the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This uncertainty is part of what has paralyzed America .
State and federal policymakers have relied heavily on epidemiological models to predict the course of the disease , a piece of information they need in order to tell businesses when they can expect to reopen .
Daniel Crouch , a postdoctoral researcher in genetics and statistics at Oxford , told the Free Beacon that such models involve plugging in estimates of the disease 's prevalence and `` reproduction rate , '' the rate at which it reproduces by spreading itself , then accounting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affect spread .
Such models , however , hinge on variables like the share of patients who are asymptomatic and the share who have already recovered—all of which are unmeasurable with current data .
As Harvard economist James Stock noted in a paper released Monday , the nonrandomized approach to testing means that `` surprisingly little data exists '' to fill in these variables , leaving modelers to take shots in the dark .
Properly calibrated models would be invaluable to state-level policymakers looking to figure out if their states ' cases will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peter out , as those in Washington state appear to have done .
Absent a clear picture of how many people are or have been sick , however , everyone has to be treated as possibly infected—resulting in the blunt instrument of statewide lockdowns many Americans are currently experiencing .
Bhattacharya , along with two colleagues , has floated a solution : Take a random sample of the population and test them for the presence of COVID-19 antibodies in their bloodstream , a so-called serosurvey .
This would give experts a baseline of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and let them more precisely identify which places have already faced it and where it is still incubating .
`` It is definitely possible to organize a nationwide seroprevalence study which could give us an answer within two weeks given the will to fund it , '' Bhattacharya said .
`` Once we have that answer , we wo n't have to guess whether our view of reality is too optimistic or too pessimistic . ''
Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb has called for more expansive `` sentinel surveillance , '' adapting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) surveillance system to track COVID-19 hotspots .
The ILI system relies on hundreds of labs across the country to follow the incidence of influenza on a weekly basis .
A scaled-up system , Gottlieb has written , would be `` the foundation of widespread surveillance that will eventually turn COVID-19 into a more manageable threat , in advance of having a safe and effective vaccine . ''
`` Diagnostic test innovation to enable broad , timely access to appropriate testing , '' Gottlieb wrote , `` will enable a significant sustained reduction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implemented now , with their associated impact on the well-being of Americans and on economic activity . ''
In other words : The more we test , and the better data we have , the sooner a return to something like normalcy is possible .

As the novel coronavirus spreads through the country, states from New York to California have been forced to implement draconian public health measures, ordering citizens to remain in their homes and shutting down all nonessential businesses.
These policies are a response to the rapid spread of the disease, with the United States now reporting over 150,000 cases, more than any other country on earth (although China and Iran are almost certainly lying about their statistics). But the rules are also a response to a lack of knowledge about who has and has not been infected by the coronavirus, forcing widespread lockdowns in light of reports that the virus may be spread even by people who are asymptomatic.
Widespread testing would address the specter of silent illness, but a dearth of tests has left the supplies largely reserved for the most ill. This has left policymakers and the public laboring under what Atlantic staff writer Derek Thompson labeled "the fog of pandemic." Experts tell the Washington Free Beacon that figures key to modeling the pandemic—how many people contract the disease and are asymptomatic, or how many have already recovered—remain elusive.
This, in turn, makes it hard to know how long an outbreak will last or where it will strike next, leaving public health authorities operating half-blind. Until this situation is rectified, experts argue, America will remain in the dark. Widespread testing, however, could help bring millions out of quarantine.
How many people are infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the disease COVID-19? Recent figures indicate that there are about 175,000 confirmed cases in the United States, a precipitous increase from 98 on March 1. Those numbers, however, cannot tell the whole story.
In total, just under a million Americans have received a test, about 3 in 1,000. Who gets a test is overwhelmingly determined by those showing symptoms. Current CDC guidance recommends prioritizing those who are showing symptoms or, if testing resources are available, medical professionals and EMS workers. New Yorkers need a doctor's note to get tested, and public health authorities in both New York City and Los Angeles previously instructed doctors only to give tests when doing so would change the course of treatment.
The "symptoms first" approach saves lives. Because it is not collected randomly, however, it also makes it harder to know how many cases there are nationwide and how quickly the disease is spreading.
"In population disease surveillance, a key question that has to be answered is—how many cases does each identified case represent in the population?" Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a professor of medicine at Stanford, told the Free Beacon by email. "With non-systematically collected test data, it is almost impossible to answer that question with any degree of precision. In the case of COVID-19, it seems likely that the number of cases represented by each case is very different from state to state and even county to county."
Knowing the true prevalence of something in a population—eye color, height, or COVID-19 infection—would require either surveying the entire population or taking a random sample to estimate the share of the population with the trait. Current testing, constrained by resources, does neither.
That means that only severe cases are getting counted. Many COVID-19 patients, particularly children, have only mild symptoms and are told to convalesce at home, untested and uncounted. So little is known about the scope of asymptomatic infections that estimates range anywhere from 18 to 86 percent.
The United States' slow ramp-up in testing creates related challenges. Because the number of tests has risen exponentially, it is hard to tease out how many cases added each day reflect new infections versus added testing capacity.
"This is all a moving picture. We didn't know how many cases we had with such limited testing," Dr. Laura Kahn, an internist and research scholar at Princeton's Program on Science and Global Security, told the Free Beacon. "And now that that's being ramped up, we're getting more of an idea of how prevalent it is in the population, evidence of its incidence rate and new cases."
Such concerns have major ramifications for policymakers, who are used to relying on data to make projections and identify where resources are most needed.
"We never have anything approaching perfect measurement for anything, and we always have to make decisions with imperfect information," Bhattacharya said. "The problem with the COVID-19 policy response is that we are making difficult-to-reverse policy decisions with momentous consequences in the face of uncertainty, without having made the attempt to resolve that uncertainty."
This uncertainty is part of what has paralyzed America. State and federal policymakers have relied heavily on epidemiological models to predict the course of the disease, a piece of information they need in order to tell businesses when they can expect to reopen. Daniel Crouch, a postdoctoral researcher in genetics and statistics at Oxford, told the Free Beacon that such models involve plugging in estimates of the disease's prevalence and "reproduction rate," the rate at which it reproduces by spreading itself, then accounting for how herd immunity and public policy affect spread.
Such models, however, hinge on variables like the share of patients who are asymptomatic and the share who have already recovered—all of which are unmeasurable with current data. As Harvard economist James Stock noted in a paper released Monday, the nonrandomized approach to testing means that "surprisingly little data exists" to fill in these variables, leaving modelers to take shots in the dark.
Properly calibrated models would be invaluable to state-level policymakers looking to figure out if their states' cases will explode, like New York, or peter out, as those in Washington state appear to have done. Absent a clear picture of how many people are or have been sick, however, everyone has to be treated as possibly infected—resulting in the blunt instrument of statewide lockdowns many Americans are currently experiencing.
Bhattacharya, along with two colleagues, has floated a solution: Take a random sample of the population and test them for the presence of COVID-19 antibodies in their bloodstream, a so-called serosurvey. This would give experts a baseline of how many people have had the disease and let them more precisely identify which places have already faced it and where it is still incubating.
"It is definitely possible to organize a nationwide seroprevalence study which could give us an answer within two weeks given the will to fund it," Bhattacharya said. "Once we have that answer, we won't have to guess whether our view of reality is too optimistic or too pessimistic."
Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb has called for more expansive "sentinel surveillance," adapting the CDC's influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance system to track COVID-19 hotspots. The ILI system relies on hundreds of labs across the country to follow the incidence of influenza on a weekly basis. A scaled-up system, Gottlieb has written, would be "the foundation of widespread surveillance that will eventually turn COVID-19 into a more manageable threat, in advance of having a safe and effective vaccine."
"Diagnostic test innovation to enable broad, timely access to appropriate testing," Gottlieb wrote, "will enable a significant sustained reduction in the intensive physical isolation measures being implemented now, with their associated impact on the well-being of Americans and on economic activity."
In other words: The more we test, and the better data we have, the sooner a return to something like normalcy is possible.


freebeacon--2020-04-01--States, Abortion Clinics Fight for Medical Supplies During Coronavirus Pandemic

Abortion providers in a half dozen states are fighting to stay open as local authorities argue that medial supplies need to be conserved to combat the coronavirus pandemic .
Those providers have filed lawsuits in the wake of orders from six Republican governors asking abortion facilities to suspend service .
The governors cited the need to preserve items like gloves , eyewear , shoe covers , and disposable gowns .
Disputes over the issue are briskly moving through the federal courts and could reach the Supreme Court in short order .
Authorities in those states—Texas , Ohio , Alabama , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical staff are critically short on supplies ahead of an anticipated surge of coronavirus hospitalizations , and that they need to take extreme measures to ensure they have enough equipment on hand .
Three federal judges have disagreed , finding states can not discontinue abortion access , the crisis notwithstanding .
The disputes follow other far-reaching orders that require nonessential businesses to close and citizens to shelter in place .
Though state and local officials have broad police powers to curtail constitutional rights during the pandemic , the time-sensitive nature of pregnancy might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providers .
The time factor , as well as the success of pro-choice plaintiffs amid restrictions on worship and travel , shows courts treat abortion as unique among constitutional rights .
Texas implemented the most restrictive of the contested orders .
Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order on March 22 directing providers to `` postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately necessary to correct a serious medical condition . ''
Texas attorney general Ken Paxton then advised that the executive order also applies to abortions .
Failure to comply can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six months in jail , and the loss or suspension of a medical license .
Texas-based abortion providers sued in federal court .
The providers said in legal filings they have already canceled appointments and procedures , and anticipate hundreds of additional cancelations if the attorney general 's guidance is vindicated .
They also say that limiting abortion access simply shifts the burden of care onto hospitals , contrary to the state 's stated goal .
`` The State 's actions violate nearly five decades of Supreme Court precedent that categorically prohibits states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are , therefore , unconstitutional , '' the providers ' lawsuit reads .
State lawyers counter that the restriction is necessary to redirect supplies to the front lines of the pandemic , where health care workers must be protected from infection to avoid systemic collapse .
They also fear clinics are contributing to the spread of COVID-19 , since patients travel from all over Texas to terminate pregnancies , and clinic staff do not ordinarily wear N95 masks to protect against transmission .
`` The right to abortion does not have preeminence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are being temporarily curtailed , '' one filing reads .
U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel sided with the abortion facilities on Monday .
`` Regarding a woman 's right to a pre-fetal-viability abortion , the Supreme Court has spoken clearly .
There can be no outright ban on such a procedure , '' Yeakel wrote .
`` This court will not speculate on whether the Supreme Court included a silent ‘ except-in-a-national-emergency clause ' in its previous writings on the issue .
Only the Supreme Court may restrict the breadth of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Fifth U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals put a temporary stay on Yeakel 's order on Tuesday over the dissent of Judge James Dennis .
The court said it wants `` sufficient time '' to consider Texas 's emergency appeal .
It 's not clear how long the stay will remain in place .
The Fifth Circuit asked Texas and the providers for new filings on the state 's request for a stay by Wednesday .
A decision as to whether or how long the hold will remain in place will follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeal the Fifth Circuit 's decision .
As such , the Texas case could reach the Supreme Court in a matter of days .
The justices can resolve that appeal remotely .
A spokeswoman for the Supreme Court has said that the justices have conducted remote private conferences twice in recent weeks , with Chief Justice John Roberts presiding from the Court while other justices participate by phone .
Federal judges in Alabama and Ohio have similarly blocked state orders curtailing abortion access during the pandemic .
This is the third article in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to COVID-19 .
The first and second pieces are available here and here .

Abortion providers in a half dozen states are fighting to stay open as local authorities argue that medial supplies need to be conserved to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Those providers have filed lawsuits in the wake of orders from six Republican governors asking abortion facilities to suspend service. The governors cited the need to preserve items like gloves, eyewear, shoe covers, and disposable gowns. Disputes over the issue are briskly moving through the federal courts and could reach the Supreme Court in short order.
Authorities in those states—Texas, Ohio, Alabama, Iowa, Mississippi, and Oklahoma—say frontline medical staff are critically short on supplies ahead of an anticipated surge of coronavirus hospitalizations, and that they need to take extreme measures to ensure they have enough equipment on hand. Three federal judges have disagreed, finding states cannot discontinue abortion access, the crisis notwithstanding.
The disputes follow other far-reaching orders that require nonessential businesses to close and citizens to shelter in place. Though state and local officials have broad police powers to curtail constitutional rights during the pandemic, the time-sensitive nature of pregnancy might skew the balance in favor of abortion providers. The time factor, as well as the success of pro-choice plaintiffs amid restrictions on worship and travel, shows courts treat abortion as unique among constitutional rights.
Texas implemented the most restrictive of the contested orders. Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order on March 22 directing providers to "postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately necessary to correct a serious medical condition." Texas attorney general Ken Paxton then advised that the executive order also applies to abortions. Failure to comply can result in a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, and the loss or suspension of a medical license.
Texas-based abortion providers sued in federal court. The providers said in legal filings they have already canceled appointments and procedures, and anticipate hundreds of additional cancellations if the attorney general's guidance is vindicated. They also say that limiting abortion access simply shifts the burden of care onto hospitals, contrary to the state's stated goal.
"The State's actions violate nearly five decades of Supreme Court precedent that categorically prohibits states from banning abortion before viability, and they are, therefore, unconstitutional," the providers' lawsuit reads.
State lawyers counter that the restriction is necessary to redirect supplies to the front lines of the pandemic, where health care workers must be protected from infection to avoid systemic collapse. They also fear clinics are contributing to the spread of COVID-19, since patients travel from all over Texas to terminate pregnancies, and clinic staff do not ordinarily wear N95 masks to protect against transmission.
"The right to abortion does not have preeminence over all of the other individual liberties that are being temporarily curtailed," one filing reads.
U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel sided with the abortion facilities on Monday.
"Regarding a woman's right to a pre-fetal-viability abortion, the Supreme Court has spoken clearly. There can be no outright ban on such a procedure," Yeakel wrote. "This court will not speculate on whether the Supreme Court included a silent 'except-in-a-national-emergency clause' in its previous writings on the issue. Only the Supreme Court may restrict the breadth of its rulings."
A three-judge panel of the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals put a temporary stay on Yeakel's order on Tuesday over the dissent of Judge James Dennis. The court said it wants "sufficient time" to consider Texas's emergency appeal.
It's not clear how long the stay will remain in place. The Fifth Circuit asked Texas and the providers for new filings on the state's request for a stay by Wednesday. A decision as to whether or how long the hold will remain in place will follow shortly thereafter.
The losing party can appeal the Fifth Circuit's decision. As such, the Texas case could reach the Supreme Court in a matter of days.
The justices can resolve that appeal remotely. A spokeswoman for the Supreme Court has said that the justices have conducted remote private conferences twice in recent weeks, with Chief Justice John Roberts presiding from the Court while other justices participate by phone.
Federal judges in Alabama and Ohio have similarly blocked state orders curtailing abortion access during the pandemic.
This is the third article in a series examining legal issues arising due to COVID-19. The first and second pieces are available here and here.


freebeacon--2020-04-01--L.A., North Carolina Sheriffs Back off Gun Shutdowns

Sheriffs in California and North Carolina reversed course Monday and lifted emergency policies that prevented people from purchasing firearms .
Los Angeles County sheriff Alex Villanueva ( D. ) announced he would allow gun dealers to reopen .
Wake County , North Carolina , sheriff Gerald Baker ( D. ) reached an agreement to reopen the pistol purchase permit process .
Second Amendment activists had launched lawsuits against both sheriffs over their attempts to prevent firearm purchases during the national coronavirus outbreak .
Gun-rights activists and retailers have been at the forefront of several legal battles as they seek to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ curtail civil liberties to fight the coronavirus .
While most of the lawsuits are still making their way through the courts , state and local officials have walked back shutdown attempts .
In March , Pennsylvania , Delaware , and New Jersey all reopened gun stores in a limited capacity after attempting to implement statewide shutdowns .
The Second Amendment Foundation ( SAF ) led a coalition of activists , including the California Gun Rights Foundation , National Rifle Association , and Firearms Policy Coalition , to file lawsuits across California .
SAF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategy forced the hands of local officials .
`` Our lawsuits had a direct impact on their reversals , '' Gottlieb told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` This is about winning firearms freedom one lawsuit at a time . ''
Gun-rights activists have used a combination of lawsuits and lobbying to convince most jurisdictions to preserve gun sales during the pandemic .
Advocates successfully petitioned the Department of Homeland Security to include the industry in the federal `` essential '' business guidelines issued to state and local governments .
Sheriff Villanueva cited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen gun stores .
`` Although explicitly advisory in nature , nonetheless the federal memorandum is persuasive given its national scope , '' Villanueva said of the updated DHS guidance .
`` Based on this further input from the federal government , the Los Angeles County Sheriff 's Department will not order or recommend closure of businesses that sell or repair firearms or sell ammunition . ''
While gun-rights groups have praised the updated federal guidance and celebrated the reopening of gun stores , gun-control groups have criticized both developments .
`` During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the health and safety of all Americans—not the bottom line of the gun industry , '' Adam Skaggs , Giffords Law Center chief counsel , said in a statement .
`` Public health experts are the ones best positioned to make vital choices about what businesses should remain open for our nation 's well being .
The Administration 's guidance should reflect that , without limiting the options for local and state officials to take necessary actions that can limit the spread of the coronavirus and save lives . ''
The spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little time for Second Amendment groups to celebrate policy or legal victories .
The Virginia Citizens Defense League threatened to sue Governor Ralph Northam ( D. ) on Friday if he does not reverse a shutdown of indoor gun ranges .
The NRA , SAF , and Firearms Policy Coalition filed a new federal case against a group of Northern California officials on Tuesday over their shutdowns .
`` Local governments are n't promoting safety or ‘ common sense ' by targeting gun stores for closure ; the closures only serve to disarm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Jason Ouimet , executive director of the NRA 's Institute for Legislative Action , said in a statement .
`` Because these closures violate our Second Amendment rights when we need them most , the National Rifle Association continues to fight such infringements in court alongside fellow Second Amendment groups . ''

Sheriffs in California and North Carolina reversed course Monday and lifted emergency policies that prevented people from purchasing firearms.
Los Angeles County sheriff Alex Villanueva (D.) announced he would allow gun dealers to reopen. Wake County, North Carolina, sheriff Gerald Baker (D.) reached an agreement to reopen the pistol purchase permit process. Second Amendment activists had launched lawsuits against both sheriffs over their attempts to prevent firearm purchases during the national coronavirus outbreak.
Gun-rights activists and retailers have been at the forefront of several legal battles as they seek to keep stores open while government agencies temporarily curtail civil liberties to fight the coronavirus. While most of the lawsuits are still making their way through the courts, state and local officials have walked back shutdown attempts. In March, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey all reopened gun stores in a limited capacity after attempting to implement statewide shutdowns.
The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) led a coalition of activists, including the California Gun Rights Foundation, National Rifle Association, and Firearms Policy Coalition, to file lawsuits across California. SAF founder Alan Gottlieb said the aggressive legal strategy forced the hands of local officials.
"Our lawsuits had a direct impact on their reversals," Gottlieb told the Washington Free Beacon. "This is about winning firearms freedom one lawsuit at a time."
Gun-rights activists have used a combination of lawsuits and lobbying to convince most jurisdictions to preserve gun sales during the pandemic. Advocates successfully petitioned the Department of Homeland Security to include the industry in the federal "essential" business guidelines issued to state and local governments. Sheriff Villanueva cited those recommendations when he announced he would reopen gun stores.
"Although explicitly advisory in nature, nonetheless the federal memorandum is persuasive given its national scope," Villanueva said of the updated DHS guidance. "Based on this further input from the federal government, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department will not order or recommend closure of businesses that sell or repair firearms or sell ammunition."
While gun-rights groups have praised the updated federal guidance and celebrated the reopening of gun stores, gun-control groups have criticized both developments.
"During this crisis, we should be focused on the health and safety of all Americans—not the bottom line of the gun industry," Adam Skaggs, Giffords Law Center chief counsel, said in a statement. "Public health experts are the ones best positioned to make vital choices about what businesses should remain open for our nation's well being. The Administration's guidance should reflect that, without limiting the options for local and state officials to take necessary actions that can limit the spread of the coronavirus and save lives."
The spread of the coronavirus—and corresponding lockdown orders—has left little time for Second Amendment groups to celebrate policy or legal victories. The Virginia Citizens Defense League threatened to sue Governor Ralph Northam (D.) on Friday if he does not reverse a shutdown of indoor gun ranges. The NRA, SAF, and Firearms Policy Coalition filed a new federal case against a group of Northern California officials on Tuesday over their shutdowns.
"Local governments aren't promoting safety or 'common sense' by targeting gun stores for closure; the closures only serve to disarm law-abiding families while criminals roam free," Jason Ouimet, executive director of the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action, said in a statement. "Because these closures violate our Second Amendment rights when we need them most, the National Rifle Association continues to fight such infringements in court alongside fellow Second Amendment groups."


freebeacon--2020-04-01--March Shatters Monthly Gun Sales Record as U.S. Faces Down Threat of Coronavirus

Gun sales exploded across the United States as the coronavirus pandemic spread , with retailers experiencing the highest sales volume in recorded history .
More than 2.5 million guns were sold in March as fears over the effects of the coronavirus spread , according to an analysis of FBI background check data released Wednesday by Small Arms Analytics and Forecasting ( SAAF ) .
The buying craze marked the busiest month on record for gun stores , even as some faced shutdown orders from state and local authorities .
The record-setting monthly sales nearly doubled the 1.4 million guns sold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the National Shooting Sports Foundation ( NSSF ) , the firearms industry 's trade group , reached the same conclusion .
`` Our adjusted numbers are the largest month on record , '' Mark Oliva , a spokesman for the group , told the Washington Free Beacon .
Concerns about the coronavirus—which has resulted in the release of certain prisoners , reduced enforcement of certain laws , and reduced police force numbers—drove Americans to their local gun stores and online ammunition dealers at a pace unseen before by many in the industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some states by the closure of gun stores .
The high demand from Americans in the time of crisis has been repeatedly cited by gun-rights groups as they 've sought to challenge shutdown orders in court .
Alan Gottlieb , founder of the Second Amendment Foundation , which has filed multiple suits against closures across the country , said he was not surprised by the record sales .
`` This is no surprise , '' he said in an email .
`` With a major uncharted health crisis that could result in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inmates being let out of prison .
With attempts to shut down gun stores and close down the ability of people to obtain firearms and ammunition for self-defense , [ this is ] what you would expect . ''
The SAAF and NSSF reports are based on raw numbers of background checks run through the FBI 's National Instant Criminal Background Check System ( NICS ) .
The groups use labeling by the FBI to determine which background checks are related to actual gun sales and which are conducted for gun-carry permits or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represent a one-to-one sales number because not all gun sales in the United States require a NICS check and some NICS checks can cover the sale of multiple firearms .
It is , however , the most accurate estimate available since nearly all sales conducted by licensed gun dealers must go through a NICS check .
`` Much of the industry 's inventory will have been depleted , so that we anticipate that weapons and ammunition prices increased as well , '' Brauer said in a statement .
`` The spurt in firearms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for its handgun component : The ratio of handguns to long-guns sold now stands at a record 1.84 , the highest ratio since the introduction of the NICS checks in late 1998 . ''

Gun sales exploded across the United States as the coronavirus pandemic spread, with retailers experiencing the highest sales volume in recorded history.
More than 2.5 million guns were sold in March as fears over the effects of the coronavirus spread, according to an analysis of FBI background check data released Wednesday by Small Arms Analytics and Forecasting (SAAF). The buying craze marked the busiest month on record for gun stores, even as some faced shutdown orders from state and local authorities. The record-setting monthly sales nearly doubled the 1.4 million guns sold in March 2019.
A separate analysis from the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the firearms industry's trade group, reached the same conclusion."Our adjusted numbers are the largest month on record," Mark Oliva, a spokesman for the group, told the Washington Free Beacon.
Concerns about the coronavirus—which has resulted in the release of certain prisoners, reduced enforcement of certain laws, and reduced police force numbers—drove Americans to their local gun stores and online ammunition dealers at a pace unseen before by many in the industry. The rush has been exacerbated in some states by the closure of gun stores. The high demand from Americans in the time of crisis has been repeatedly cited by gun-rights groups as they've sought to challenge shutdown orders in court.
Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, which has filed multiple suits against closures across the country, said he was not surprised by the record sales.
"This is no surprise," he said in an email. "With a major uncharted health crisis that could result in a collapse of social order. With criminal inmates being let out of prison. With attempts to shut down gun stores and close down the ability of people to obtain firearms and ammunition for self-defense, [this is] what you would expect."
Oliva said the numbers are proof more Americans than ever are putting a high value on their gun rights as the country faces the unknown.
"The figures are simply eye-popping," he said. "Retailers have been telling us that the overwhelming majority of those buying firearms over the last month have been first-time gun owners. This puts to rest America's thoughts on gun-control ideas."
The SAAF and NSSF reports are based on raw numbers of background checks run through the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The groups use labeling by the FBI to determine which background checks are related to actual gun sales and which are conducted for gun-carry permits or other reasons. The results do not represent a one-to-one sales number because not all gun sales in the United States require a NICS check and some NICS checks can cover the sale of multiple firearms. It is, however, the most accurate estimate available since nearly all sales conducted by licensed gun dealers must go through a NICS check.
Jurgen Brauer, chief economist for SAAF, said that while the numbers were expected to show a large coronavirus-related sales boom, they also indicate that inventory is likely low across the firearms industry. He expects prices to spike in April as gun manufacturers and stores work to replenish the shelves.
"Much of the industry's inventory will have been depleted, so that we anticipate that weapons and ammunition prices increased as well," Brauer said in a statement. "The spurt in firearms sales in March 2020 was particularly notable for its handgun component: The ratio of handguns to long-guns sold now stands at a record 1.84, the highest ratio since the introduction of the NICS checks in late 1998."
Oliva said the sales were evidence of how many Americans are preparing for whatever may come.


freebeacon--2020-04-01--Everyone Who ‘Celebrated’ America Leading the World in Coronavirus Cases Looks Like an Idiot Now, Es

Everyone Who ‘Celebrated’ America Leading the World in Coronavirus Cases Looks Like an Idiot Now, Especially Hillary

U.S. intelligence agencies are now reporting what has been obvious for weeks : When it comes to the coronavirus , as with many other things , the Chinese government is lying .
The communist regime has , in all likelihood , dramatically underreported the total number of infections and deaths in China .
That means the United States almost certainly does n't lead the world in coronavirus cases , as was widely reported last week , and almost as widely celebrated ( sarcastically ) by members of the media and Hillary Clinton .
Those people , especially Hillary Clinton , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they probably do n't , because much of the media 's coverage of the coronavirus pandemic—which began in China—has failed to demonstrate even a hint of skepticism about the Chinese government 's response .
Dozens of articles were published on what the United States can `` learn '' from China 's heroic efforts to contain the virus .
Meanwhile , some outlets were blatantly regurgitating Chinese talking points and propaganda .
Early coverage of the outbreak , for example , took the data coming out of China at face value and warned against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , President Trump 's decision to ban travel from China in early January was denounced as racist fear-mongering .
So-called experts assured us in op-eds and interviews that the coronavirus was no more dangerous than the flu .
Members of the media continue to go out of their way to earn the distrust of the American people , who are much more likely to say that Trump , for all his shortcomings , has done a better job of handling the crisis than the national media .
Snarky tweets `` celebrating '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in coronavirus cases certainly are n't helping .

U.S. intelligence agencies are now reporting what has been obvious for weeks: When it comes to the coronavirus, as with many other things, the Chinese government is lying. The communist regime has, in all likelihood, dramatically underreported the total number of infections and deaths in China.
That means the United States almost certainly doesn't lead the world in coronavirus cases, as was widely reported last week, and almost as widely celebrated (sarcastically) by members of the media and Hillary Clinton.
He did promise "America First." https://t.co/bzks3hqCUE — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 27, 2020
Those people, especially Hillary Clinton, should feel like idiots now. But they probably don't, because much of the media's coverage of the coronavirus pandemic—which began in China—has failed to demonstrate even a hint of skepticism about the Chinese government's response. Dozens of articles were published on what the United States can "learn" from China's heroic efforts to contain the virus. Meanwhile, some outlets were blatantly regurgitating Chinese talking points and propaganda.
Early coverage of the outbreak, for example, took the data coming out of China at face value and warned against an overly aggressive government response. For example, President Trump's decision to ban travel from China in early January was denounced as racist fear-mongering. So-called experts assured us in op-eds and interviews that the coronavirus was no more dangerous than the flu.
Members of the media continue to go out of their way to earn the distrust of the American people, who are much more likely to say that Trump, for all his shortcomings, has done a better job of handling the crisis than the national media. Snarky tweets "celebrating" America's status as the world leader in coronavirus cases certainly aren't helping.
The coronavirus is now the American virus https://t.co/eZnspOld9f pic.twitter.com/KRxC2KgOcg — The Verge (@verge) March 26, 2020
Opinion: Trump made us No. 1 — in the spread of a deadly disease https://t.co/CQKB4pRq3F — The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/MollyJongFast/status/1243327754432663553
Trump wanted to make America First-well he did it. Of the 175 countries that have the coronavirus, the US is #1 in terms of cases thanks to Trump's FAILED leadership. This is all Trump! pic.twitter.com/iByXBeHmK1 — (((DeanObeidallah))) (@DeanObeidallah) March 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/JoeNBC/status/1243281640882921482
The United States has passed China and Italy in coronavirus cases, a stark milestone as the US becomes the world's most infected nation https://t.co/3yGZgbBmQD — USA TODAY (@USATODAY) March 26, 2020
Just to be clear, @realDonaldTrump, we are not just the world leader in the number of infections, we have 4 times as many cases per capita as China—and only going up. https://t.co/0Ms0UAhnTp — Richard Stengel (@stengel) March 26, 2020
When Americans chanted 'We’re Number One!" in the past it was because we won the Olympics. Now 'We’re Number One!" because we’ve outstripped the world in confirmed cases of coronavirus. — Elizabeth Drew (@ElizabethDrewOH) March 26, 2020


freebeacon--2020-04-01--Massachusetts Shuts Down Gun Stores After Declaring Them ‘Essential’

`` Massachusetts is one of the states on our list to file suit against , '' Alan Gottlieb , founder of the Second Amendment Foundation , which has joined with other leading gun-rights organizations to sue jurisdictions across the country over shutdowns , told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` Our attorneys are working on it . ''
Baker 's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the decision .
The latest update to his coronavirus `` essential services '' list allows `` workers supporting the operation of firearm or ammunition product manufacturers , importers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not those at gun stores or ranges .
The National Shooting Sports Foundation ( NSSF ) , the firearms industry 's trade group , said the governor 's previous shutdown order had included gun retailers among those listed as `` essential . ''
The group called Baker 's amended order `` alarming . ''
Other states in the region , including Pennsylvania and New Jersey , have reopened gun stores and background check systems despite previous statewide closures .
`` This antipathy for the respect of the right of Massachusetts citizens to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counsel Lawrence G. Keane said in a statement .
`` Every other governor in New England is permitting their citizens the right to acquire a firearm .
Even the governors of New Jersey and Pennsylvania have now recognized the limits of their authority to infringe on fundamental American rights and reversed course . ''
Keane accused the governor of exploiting the coronavirus crisis to pursue an unrelated gun-control agenda .
`` Gov .
Baker 's using a health crisis to further an anti-gun agenda that denies Americans their rights is inexcusable , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials have argued that access to firearms is a constitutionally protected right that must be allowed .
They have thus far been able to convince federal and state officials to allow gun businesses to remain open through a combination of lobbying and legal action .
Gun-control groups , including Everytown for Gun Safety and Brady United , have launched lobbying campaigns asking state officials to close stores .

"Massachusetts is one of the states on our list to file suit against," Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, which has joined with other leading gun-rights organizations to sue jurisdictions across the country over shutdowns, told the Washington Free Beacon. "Our attorneys are working on it."
Baker's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the decision. The latest update to his coronavirus "essential services" list allows "workers supporting the operation of firearm or ammunition product manufacturers, importers, and distributors" to continue working but not those at gun stores or ranges.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the firearms industry's trade group, said the governor's previous shutdown order had included gun retailers among those listed as "essential." The group called Baker's amended order "alarming." Other states in the region, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, have reopened gun stores and background check systems despite previous statewide closures.
"This antipathy for the respect of the right of Massachusetts citizens to protect themselves is alarming," NSSF general counsel Lawrence G. Keane said in a statement. "Every other governor in New England is permitting their citizens the right to acquire a firearm. Even the governors of New Jersey and Pennsylvania have now recognized the limits of their authority to infringe on fundamental American rights and reversed course."
Keane accused the governor of exploiting the coronavirus crisis to pursue an unrelated gun-control agenda.
"Gov. Baker's using a health crisis to further an anti-gun agenda that denies Americans their rights is inexcusable," he said.
Gun-rights groups and industry officials have argued that access to firearms is a constitutionally protected right that must be allowed. They have thus far been able to convince federal and state officials to allow gun businesses to remain open through a combination of lobbying and legal action. Gun-control groups, including Everytown for Gun Safety and Brady United, have launched lobbying campaigns asking state officials to close stores.


freebeacon--2020-04-01--FLASHBACK: Watch the Media Downplay the Coronavirus

It was n't just the Trump administration .
As late as March , pundits and experts across the dial said @ @ @ @ @ and even less serious than the seasonal flu .
David Rutz is senior writer at @ @ @ @ @ He was previously a sports reporter for two years in Atlanta and has done freelance @ @ @ @ @ Post .
He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2010 and lives in Marietta , Ga. @ @ @ @ @ DavidRutz .
He can be reached at rutz @ freebeacon.com .

It wasn't just the Trump administration. As late as March, pundits and experts across the dial said the coronavirus was akin to and even less serious than the seasonal flu.
Published under: Coronavirus , SUPERcuts , Video


freebeacon--2020-04-01--FDA Spent $10K on Dog Urine Two Days After First U.S. Coronavirus Death

The FDA spent $ 10,000 on dog urine two days after the first coronavirus-related death in the United States .
The agency , through the Department of Health and Human Services , funneled $ 10,000 to the University of California , Davis , for `` control dog urine samples '' used to measure amino acid levels , according to federal spending disclosures .
The contract was awarded on March 2 , just two days after Washington state health officials announced the first death from coronavirus in the U.S. UC Davis advertised the dog urine study online the day after receiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may help `` understand the severity and duration of urinary amino acid loss in dogs that develop acquired Fanconi syndrome . ''
Fanconi syndrome is a rare kidney disorder that impacts both animals and humans , though the FDA-funded study does not deal with human cases .
The syndrome has been linked to a Chinese pet jerky , according to the Journal of Veterinary Medical Science .
The FDA has faced criticism over coronavirus testing inaction .
The agency in early February required private companies and public labs to use CDC-developed test kits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own .
Despite CDC reassurances , those tests initially malfunctioned , setting U.S. testing capacity and virus response back weeks .
Anthony Bellotti , president and founder of taxpayer watchdog group White Coat Waste Project , criticized the FDA 's response to the global pandemic .
He said the agency 's spending reflected misplaced priorities , arguing that its canine-related purchases distracted from its mission to protect American citizens .
`` Nothing better demonstrates FDA 's badly broken bureaucracy than the fact that just days after the first American … died from COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urine experiments instead of , say , buying 17,000 respirator masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 , or just about anything else really , '' Bellotti told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` This kind of reckless government spending is one of the reasons why the nation is so ill-prepared to fight the pandemic . ''
The FDA did not respond to a request for comment .
Government agencies like the FDA and National Institutes of Health have spent hundreds of billions of dollars on animal experimentation and other research , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on research each year .
Examples include experiments on crack-smoking monkeys and studies placing shrimp and turtles on treadmills , according to the White Coat Waste Project .
Sen. Joni Ernst ( R. , Iowa ) highlighted the turtle-on-a-treadmill study in a March Senate floor speech criticizing the spending decisions .
`` To no one 's surprise , it turns out that turtles are really , really slow .
That 's what our tax dollars went to , '' Ernst said .
`` In fact , this wasteful study found that turtles moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turtles on a treadmill .
Are n't you glad that Washington bureaucrats used your hard-earned dollars to conduct this study ? ''
This is not the first time expensive federal research projects have gotten in the way of disease response efforts .
The NIH in 2014 blamed its inability to develop an Ebola vaccine on budget cuts , though the agency spent more than $ 39 million on questionable research projects in the years leading up to the outbreak .
One four-year NIH study exploring why the majority of lesbians are obese cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 million was spent promoting the health benefits of joining a community choir .
The NIH went on to give $ 8.6 million to a Baltimore-based lab to research and test its Ebola vaccine .
In response to the agency 's history of questionable expenditures , the $ 2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill signed by President Trump included an independent oversight panel to track wasteful spending under the bill , according to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform .
Committee chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney ( D. , N.Y. ) applauded the inclusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As Chairwoman of the Oversight Committee , I am very pleased that the bill includes important provisions to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used effectively and efficiently , as well as dedicated funding and enhanced authorities for Inspectors General and the independent Government Accountability Office to fight waste , fraud , and abuse in the government spending that will happen under this bill , '' she said in a statement .

The FDA spent $10,000 on dog urine two days after the first coronavirus-related death in the United States.
The agency, through the Department of Health and Human Services, funneled $10,000 to the University of California, Davis, for "control dog urine samples" used to measure amino acid levels, according to federal spending disclosures. The contract was awarded on March 2, just two days after Washington state health officials announced the first death from coronavirus in the U.S.
UC Davis advertised the dog urine study online the day after receiving the contract, noting that the results may help "understand the severity and duration of urinary amino acid loss in dogs that develop acquired Fanconi syndrome." Fanconi syndrome is a rare kidney disorder that impacts both animals and humans, though the FDA-funded study does not deal with human cases. The syndrome has been linked to a Chinese pet jerky, according to the Journal of Veterinary Medical Science.
The FDA has faced criticism over coronavirus testing inaction. The agency in early February required private companies and public labs to use CDC-developed test kits instead of allowing labs to develop their own. Despite CDC reassurances, those tests initially malfunctioned, setting U.S. testing capacity and virus response back weeks.
Anthony Bellotti, president and founder of taxpayer watchdog group White Coat Waste Project, criticized the FDA's response to the global pandemic. He said the agency's spending reflected misplaced priorities, arguing that its canine-related purchases distracted from its mission to protect American citizens.
"Nothing better demonstrates FDA's badly broken bureaucracy than the fact that just days after the first American ... died from COVID-19, it wasted $10,000 on dog urine experiments instead of, say, buying 17,000 respirator masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, or just about anything else really," Bellotti told the Washington Free Beacon. "This kind of reckless government spending is one of the reasons why the nation is so ill-prepared to fight the pandemic."
The FDA did not respond to a request for comment.
Government agencies like the FDA and National Institutes of Health have spent hundreds of billions of dollars on animal experimentation and other research, with the NIH alone spending $30 billion on research each year. Examples include experiments on crack-smoking monkeys and studies placing shrimp and turtles on treadmills, according to the White Coat Waste Project. Sen. Joni Ernst (R., Iowa) highlighted the turtle-on-a-treadmill study in a March Senate floor speech criticizing the spending decisions.
"To no one's surprise, it turns out that turtles are really, really slow. That's what our tax dollars went to," Ernst said. "In fact, this wasteful study found that turtles moved at nearly the same pace as dead turtles on a treadmill. Aren't you glad that Washington bureaucrats used your hard-earned dollars to conduct this study?"
This is not the first time expensive federal research projects have gotten in the way of disease response efforts. The NIH in 2014 blamed its inability to develop an Ebola vaccine on budget cuts, though the agency spent more than $39 million on questionable research projects in the years leading up to the outbreak. One four-year NIH study exploring why the majority of lesbians are obese cost nearly $3 million. Another $2 million was spent promoting the health benefits of joining a community choir. The NIH went on to give $8.6 million to a Baltimore-based lab to research and test its Ebola vaccine.
In response to the agency's history of questionable expenditures, the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill signed by President Trump included an independent oversight panel to track wasteful spending under the bill, according to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. Committee chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D., N.Y.) applauded the inclusion following the bill's passage.
"As Chairwoman of the Oversight Committee, I am very pleased that the bill includes important provisions to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used effectively and efficiently, as well as dedicated funding and enhanced authorities for Inspectors General and the independent Government Accountability Office to fight waste, fraud, and abuse in the government spending that will happen under this bill," she said in a statement.


freebeacon--2020-04-01--Bailed-Out Kennedy Center Violated Union Contract, National Symphony Orchestra Musicians Say

National Symphony Orchestra members are accusing the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts of violating their collective bargaining agreement by providing just a week 's notice before cutting off their pay .
Attorneys for the District of Columbia Federation of Musicians said in a letter on Tuesday that the organization 's decision violated federal labor laws and the plain requirements of the contract .
`` The Center has no basis for failing to honor its contractual obligation to continue to pay musicians , '' the letter says .
`` The Center 's position that federal labor law permits it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unfounded . ''
News of the drastic cuts came just hours after President Donald Trump signed a coronavirus relief package into law that included a $ 25 million bailout for the Kennedy Center .
The organization 's decision to proceed with layoffs after receiving taxpayer funds has angered employees and lawmakers alike .
The Kennedy Center shut down in mid-March in response to the pandemic , which has led revenue to plummet .
Steve Wilson , a bassoonist and cochairman of the federation , said that the union had been willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that rather than responding to the union , Kennedy Center officials unilaterally decided to stop paying musicians after April 3 .
`` Kennedy Center president Deborah Rutter illegally decided to stop paying us , and refused to promise to continue our healthcare past May , '' Wilson said in a statement .
`` We have , throughout , been willing to collaborate and discuss ways to work with Kennedy Center management during this challenging time .
Illegally breaking our contract is n't an option here . ''
The Kennedy Center did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Musicians are not the only Kennedy Center employees affected by layoffs .
On Tuesday , the center informed the rest of the symphony 's staff that they would no longer be paid and that their health insurance coverage would expire on May 10 .
It plans to furlough 60 percent of the staff in order to deal with the fallout from the pandemic .
Rutter sent a private email to supporters on Tuesday afternoon in an attempt to quell public outcry over the layoffs .
She announced that the center plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and another $ 7.5 million on health benefits using the stimulus funds .
Despite having an endowment of nearly $ 100 million , the center said it will run out of funds by July even if it reopens in May .
`` It is imperative that we scale back the entire institution 's personnel costs during this time of closure and dearth of ticket income , '' Rutter said .
`` If no changes are made to our spending patterns , even if we are able to open in mid-May , with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Kennedy Center would run out of cash as early as July . ''
Wilson dismissed Rutter 's claims , pointing out that cultural institutions have managed to maintain worker pay without the aid of nine-figure endowments and multimillion-dollar taxpayer bailouts .
`` Much smaller and less-resourced organizations than the Kennedy Center have managed to take care of their workers , '' Wilson said .
`` We 'd hope that the Kennedy Center—part of the federal government—could be a standard-bearer , rather than leading the race to the bottom . ''

National Symphony Orchestra members are accusing the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts of violating their collective bargaining agreement by providing just a week's notice before cutting off their pay.
Attorneys for the District of Columbia Federation of Musicians said in a letter on Tuesday that the organization's decision violated federal labor laws and the plain requirements of the contract.
"The Center has no basis for failing to honor its contractual obligation to continue to pay musicians," the letter says. "The Center's position that federal labor law permits it to breach its contractual obligation to pay musicians is unfounded."
News of the drastic cuts came just hours after President Donald Trump signed a coronavirus relief package into law that included a $25 million bailout for the Kennedy Center. The organization's decision to proceed with layoffs after receiving taxpayer funds has angered employees and lawmakers alike.
The Kennedy Center shut down in mid-March in response to the pandemic, which has led revenue to plummet. Steve Wilson, a bassoonist and cochairman of the federation, said that the union had been willing to work with management to address the shutdown, but that rather than responding to the union, Kennedy Center officials unilaterally decided to stop paying musicians after April 3.
"Kennedy Center president Deborah Rutter illegally decided to stop paying us, and refused to promise to continue our healthcare past May," Wilson said in a statement. "We have, throughout, been willing to collaborate and discuss ways to work with Kennedy Center management during this challenging time. Illegally breaking our contract isn't an option here."
The Kennedy Center did not respond to a request for comment.
Musicians are not the only Kennedy Center employees affected by layoffs. On Tuesday, the center informed the rest of the symphony's staff that they would no longer be paid and that their health insurance coverage would expire on May 10. It plans to furlough 60 percent of the staff in order to deal with the fallout from the pandemic.
Rutter sent a private email to supporters on Tuesday afternoon in an attempt to quell public outcry over the layoffs. She announced that the center plans to spend $12.75 million on employee pay and another $7.5 million on health benefits using the stimulus funds. Despite having an endowment of nearly $100 million, the center said it will run out of funds by July even if it reopens in May.
"It is imperative that we scale back the entire institution's personnel costs during this time of closure and dearth of ticket income," Rutter said. "If no changes are made to our spending patterns, even if we are able to open in mid-May, with the recent $25 million federal stimulus funding, the Kennedy Center would run out of cash as early as July."
Wilson dismissed Rutter's claims, pointing out that cultural institutions have managed to maintain worker pay without the aid of nine-figure endowments and multimillion-dollar taxpayer bailouts.
"Much smaller and less-resourced organizations than the Kennedy Center have managed to take care of their workers," Wilson said. "We'd hope that the Kennedy Center—part of the federal government—could be a standard-bearer, rather than leading the race to the bottom."


freebeacon--2020-04-01--Flouting Guidelines, Flaunting Privilege: RBG Enjoys Private Gym Sessions While the Rest of Us Are S

Flouting Guidelines, Flaunting Privilege: RBG Enjoys Private Gym Sessions While the Rest of Us Are Stuck at Home

Gyms are closed and average Americans are stuck at home due to the China-caused coronavirus pandemic .
The only exercise they get is from strenuously applauding President Donald J. Trump 's bold leadership during daily briefings at the White House .
Meanwhile , elite liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg is flouting public-safety guidelines and flaunting her privilege by continuing to work out twice a week at the Supreme Court 's private gym .
The 87-year-old justice is in the highest-risk demographic for serious illness and death from coronavirus , but that has n't stopped her from getting swoll on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has canceled all appointments with other clients to satisfy Ginsburg 's fitness demands .
`` Everybody 's been shut down .
The only reason why I did n't shut the justice down is because , hey , she ai n't having it , '' Johnson told Law360 .
`` She has that grandfather status to me and if she wants to train , that 's the least that I can do . ''
Johnson was named a Free Beacon Man of the Year in 2018 for his efforts to keep RBG in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a role in her decision not to retire during Barack Obama 's presidency .
Or maybe she was n't comfortable with a black man choosing her replacement .
After all , Ginsburg 's record on racial equality is abysmal when it comes to her own hiring practices , and the old white lady denounced former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick 's national anthem protests as `` dumb and disrespectful . ''
Whatever the case may be , liberal elites continue to spurn the advice of scientific experts—risking their own lives and the lives of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the rest of us will continue to obey Trump 's orders for the good of the country .
If Ginsburg wants to risk it all for gainz , that 's her prerogative .

Gyms are closed and average Americans are stuck at home due to the China-caused coronavirus pandemic. The only exercise they get is from strenuously applauding President Donald J. Trump's bold leadership during daily briefings at the White House.
Meanwhile, elite liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg is flouting public-safety guidelines and flaunting her privilege by continuing to work out twice a week at the Supreme Court's private gym.
The 87-year-old justice is in the highest-risk demographic for serious illness and death from coronavirus, but that hasn't stopped her from getting swoll on the reg with personal trainer Bryant Johnson, who has canceled all appointments with other clients to satisfy Ginsburg's fitness demands.
"Everybody's been shut down. The only reason why I didn't shut the justice down is because, hey, she ain't having it," Johnson told Law360. "She has that grandfather status to me and if she wants to train, that's the least that I can do."
Johnson was named a Free Beacon Man of the Year in 2018 for his efforts to keep RBG in peak physical condition, which likely played a role in her decision not to retire during Barack Obama's presidency. Or maybe she wasn't comfortable with a black man choosing her replacement. After all, Ginsburg's record on racial equality is abysmal when it comes to her own hiring practices, and the old white lady denounced former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's national anthem protests as "dumb and disrespectful."
Whatever the case may be, liberal elites continue to spurn the advice of scientific experts—risking their own lives and the lives of others without fear of repercussions. Meanwhile, the rest of us will continue to obey Trump's orders for the good of the country.
If Ginsburg wants to risk it all for gainz, that's her prerogative.