talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-08--70 Percent Of US Olympic Sports Applied For PPP Funds

DENVER ( AP ) — At least 70 percent of U.S. Olympic sports organizations have applied for government funds during the coronavirus pandemic , a stark financial reality that underscores the frailties within the world ’ s most dominant Olympic sports system .
The Associated Press surveyed 44 of the country ’ s national governing bodies ( NGBs ) — the organizations charged with operating programs from the grassroots through the Olympic levels in sports that run the gamut from badminton to basketball .
All but four of the 36 NGBs that responded said they had applied for assistance from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the organizations revealed how much they received , but those who did have been approved for a cumulative total of about $ 12 million .
Beginning next July , when the delayed Summer Olympics are scheduled to start , U.S. NGBs will send a total of around 1,150 athletes to two Olympics and two Paralympics over the span of seven months .
While Mikaela Shiffrin , Noah Lyles and the U.S. basketball teams are on solid financial footing because of their star power and marketability , the U.S. will depend on dozens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Tokyo and at the Winter Games in Beijing .
It puts the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the NGBs on an urgent track to fund all the potential medalists , many of whom haven ’ t been able to train properly for months .
“ There ’ s a very , very real and dire financial situation in sport , ” said Sarah Hirshland , the CEO of the USOPC , which oversees the NGBs .
“ And certainly , the sports organizations we work with closely are feeling revenue pain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The results of the survey were eye-opening , not only because of the sheer number of NGBs that applied but also because the request for federal money counters the long-held and distinctly American tradition of not using taxpayer money to pursue Olympic glory .
Sports federations in most other countries are buttressed by government financial assistance .
The U.S. team , which has amassed a world-leading 653 medals in Summer and Winter games since 2000 , relies on broadcast fees , sponsorships , charitable donations and revenue from programming and memberships .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business — to say nothing of an NBC cash infusion of at least $ 170 million that would ’ ve come into the USOPC coffers this year had the Tokyo Games not been postponed — the financial model of the U.S. Olympic sports system is imperiled .
Last month , Hirshland said the USOPC board was aiming to trim this year ’ s expenses by as much as 20 % .
It has committed to sparing the NGBs from the cutting block for 2020 , but also warned that a full cancellation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruled out – would be “ devastating ” for U.S. sports .
The level to which NGBs rely on USOPC funding varies , based largely on their sizes .
Even without any USOPC-related cuts in 2020 , some of these organizations are teetering on the edge of financial solvency — missing millions in revenue from events , membership dues , clinics and other fee-based operations that keep organizations and their sports , running .
A survey earlier this year estimated they would endure a collective revenue shortfall of $ 121 million from February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We all are exposed , but to be really candid , it ’ s probably what it should be , ” said Max Cobb , the president of US Biathlon , who also leads the NGB Council in the U.S. “ We ’ re all nonprofit organizations .
We put all the revenues back into our sports programs .
In only a few cases have NGBs been able to develop a significant contingency fund.
” A number of NGBs didn ’ t divulge the full details of their requests .
Those that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million ( US Ski and Snowboard ) down to $ 75,000 ( USA Badminton ) .
A plurality of those who responded received loans in the mid-six figures .
Those amounts reflect the modest sizes of the organizations , many of which have fewer than a dozen employees who are responsible for all aspects of their sports , from nurturing Olympic dreams to tending to the grassroots tentacles that grow in towns and cities across the country and , eventually , produce Olympians .
–USA Cycling , one of the first NGBs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not give a dollar amount but said it received enough from the PPP to cover four weeks of staffing and overhead costs .
–USA Swimming received $ 1.6 million to cover payroll .
That NGB is reliant largely on membership-related fees and doesn ’ t expect to know the full impact of COVID-19 until the fall , when the bulk of its membership renewals come up .
–USA Gymnastics made an undisclosed number of furloughs and cut pay , but because it is in bankruptcy in the aftermath of the Larry Nassar sex-abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal program .
The USOPC , always wary of asking the government for cash , directed NGBs to look into securing funds from the government program .
All efforts , Hirshland said , have been geared toward “ supporting sports at a community level and supporting the ( grassroots ) pipeline ” that leads to elite sports .
The push for government help in Olympic circles is part of a larger debate as to whether sports should be going after this money at all , given the massive devastation in the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 4.6 million loan but gave it back after a public backlash .
Olympic organizations don ’ t have the huge , long-term TV and sponsorship deals that make pro teams and leagues profitable .
Annual revenue for an average NBA team in 2018-19 was $ 292 million .
Only three NGBs cleared more than $ 50 million in 2018 .

DENVER (AP) — At least 70 percent of U.S. Olympic sports organizations have applied for government funds during the coronavirus pandemic, a stark financial reality that underscores the frailties within the world’s most dominant Olympic sports system.
The Associated Press surveyed 44 of the country’s national governing bodies (NGBs) — the organizations charged with operating programs from the grassroots through the Olympic levels in sports that run the gamut from badminton to basketball.
All but four of the 36 NGBs that responded said they had applied for assistance from the Paycheck Protection Program. Not all the organizations revealed how much they received, but those who did have been approved for a cumulative total of about $12 million.
Beginning next July, when the delayed Summer Olympics are scheduled to start, U.S. NGBs will send a total of around 1,150 athletes to two Olympics and two Paralympics over the span of seven months. While Mikaela Shiffrin, Noah Lyles and the U.S. basketball teams are on solid financial footing because of their star power and marketability, the U.S. will depend on dozens of lesser-known athletes to dominate the medals table in Tokyo and at the Winter Games in Beijing. It puts the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the NGBs on an urgent track to fund all the potential medalists, many of whom haven’t been able to train properly for months.
“There’s a very, very real and dire financial situation in sport,” said Sarah Hirshland, the CEO of the USOPC, which oversees the NGBs. “And certainly, the sports organizations we work with closely are feeling revenue pain. And it’s immediate.”
The results of the survey were eye-opening, not only because of the sheer number of NGBs that applied but also because the request for federal money counters the long-held and distinctly American tradition of not using taxpayer money to pursue Olympic glory.
Sports federations in most other countries are buttressed by government financial assistance. The U.S. team, which has amassed a world-leading 653 medals in Summer and Winter games since 2000, relies on broadcast fees, sponsorships, charitable donations and revenue from programming and memberships.
But without the revenue generated by normal day-to-day business — to say nothing of an NBC cash infusion of at least $170 million that would’ve come into the USOPC coffers this year had the Tokyo Games not been postponed — the financial model of the U.S. Olympic sports system is imperiled.
Last month, Hirshland said the USOPC board was aiming to trim this year’s expenses by as much as 20%. It has committed to sparing the NGBs from the cutting block for 2020, but also warned that a full cancellation of the Olympics – a possibility not being ruled out – would be “devastating” for U.S. sports.
The level to which NGBs rely on USOPC funding varies, based largely on their sizes. Even without any USOPC-related cuts in 2020, some of these organizations are teetering on the edge of financial solvency — missing millions in revenue from events, membership dues, clinics and other fee-based operations that keep organizations and their sports, running. A survey earlier this year estimated they would endure a collective revenue shortfall of $121 million from February through June because of COVID-19-related shutdowns.
“We all are exposed, but to be really candid, it’s probably what it should be,” said Max Cobb, the president of US Biathlon, who also leads the NGB Council in the U.S. “We’re all nonprofit organizations. We put all the revenues back into our sports programs. In only a few cases have NGBs been able to develop a significant contingency fund.”
A number of NGBs didn’t divulge the full details of their requests. Those that did received amounts ranging from $2.5 million (US Ski and Snowboard) down to $75,000 (USA Badminton).
A plurality of those who responded received loans in the mid-six figures. Those amounts reflect the modest sizes of the organizations, many of which have fewer than a dozen employees who are responsible for all aspects of their sports, from nurturing Olympic dreams to tending to the grassroots tentacles that grow in towns and cities across the country and, eventually, produce Olympians.
Some examples:
–USA Cycling, one of the first NGBs to announce it was cutting staff, did not give a dollar amount but said it received enough from the PPP to cover four weeks of staffing and overhead costs.
–USA Swimming received $1.6 million to cover payroll. That NGB is reliant largely on membership-related fees and doesn’t expect to know the full impact of COVID-19 until the fall, when the bulk of its membership renewals come up.
–USA Gymnastics made an undisclosed number of furloughs and cut pay, but because it is in bankruptcy in the aftermath of the Larry Nassar sex-abuse case, it was not eligible for the federal program.
The USOPC, always wary of asking the government for cash, directed NGBs to look into securing funds from the government program. All efforts, Hirshland said, have been geared toward “supporting sports at a community level and supporting the (grassroots) pipeline” that leads to elite sports.
The push for government help in Olympic circles is part of a larger debate as to whether sports should be going after this money at all, given the massive devastation in the economy. The Los Angeles Lakers received a $4.6 million loan but gave it back after a public backlash.
Olympic organizations don’t have the huge, long-term TV and sponsorship deals that make pro teams and leagues profitable. Annual revenue for an average NBA team in 2018-19 was $292 million. Only three NGBs cleared more than $50 million in 2018.
___
Also contributing: AP Sports Writers Tim Reynolds, Ron Blum, Will Graves, Teresa Walker, Pat Graham, Howard Fendrich, Doug Ferguson, Jay Cohen, Bernie Wilson, Dave Skretta, Jimmy Golen.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-08--Gov’t Office Recommends Pausing Demotion Of Whistleblowing Researcher, Lawyers Say

Federal investigators have recommended temporarily reinstating a demoted research director to his former job , pending further investigation of his claim that he was retaliated against for being a whistleblower .
The Office of Special Counsel made the determination on Thursday that there was “ sufficient evidence to believe ” that Dr. Rick Bright ’ s demotion had been “ retaliatory , ” Bright ’ s lawyers said in a statement shared with TPM .
Until recently , Bright was director of the of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority , or BARDA , one of several HHS offices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged that political considerations and cronyism hampered the government ’ s response to the pandemic .
“ OSC further advised that in light of this determination , it would contact the Department of Health and Human Services ( ‘ HHS ’ ) to request that it stay Dr.
Bright ’ s removal as Director of BARDA for 45 days to allow OSC sufficient time to complete its investigation of Bright ’ s allegations , ” Bright ’ s lawyers , Debra Katz and Lisa Banks , added .
The New York Times first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledged in a lengthy whistleblower complaint released this week that he provided information to a Reuters reporter about the Trump administration ’ s effort to widely distribute hydroxychloroquine .
President Donald Trump had championed the anti-malarial drug as a potential COVID-19 treatment despite uneven evidence of its effectiveness .
( The FDA recently advised against the use of the drug outside of clinical trials and hospitals due to “ reports of serious heart rhythm problems ” that it caused in patients . )
Bright alleged that Health department officials demoted him to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in retaliation for being a whistleblower .
Bright also alleged that HHS leadership , including Bright ’ s superior Robert Kadlec , had pressured him to award contracts based on political favoritism .
“ The OSC has made a threshold determination that HHS violated the Whistleblower Protection Act by removing Dr .
Bright from his position because he made protected disclosures in the best interest of the American public , ” Katz and Banks said .
“ It has requested that HHS stay Dr.
Bright ’ s removal from BARDA , and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this request.
” Health Secretary Alex Azar — one of the officials Bright faulted in his complaint for not taking COVID-19 seriously enough in the early weeks of its spread — can opt not to follow OSC ’ s recommendation .
The Times noted that in that case , the decision on Bright ’ s future would be sent to the Merit Systems Protection Board .
A spokesperson for the Office of Special Counsel declined to “ comment on or confirm the status of open investigations.
” An HHS spokesperson , in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the department was “ deeply disappointed ” that Bright has “ not shown up to work ” at the National Institutes of Health job to which he had been transferred .
Bright said in his complaint that he had stopped receiving a paycheck as of April 20 , and that he “ has not been assigned any responsibilities and duties and remains in limbo .
”

Federal investigators have recommended temporarily reinstating a demoted research director to his former job, pending further investigation of his claim that he was retaliated against for being a whistleblower.
The Office of Special Counsel made the determination on Thursday that there was “sufficient evidence to believe” that Dr. Rick Bright’s demotion had been “retaliatory,” Bright’s lawyers said in a statement shared with TPM.
Until recently, Bright was director of the of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, one of several HHS offices working on COVID-19 response. Bright has alleged that political considerations and cronyism hampered the government’s response to the pandemic.
“OSC further advised that in light of this determination, it would contact the Department of Health and Human Services (‘HHS’) to request that it stay Dr. Bright’s removal as Director of BARDA for 45 days to allow OSC sufficient time to complete its investigation of Bright’s allegations,” Bright’s lawyers, Debra Katz and Lisa Banks, added.
The New York Times first reported the lawyers’ statement.
Bright acknowledged in a lengthy whistleblower complaint released this week that he provided information to a Reuters reporter about the Trump administration’s effort to widely distribute hydroxychloroquine. President Donald Trump had championed the anti-malarial drug as a potential COVID-19 treatment despite uneven evidence of its effectiveness. (The FDA recently advised against the use of the drug outside of clinical trials and hospitals due to “reports of serious heart rhythm problems” that it caused in patients.)
Bright alleged that Health department officials demoted him to a job at the National Institutes of Health in retaliation for being a whistleblower.
Bright also alleged that HHS leadership, including Bright’s superior Robert Kadlec, had pressured him to award contracts based on political favoritism.
“The OSC has made a threshold determination that HHS violated the Whistleblower Protection Act by removing Dr. Bright from his position because he made protected disclosures in the best interest of the American public,” Katz and Banks said. “It has requested that HHS stay Dr. Bright’s removal from BARDA, and we strongly urge the Secretary to agree to this request.”
Health Secretary Alex Azar — one of the officials Bright faulted in his complaint for not taking COVID-19 seriously enough in the early weeks of its spread — can opt not to follow OSC’s recommendation. The Times noted that in that case, the decision on Bright’s future would be sent to the Merit Systems Protection Board.
A spokesperson for the Office of Special Counsel declined to “comment on or confirm the status of open investigations.” An HHS spokesperson, in a statement to TPM Tuesday, said that the department was “deeply disappointed” that Bright has “not shown up to work” at the National Institutes of Health job to which he had been transferred.
Bright said in his complaint that he had stopped receiving a paycheck as of April 20, and that he “has not been assigned any responsibilities and duties and remains in
limbo.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-08--Doctors Flummoxed By Long-Term Organ Damage In COVID-19 Survivors

We still don ’ t know how much we don ’ t know about COVID-19 .
The immediate effects of the disease are devastating.But what has confronted doctors and patients alike since American hospitals began to fill up in March has been another , deeply sobering prospect : that of long-term , maybe permanent organ damage among those who contract severe COVID-19 infections .
“ If you come out of COVID , you may actually realize or find out that you ’ re on dialysis , and that you have organ failure , and that it may not come back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of policy and global affairs and immediate past president of the American Association of Kidney Patients , told TPM .
“ It ’ s a highly frightening prospect.
” Patients leave stays at the ICU recovered from COVID-19 , but often facing serious problems in vital organs including the kidneys and heart .
Some patients develop arrhythmia , while others experience severe kidney issues that leave them on dialysis long after they ’ ve been intubated .
COVID-19 began as a respiratory illness , and long-term lung damage is one of the main @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease has progressed around the world and deep into the U.S. population , the potential for long-term damage to other vital organs has come into stark relief .
Especially among those patients who have serious infections , organ complications targeting the heart and the kidney may be more widespread than previously thought .
According to the American Society of Nephrology , between 40 and 60 percent of COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU experience kidney problems .
Meanwhile , a recent study based on the autopsies of COVID-19 patients in a German hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the heart , lungs , liver , and kidneys .
Kidney issues can develop as the infection gets more serious , causing what ’ s known as an Acute Kidney Injury ( AKI ) , a designation that includes a range of forms of damage that requires dialysis to treat .
“ We ’ re seeing more kidney failure , more AKI , and it seems to be of a much more severe variety than we typically see with non-COVID critical illness , ” National Kidney Foundation Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Vassaloti @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this occurs remains unclear , but doctors told TPM that the specific kind of kidney injury that COVID-19 deals on the body causes it to be harder to treat than other types .
The kidneys can normally be injured by many factors , including dehydration , Conway said .
But the blood clotting that comes along with COVID-19 — slowing the flow of blood to vital organs — leads to a different set of problems .
“ Even when they put the patient on the dialysis , the filter on the dialysis machine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In these cases , the kidney itself can be physically damaged as the arteries split into smaller conduits for blood , preventing it from flowing through the organ .
Vassalotti , who is also a doctor at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York , added that other COVID-related effects may also be to blame for the damage that comes along with the disease : There is some evidence that the virus directly infects the kidney , and that the organ can become inflamed .
In some cases , kidney cells themselves have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ functioning in what doctors call acute tubular necrosis .
He added to TPM that the difficulty of taking biopsies on patients so sick had made it more difficult to investigate the conditions quickly .
“ There ’ s a huge range in terms of what we see of how the patients manifest the disease , how sick they are , which organs are involved , ” Vassalotti said .
One Los Angeles critical care nurse treating COVID-19 patients , who spoke on condition of anonymity due to a lack of authorization to speak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arriving at the ICU with healthy organ function and waking up with kidney failure .
“ It was a mystery at the beginning , because we all mistakenly thought it was just a respiratory virus , ” the nurse said .
“ This was flying below the radar when everyone was focused on the respiratory issues , ” Conway told TPM , describing the last month as “ watching medical history evolve.
” “ How do you treat this on a large scale ?
” Conway added , referring to a surging need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue remains under investigation .
One promising study in New York City found that blood thinners boosted the survival chances of the sickest COVID-19 patients .
But it remains too early to tell how severe the damage will be , and if people will lose kidney function permanently or find it restored after lengthy dialysis .
“ I think there ’ s going to be a huge spectrum of illness that we ’ re going to see in terms of the severity , the organs involved , the different ways that the infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @

We still don’t know how much we don’t know about COVID-19.
The immediate effects of the disease are devastating.But what has confronted doctors and patients alike since American hospitals began to fill up in March has been another, deeply sobering prospect: that of long-term, maybe permanent organ damage among those who contract severe COVID-19 infections.
“If you come out of COVID, you may actually realize or find out that you’re on dialysis, and that you have organ failure, and that it may not come back,” Paul T. Conway, chair of policy and global affairs and immediate past president of the American Association of Kidney Patients, told TPM. “It’s a highly frightening prospect.”
Patients leave stays at the ICU recovered from COVID-19, but often facing serious problems in vital organs including the kidneys and heart. Some patients develop arrhythmia, while others experience severe kidney issues that leave them on dialysis long after they’ve been intubated.
COVID-19 began as a respiratory illness, and long-term lung damage is one of the main, post-recovery risks. But as the disease has progressed around the world and deep into the U.S. population, the potential for long-term damage to other vital organs has come into stark relief.
Especially among those patients who have serious infections, organ complications targeting the heart and the kidney may be more widespread than previously thought. According to the American Society of Nephrology, between 40 and 60 percent of COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU experience kidney problems. Meanwhile, a recent study based on the autopsies of COVID-19 patients in a German hospital found that the virus had clustered in the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys.
Kidney issues can develop as the infection gets more serious, causing what’s known as an Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), a designation that includes a range of forms of damage that requires dialysis to treat.
“We’re seeing more kidney failure, more AKI, and it seems to be of a much more severe variety than we typically see with non-COVID critical illness,” National Kidney Foundation Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Vassaloti told TPM.
The mechanism by which this occurs remains unclear, but doctors told TPM that the specific kind of kidney injury that COVID-19 deals on the body causes it to be harder to treat than other types.
The kidneys can normally be injured by many factors, including dehydration, Conway said. But the blood clotting that comes along with COVID-19 — slowing the flow of blood to vital organs — leads to a different set of problems.
“Even when they put the patient on the dialysis, the filter on the dialysis machine is getting clogged,” Conway said.
In these cases, the kidney itself can be physically damaged as the arteries split into smaller conduits for blood, preventing it from flowing through the organ.
Vassalotti, who is also a doctor at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, added that other COVID-related effects may also be to blame for the damage that comes along with the disease: There is some evidence that the virus directly infects the kidney, and that the organ can become inflamed. In some cases, kidney cells themselves have died, causing the organ to stop functioning in what doctors call acute tubular necrosis.
He added to TPM that the difficulty of taking biopsies on patients so sick had made it more difficult to investigate the conditions quickly.
“There’s a huge range in terms of what we see of how the patients manifest the disease, how sick they are, which organs are involved,” Vassalotti said.
One Los Angeles critical care nurse treating COVID-19 patients, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to a lack of authorization to speak publicly from the employer, described patients arriving at the ICU with healthy organ function and waking up with kidney failure.
“It was a mystery at the beginning, because we all mistakenly thought it was just a respiratory virus,” the nurse said.
“This was flying below the radar when everyone was focused on the respiratory issues,” Conway told TPM, describing the last month as “watching medical history evolve.”
“How do you treat this on a large scale?” Conway added, referring to a surging need for dialysis machines.
The blood clotting issue remains under investigation. One promising study in New York City found that blood thinners boosted the survival chances of the sickest COVID-19 patients.
But it remains too early to tell how severe the damage will be, and if people will lose kidney function permanently or find it restored after lengthy dialysis.
“I think there’s going to be a huge spectrum of illness that we’re going to see in terms of the severity, the organs involved, the different ways that the infection plays out,” Vassalotti said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-08--Trump Reveals Pence’s Press Secretary Was The Aide Who Tested Positive For COVID-19

On Friday , President Donald Trump told reporters that Katie Miller , Vice President Mike Pence ’ s press secretary , was the aide in Pence ’ s office who had tested positive for COVID-19 .
“ She tested very good for a long period of time and then all of sudden she tested positive , ” he said during a meeting with GOP lawmakers .
“ She has not come into contact with me .
She spent some time with the vice president.
” Earlier on Friday , White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany had confirmed reports that one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down with the virus .
“ There is a member of the vice president ’ s team who is positive for coronavirus , ” McEnany said during a White House press briefing .
The press secretary told reporters that the White House has started following the same guidelines health officials have recommended for essential businesses that remain open during the outbreak .
“ We are now putting [ the guidelines ] in place here in the White House , ” she said .
“ So as America reopens safely , the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Pence ’ s aide emerged a day after it was confirmed that one of President Donald Trump ’ s valets had tested positive for COVID-19 .
White House spokesperson Hogan Gidley stated that Trump and Pence had undergone an examination after finding out about the valet , and that they tested negative .

On Friday, President Donald Trump told reporters that Katie Miller, Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary, was the aide in Pence’s office who had tested positive for COVID-19.
“She tested very good for a long period of time and then all of sudden she tested positive,” he said during a meeting with GOP lawmakers. “She has not come into contact with me. She spent some time with the vice president.”
Earlier on Friday, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany had confirmed reports that one of Pence’s staffers had come down with the virus.
“There is a member of the vice president’s team who is positive for coronavirus,” McEnany said during a White House press briefing.
The press secretary told reporters that the White House has started following the same guidelines health officials have recommended for essential businesses that remain open during the outbreak.
“We are now putting [the guidelines] in place here in the White House,” she said. “So as America reopens safely, the White House is continuing to operate safely.”
News of Pence’s aide emerged a day after it was confirmed that one of President Donald Trump’s valets had tested positive for COVID-19.
White House spokesperson Hogan Gidley stated that Trump and Pence had undergone an examination after finding out about the valet, and that they tested negative.
Watch McEnany below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-08--Pence Deleted Social Media Posts That Misattributed Swing State PPE Deliveries

The Washington Post has a deep look out today at Project Airbridge , the Trump administration ’ s effort to quickly airlift huge amounts of PPE from foreign manufacturers into the United States .
It ’ s an informative telling of what ’ s been a murky , complicated and , as the story convincingly suggests , failed effort to end chronic shortages in protective equipment supply around the country .
The Federal Emergency Management Agency maintains a national stockpile for distribution of critical items like PPE , but it hasn ’ t been enough .
Instead , Presidential adviser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Project Airbridge , an effort to have FEMA underwrite cargo flights bringing privately produced masks to the U.S. Last month , Vice President Mike Pence added posts to his Instagram and Twitter accounts that attributed the delivery of hundreds of thousands of N95 masks — as well as other PPE components — to Project Airbridge .
The posts said that the effort had focused on delivering the masks to three likely swing states in the 2020 election : Wisconsin , Minnesota , and Indiana .
That didn ’ t make sense .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million masks had been delivered to the three states .
But according to FEMA records reviewed by the Washington Post , Project Airbridge had brought fewer than 800,000 masks into the country .
After the Washington Post asked about the Instagram posts , the ones for Minnesota and Indiana were deleted and replaced .
The new images attributed the PPE deliveries to FEMA , but not to Project Airbridge : The original Wisconsin post stayed up .
It ’ s not clear why .
Pence ’ s office did not return a request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as people continue to demand answers over the unexplained series of federal confiscations of PPE being imported into the United States .
In one case , FEMA confiscated a shipment that was headed to another federal agency : the Veteran ’ s Administration .
When asked , FEMA told the agency that the supplies had been diverted into the national stockpile .
Where the PPE goes from there , and how that decision is made , is unclear .
But the Vice President ’ s public statements suggest that the administration wants certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The Washington Post has a deep look out today at Project Airbridge, the Trump administration’s effort to quickly airlift huge amounts of PPE from foreign manufacturers into the United States.
It’s an informative telling of what’s been a murky, complicated and, as the story convincingly suggests, failed effort to end chronic shortages in protective equipment supply around the country.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency maintains a national stockpile for distribution of critical items like PPE, but it hasn’t been enough. Instead, Presidential adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner has set up Project Airbridge, an effort to have FEMA underwrite cargo flights bringing privately produced masks to the U.S.
The Washington Post story includes a telling anecdote.
Last month, Vice President Mike Pence added posts to his Instagram and Twitter accounts that attributed the delivery of hundreds of thousands of N95 masks — as well as other PPE components — to Project Airbridge. The posts said that the effort had focused on delivering the masks to three likely swing states in the 2020 election: Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Indiana.
That didn’t make sense. In total, the Instagram posts claimed 1.4 million masks had been delivered to the three states.
But according to FEMA records reviewed by the Washington Post, Project Airbridge had brought fewer than 800,000 masks into the country.
After the Washington Post asked about the Instagram posts, the ones for Minnesota and Indiana were deleted and replaced. The new images attributed the PPE deliveries to FEMA, but not to Project Airbridge:
The original Wisconsin post stayed up. It’s not clear why.
Pence’s office did not return a request for comment.
But the mix-up comes as people continue to demand answers over the unexplained series of federal confiscations of PPE being imported into the United States. In one case, FEMA confiscated a shipment that was headed to another federal agency: the Veteran’s Administration.
When asked, FEMA told the agency that the supplies had been diverted into the national stockpile. Where the PPE goes from there, and how that decision is made, is unclear. But the Vice President’s public statements suggest that the administration wants certain states to know they’re benefitting.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-08--NJ Gov Sends Nat’l Guard To Long-Term Care Facilities: ‘Some Relief From The Bullpen’

New Jersey is sending dozens of national guardsmen to staff long-term health care facilities around the state , which have been severely impacted by COVID-19 .
Gov .
Phil Murphy ( D ) said Thursday that 120 guardsmen would perform non-clinical duties at the facilities , including janitorial duty , cooking , logistics and nurses aide work .
“ The heroic front-line staffs at these facilities need some extra helping hands , ” Murphy said at a press conference , adding that nurses and aides in the facilities needed “ back up — some relief from the bullpen.
” In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the New Jersey Army National Guard to veteran homes to make up for staffing shortages .
Nursing homes have been severely impacted by the novel coronavirus .
Of New Jersey ’ s 8,801 total recorded deaths of COVID-19 , 4,556 were reported by long-term care facilities , according to state data Friday .
State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said 22 guardsmen would be deployed to Andover Subacute and Rehab Center II , Politico reported — the same facility where police found 17 bodies last month in a morgue meant to hold just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medicaid Services fined the Andover facility $ 220,000 on Thursday after an inspection discovered several violations including poor infection control practices .

New Jersey is sending dozens of national guardsmen to staff long-term health care facilities around the state, which have been severely impacted by COVID-19.
Gov. Phil Murphy (D) said Thursday that 120 guardsmen would perform non-clinical duties at the facilities, including janitorial duty, cooking, logistics and nurses aide work.
“The heroic front-line staffs at these facilities need some extra helping hands,” Murphy said at a press conference, adding that nurses and aides in the facilities needed “back up — some relief from the bullpen.”
In April, the state sent 75 medics from the New Jersey Army National Guard to veteran homes to make up for staffing shortages.
Nursing homes have been severely impacted by the novel coronavirus. Of New Jersey’s 8,801 total recorded deaths of COVID-19, 4,556 were reported by long-term care facilities, according to state data Friday.
State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said 22 guardsmen would be deployed to Andover Subacute and Rehab Center II, Politico reported — the same facility where police found 17 bodies last month in a morgue meant to hold just four.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services fined the Andover facility $220,000 on Thursday after an inspection discovered several violations including poor infection control practices.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-08--Cruz Gets A Chop From Hairdresser Who Was Held In Contempt After Defying COVID Order

Sen. Ted Cruz ( R-TX ) turned a haircut into a PR moment Friday , when he sat for a televised trim from a hairdresser freshly released from jail after being held in contempt of court and defying the state ’ s stay-at-home orders .
He retweeted a local news story about the haircut , showing both himself and the Dallas-based hair dresser , Shelley Luther , to be wearing masks .
Per Texas Governor Greg Abbott ’ s ( R ) executive orders , hair salons and barbershops are permitted to open on Friday .
Luther was released from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court Thursday , after having been sentenced to seven days and a $ 7,000 fine by a district judge .
She was charged with contempt after ignoring a judge ’ s order to close down her businesses .
Just before her release , Abbott retroactively decriminalized his executive orders .
Luther ’ s arrest became a rallying point for many Republicans in the state , with the attorney general in particular decrying her sentencing .
Some GOP state lawmakers actually sat for haircuts before salons were legally allowed to be open in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his reopening timeline .
“ For me , it was an act of civil disobedience , but it wasn ’ t personal , ” Rep. Briscoe Cain ( R ) told the Texas Tribune after getting a little off the sides on Tuesday .
“ If you ’ ve been following my Twitter feed , I was encouraging people to do this — if I was going to encourage others , I should do it myself — to encourage customers to go to any business , whether it ’ s been deemed ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can help provide these business owners and employees an income so they can pay their bills.
” As of Friday afternoon , Texas had 35,390 reported cases and 973 deaths , per the state health department .

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) turned a haircut into a PR moment Friday, when he sat for a televised trim from a hairdresser freshly released from jail after being held in contempt of court and defying the state’s stay-at-home orders.
He retweeted a local news story about the haircut, showing both himself and the Dallas-based hair dresser, Shelley Luther, to be wearing masks. Per Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s (R) executive orders, hair salons and barbershops are permitted to open on Friday.
WATCH LIVE RIGHT NOW: U.S. @SenTedCruz is getting a haircut at Dallas’ Salon a la Mode: https://t.co/appgn6Utkz pic.twitter.com/oLIPp6Uh2v — NBC DFW (@NBCDFW) May 8, 2020
Luther was released from jail by order of the Texas Supreme Court Thursday, after having been sentenced to seven days and a $7,000 fine by a district judge. She was charged with contempt after ignoring a judge’s order to close down her businesses.
Just before her release, Abbott retroactively decriminalized his executive orders.
Luther’s arrest became a rallying point for many Republicans in the state, with the attorney general in particular decrying her sentencing.
Some GOP state lawmakers actually sat for haircuts before salons were legally allowed to be open in an effort to pressure Abbott to move up his reopening timeline.
“For me, it was an act of civil disobedience, but it wasn’t personal,” Rep. Briscoe Cain (R) told the Texas Tribune after getting a little off the sides on Tuesday. “If you’ve been following my Twitter feed, I was encouraging people to do this — if I was going to encourage others, I should do it myself — to encourage customers to go to any business, whether it’s been deemed ‘essential’ or not, so we can help provide these business owners and employees an income so they can pay their bills.”
As of Friday afternoon, Texas had 35,390 reported cases and 973 deaths, per the state health department.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-08--WH Economic Adviser Predicts Jaw-Dropping Unemployment Will Get Even Worse

After the Labor Department reported on Friday a staggering 14.7 % unemployment rate in April , White House senior economic @ @ @ @ @ even bleaker picture of the country ’ s future economic woes amid the COVID-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ interview on CNN , anchor Poppy Harlow brought up the fact that the 14.7 % @ @ @ @ @ cover the full scope of unemployment last month given that the U-6 figure , which @ @ @ @ @ for work , is actually 22.8 % .
The White House adviser agreed with her @ @ @ @ @ a grim prediction of more job losses in May .
“ That 22 % will @ @ @ @ @ the next report , ” he told Harlow .
“ And hopefully from there it @ @ @ @ @ in the right direction.
” 20.5 million jobs were lost in April , according to @ @ @ @ @ also noted in its report that “ the highest rate and the largest over-the-month increase @ @ @ @ @ series ” dating back to 1948 .

After the Labor Department reported on Friday a staggering 14.7% unemployment rate in April, White House senior economic adviser Kevin Hassett painted an even bleaker picture of the country’s future economic woes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
During Hassett’s interview on CNN, anchor Poppy Harlow brought up the fact that the 14.7% figure doesn’t even cover the full scope of unemployment last month given that the U-6 figure, which includes Americans currently not looking for work, is actually 22.8%.
The White House adviser agreed with her assessment, then put forth a grim prediction of more job losses in May.
“That 22% will probably be 25% in the next report,” he told Harlow. “And hopefully from there it will start to head back in the right direction.”
20.5 million jobs were lost in April, according to the Labor Department, which also noted in its report that “the highest rate and the largest over-the-month increase in the history of the series” dating back to 1948.
Watch Hassett below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-09--Obama Sounds Alarm After DOJ Drops Criminal Case Against Flynn: ‘Rule Of Law Is At Risk’

Former President Barack Obama gave a stark warning on Friday about the national crisis that could arise after President Donald Trump ’ s Justice Department made the shocking decision to drop its case against former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn this week .
“ The news over the last 24 hours I think has been somewhat downplayed — about the Justice Department dropping charges against Michael Flynn , ” Obama said during a private Obama Alumni Association virtual discussion , per an audio recording published by Yahoo News .
The former president said Flynn ’ s case is “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get worried that basic–not just institutional norms–but our basic understanding of rule of law is at risk.
” “ And when you start moving in those directions , it can accelerate pretty quickly as we ’ ve seen in other places , ” he warned .
Obama , whose former vice president Joe Biden is currently running for president , stressed the urgency of defeating Trump in November .
“ This election that ’ s coming up on every level is so important because what we ’ re going to be battling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a political party , ” he told event attendees .
“ What we ’ re fighting against is these long-term trends in which being selfish , being tribal , being divided , and seeing others as an enemy–that has become a stronger impulse in American life.
” On Thursday , the Justice Department dropped its case against Flynn , who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI , sending shockwaves throughout the legal and political arena .
Prior to the department ’ s reversal , which was brought on by Attorney General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the investigators in Flynn ’ s case and bemoaned how his former adviser ’ s life had been “ ruined.
” The President cheered the Justice Department ’ s decision on Thursday , calling Flynn “ an innocent man ” despite the adviser ’ s guilty plea .

Former President Barack Obama gave a stark warning on Friday about the national crisis that could arise after President Donald Trump’s Justice Department made the shocking decision to drop its case against former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn this week.
“The news over the last 24 hours I think has been somewhat downplayed — about the Justice Department dropping charges against Michael Flynn,” Obama said during a private Obama Alumni Association virtual discussion, per an audio recording published by Yahoo News.
The former president said Flynn’s case is “the kind of stuff where you begin to get worried that basic–not just institutional norms–but our basic understanding of rule of law is at risk.”
“And when you start moving in those directions, it can accelerate pretty quickly, as we’ve seen in other places,” he warned.
Obama, whose former vice president Joe Biden is currently running for president, stressed the urgency of defeating Trump in November.
“This election that’s coming up on every level is so important because what we’re going to be battling is not just a particular individual or a political party,” he told event attendees. “What we’re fighting against is these long-term trends in which being selfish, being tribal, being divided, and seeing others as an enemy–that has become a stronger impulse in American life.”
On Thursday, the Justice Department dropped its case against Flynn, who had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, sending shockwaves throughout the legal and political arena.
Prior to the department’s reversal, which was brought on by Attorney General Bill Barr, Trump had repeatedly trashed the investigators in Flynn’s case and bemoaned how his former adviser’s life had been “ruined.”
The President cheered the Justice Department’s decision on Thursday, calling Flynn “an innocent man” despite the adviser’s guilty plea.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-09--Trump Livid After California Allows Statewide Mail-In Voting: ‘These Votes Must Not Count’

California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ( D ) issued an executive order on Friday allowing all voters in the state to vote by mail in the upcoming November elections to protect them from exposure to COVID-19 at polling sites .
Now a furious President Donald Trump is demanding that the votes in the deeply Democratic state be thrown out .
“ So in California , the Democrats , who fought like crazy to get all mail in only ballots , and succeeded , have just opened a voting booth in the most Democrat area in the State , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to steal another election.
” “ It ’ s all rigged out there , ” Trump also wrote .
“ These votes must not count .
SCAM !
” On the previous day , Newsom ordered all California county elections officials to send registered voters mail-in ballots for the elections on November 3 amid the COVID-19 pandemic .
The Golden State is the first in the country to do so .
“ Elections and the right to vote are foundational to our democracy , ” the governor stated in a press release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to risk their health in order to exercise their right to vote.
” Newsom said in-person voting will still be available , and that California legislators are currently working on a plan to operate polling sites safely .
Trump often rails against statewide voting by mail–even though it would protect voters from the coronavirus outbreak and make it easier to vote in general–because it “ doesn ’ t work out well for Republicans.
” “ Republicans should fight very hard when it comes to state wide mail-in voting , ” he tweeted in @ @

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) issued an executive order on Friday allowing all voters in the state to vote by mail in the upcoming November elections to protect them from exposure to COVID-19 at polling sites.
Now a furious President Donald Trump is demanding that the votes in the deeply Democratic state be thrown out.
“So in California, the Democrats, who fought like crazy to get all mail in only ballots, and succeeded, have just opened a voting booth in the most Democrat area in the State,” he tweeted on Saturday. “They are trying to steal another election.”
“It’s all rigged out there,” Trump also wrote. “These votes must not count. SCAM!”
On the previous day, Newsom ordered all California county elections officials to send registered voters mail-in ballots for the elections on November 3 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Golden State is the first in the country to do so.
“Elections and the right to vote are foundational to our democracy,” the governor stated in a press release. “No Californian should be forced to risk their health in order to exercise their right to vote.”
Newsom said in-person voting will still be available, and that California legislators are currently working on a plan to operate polling sites safely.
Trump often rails against statewide voting by mail–even though it would protect voters from the coronavirus outbreak and make it easier to vote in general–because it “doesn’t work out well for Republicans.”
“Republicans should fight very hard when it comes to state wide mail-in voting,” he tweeted in April.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-09--Ousted HHS Official ‘Frustrated’ By ‘Inability To Be Heard As Scientists’ In Trump Admin

Dr. Rick Bright , a top public health official at the Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) who was removed this week after rejecting President Donald Trump ’ s unproven COVID-19 drug , spoke out against the Trump administration ’ s dismissiveness toward science amid the pandemic on Friday .
In Bright ’ s first interview since he filed a whistleblower complaint alleging retaliation after he was ousted from his position as director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority ( BARDA ) , the official rejected Trump ’ s accusation that he was merely a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am not disgruntled , ” Bright told CBS News reporter Norah O ’ Donnell .
“ I am frustrated at a lack of leadership .
I am frustrated at a lack of urgency to get a head start on developing lifesaving tools for Americans .
I ’ m frustrated at our inability to be heard as scientists .
Those things frustrate me.
” The official , who has been demoted to a smaller position at the National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) , slammed the administration ’ s decision to “ decapitate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crucial research into COVID-19 .
The health expert alleges in his complaint that the Trump administration removed him from his post for rejecting hydroxychloroquine , the anti-malarial drug that Trump has repeatedly touted as a cure for COVID-19 despite the lack evidence proving so .
Bright ’ s lawyers said on Friday that the Office of Special Counsel ( OSC ) has recommended the official be allowed to remain in his position as the agency investigates the matter after having found “ sufficient evidence to believe ” his transfer was retaliatory .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of retaliation .
“ Dr .
Bright was transferred to NIH to work on diagnostics testing – critical to combatting COVID-19 – where he has been entrusted to spend upwards of $ 1 billion to advance that effort , ” department spokesperson Caitlin Oakley told TPM on Tuesday .

Dr. Rick Bright, a top public health official at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) who was removed this week after rejecting President Donald Trump’s unproven COVID-19 drug, spoke out against the Trump administration’s dismissiveness toward science amid the pandemic on Friday.
In Bright’s first interview since he filed a whistleblower complaint alleging retaliation after he was ousted from his position as director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the official rejected Trump’s accusation that he was merely a “disgruntled” employee.
“I am not disgruntled,” Bright told CBS News reporter Norah O’Donnell. “I am frustrated at a lack of leadership. I am frustrated at a lack of urgency to get a head start on developing lifesaving tools for Americans. I’m frustrated at our inability to be heard as scientists. Those things frustrate me.”
The official, who has been demoted to a smaller position at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), slammed the administration’s decision to “decapitate” BARDA, which is currently conducting crucial research into COVID-19.
“Doesn’t make sense,” Bright said.
The health expert alleges in his complaint that the Trump administration removed him from his post for rejecting hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug that Trump has repeatedly touted as a cure for COVID-19 despite the lack evidence proving so.
Bright’s lawyers said on Friday that the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) has recommended the official be allowed to remain in his position as the agency investigates the matter after having found “sufficient evidence to believe” his transfer was retaliatory.
The HHS has denied that Bright was ousted out of retaliation.
“Dr. Bright was transferred to NIH to work on diagnostics testing – critical to combatting COVID-19 – where he has been entrusted to spend upwards of $1 billion to advance that effort,” department spokesperson Caitlin Oakley told TPM on Tuesday.
Watch the interview below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-09--Report: Ivanka Trump’s Personal Assistant Tests Positive For COVID-19

A personal assistant to Ivanka Trump , who is President Donald Trump ’ s daughter and a top White House adviser , has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 .
According to CNN , the assistant had been tested out of caution and was found to have the virus , though she did not exhibit any symptoms .
An unnamed source told CNN that she has not been near Trump in recent weeks .
Trump and Jared Kushner , her husband and a fellow White House senior adviser , took tests for COVID-19 on Friday , which both came up negative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to TPM ’ s request for comment .
The report marks the third time this week in which a White House aide has tested positive for the coronavirus .
The President ’ s personal valet was found to have COVID-19 , and so was Vice President Mike Pence ’ s press secretary , Katie Miller .
Both Donald Trump and Pence have tested negative , according to White House spokesperson Hogan Gidley .
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters on Friday that “ the White House is continuing to operate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put forth by health officials .

A personal assistant to Ivanka Trump, who is President Donald Trump’s daughter and a top White House adviser, has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.
According to CNN, the assistant had been tested out of caution and was found to have the virus, though she did not exhibit any symptoms.
An unnamed source told CNN that she has not been near Trump in recent weeks. Trump and Jared Kushner, her husband and a fellow White House senior adviser, took tests for COVID-19 on Friday, which both came up negative.
The White House did not immediately respond to TPM’s request for comment.
The report marks the third time this week in which a White House aide has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The President’s personal valet was found to have COVID-19, and so was Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary, Katie Miller.
Both Donald Trump and Pence have tested negative, according to White House spokesperson Hogan Gidley.
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters on Friday that “the White House is continuing to operate safely” and has begun following guidelines put forth by health officials.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-10--‘Stay At Home’ Shifts To ‘Stay Alert’ As UK’s Lockdown Eases Slightly

LONDON ( AP ) — The British government has replaced its “ stay at home ” coronavirus slogan with a new “ stay alert ” message , a move that has met with widespread criticism ahead of a speech Sunday in which Prime Minister Boris Johnson will lay out the stages for lifting the country ’ s lockdown .
Britain ’ s lockdown , which began March 23 , has clearly reduced the transmission of the virus but the country ’ s daily death toll remains uncomfortably high , and as a result most restrictions are expected to remain .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ started with Johnson indicating there will be changes to the lockdown beginning Monday , the government has sought to douse speculation that they will amount to much .
That ’ s because the U.K. , which has recorded the most coronavirus-related deaths in Europe at 31,662 , is still seeing a relatively high number of infections .
Johnson is expected to announce modest changes in his pre-recorded televised address , including quarantining anyone flying into the country for 14 days except those from Ireland , amid rising evidence that Britons are increasingly flouting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
British police warned Saturday that they are “ fighting a losing battle ” on this front .
Ahead of his speech , Johnson fleshed out the meaning of the new “ stay alert ” slogan as telling the public to “ stay at home as much as possible , ” to keep two meters ( over 6 feet ) apart when going out and to limit contacts with other people .
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said a broader message was needed as the government tries to restart the economy .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible but when we do go to work and go about our business we need to remain vigilant , we need to stay alert , ” he told Sky News .
The leaders of Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland , Nicola Sturgeon , Mark Drakeford and Arlene Foster , said they would retain the “ stay at home ” message .
Up until now , the four nations of the U.K. have moved in lockstep on virus regulations .
Jonathan Ashworth , health spokesman for the opposition Labour Party , said there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , ” adding that Johnson will have to provide “ absolute clarity ” in his address .
Professor Til Wykes of the Institute of Psychiatry , Psychology and Neuroscience at King ’ s College London said people need “ clear , concise and accurate ” messages on what to do during the pandemic .
“ This one is concise only , ” she said .
“ It will just be confusing , be open to misinterpretation and likely to increase risky behaviour.
” Jenrick also said Johnson will detail a new virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently at four on a scale that goes up to five .
“ Our aspiration is to bring that down as swiftly as we can to three , ” he said .
“ And at each stage , at each of those milestones , we will be in a position to open up and restart more aspects of the economy and of our lives.
” Other modest changes to the lockdown are expected , including allowing people to exercise more than once a day and garden centers to reopen .
New advice on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaching lockdown rules are also anticipated .
The worry is that a more dramatic easing of the lockdown will lead to a second spike in infections and deaths — something that health experts predict will occur as nations ease lockdowns .
Johnson ’ s Conservative government has also faced wide criticism for being too slow to react to the pandemic and for not supplying medical workers with enough protective gear .
Johnson , more than other world leaders , has seen the virus up close .
He returned to work only two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly cost the 55-year-old his life .
Karen Dee , the chief executive of the Airport Operators Association , said she has not received any details about any proposed quarantine plan but warned that it would have a “ devastating impact ” on the U.K. ’ s aviation industry as well as the wider economy .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

LONDON (AP) — The British government has replaced its “stay at home” coronavirus slogan with a new “stay alert” message, a move that has met with widespread criticism ahead of a speech Sunday in which Prime Minister Boris Johnson will lay out the stages for lifting the country’s lockdown.
Britain’s lockdown, which began March 23, has clearly reduced the transmission of the virus but the country’s daily death toll remains uncomfortably high, and as a result most restrictions are expected to remain.
After a week of mixed messages that started with Johnson indicating there will be changes to the lockdown beginning Monday, the government has sought to douse speculation that they will amount to much. That’s because the U.K., which has recorded the most coronavirus-related deaths in Europe at 31,662, is still seeing a relatively high number of infections.
Johnson is expected to announce modest changes in his pre-recorded televised address, including quarantining anyone flying into the country for 14 days except those from Ireland, amid rising evidence that Britons are increasingly flouting the “stay at home” message. British police warned Saturday that they are “fighting a losing battle” on this front.
Ahead of his speech, Johnson fleshed out the meaning of the new “stay alert” slogan as telling the public to “stay at home as much as possible,” to keep two meters (over 6 feet) apart when going out and to limit contacts with other people.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said a broader message was needed as the government tries to restart the economy.
“We should be staying home as much as possible but when we do go to work and go about our business we need to remain vigilant, we need to stay alert,” he told Sky News.
The leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, Nicola Sturgeon, Mark Drakeford and Arlene Foster, said they would retain the “stay at home” message. Up until now, the four nations of the U.K. have moved in lockstep on virus regulations.
Jonathan Ashworth, health spokesman for the opposition Labour Party, said there is “no room for nuance on this,” adding that Johnson will have to provide “absolute clarity” in his address.
Professor Til Wykes of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London said people need “clear, concise and accurate” messages on what to do during the pandemic.
“This one is concise only,” she said. “It will just be confusing, be open to misinterpretation and likely to increase risky behaviour.”
Jenrick also said Johnson will detail a new virus alert system and that the country was currently at four on a scale that goes up to five.
“Our aspiration is to bring that down as swiftly as we can to three,” he said. “And at each stage, at each of those milestones, we will be in a position to open up and restart more aspects of the economy and of our lives.”
Other modest changes to the lockdown are expected, including allowing people to exercise more than once a day and garden centers to reopen. New advice on face coverings and increased fines for those breaching lockdown rules are also anticipated.
The worry is that a more dramatic easing of the lockdown will lead to a second spike in infections and deaths — something that health experts predict will occur as nations ease lockdowns.
Johnson’s Conservative government has also faced wide criticism for being too slow to react to the pandemic and for not supplying medical workers with enough protective gear.
Johnson, more than other world leaders, has seen the virus up close. He returned to work only two weeks ago following a hospitalization for COVID-19 that nearly cost the 55-year-old his life.
Karen Dee, the chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, said she has not received any details about any proposed quarantine plan but warned that it would have a “devastating impact” on the U.K.’s aviation industry as well as the wider economy.
___
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-10--Fauci And Other Top Health Officials Will Quarantine After COVID Exposure

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Three members of the White House coronavirus task force , including Dr. Anthony Fauci , placed themselves in quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 , another stark reminder that not even one of the nation ’ s most secure buildings is immune from the virus .
Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a leading member of the task force , has become nationally known for his simple and direct explanations to the public about the coronavirus and COVID-19 , the disease it causes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration , Stephen Hahn .
Fauci ’ s institute said that he has tested negative for COVID-19 and will continue to be tested regularly .
It added that he is considered at “ relatively low risk ” based on the degree of his exposure , and that he would be “ taking appropriate precautions ” to mitigate the risk to personal contacts while still carrying out his duties .
While he will stay at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the White House if called and take every precaution , the institute said .
Redfield will be “ teleworking for the next two weeks ” after it was determined he had a “ low risk exposure ” to a person at the White House , the CDC said in a statement Saturday evening .
The statement said he felt fine and has no symptoms .
Just a few hours earlier , the Food and Drug Administration confirmed that Hahn had come in contact with someone who tested positive and was in self-quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested negative for the virus .
All three men are scheduled to testify before a Senate committee on Tuesday .
Sen. Lamar Alexander , R-Tenn. , the chairman of the panel , said the White House will allow Redfield and Hahn to testify by videoconference , a one-time exception to the administration ’ s policies on hearing testimony .
The statement was issued before Fauci ’ s quarantine was announced .
Vice President Mike Pence ’ s press secretary tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday , making her the second person who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to test positive for the virus this week .
White House officials had confirmed Thursday that a member of the military serving as one of Trump ’ s valets had tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday .
President Donald Trump , who publicly identified the affected Pence aide as spokeswoman Katie Miller , said he was “ not worried ” about the virus spreading in the White House .
Nonetheless , officials said they were stepping up safety protocols for the complex .
Miller had been in recent contact with Pence but not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day earlier .
She is married to Stephen Miller , a top Trump adviser .
The White House had no immediate comment on whether Stephen Miller had been tested or if he was still working in the White House .
The CDC and FDA would not disclose the identity of the person who had tested positive and with whom the agency leaders had come in contact .
Redfield sought to use the exposure as a teachable moment .
The CDC statement said if he must go to the White House to fulfill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ task force , he will follow CDC practices for critical infrastructure workers .
Those guidelines call for Redfield and anyone working on the task force to have their temperature taken and screened for symptoms each day , wear a face covering , and distance themselves from others .
Trump has resisted wearing a mask , and in a meeting with the nation ’ s top military leaders Saturday evening , he did not wear a mask during the brief portion that reporters were allowed to view .
The generals around Trump also did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did sit a few feet away from each other .
FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Caccomo said Hahn tested negative for the virus after he learned of the contact .
He wrote a note to staff on Friday to alert them .
Six people who had been in contact with Miller were scheduled to fly with Pence on Friday to Des Moines , Iowa , on Air Force Two .
They were removed from the flight just before it took off , according to a senior administration official .
None of those people was exhibiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deplane so they could be tested “ out of an abundance of caution , ” a senior administration official told reporters traveling with Pence .
All six later tested negative , the White House said .
The official said staff in the West Wing are tested regularly but much of Pence ’ s staff — which works next door in the Executive Office Building — are tested less frequently .
Katie Miller was not on the plane and had not been scheduled to be on the trip .
Pence , who is tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
Miller tweeted she was “ doing well ” and looked forward to getting back to work .
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said the administration was stepping up mitigation efforts already recommended by public health experts and taking other unspecified precautions to ensure the safety of the president .
He said the White House was “ probably the safest place that you can come , ” but the he was reviewing further steps to keep Trump and Pence safe .
The White House requires daily temperature checks of anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has encouraged social distancing among those working in the building .
The administration has also directed regular deep cleaning of all work spaces .
Anyone who comes in close proximity to the president and vice president is tested daily for COVID-19 .
Trump ’ s valet ’ s case marked the first known instance where a person who has come in close proximity to the president has tested positive since several people present at his private Florida club were diagnosed with COVID-19 in early March .
Associated Press writers Zeke Miller , Darlene @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aamer Madhani in Chicago contributed to this report .

WASHINGTON (AP) — Three members of the White House coronavirus task force, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, placed themselves in quarantine after contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, another stark reminder that not even one of the nation’s most secure buildings is immune from the virus.
Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a leading member of the task force, has become nationally known for his simple and direct explanations to the public about the coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease it causes. Also quarantining are Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Stephen Hahn.
Fauci’s institute said that he has tested negative for COVID-19 and will continue to be tested regularly. It added that he is considered at “relatively low risk” based on the degree of his exposure, and that he would be “taking appropriate precautions” to mitigate the risk to personal contacts while still carrying out his duties. While he will stay at home and telework, Fauci will go to the White House if called and take every precaution, the institute said.
Redfield will be “teleworking for the next two weeks” after it was determined he had a “low risk exposure” to a person at the White House, the CDC said in a statement Saturday evening. The statement said he felt fine and has no symptoms.
Just a few hours earlier, the Food and Drug Administration confirmed that Hahn had come in contact with someone who tested positive and was in self-quarantine for the next two weeks. He tested negative for the virus.
All three men are scheduled to testify before a Senate committee on Tuesday. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., the chairman of the panel, said the White House will allow Redfield and Hahn to testify by videoconference, a one-time exception to the administration’s policies on hearing testimony. The statement was issued before Fauci’s quarantine was announced.
Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday, making her the second person who works at the White House complex known to test positive for the virus this week. White House officials had confirmed Thursday that a member of the military serving as one of Trump’s valets had tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump, who publicly identified the affected Pence aide as spokeswoman Katie Miller, said he was “not worried” about the virus spreading in the White House. Nonetheless, officials said they were stepping up safety protocols for the complex.
Miller had been in recent contact with Pence but not with the president and had tested negative a day earlier. She is married to Stephen Miller, a top Trump adviser. The White House had no immediate comment on whether Stephen Miller had been tested or if he was still working in the White House.
The CDC and FDA would not disclose the identity of the person who had tested positive and with whom the agency leaders had come in contact.
Redfield sought to use the exposure as a teachable moment. The CDC statement said if he must go to the White House to fulfill any responsibilities as part of the coronavirus task force, he will follow CDC practices for critical infrastructure workers. Those guidelines call for Redfield and anyone working on the task force to have their temperature taken and screened for symptoms each day, wear a face covering, and distance themselves from others.
Trump has resisted wearing a mask, and in a meeting with the nation’s top military leaders Saturday evening, he did not wear a mask during the brief portion that reporters were allowed to view. The generals around Trump also did not wear a mask, but participants did sit a few feet away from each other.
FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Caccomo said Hahn tested negative for the virus after he learned of the contact. He wrote a note to staff on Friday to alert them.
Six people who had been in contact with Miller were scheduled to fly with Pence on Friday to Des Moines, Iowa, on Air Force Two. They were removed from the flight just before it took off, according to a senior administration official.
None of those people was exhibiting symptoms, but all were asked to deplane so they could be tested “out of an abundance of caution,” a senior administration official told reporters traveling with Pence. All six later tested negative, the White House said.
The official said staff in the West Wing are tested regularly but much of Pence’s staff — which works next door in the Executive Office Building — are tested less frequently. Katie Miller was not on the plane and had not been scheduled to be on the trip.
Pence, who is tested on a regular basis, was tested Friday. Miller tweeted she was “doing well” and looked forward to getting back to work.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said the administration was stepping up mitigation efforts already recommended by public health experts and taking other unspecified precautions to ensure the safety of the president. He said the White House was “probably the safest place that you can come,” but the he was reviewing further steps to keep Trump and Pence safe.
The White House requires daily temperature checks of anyone who enters the White House complex and has encouraged social distancing among those working in the building. The administration has also directed regular deep cleaning of all work spaces. Anyone who comes in close proximity to the president and vice president is tested daily for COVID-19.
Trump’s valet’s case marked the first known instance where a person who has come in close proximity to the president has tested positive since several people present at his private Florida club were diagnosed with COVID-19 in early March.
___
Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Darlene Superville and Lauran Neergaard in Washington and Aamer Madhani in Chicago contributed to this report.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-11--Pence: I’d ‘Be Happy’ To Have Flynn Return To Trump Administration

Vice President Mike Pence says he ’ d like to see former national security adviser Michael Flynn reinstated in President Donald Trump ’ s administration after the Justice Department made the jaw-dropping decision to drop Flynn ’ s criminal case last week .
In a clip of Pence ’ s interview with Axios posted on Sunday , the vice president called Flynn an “ American patriot ” who “ served this country with great distinction.
” “ And now I believe the decision by the Justice Department lays bare what was clearly prosecutorial abuse , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d be happy to see Michael Flynn again.
” The Justice Department , headed by Attorney General Bill Barr , withdrew from Flynn ’ s case after months of Trump railing against the prosecution of his former adviser , despite the fact that Flynn had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI .
Trump has not said outright that he plans on pardoning Flynn .
However , he applauded the Justice Department for its reversal and has indicated that he would be open to having Flynn back in his administration .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would , ” the President said in late April .
“ I think he ’ s a fine man .
”

Vice President Mike Pence says he’d like to see former national security adviser Michael Flynn reinstated in President Donald Trump’s administration after the Justice Department made the jaw-dropping decision to drop Flynn’s criminal case last week.
In a clip of Pence’s interview with Axios posted on Sunday, the vice president called Flynn an “American patriot” who “served this country with great distinction.”
“And now I believe the decision by the Justice Department lays bare what was clearly prosecutorial abuse,” he said. “And for my part, I’d be happy to see Michael Flynn again.”
The Justice Department, headed by Attorney General Bill Barr, withdrew from Flynn’s case after months of Trump railing against the prosecution of his former adviser, despite the fact that Flynn had pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.
Trump has not said outright that he plans on pardoning Flynn. However, he applauded the Justice Department for its reversal and has indicated that he would be open to having Flynn back in his administration.
“I would certainly consider it, yeah. I would,” the President said in late April. “I think he’s a fine man.”
Watch Pence below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-11--NYC ERs Are Getting More ‘Normal’ Type Cases — But The Mood Is Anything But

New York City ’ s COVID-19 curve has begun to flatten .
But for some doctors in the metropolitan area , life in the emergency room remains a roller coaster .
After an “ avalanche ” of coronavirus-related activity , where some New York hospitals were pushed to the brink , some emergency rooms saw an equally precipitous decline in overall cases cases in recent weeks , as social distancing orders took hold and the types of patients ERs typically see avoided getting treatment out of fear of the virus .
The number of daily COVID-19 hospitalizations began to drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to New York City data , and by early May the city was seeing under 200 coronavirus hospitalizations a day — a seven-fold decrease from the outbreak ’ s peak .
The emergency department visit rates for people with influenza-like and pneumonia symptoms are also now below where they were at the start of the outbreak .
But even that slowdown has proven to be only temporary .
ER activity is ticking back up , some doctors told TPM last week .
Emergency physicians are seeing two months of pent-up demand for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more serious non-coronavirus problems and infections .
This fluctuation in workload is being accompanied by undeniable anxiety that this too could be just another brief phase .
Sighs of relief are being chased by waves of guilt .
The next big shock to the health care system could be just around the corner and a return to normal — even as others in New York discuss reopening — remains elusive .
“ Look at where we are right now : we have no treatment , no prophylactic , no vaccine , a blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real reliable results about whether you ’ ve been infected or not , or tells you about immunity , ” Dr. Manish Garg , an emergency medicine doctor , told TPM last week .
“ But all we have is physical distancing , and now people are not observing that.
” At Garg ’ s Manhattan hospital , which he asked that TPM not identify in order for him to speak candidly , he expected at the beginning of the outbreak to see a surge of respiratory complaints .
What they saw was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” like an “ avalanche , ” exhibiting all sorts of symptoms — nausea , body aches , heart attacks — that ultimately were coronavirus-linked .
“ It really went up exponentially , ” he told TPM , with his hospital fearing that cases might start doubling daily and “ adrenaline ” powering his high-speed days .
“ Thankfully , we never hit that , and the numbers did plateau , and then precipitously dropped after that , because most of the people stopped coming — period — to the emergency department , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his department was seeing less than half of the cases it would normally see in non-pandemic times .
“ Which got us scared because , where did all the appendicitis and gallbladder infections and other types of infections go ?
” he recalled .
Sure enough , those patients did begin to return this month , with case volume picking up last week by about 25 percent .
“ It ’ s all the people who have been having chest pain for six weeks and were too scared to come in , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ I don ’ t think I can take it anymore , I am taking a chance now , ' ” Garg said .
Dr. Kamal Kalsi , who practices at health care facilities throughout the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area , noticed a similar dynamic in the ER he was working at last week .
“ We were definitely overwhelmed with the COVID cases through March and April , and then it started to drop off — maybe about two weeks ago , things started to slow down — and now we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuff that we had not seen , ” Kalsi told TPM on Thursday .
Annual flu season usually is followed by a “ well deserved lull , ” according to Kalsi , “ so we were expecting a slowdown way back in like , March , beginning of April , which never happened , ” “ I think a lot of us were relieved , ” he said , when the potential COVID-19 cases started to come down .
But he also fears that there will be a “ maddening wave after wave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being taken less seriously in New York .
“ The inability to predict the future is what ’ s driving us crazy , ” said Dr. Calvin Sun , who spoke to TPM late last month after posting an image to his Instagram of empty ER beds at a New York City hospital .
Sun , a per diem doctor , said that things had chilled out to the point that shifts were starting to be cut back .
( He asked not to identify the hospital , given the active presence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documenting the outbreak ) .
“ Even if patients are down , ” Sun said , “ the mental anxiety is still there.
” ‘ What Did We Just Go Through ?
” Another feeling has settled among ER staff : guilt — survivors ’ guilt ; guilt on days that they ’ re off , that they ’ re not on the front lines ; guilt about the families who could not be at their loved ones ’ side as they died .
“ Emergency medicine folk , I hate to stereotype @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , passionate , excited , take-the-bull-by-the-horns type of people , and now I see us just kind of like quiet , contemplative , ” Garg said .
The mental struggles are being compounded by the fact that many doctors are still staying isolated from their families .
“ The running has stopped and many of us have started to just contemplate , tried to wrap our heads around and reflect on : what did we just go through ?
”

New York City’s COVID-19 curve has begun to flatten. But for some doctors in the metropolitan area, life in the emergency room remains a roller coaster.
After an “avalanche” of coronavirus-related activity, where some New York hospitals were pushed to the brink, some emergency rooms saw an equally precipitous decline in overall cases cases in recent weeks, as social distancing orders took hold and the types of patients ERs typically see avoided getting treatment out of fear of the virus.
The number of daily COVID-19 hospitalizations began to drop after the first week in April, according to New York City data, and by early May the city was seeing under 200 coronavirus hospitalizations a day — a seven-fold decrease from the outbreak’s peak. The emergency department visit rates for people with influenza-like and pneumonia symptoms are also now below where they were at the start of the outbreak.
But even that slowdown has proven to be only temporary. ER activity is ticking back up, some doctors told TPM last week. Emergency physicians are seeing two months of pent-up demand for chronic conditions, routine care, and more serious non-coronavirus problems and infections.
This fluctuation in workload is being accompanied by undeniable anxiety that this too could be just another brief phase. Sighs of relief are being chased by waves of guilt. The next big shock to the health care system could be just around the corner and a return to normal — even as others in New York discuss reopening — remains elusive.
“Look at where we are right now: we have no treatment, no prophylactic, no vaccine, a blood test that doesn’t give you real reliable results about whether you’ve been infected or not, or tells you about immunity,” Dr. Manish Garg, an emergency medicine doctor, told TPM last week. “But all we have is physical distancing, and now people are not observing that.”
‘Most Of The People Stopped Coming, Period’
At Garg’s Manhattan hospital, which he asked that TPM not identify in order for him to speak candidly, he expected at the beginning of the outbreak to see a surge of respiratory complaints. What they saw was a “a ton of cases,” like an “avalanche,” exhibiting all sorts of symptoms — nausea, body aches, heart attacks — that ultimately were coronavirus-linked.
“It really went up exponentially,” he told TPM, with his hospital fearing that cases might start doubling daily and “adrenaline” powering his high-speed days.
“Thankfully, we never hit that, and the numbers did plateau, and then precipitously dropped after that, because most of the people stopped coming — period — to the emergency department,” Garg said.
Around late April, his department was seeing less than half of the cases it would normally see in non-pandemic times.
“Which got us scared because, where did all the appendicitis and gallbladder infections and other types of infections go?” he recalled.
Sure enough, those patients did begin to return this month, with case volume picking up last week by about 25 percent.
“It’s all the people who have been having chest pain for six weeks and were too scared to come in, but now are coming in, because ‘I don’t think I can take it anymore, I am taking a chance now,'” Garg said.
‘The Mental Anxiety Is Still There’
Dr. Kamal Kalsi, who practices at health care facilities throughout the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area, noticed a similar dynamic in the ER he was working at last week.
(Kalsi asked to not name the specific facility, for fear doing so would cost him his job.)
“We were definitely overwhelmed with the COVID cases through March and April, and then it started to drop off — maybe about two weeks ago, things started to slow down — and now we’re seeing resurgence of just regular stuff that we had not seen,” Kalsi told TPM on Thursday.
Annual flu season usually is followed by a “well deserved lull,” according to Kalsi, “so we were expecting a slowdown way back in like, March, beginning of April, which never happened,”
“I think a lot of us were relieved,” he said, when the potential COVID-19 cases started to come down.
But he also fears that there will be a “maddening wave after wave of infection” now that social distancing is being taken less seriously in New York.
“The inability to predict the future is what’s driving us crazy,” said Dr. Calvin Sun, who spoke to TPM late last month after posting an image to his Instagram of empty ER beds at a New York City hospital.
Sun, a per diem doctor, said that things had chilled out to the point that shifts were starting to be cut back. (He asked not to identify the hospital, given the active presence he’s had on social media documenting the outbreak).
“Even if patients are down,” Sun said, “the mental anxiety is still there.”
‘What Did We Just Go Through?”
Another feeling has settled among ER staff: guilt — survivors’ guilt; guilt on days that they’re off, that they’re not on the front lines; guilt about the families who could not be at their loved ones’ side as they died.
“Emergency medicine folk, I hate to stereotype, but they tend to be fun, passionate, excited, take-the-bull-by-the-horns type of people, and now I see us just kind of like quiet, contemplative,” Garg said. The mental struggles are being compounded by the fact that many doctors are still staying isolated from their families.
“The running has stopped and many of us have started to just contemplate, tried to wrap our heads around and reflect on: what did we just go through?”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-11--Whitmer Calls Violent Threats ‘Beyond The Pale’ In Advance Of Capitol Protest

Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ( D ) , who has become the subject of violent threats ahead of a protest planned at the state capitol on Thursday , denounced the comments as “ beyond the pale.
” “ I ’ m increasingly concerned about the violent nature of the extreme comments that are being made around these organizations and groups that are coming together , ” she said at her Monday press briefing .
“ The violent , racist , extreme rhetoric that has already been connected to Thursday ’ s rally and that was reported by the Metro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — concerning isn ’ t a strong enough word.
” The Detroit Metro Times infiltrated private Facebook groups with names such as “ People of Michigan v. Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer ” and “ Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine ” and found a bevy of threatening comments against the governor .
Many called her a tyrant and advocated for her assassination .
The rally Thursday is being planned by a group called Michigan United for Liberty .
Though organizers did not respond to TPM ’ s questions , the group ’ s website says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d .
“ The legislators continue to play scheduling games with us , so we will be there whether they are or not , in large numbers , ” the event description reads .
“ We will gather to raise awareness of the many hypocrisies of Governor Gretchen Whitmer , and to give a voice to the voiceless.
” Organizers offer examples of slogans for protesters ’ signs including “ Whitmer doesn ’ t wear a mask , why should I ?
!
” and “ # StopTheTyranny.
” At her press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the legislature to “ step up ” and “ denounce ” the threats preceding Thursday ’ s rally .
“ In America , we respect people ’ s right to speak out — but they have a duty to do it in a way that doesn ’ t compromise others or threaten others , ” she said .
“ I ask that people be respectful of their fellow Michiganders and that anyone with an office or title or platform uses it to help bring down the heat.
” The Lansing capitol building has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as some in the state chafe under Whitmer ’ s stay-at-home orders .
At the end of April , armed protesters swarmed the building after congregating on its lawn , some heckling lawmakers from the public galleries above the chamber floors .
Pictures of the protesters screaming at police officers and toting guns were widely circulated .
On Monday , the Michigan State Capitol Commission took up the question of whether to ban firearms from the capitol building .
State Attorney General Dana Nessel advised the commissioners that they did have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ premises , arguing in a formal opinion that open carry laws do not grant gun owners “ the unfettered right to bring firearms into any public space.
” Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey ( R ) blasted out a letter of his own , calling on the commission to delay its decision until its members had conferred with legislative leaders , the House and Senate sergeants and Michigan state police .
He said that the hot button issue would only be “ further aggravated by hasty policy implementation.
” The commission ultimately kicked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to set up a special committee to further examine the question .
Gary Randall , the clerk of the House and a commissioner , bemoaned that the apolitical body was being dragged into the debate .
“ We ’ ve been thrown into an issue that , by its very nature , has political implications , ” he said during a video call .
“ I don ’ t like seeing weapons in the building either but I think we have to be very careful we ’ re not overstepping our bounds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her press briefing , Whitmer reacted to the commission ’ s punt , which means that firearms will still be allowed in the capitol for Thursday ’ s rally .
“ I am very disappointed that the Capitol Commission didn ’ t take action today to keep legislators safe , ” she said , adding that she ’ d heard stories about some state lawmakers who were afraid to come into work .

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), who has become the subject of violent threats ahead of a protest planned at the state capitol on Thursday, denounced the comments as “beyond the pale.”
“I’m increasingly concerned about the violent nature of the extreme comments that are being made around these organizations and groups that are coming together,” she said at her Monday press briefing. “The violent, racist, extreme rhetoric that has already been connected to Thursday’s rally and that was reported by the Metro Times today, I think, is — concerning isn’t a strong enough word.”
The Detroit Metro Times infiltrated private Facebook groups with names such as “People of Michigan v. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer” and “Michiganders Against Excessive Quarantine” and found a bevy of threatening comments against the governor. Many called her a tyrant and advocated for her assassination.
The rally Thursday is being planned by a group called Michigan United for Liberty. Though organizers did not respond to TPM’s questions, the group’s website says that so far 354 people have RSVP’d.
“The legislators continue to play scheduling games with us, so we will be there whether they are or not, in large numbers,” the event description reads. “We will gather to raise awareness of the many hypocrisies of Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and to give a voice to the voiceless.”
Organizers offer examples of slogans for protesters’ signs including “Whitmer doesn’t wear a mask, why should I?!” and “#StopTheTyranny.”
At her press briefing, Whitmer implored Republican leaders of the legislature to “step up” and “denounce” the threats preceding Thursday’s rally.
“In America, we respect people’s right to speak out — but they have a duty to do it in a way that doesn’t compromise others or threaten others,” she said. “I ask that people be respectful of their fellow Michiganders and that anyone with an office or title or platform uses it to help bring down the heat.”
The Lansing capitol building has become a popular site for reopen protests, as some in the state chafe under Whitmer’s stay-at-home orders. At the end of April, armed protesters swarmed the building after congregating on its lawn, some heckling lawmakers from the public galleries above the chamber floors. Pictures of the protesters screaming at police officers and toting guns were widely circulated.
On Monday, the Michigan State Capitol Commission took up the question of whether to ban firearms from the capitol building.
State Attorney General Dana Nessel advised the commissioners that they did have the authority to bar the weapons from the premises, arguing in a formal opinion that open carry laws do not grant gun owners “the unfettered right to bring firearms into any public space.”
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R) blasted out a letter of his own, calling on the commission to delay its decision until its members had conferred with legislative leaders, the House and Senate sergeants and Michigan state police. He said that the hot button issue would only be “further aggravated by hasty policy implementation.”
The commission ultimately kicked the can down the road, voting to set up a special committee to further examine the question.
Gary Randall, the clerk of the House and a commissioner, bemoaned that the apolitical body was being dragged into the debate.
“We’ve been thrown into an issue that, by its very nature, has political implications,” he said during a video call.
“I don’t like seeing weapons in the building either but I think we have to be very careful we’re not overstepping our bounds,” said commissioner John Truscott.
During her press briefing, Whitmer reacted to the commission’s punt, which means that firearms will still be allowed in the capitol for Thursday’s rally.
“I am very disappointed that the Capitol Commission didn’t take action today to keep legislators safe,” she said, adding that she’d heard stories about some state lawmakers who were afraid to come into work.