talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-13--States Sue Over ICE Rule Threatening Int’l Students, As Trump Admin Defends It In Court

Seventeen states and the District of Columbia on Monday sued the Trump administration over new government guidance that would require international students taking all-online course loads to leave the country .
Around the same time , the Trump administration responded in a court filing to a separate legal effort from Harvard , MIT and scores of other schools to block the guidance .
The universities ’ lawsuit was filed on Wednesday .
The government argued in response Monday that ICE had a right to change the guidance for students with just weeks to go before the fall term begins .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with all-online course loads , even at schools where that ’ s the only option , leave the country .
It mostly reversed a March rule that allowed exemptions to the typical requirements , which mandate that international students on academic visas maintain an in-person course load .
“ ICE offered no rationale for this abrupt reversal of the March 13 Guidance , which had explicitly allowed exemptions to in-person learning requirements ‘ for the duration of the emergency ’ our States and schools continue to face , ” the states ’ lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health and safety of our students , faculty , staff , and the untold other residents of our States with whom they interact ; it failed to consider the tremendous costs and burden this abrupt reversal would impose on our institutions of higher learning ; and it failed to consider that , for many of our international students , remote learning in the countries and communities from which they come would impede their studies or be simply impossible.
” The states ’ lawsuit , like the universities ’ , alleged that ICE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked a federal judge in Massachusetts to put the new guidance on hold .
In a response to the universities filed on Monday , a lawyer for the administration wrote that ICE was simply hewing closer to the pre-COVID rules .
While plaintiffs have pointed to ICE ’ s notice in March that the COVID-era guidance would last for the “ duration of the emergency , ” the administration on Monday focused on the next sentence : “ Due to the fluid nature of this difficult situation , this guidance may be subject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressured schools to make in-person accommodations for international students .
In addition to constituting a substantial portion of the academic population in the United States , international students on academic and vocational visas also often pay larger tuition bills than local students .
“ Losing the presence—and in many cases the enrollment—of international students would result in the loss of invaluable perspectives and contributions by these students , hundreds of millions of dollars in foregone tuition as well as fees for housing and other services , and hundreds of billions of dollars in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” the states ’ suit asserted on Monday .
“ Plaintiff States ’ public institutions stand to lose tens of millions of dollars , ” it added separately .
The suit also dinged ICE for increasing the risk that students who leave the country as a result of the guidance will spread COVID-19 , or be infected with it , during their travels .
ICE has been criticized for continuing to shuttle immigrant detainees around the country and elsewhere around the world despite this risk .
In its court filing in the university @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools ’ frustration with the guidance stemmed from “ a self-perceived requirement to provide increased in-person classes in order to comply with the July policy.
” But it was hardly self-perceived : Both the universities and the states , in their legal filings , quoted the Acting Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli .
In an interview last week after ICE announced the new guidance , Cuccinelli said the ICE guidance would “ encourage schools to reopen .
”

Seventeen states and the District of Columbia on Monday sued the Trump administration over new government guidance that would require international students taking all-online course loads to leave the country.
Around the same time, the Trump administration responded in a court filing to a separate legal effort from Harvard, MIT and scores of other schools to block the guidance. The universities’ lawsuit was filed on Wednesday. The government argued in response Monday that ICE had a right to change the guidance for students with just weeks to go before the fall term begins.
The new ICE guidance requires that students with all-online course loads, even at schools where that’s the only option, leave the country. It mostly reversed a March rule that allowed exemptions to the typical requirements, which mandate that international students on academic visas maintain an in-person course load.
“ICE offered no rationale for this abrupt reversal of the March 13 Guidance, which had explicitly allowed exemptions to in-person learning requirements ‘for the duration of the emergency’ our States and schools continue to face,” the states’ lawsuit asserted.
“It failed to consider the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and the untold other residents of our States with whom they interact; it failed to consider the tremendous costs and burden this abrupt reversal would impose on our institutions of higher learning; and it failed to consider that, for many of our international students, remote learning in the countries and communities from which they come would impede their studies or be simply impossible.”
The states’ lawsuit, like the universities’, alleged that ICE had acted arbitrarily and capriciously, and asked a federal judge in Massachusetts to put the new guidance on hold.
In a response to the universities filed on Monday, a lawyer for the administration wrote that ICE was simply hewing closer to the pre-COVID rules.
While plaintiffs have pointed to ICE’s notice in March that the COVID-era guidance would last for the “duration of the emergency,” the administration on Monday focused on the next sentence: “Due to the fluid nature of this difficult situation, this guidance may be subject to change.”
The new guidance has pressured schools to make in-person accommodations for international students. In addition to constituting a substantial portion of the academic population in the United States, international students on academic and vocational visas also often pay larger tuition bills than local students.
“Losing the presence—and in many cases the enrollment—of international students would result in the loss of invaluable perspectives and contributions by these students, hundreds of millions of dollars in foregone tuition as well as fees for housing and other services, and hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue for our States’ economies,” the states’ suit asserted on Monday.
“Plaintiff States’ public institutions stand to lose tens of millions of dollars,” it added separately.
The suit also dinged ICE for increasing the risk that students who leave the country as a result of the guidance will spread COVID-19, or be infected with it, during their travels. ICE has been criticized for continuing to shuttle immigrant detainees around the country and elsewhere around the world despite this risk.
In its court filing in the university case Monday, ICE asserted that the schools’ frustration with the guidance stemmed from “a self-perceived requirement to provide increased in-person classes in order to comply with the July policy.”
But it was hardly self-perceived: Both the universities and the states, in their legal filings, quoted the Acting Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli.
In an interview last week after ICE announced the new guidance, Cuccinelli said the ICE guidance would “encourage schools to reopen.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-14--Trump Denies He’s The Underdog In Election After Unhinged Speech Ripping Into Biden

President Trump ’ s press conference in the White House Rose Garden on Tuesday afternoon quickly devolved into a long and meandering campaign-style speech attacking Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
After announcing that the U.S. is slapping sanctions against China for its new national security law interfering with Hong Kong ’ s autonomy , Trump spent most of the press conference attacking the former vice president on a wide range of topics , which included baselessly accusing Biden of wanting to defund the military to sarcastically asking , “ Where is Hunter Biden ?
” Shortly after claiming that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time where the candidates were so different , ” Trump was pressed on whether he sees himself as the underdog in the presidential race .
“ No I don ’ t , ” Trump said , before railing against polls that show him losing to Biden .
“ I think we have really good poll numbers — they are not suppression polls , they are real polls.
” The President then pointed to “ the intercoastal in Florida ” and “ the lakes ” where there are “ thousands of boats with Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve got the Trump/Pence signs all over , you look at what ’ s going on , ” Trump said .
“ You look at bikers for miles and miles riding up highways proudly with their signs.
” Trump quickly pivoted back to criticizing polls showing him losing to Biden by claiming that they ’ re “ fake.
” “ Look , we won a race where it was the same thing , 2016 .
We had polls that were fake , ” Trump said .
“ They turned out to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them got it right .
Three of them to be exact .
One of them was unsuspecting but they got it right , they were very proud of it .
”

President Trump’s press conference in the White House Rose Garden on Tuesday afternoon quickly devolved into a long and meandering campaign-style speech attacking Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
After announcing that the U.S. is slapping sanctions against China for its new national security law interfering with Hong Kong’s autonomy, Trump spent most of the press conference attacking the former vice president on a wide range of topics, which included baselessly accusing Biden of wanting to defund the military to sarcastically asking, “Where is Hunter Biden?”
Shortly after claiming that “there’s never been a time where the candidates were so different,” Trump was pressed on whether he sees himself as the underdog in the presidential race.
“No I don’t,” Trump said, before railing against polls that show him losing to Biden. “I think we have really good poll numbers — they are not suppression polls, they are real polls.”
The President then pointed to “the intercoastal in Florida” and “the lakes” where there are “thousands of boats with Trump signs and American signs.”
“You’ve got the Trump/Pence signs all over, you look at what’s going on,” Trump said. “You look at bikers for miles and miles riding up highways proudly with their signs.”
Trump quickly pivoted back to criticizing polls showing him losing to Biden by claiming that they’re “fake.”
“Look, we won a race where it was the same thing, 2016. We had polls that were fake,” Trump said. “They turned out to be fake. Not all — a couple of them got it right. Three of them to be exact. One of them was unsuspecting but they got it right, they were very proud of it.”
Watch Trump’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-14--He’s Back: Gorka Lands Presidential Appointment To Gov’t Board

The fringe national security commentator Sebastian Gorka has scored another presidential appointment .
Gorka will join the National Security Education Board , which oversees a collection of federally-funded scholarships , for a four-year term .
The White House press office announced President Donald Trump ’ s intent to appoint Gorka to the post on Tuesday .
The National Security Education Program , which Gorka ’ s new board oversees , doles out scholarships for language and cultural immersion programs in exchange for federal service requirements .
The board , according to an NSEP website , “ determines the criteria for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Program should address.
” The post isn ’ t paid , according to the program ’ s original authorizing language , but travel and other necessary expenses can be reimbursed .
Gorka announced the news during a live broadcast of his radio show “ America First ” on Tuesday , after noting that he ’ d had a chat “ with my old boss , the President , ” two days earlier .
He described his new role with some characteristic puffery .
“ This is the National Security Education Board , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the whole of defense of the United States , the government , national security arena — has what it needs to do its job , is supported by universities , think tanks , and that we have the capacity to understand and defeat our enemies.
” Gorka thanked Trump and said “ he is loyal to those who are loyal to him.
” “ The President didn ’ t need to do this , ” the Hungarian-American reflected in his baritone British accent .
“ After all the things I ’ ve been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him to say ‘ Don ’ t do it , find somebody who ’ s more milquetoast . '
” And Gorka ’ s been through quite a bit .
A former Brietbart editor , Gorka ’ s first role in the Trump administration lasted just a few months .
But it was a coup for the national security analyst whose academic work on terrorism was widely viewed as shoddy .
Months into Gorka ’ s tenure at the White House , his own former PhD adviser said “ I would not call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ his level of expertise does not match the level where he stands in the White House.
” Gorka became a frequent face for the administration ’ s immigration and national security policy , repeating the phrase “ radical Islamic terrorism ” like a mantra .
At one point Gorka declined to say whether Trump believed Islam was a religion at all .
In August 2017 , asked why the President hadn ’ t spoken out about the bombing of a Minnesota mosque , Gorka suggested the attack might have been faked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a deputy assistant to the President for his reported affiliation with the Order of Vitez , a Hungarian group founded by a Nazi collaborator .
Gorka ’ s father was a member of the group and Gorka wore a medal for the organization to an inaugural ball .
Gorka left the administration in August of 2017 , insisting that he ’ d resigned from his post .
Since then , he ’ s mostly made headlines for his news commentary , such as when he said a few months after leaving the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Chicago were “ murdering each other by the bushel.
” In March last year , Fox News confirmed that Gorka was no longer working as a paid contributor at the network a short time after Gorka said in a speech that Democrats “ want to take your pickup truck , they want to rebuild your home , they want to take away your hamburgers.
” And in May of last year , he said the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi was an “ apologist for jihadists.
” Through it all , Gorka has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graces , perhaps in part by getting in a shouting match a year ago in the White House Rose Garden with a reporter , Brian Karem , whom Gorka called a “ punk.
” ( Trump subsequently tweeted that Gorka “ Wins Big , No Contest !
” ) In May , following the President ’ s own claims that he ’ d been taking the drug hydroxychloroquine as an ( unproven ) COVID-19 prophylactic , Gorka said he ’ d been “ taking it for more than a month ” himself .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , CNN reported on internal murmurs at the government-funded Voice of America that Gorka could join the broadcaster ’ s leadership team — talk that , ultimately , went nowhere .

The fringe national security commentator Sebastian Gorka has scored another presidential appointment.
Gorka will join the National Security Education Board, which oversees a collection of federally-funded scholarships, for a four-year term. The White House press office announced President Donald Trump’s intent to appoint Gorka to the post on Tuesday.
The National Security Education Program, which Gorka’s new board oversees, doles out scholarships for language and cultural immersion programs in exchange for federal service requirements.
The board, according to an NSEP website, “determines the criteria for the awards and recommends critical areas that the Program should address.”
The post isn’t paid, according to the program’s original authorizing language, but travel and other necessary expenses can be reimbursed.
Gorka announced the news during a live broadcast of his radio show “America First” on Tuesday, after noting that he’d had a chat “with my old boss, the President,” two days earlier.
He described his new role with some characteristic puffery.
“This is the National Security Education Board, that makes sure that the defense — the whole of defense of the United States, the government, national security arena — has what it needs to do its job, is supported by universities, think tanks, and that we have the capacity to understand and defeat our enemies.”
Gorka thanked Trump and said “he is loyal to those who are loyal to him.”
“The President didn’t need to do this,” the Hungarian-American reflected in his baritone British accent. “After all the things I’ve been through, it would be easier for him to say ‘Don’t do it, find somebody who’s more milquetoast.'”
And Gorka’s been through quite a bit.
A former Brietbart editor, Gorka’s first role in the Trump administration lasted just a few months. But it was a coup for the national security analyst whose academic work on terrorism was widely viewed as shoddy.
Months into Gorka’s tenure at the White House, his own former PhD adviser said “I would not call him an expert on terrorism” and “his level of expertise does not match the level where he stands in the White House.”
Gorka became a frequent face for the administration’s immigration and national security policy, repeating the phrase “radical Islamic terrorism” like a mantra. At one point Gorka declined to say whether Trump believed Islam was a religion at all. In August 2017, asked why the President hadn’t spoken out about the bombing of a Minnesota mosque, Gorka suggested the attack might have been faked.
Gorka earned a spotlight during his time as a deputy assistant to the President for his reported affiliation with the Order of Vitez, a Hungarian group founded by a Nazi collaborator. Gorka’s father was a member of the group and Gorka wore a medal for the organization to an inaugural ball.
Gorka left the administration in August of 2017, insisting that he’d resigned from his post.
Since then, he’s mostly made headlines for his news commentary, such as when he said a few months after leaving the White House that “Black Africans” in Chicago were “murdering each other by the bushel.”
In March last year, Fox News confirmed that Gorka was no longer working as a paid contributor at the network a short time after Gorka said in a speech that Democrats “want to take your pickup truck, they want to rebuild your home, they want to take away your hamburgers.”
And in May of last year, he said the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi was an “apologist for jihadists.”
Through it all, Gorka has apparently stayed in Trump’s good graces, perhaps in part by getting in a shouting match a year ago in the White House Rose Garden with a reporter, Brian Karem, whom Gorka called a “punk.” (Trump subsequently tweeted that Gorka “Wins Big, No Contest!”)
In May, following the President’s own claims that he’d been taking the drug hydroxychloroquine as an (unproven) COVID-19 prophylactic, Gorka said he’d been “taking it for more than a month” himself.
A few weeks later, in mid-June, CNN reported on internal murmurs at the government-funded Voice of America that Gorka could join the broadcaster’s leadership team — talk that, ultimately, went nowhere.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-14--Justice Ginsburg Hospitalized For ‘Possible Infection’

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized and went under a procedure on Tuesday for treatment for a “ possible infection , ” the Supreme Court announced .
In a statement , the court ’ s public information office said she was initially evaluated Monday evening at a Washington D.C. hospital after “ after experiencing fever and chills.
” She underwent an endoscopic procedure at Johns Hopkins Tuesday afternoon to clean out a bile duct stent that was placed last August , ” the statement continued .
“ The Justice is resting comfortably and will stay in the hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ antibiotic treatment.
” This is the 87-year-old justice ’ s second hospitalization in recent months .
In May , she received a procedure for a gallbladder condition at John Hopkins .
Justice Ginsburg was admitted to The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore , Maryland early this morning for treatment of a possible infection .
She was initially evaluated at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington , D.C. last night after experiencing fever and chills .
She underwent an endoscopic procedure at Johns Hopkins this afternoon to clean out a bile duct stent that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resting comfortably and will stay in the hospital for a few days to receive intravenous antibiotic treatment .

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized and went under a procedure on Tuesday for treatment for a “possible infection,” the Supreme Court announced.
In a statement, the court’s public information office said she was initially evaluated Monday evening at a Washington D.C. hospital after “after experiencing fever and chills.”
She underwent an endoscopic procedure at Johns Hopkins Tuesday afternoon to clean out a bile duct stent that was placed last August,” the statement continued. “The Justice is resting comfortably and will stay in the hospital for a few days to receive intravenous antibiotic treatment.”
This is the 87-year-old justice’s second hospitalization in recent months. In May, she received a procedure for a gallbladder condition at John Hopkins.
Read the full statement below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-14--Trump Both-Sides A Question About Police Killings Of Black People

President Donald Trump snapped at a reporter on Tuesday who asked why Black people still die at the hands of the police , saying that “ more ” white people die .
“ So are white people .
So are white people , ” he said during a CBS News interview , his first with one of the major networks in months .
“ What a terrible question to ask .
So are white people , more white people , by the way .
More white people.
” More white people do die at the hands of the police — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by about 160 million in the United States .
But in reality , a Black person is 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than a white person in this country , according to the Washington Post .
Trump has embraced “ both-sideserism ” before , most famously about the white nationalists who marched in Charlottesville , Virginia in 2017 .
After a woman was killed when a man drove into a crowd of counter-protesters , Trump said there were “ fine people on both sides ” of the rally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as protests have broken out across the country in response to the police killing of George Floyd , Trump has frequently conjured up the right-wing idea of “ antifa , ” a loose movement of anti-fascist protesters , as “ thugs ” to juxtapose with law enforcement .
Accordingly , Trump ’ s scores on his approach to racial issues is dismal .
An ABC News/Ipsos poll from last week showed 67 percent of respondents disapproving of his handling of race relations .

President Donald Trump snapped at a reporter on Tuesday who asked why Black people still die at the hands of the police, saying that “more” white people die.
“So are white people. So are white people,” he said during a CBS News interview, his first with one of the major networks in months. “What a terrible question to ask. So are white people, more white people, by the way. More white people.”
President Trump tells @CBS_Herridge that “more White people” are dying at the hands of police than Black people. Watch excerpts on CBSN, more tonight on @CBSEveningNews and tomorrow on @CBSThisMorning https://t.co/NeBLT0LG0p pic.twitter.com/XIwyARJBBl — CBS News (@CBSNews) July 14, 2020
More white people do die at the hands of the police — but only because they outnumber Black people by about 160 million in the United States. But in reality, a Black person is 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police than a white person in this country, according to the Washington Post.
Trump has embraced “both-sideserism” before, most famously about the white nationalists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. After a woman was killed when a man drove into a crowd of counter-protesters, Trump said there were “fine people on both sides” of the rally, equating the neo-Nazis and counter-protesters.
Now, as protests have broken out across the country in response to the police killing of George Floyd, Trump has frequently conjured up the right-wing idea of “antifa,” a loose movement of anti-fascist protesters, as “thugs” to juxtapose with law enforcement.
Accordingly, Trump’s scores on his approach to racial issues is dismal. An ABC News/Ipsos poll from last week showed 67 percent of respondents disapproving of his handling of race relations.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-14--FEMA Sends Texas 14 Mobile Morgues As Coronavirus Death Counts Rise

The Sunbelt states buckling under COVID-19 have started making preparations for the worst to come : They ’ re ordering extra morgues .
The mobile , refrigerated morgue units are supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency or on the private market , giving hospitals and local public health departments extra capacity to store the dead .
Local news reports from Texas and Arizona say that officials and hospital chains have begun in recent weeks to order extra , mobile morgues .
The reasons differ , but they either come as a response to death rates starting to overwhelm storage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials anticipate and prepare for the same .
FEMA told TPM that it is sending 14 “ mortuary support units ” to Texas in response to a July 11 request from the state ’ s department of emergency management .
The units , a FEMA spokesperson said , “ are in transit and should arrive at the state by early next week.
” Local officials in Texas have been agitating for the mobile morgues as death counts rise .
“ I am now having to order additional body bags and morgue trailers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is , ” Barbara Canales , Judge of Texas ’ s Nueces County , told a Corpus Christi TV station last week .
The orders mark the pandemic ’ s severity .
After weeks of rising cases , followed by rising hospitalizations , hard-hit states ’ death rates have also started to rise — a lagging indicator that reflects the time it takes to die of the virus and the stress that healthcare systems face in treating waves of patients .
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego ( D ) mistakenly said last week that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morgue capacity .
She was wrong , but not by much : the Maricopa County medical examiner reported that , as of this past weekend , it had filled 96 percent of its morgue capacity and was seeking refrigerated trucks to store more of the deceased .
Since then , Maricopa County has reportedly moved to add room for 50 bodies .
At the same time , Abrazo Health , an Arizona hospital chain , told a local news outlet on Tuesday that it had ordered extra refrigerated storage to handle the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of the pandemic , it ’ s not clear what role the federal government is playing in this .
FEMA told TPM that neither Arizona nor Florida had filed official requests for morgues , as both face rising death rates .
The mobile morgues evoke the scenes of death that gripped health care facilities in New York City in late March and early April , where nearly every hospital had a FEMA-ordered refrigerated morgue trailer sitting outside .
FEMA told TPM that its agency followed policies consistent with the rest of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which the federal government steps back from coordination and leaves the states to address the crisis with piecemeal federal support .
“ Consistent with the principles of locally executed , state managed and federally supported emergency response , FEMA Regional Response Coordination Centers work closely with their state , local , tribal and territorial counterparts to determine the type and level of support required to ensure mission success , ” the spokesperson said .
In Texas , two counties have reportedly agreed to share the single , 50-body FEMA trailer that one was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brownsville , Texas , county officials have said that they bought a large refrigerated trailer to store extra bodies as excess capacity , should COVID-19 get bad enough in the area .
Epidemiologists and modelers told TPM last week that the country would likely see hundreds of thousands more deaths this year .

The Sunbelt states buckling under COVID-19 have started making preparations for the worst to come: They’re ordering extra morgues.
The mobile, refrigerated morgue units are supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency or on the private market, giving hospitals and local public health departments extra capacity to store the dead.
Local news reports from Texas and Arizona say that officials and hospital chains have begun in recent weeks to order extra, mobile morgues. The reasons differ, but they either come as a response to death rates starting to overwhelm storage capacity for the dead or as local officials anticipate and prepare for the same.
FEMA told TPM that it is sending 14 “mortuary support units” to Texas in response to a July 11 request from the state’s department of emergency management. The units, a FEMA spokesperson said, “are in transit and should arrive at the state by early next week.”
Local officials in Texas have been agitating for the mobile morgues as death counts rise.
“I am now having to order additional body bags and morgue trailers. People have to understand how real it is,” Barbara Canales, Judge of Texas’s Nueces County, told a Corpus Christi TV station last week.
The orders mark the pandemic’s severity. After weeks of rising cases, followed by rising hospitalizations, hard-hit states’ death rates have also started to rise — a lagging indicator that reflects the time it takes to die of the virus and the stress that healthcare systems face in treating waves of patients.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego (D) mistakenly said last week that the city had maxed out on its morgue capacity.
She was wrong, but not by much: the Maricopa County medical examiner reported that, as of this past weekend, it had filled 96 percent of its morgue capacity and was seeking refrigerated trucks to store more of the deceased.
Since then, Maricopa County has reportedly moved to add room for 50 bodies. At the same time, Abrazo Health, an Arizona hospital chain, told a local news outlet on Tuesday that it had ordered extra refrigerated storage to handle the COVID-19 surge.
As with much of the rest of the pandemic, it’s not clear what role the federal government is playing in this. FEMA told TPM that neither Arizona nor Florida had filed official requests for morgues, as both face rising death rates.
The mobile morgues evoke the scenes of death that gripped health care facilities in New York City in late March and early April, where nearly every hospital had a FEMA-ordered refrigerated morgue trailer sitting outside.
FEMA told TPM that its agency followed policies consistent with the rest of the Trump administration’s response, in which the federal government steps back from coordination and leaves the states to address the crisis with piecemeal federal support.
“Consistent with the principles of locally executed, state managed and federally supported emergency response, FEMA Regional Response Coordination Centers work closely with their state, local, tribal and territorial counterparts to determine the type and level of support required to ensure mission success,” the spokesperson said.
In Texas, two counties have reportedly agreed to share the single, 50-body FEMA trailer that one was provided last month. Meanwhile, in Brownsville, Texas, county officials have said that they bought a large refrigerated trailer to store extra bodies as excess capacity, should COVID-19 get bad enough in the area.
Epidemiologists and modelers told TPM last week that the country would likely see hundreds of thousands more deaths this year.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-14--FLOTUS Joins Slew Of GOPers Pushing Masks As Trump Repeatedly Flouts Guidance

First lady Melania Trump on Tuesday tweeted a photo of herself wearing a white face mask , urging Americans to wear face coverings and practice social distancing in a move that appeared to diverge from her husband ’ s political war on mask-wearing .
“ Even in the summer months , please remember to wear face coverings & practice social distancing , ” the first lady tweeted Tuesday .
“ The more precaution we take now can mean a healthier & safer country in the Fall.
” Melania Trump has tweeted the same image earlier this spring while advocating for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remarks come after President Donald Trump was spotted in a rare scene — wearing a mask publicly — at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Saturday while visiting injured veterans .
Prior to that visit , Trump had refused to wear a mask or advocate for their use , implying his political opponents looked weak while wearing masks , and mocking reporters in masks accusing them of wanting to appear “ politically correct.
” As recently as last Thursday , before his visit to the hospital , the President told Fox News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential nominee Joe Biden wore a mask because he liked the way it made him look .
Trump also teased the former vice president for wearing “ the biggest mask I ’ ve ever seen.
” Trump has repeatedly made face masks into a political prop in spite of evidence that wearing a mask can help curb the spread of the coronavirus as cases climb across the Unites States and more than 135,000 lives have been lost in the U.S. due to COVID-19 , according to the CDC .
But the President has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knocking mask-wearing .
While there were some early-adopters , as cases have continued to increase some Republicans who were reluctant to defend mask-wearing have joined the chorus to reinforce the official CDC guideline .
Last month , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) endorsed wearing face masks as part of a “ new middle ground ” between a return to normal life and strict coronavirus restrictions .
“ We must have no stigma , none , about wearing masks when we leave our homes and come near other people .
Wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ourselves .
It is about protecting everyone we encounter , ” McConnell said on the Senate floor on June 29 .
Republican Senator Mark Rubio ( FL ) , too , told reporters in June “ everyone should just wear a damn mask.
” In a coronavirus briefing for Mecklenburg County in North Carolina on Monday , CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield said “ the most powerful weapon ” Americans have in defense against the coronavirus are face coverings .
“ If all of us would put on a face covering now for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we could drive this epidemic to the ground , ” Redfield said .

First lady Melania Trump on Tuesday tweeted a photo of herself wearing a white face mask, urging Americans to wear face coverings and practice social distancing in a move that appeared to diverge from her husband’s political war on mask-wearing.
“Even in the summer months, please remember to wear face coverings & practice social distancing,” the first lady tweeted Tuesday. “The more precaution we take now can mean a healthier & safer country in the Fall.” Melania Trump has tweeted the same image earlier this spring while advocating for face-coverings.
Even in the summer months, please remember to wear face coverings & practice social distancing. The more precaution we take now can mean a healthier & safer country in the Fall. pic.twitter.com/80dGOWIyDJ — Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) July 14, 2020
The first lady’s remarks come after President Donald Trump was spotted in a rare scene — wearing a mask publicly — at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Saturday while visiting injured veterans.
Prior to that visit, Trump had refused to wear a mask or advocate for their use, implying his political opponents looked weak while wearing masks, and mocking reporters in masks accusing them of wanting to appear “politically correct.” As recently as last Thursday, before his visit to the hospital, the President told Fox News commentator Sean Hannity that he thought Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden wore a mask because he liked the way it made him look. Trump also teased the former vice president for wearing “the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”
Trump has repeatedly made face masks into a political prop in spite of evidence that wearing a mask can help curb the spread of the coronavirus as cases climb across the Unites States and more than 135,000 lives have been lost in the U.S. due to COVID-19, according to the CDC. But the President has become increasingly isolated in his attempts at knocking mask-wearing. While there were some early-adopters, as cases have continued to increase some Republicans who were reluctant to defend mask-wearing have joined the chorus to reinforce the official CDC guideline.
Last month, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) endorsed wearing face masks as part of a “new middle ground” between a return to normal life and strict coronavirus restrictions.
“We must have no stigma, none, about wearing masks when we leave our homes and come near other people. Wearing simple face coverings is not about protecting ourselves. It is about protecting everyone we encounter,” McConnell said on the Senate floor on June 29.
Republican Senator Mark Rubio (FL), too, told reporters in June “everyone should just wear a damn mask.”
In a coronavirus briefing for Mecklenburg County in North Carolina on Monday, CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield said “the most powerful weapon” Americans have in defense against the coronavirus are face coverings.
“If all of us would put on a face covering now for the next four to six weeks, we could drive this epidemic to the ground,” Redfield said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-14--Calls For Arrests, Accusations Of Fabrication Fly In Bloomington Alleged Assault Case

The attorney for Vauhxx Booker , the Indiana civil rights activist who was allegedly assaulted near a lake outside of Bloomington on July 4 , said Monday that “ it is time for arrests ” in the case that Booker has called an “ attempted lynching.
” Earlier Monday , attorneys for Sean Purdy and Caroline McCord , who were present during the alleged assault , held a press conference accusing Booker of twisting the altercation .
Video footage of part of the incident showed Purdy holding onto Booker and McCord shouting at him and others to let Booker go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Facebook post shortly after the alleged attack , saying that a group of people , including Purdy and McCord , repeatedly harassed him and his friends on their way to watch a lunar eclipse near Lake Monroe .
Ultimately , Booker claimed , some of the group jumped and beat him and at one point called for someone to “ get a noose.
” The attorneys for Purdy and McCord contradicted Booker ’ s claims , saying Monday that Booker was actually the “ instigator and agitator ” and that he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to whip up sympathy and media attention .
“ It ’ s time for the truth to be told , ” said attorney David Hennessy .
“ Mr .
Booker threw the punches .
Mr. Booker was restrained .
Not beaten .
Restrained.
” Booker ’ s attorney , Katharine Liell , accused the alleged assailants of “ re-victimizing ” Booker with their new claims .
“ Mr .
Booker did not instigate this encounter ; he did not provoke anyone to hold him against his will , ” Liell said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or shout or lose his temper.
” Hennessy said that Purdy and McCord told Booker that he was on private property , and that they had an amicable conversation .
Hours later , the lawyer claimed , Booker came back and threatened to “ ruin their lives , ” pretending to be a county commissioner .
Shortly after , Hennessy said that Booker started punching Purdy .
He claimed that Booker “ baited ” some members of the group into saying racist things , which date back to the time of his “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is more video to back up that version of events .
Hennessy told TPM that his legal team “ doesn ’ t know ” if the FBI , which opened an investigation into the episode last week , has seen the additional video .
“ Our folks weren ’ t expecting a confrontation so no phones at the ready , ” he said .
He added that the video captures McCord saying that Booker ’ s actions are an “ abuse of power.
” Booker had written in his Facebook account of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ white power ” at one point during the episode , but it is not clear if he was talking about the same exchange .
“ You can clearly hear Caroline say abuse of power , not white power , and it is her and Mr. Booker walking along after his harrowing near lynching , ” Hennessy added .
“ Too much of what he says makes no sense.
” Attorney Andrew Baldwin , who is also representing McCord and Purdy , sent TPM what he called “ unedited ” video from YouTube @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and later captures her accusing him of abusing his power and being “ worse than the police.
” Hennessy also said during the press conference that his clients had taken lie detector tests and urged Booker to take one as well .
“ We challenge Mr. Booker to take a polygraph , we ’ ll pay for it , so he doesn ’ t have to use any of his GoFundMe , ” he said .
Polygraph tests are generally inadmissible in court in Indiana , unless both parties of a criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests may be used by either side .
Liell , Booker ’ s attorney , pointed to the bystander videos posted alongside Booker ’ s Facebook account .
Only one captures part of the physical altercation , showing Booker slumped on the ground at the foot of a tree while three men and one woman hold him .
Witnesses can be heard yelling at the group to let Booker go .
The other videos show the scene after Booker was released , when some of the people who had been holding him left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls the bystanders “ liberal fucks ” and Booker a “ nappy-headed bitch.
” “ There are witnesses who saw Sean Purdy ’ s aggression and who heard the racist slurs of his friends , ” Liell said .
“ You can not provoke racism.
” Liell also said that Booker had been meeting with FBI agents Monday while Purdy and McCord ’ s attorneys were giving their press conference .
Before the federal intervention , the law enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources was investigating the case after their officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
DNR Capt .
Jet Quillen told TPM that when they finished investigating , a report would be given to the Monroe County prosecutor who would decide whether to press charges .
Liell has additionally called on the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana to impanel a grand jury to “ investigate hate crimes from Indianapolis to the River Ohio , ” saying that only that office has a civil rights division and sufficient resources to investigate hate crimes cases .
Monica Foster , chief public defender at the Indiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responded to Liell ’ s Facebook post urging the U.S. attorney ’ s office to action .
“ Good luck with that one , ” she wrote .
“ We have 10 % black and brown folk in the southern district of Indiana .
In 2019 , he brought 67 % of gun cases and 73 % of drug cases against black and brown citizens .
Sickening .
”

The attorney for Vauhxx Booker, the Indiana civil rights activist who was allegedly assaulted near a lake outside of Bloomington on July 4, said Monday that “it is time for arrests” in the case that Booker has called an “attempted lynching.”
Earlier Monday, attorneys for Sean Purdy and Caroline McCord, who were present during the alleged assault, held a press conference accusing Booker of twisting the altercation. Video footage of part of the incident showed Purdy holding onto Booker and McCord shouting at him and others to let Booker go.
Booker had recorded his experience in a Facebook post shortly after the alleged attack, saying that a group of people, including Purdy and McCord, repeatedly harassed him and his friends on their way to watch a lunar eclipse near Lake Monroe. Ultimately, Booker claimed, some of the group jumped and beat him and at one point called for someone to “get a noose.”
The attorneys for Purdy and McCord contradicted Booker’s claims, saying Monday that Booker was actually the “instigator and agitator” and that he’s creating a “false narrative” to whip up sympathy and media attention.
“It’s time for the truth to be told,” said attorney David Hennessy. “Mr. Booker threw the punches. Mr. Booker was restrained. Not beaten. Restrained.”
Booker’s attorney, Katharine Liell, accused the alleged assailants of “re-victimizing” Booker with their new claims.
“Mr. Booker did not instigate this encounter; he did not provoke anyone to hold him against his will,” Liell said in a statement. “He did not yell or shout or lose his temper.”
Hennessy said that Purdy and McCord told Booker that he was on private property, and that they had an amicable conversation. Hours later, the lawyer claimed, Booker came back and threatened to “ruin their lives,” pretending to be a county commissioner. Shortly after, Hennessy said that Booker started punching Purdy.
He claimed that Booker “baited” some members of the group into saying racist things, which date back to the time of his “grandparents.”
The attorney added that there is more video to back up that version of events.
Hennessy told TPM that his legal team “doesn’t know” if the FBI, which opened an investigation into the episode last week, has seen the additional video.
“Our folks weren’t expecting a confrontation so no phones at the ready,” he said. He added that the video captures McCord saying that Booker’s actions are an “abuse of power.”
Booker had written in his Facebook account of the incident that someone in the group said “white power” at one point during the episode, but it is not clear if he was talking about the same exchange.
“You can clearly hear Caroline say abuse of power, not white power, and it is her and Mr. Booker walking along after his harrowing near lynching,” Hennessy added. “Too much of what he says makes no sense.”
Attorney Andrew Baldwin, who is also representing McCord and Purdy, sent TPM what he called “unedited” video from YouTube that shows Booker and McCord in conversation, and later captures her accusing him of abusing his power and being “worse than the police.”
Hennessy also said during the press conference that his clients had taken lie detector tests and urged Booker to take one as well. “We challenge Mr. Booker to take a polygraph, we’ll pay for it, so he doesn’t have to use any of his GoFundMe,” he said.
Polygraph tests are generally inadmissible in court in Indiana, unless both parties of a criminal case agree beforehand in writing that the tests may be used by either side.
Liell, Booker’s attorney, pointed to the bystander videos posted alongside Booker’s Facebook account. Only one captures part of the physical altercation, showing Booker slumped on the ground at the foot of a tree while three men and one woman hold him. Witnesses can be heard yelling at the group to let Booker go.
The other videos show the scene after Booker was released, when some of the people who had been holding him left. One of the remaining men repeatedly calls the bystanders “liberal fucks” and Booker a “nappy-headed bitch.”
“There are witnesses who saw Sean Purdy’s aggression and who heard the racist slurs of his friends,” Liell said. “You cannot provoke racism.”
Liell also said that Booker had been meeting with FBI agents Monday while Purdy and McCord’s attorneys were giving their press conference.
Before the federal intervention, the law enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources was investigating the case after their officers responded to Booker’s 911 call. DNR Capt. Jet Quillen told TPM that when they finished investigating, a report would be given to the Monroe County prosecutor who would decide whether to press charges.
Liell has additionally called on the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana to impanel a grand jury to “investigate hate crimes from Indianapolis to the River Ohio,” saying that only that office has a civil rights division and sufficient resources to investigate hate crimes cases.
Monica Foster, chief public defender at the Indiana Federal Community Defender’s office, responded to Liell’s Facebook post urging the U.S. attorney’s office to action.
“Good luck with that one,” she wrote. “We have 10% black and brown folk in the southern district of Indiana. In 2019, he brought 67% of gun cases and 73% of drug cases against black and brown citizens. Sickening.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-14--Trump Admin Ditches Rule That Would’ve Kicked Out Int’l Students For Online Classes

The Trump administration has backed off of a new guidance that would ’ ve required international students with all online course loads to leave the country .
The move came after several states and universities sued over the guidance , arguing that it was arbitrary and capricious .
The administration had filed a defense of the policy on Monday , arguing that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had every right to change its guidance with just weeks to go before the fall semester .
But when a Tuesday hearing began in that case — in which Harvard and M.I.T .
sued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judge Allison D. Burroughs announced that the administration had abandoned its new rule .
According to a summary of the proceedings published in the court ’ s online record , the July guidance is being rescinded on a nationwide basis .
As a result of Tuesday ’ s development , international students at U.S. universities will be able to continue operating under the guidance that ICE issued in March , which allowed them to take online classes in light of the COVID-19 crisis .
International students in the United States on academic visas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course loads , But ICE ’ s March guidance allowed for an exception to that rule as universities across the country shifted away from holding classes in-person .
“ The government backed down completely , ” said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick , policy counsel at the American Immigration Council , of Tuesday ’ s development .
The administration appeared hesitant to defend the rule amid an impressive public backlash — aside from the court filing Monday , there was no significant public push to defend the now-abandoned guidance .
And the one official to stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli , may have hurt the administration ’ s case .
In an interview on CNN last week , Cuccinelli said the rule would “ encourage schools to reopen.
” The parties suing the administration — including 17 states and the District of Columbia — subsequently quoted Cuccinelli ’ s appearance as proof that the administration had shown an “ evident preference in favor of reopening ” schools despite the risk posed by COVID-19 .
“ Coercing schools into holding more in-person classes in the fall — regardless of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety risks of doing so — harms the Plaintiff States ’ ability to regulate their institutions and protect the public , ” the states argued .

The Trump administration has backed off of a new guidance that would’ve required international students with all online course loads to leave the country.
The move came after several states and universities sued over the guidance, arguing that it was arbitrary and capricious.
The administration had filed a defense of the policy on Monday, arguing that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had every right to change its guidance with just weeks to go before the fall semester.
But when a Tuesday hearing began in that case — in which Harvard and M.I.T. sued the administration over the new guidance — Judge Allison D. Burroughs announced that the administration had abandoned its new rule.
According to a summary of the proceedings published in the court’s online record, the July guidance is being rescinded on a nationwide basis.
As a result of Tuesday’s development, international students at U.S. universities will be able to continue operating under the guidance that ICE issued in March, which allowed them to take online classes in light of the COVID-19 crisis.
International students in the United States on academic visas are typically not permitted to take all-online course loads, But ICE’s March guidance allowed for an exception to that rule as universities across the country shifted away from holding classes in-person.
“The government backed down completely,” said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy counsel at the American Immigration Council, of Tuesday’s development.
The administration appeared hesitant to defend the rule amid an impressive public backlash — aside from the court filing Monday, there was no significant public push to defend the now-abandoned guidance.
And the one official to stand up for the guidance, acting Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, may have hurt the administration’s case.
In an interview on CNN last week, Cuccinelli said the rule would “encourage schools to reopen.”
The parties suing the administration — including 17 states and the District of Columbia — subsequently quoted Cuccinelli’s appearance as proof that the administration had shown an “evident preference in favor of reopening” schools despite the risk posed by COVID-19.
“Coercing schools into holding more in-person classes in the fall — regardless of the schools’ assessment of the health and safety risks of doing so — harms the Plaintiff States’ ability to regulate their institutions and protect the public,” the states argued.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-14--RNC To Move Convention Outdoors As GOP Lawmakers Continue Dropping Out

Republican officials are reportedly planning to move the Republican National Convention ( RNC ) in Jacksonville , Florida outdoors as concerns mount over the high risk of infection amid COVID-19 .
Convention planners made the decision to do so following a meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday evening , according to the New York Times .
The convention is currently slated to take place on August 24-27 in Jacksonville ’ s VyStar Arena , an indoor venue that can hold up to 15,000 people .
The Times reported on Tuesday that GOP officials are looking at two outdoor venues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported last week that RNC officials were mulling moving the event to an outdoor stadium , just days after Florida lawyers filed a lawsuit against the city of Jacksonville for holding the event .
A GOP official involved in organizing the event told TPM in an emailed statement that the party is “ planning for multiple scenarios and various health precautions.
” “ We had already contracted with several venues around the Vystar , including multiple outdoor venues , ” said the official .
Multiple Republican lawmakers have said they will not attend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s own representatives , Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart ( R-FL ) and Francis Rooney ( R-FL ) .
“ Everybody just assumes no one is going , ” Rep. Darin LaHood ( R-IL ) , an honorary co-chair of the Trump campaign in Illinois , told the Times on Monday .

Republican officials are reportedly planning to move the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Jacksonville, Florida outdoors as concerns mount over the high risk of infection amid COVID-19.
Convention planners made the decision to do so following a meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday evening, according to the New York Times.
The convention is currently slated to take place on August 24-27 in Jacksonville’s VyStar Arena, an indoor venue that can hold up to 15,000 people. The Times reported on Tuesday that GOP officials are looking at two outdoor venues near the arena. The Washington Post reported last week that RNC officials were mulling moving the event to an outdoor stadium, just days after Florida lawyers filed a lawsuit against the city of Jacksonville for holding the event.
A GOP official involved in organizing the event told TPM in an emailed statement that the party is “planning for multiple scenarios and various health precautions.”
“We had already contracted with several venues around the Vystar, including multiple outdoor venues,” said the official.
Multiple Republican lawmakers have said they will not attend the RNC, including several of Florida’s own representatives, Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and Francis Rooney (R-FL).
“Everybody just assumes no one is going,” Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL), an honorary co-chair of the Trump campaign in Illinois, told the Times on Monday.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-14--Graham Defends Fauci After WH Memo: ‘We Don’t Have A Dr. Fauci Problem’

Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) on Tuesday defended Dr. Anthony Fauci following reports that an unnamed White House official issued a memo over the weekend criticizing his past comments on the coronavirus .
On Sunday , an unnamed White House aide sent news outlets a list of Fauci ’ s past comments regarding the coronavirus that later turned out to be inaccurate .
The aide said in a statement that “ several ” White House officials are “ concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things , ” according to reports in the Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When asked about the White House ’ s efforts to discredit Fauci during a press conference on Tuesday , Graham defended the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert by praising him for being “ one of the smartest people I know , ” despite agreeing with the notion that Fauci has not been right all the time .
“ We don ’ t have a Dr. Fauci problem , ” Graham said .
“ We need to be focusing on doing things that get us to where we need to go .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world for Dr. Fauci .
I think any effort to undermine him is not going to be productive , quite frankly.
” After saying that he ’ s looking for a “ phase 4 that hits the target ” from the federal government , Graham went on to argue that “ getting in a contest with Dr. Fauci about whether he was right or wrong ” won ’ t help the country “ move the ball forward.
” “ Here ’ s where we are as a nation : the infection rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole country down , it ’ s time to reopen up smartly , it ’ s time to go back to school , ” Graham said .
“ And we got to deal with the reality that we ’ re not as prepared as we need to be , but we ’ re moving in the right direction.
” Graham ’ s comments come a day after White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany denied that its memo criticizing Fauci ’ s past comments was the result of opposition research against the doctor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ House “ provided a direct response to a direct question ” and argued the idea that it launched an opposition research campaign against Fauci “ couldn ’ t be further from the truth.
” Shortly after the White House briefing Monday afternoon , President Trump told reporters that he has a “ very good relationship ” with Fauci .
“ I have a very good relationship with Dr. Fauci .
I ’ ve had for a long time , right from the beginning , ” Trump said .
“ I find him to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t always agree with him .
”

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Tuesday defended Dr. Anthony Fauci following reports that an unnamed White House official issued a memo over the weekend criticizing his past comments on the coronavirus.
On Sunday, an unnamed White House aide sent news outlets a list of Fauci’s past comments regarding the coronavirus that later turned out to be inaccurate. The aide said in a statement that “several” White House officials are “concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things,” according to reports in the Washington Post, NBC News and CNN.
When asked about the White House’s efforts to discredit Fauci during a press conference on Tuesday, Graham defended the nation’s top infectious disease expert by praising him for being “one of the smartest people I know,” despite agreeing with the notion that Fauci has not been right all the time.
“We don’t have a Dr. Fauci problem,” Graham said. “We need to be focusing on doing things that get us to where we need to go. So I have all the respect in the world for Dr. Fauci. I think any effort to undermine him is not going to be productive, quite frankly.”
After saying that he’s looking for a “phase 4 that hits the target” from the federal government, Graham went on to argue that “getting in a contest with Dr. Fauci about whether he was right or wrong” won’t help the country “move the ball forward.”
“Here’s where we are as a nation: the infection rate is going up, we shut the whole country down, it’s time to reopen up smartly, it’s time to go back to school,” Graham said. “And we got to deal with the reality that we’re not as prepared as we need to be, but we’re moving in the right direction.”
Graham’s comments come a day after White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany denied that its memo criticizing Fauci’s past comments was the result of opposition research against the doctor. McEnany insisted on Monday that the White House “provided a direct response to a direct question” and argued the idea that it launched an opposition research campaign against Fauci “couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Shortly after the White House briefing Monday afternoon, President Trump told reporters that he has a “very good relationship” with Fauci.
“I have a very good relationship with Dr. Fauci. I’ve had for a long time, right from the beginning,” Trump said. “I find him to be a very nice person. I don’t always agree with him.”
Watch Graham’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-15--Sessions Defeated By Tuberville In Alabama GOP Primary Race For Former Senate Seat

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions lost an Alabama Senate Republican primary race on Tuesday to former college football coach Tommy Tuberville , a major blow to the former attorney general who spent much of the race battling opposition from President Donald Trump .
Tuberville , who won about 60 % of the vote , according to the Associated Press , was endorsed by the President , will now take on incumbent Alabama Democratic Senator Doug Jones in the general election in November for a seat that is widely seen as the most vulnerable .
The race in Alabama – which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state – is likely to be the GOP ’ s best chance for flipping a Democratic seat .
Sessions had been fighting to win back his old Senate seat after being forced out of his role as attorney general by Trump when he opted to recuse himself from the FBI investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election .
Although Sessions was the first US senator to endorse Trump in the 2016 presidential race , his recusal from the Russia probe set off a series of vicious attacks from the president to thwart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President endorsed Tuberville in March , calling the former Auburn University football coach in tweets “ a REAL LEADER who will never let MAGA/KAG , or our Country , down !
” Days before the primary Trump made his final efforts to undermine the former DOJ official , calling Tuberville a “ winner ” and Sessions a “ disaster who has let us all down.
” Throughout the primary race , Tuberville grilled Sessions over the decision to recuse himself from the Russia probe , saying in one ad that he “ quit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alabama.
” Sessions responded by proclaiming his support for the Trump saying that he “ protected the rule of law ” and contributed to Trump ’ s “ exoneration.
” Trump was quick to celebrate Tuberville ’ s victory in tweets on Tuesday night , saying that Tuberville “ WON big against Jeff Sessions .
Will be a GREAT Senator for the incredible people of Alabama.
” In the same tweet Trump called Jones “ a Super Liberal puppet for Schumer & Pelosi ” saying that he represented Alabama “ poorly.
” Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lash out at Sessions , in remarks delivered in Mobile after his defeat on Tuesday , the former attorney general urged members of his party to “ listen to the Donald Trump agenda.
” Sessions insisted throughout his attempted comeback and again in defeat that his recusal was required by law since he was a potential subject and witness due to campaign ties to the president .
“ Let me say this about the president and our relationship : I leave with no regrets , ” Session said , adding that he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had as attorney general.
” Sessions repeated that he was right to step away from the investigation , saying that he “ did the right thing ” and “ saved the president ’ s bacon in the process.
” He insisted that any action he could have taken to try to undermine the investigation would have been futile .
“ I leave elected office with my integrity intact , ” Sessions said .
“ He is our Republican nominee , and we must stand behind him in November , ” Sessions said .

Jeff Sessions lost an Alabama Senate Republican primary runoff on Tuesday to former college football coach Tommy Tuberville, a major blow to the former attorney general who spent much of the race battling opposition from President Donald Trump.
Tuberville, who won about 60% of the vote, according to the Associated Press, was endorsed by the President, will now take on incumbent Alabama Democratic Sen. Doug Jones in the general election in November for a seat that is widely seen as the most vulnerable. The race in Alabama – which is known to be a deeply red state – is likely to be the GOP’s best chance for flipping a Democratic seat.
Sessions had been fighting to win back his old Senate seat after being forced out of his role as attorney general by Trump when he opted to recuse himself from the FBI investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
Although Sessions was the first senator to endorse Trump in the 2016 presidential race, his recusal from the Russia probe set off a series of vicious attacks from the president to thwart his campaign efforts for Senate.
The President endorsed Tuberville in March, calling the former Auburn University football coach in tweets “a REAL LEADER who will never let MAGA/KAG, or our Country, down!”
Days before the primary Trump made his final efforts to undermine the former DOJ official, calling Tuberville a “winner” and Sessions a “disaster who has let us all down.”
Throughout the primary race, Tuberville grilled Sessions over the decision to recuse himself from the Russia probe, saying in one ad that he “quit on the President” and “failed Alabama.” Sessions responded by proclaiming his support for the Trump saying that he “protected the rule of law” and contributed to Trump’s “exoneration.”
Trump was quick to celebrate Tuberville’s victory in tweets on Tuesday night, saying that Tuberville “WON big against Jeff Sessions. Will be a GREAT Senator for the incredible people of Alabama.” In the same tweet Trump called Jones “a Super Liberal puppet for Schumer & Pelosi” saying that he represented Alabama “poorly.”
Despite the President’s repeated attempts to lash out at Sessions, in remarks delivered in Mobile after his defeat on Tuesday, the former attorney general urged members of his party to “listen to the Donald Trump agenda.”
Sessions insisted throughout his attempted comeback and again in defeat that his recusal was required by law since he was a potential subject and witness due to campaign ties to the president. “Let me say this about the president and our relationship: I leave with no regrets,” Session said, adding that he was “extraordinarily proud of the accomplishments we had as attorney general.”
Sessions repeated that he was right to step away from the investigation, saying that he “did the right thing” and “saved the president’s bacon in the process.”
He insisted that any action he could have taken to try to undermine the investigation would have been futile.
“I leave elected office with my integrity intact,” Sessions said.
Sessions commended his primary opponent on Tuesday.
“He is our Republican nominee, and we must stand behind him in November,” Sessions said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-15--Ex-Trump Physician Ronny Jackson Wins Texas GOP Primary

Former White House physician Ronny Jackson , who was once President Donald Trump ’ s nominee for secretary of Veterans Affairs , won the GOP congressional primary race in Texas ’ 13th District on Tuesday night .
Jackson defeated his opponent , Josh Winegarner , by 11 points , according to the Associated Press .
“ Thank you everyone for the great win tonight !
” Jackson tweeted .
“ I promise I WILL MAKE YOU PROUD IN CONGRESS !
” The doctor also posted a couple of pictures of him and his wife Jane on the phone , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the victory .
“ Jane and I just got off the phone with @ realDonaldTrump !
It ’ s official !
” Jackson tweeted .
“ I am honored to be the Republican nominee for # TX13 !
I promise I will make you proud !
” Trump congratulated his former physician via Twitter .
“ Ronny will be a fantastic Congressman – Will represent the wonderful people of the Great State of Texas , and the USA , very well , ” the President tweeted .
“ Proud of you Ronny !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ head the VA Department in spring 2018 .
However , Jackson withdrew his nomination after allegations of “ excessive drinking on the job , ” “ improperly dispensing meds , ” and other workplace misconduct surfaced .
Jackson denied the allegations , describing them as “ baseless and anonymous attacks , ” but stated that he was withdrawing due to how they had “ become a distraction .
”

Former White House physician Ronny Jackson, who was once President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of Veterans Affairs, won the GOP congressional primary race in Texas’ 13th District on Tuesday night.
Jackson defeated his opponent, Josh Winegarner, by 11 points, according to the Associated Press.
“Thank you everyone for the great win tonight!” Jackson tweeted. “I promise I WILL MAKE YOU PROUD IN CONGRESS!”
The doctor also posted a couple of pictures of him and his wife Jane on the phone, saying that they had spoken with Trump about the victory.
“Jane and I just got off the phone with @realDonaldTrump! It’s official!” Jackson tweeted. “I am honored to be the Republican nominee for #TX13! I promise I will make you proud!”
Trump congratulated his former physician via Twitter.
“Ronny will be a fantastic Congressman – Will represent the wonderful people of the Great State of Texas, and the USA, very well,” the President tweeted. “Proud of you Ronny!!!”
Trump tapped Jackson to head the VA Department in spring 2018. However, Jackson withdrew his nomination after allegations of “excessive drinking on the job,” “improperly dispensing meds,” and other workplace misconduct surfaced.
Jackson denied the allegations, describing them as “baseless and anonymous attacks,” but stated that he was withdrawing due to how they had “become a distraction.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-16--Pelosi: Trump Is ‘Like A Man Who Refuses To Ask For Directions’ On COVID-19

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) piled on her criticism of President Trump ’ s handling of the coronavirus crisis during a press conference on Thursday .
After railing against Trump ’ s decision-making on COVID-19 , Pelosi compared Trump to “ a man who refuses to ask for directions ” when it comes to the pandemic .
“ All of the answers are there — the scientists have the answers .
We know that testing , tracing , treating , distancing , masking , sanitation can stop the spread of this virus , ” Pelosi said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down the wrong path and refuses to ask for directions from scientists who know better than any of us.
” Pelosi ’ s remarks come as the CDC reported that as of Tuesday , COVID-19 cases have surged nationally with three states each reporting more than 50,000 new coronavirus cases in the last seven days .
The House speaker has also spent the past week blasting the Trump administration and Republicans on several issues related to its handling of the COVID-19 outbreak .
On Sunday , Pelosi called out Education Secretary Betsy DeVos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopening of schools amid surging cases of the coronavirus nationwide for being a “ malfeasance dereliction of duty.
” Pelosi also went after Republicans the day after for refusing extra spending on COVID-19 relief efforts as Congress works to hammer out a new bipartisan package addressing the dire economic effects of the pandemic .

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) piled on her criticism of President Trump’s handling of the coronavirus crisis during a press conference on Thursday.
After railing against Trump’s decision-making on COVID-19, Pelosi compared Trump to “a man who refuses to ask for directions” when it comes to the pandemic.
“All of the answers are there — the scientists have the answers. We know that testing, tracing, treating, distancing, masking, sanitation can stop the spread of this virus,” Pelosi said. “And yet the President continues to go down the wrong path and refuses to ask for directions from scientists who know better than any of us.”
Pelosi’s remarks come as the CDC reported that as of Tuesday, COVID-19 cases have surged nationally with three states each reporting more than 50,000 new coronavirus cases in the last seven days.
The House speaker has also spent the past week blasting the Trump administration and Republicans on several issues related to its handling of the COVID-19 outbreak.
On Sunday, Pelosi called out Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’ interview on CNN pushing for the reopening of schools amid surging cases of the coronavirus nationwide for being a “malfeasance dereliction of duty.”
Pelosi also went after Republicans the day after for refusing extra spending on COVID-19 relief efforts as Congress works to hammer out a new bipartisan package addressing the dire economic effects of the pandemic.
Watch Pelosi’s remarks below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-16--Trump Lost At SCOTUS But He Has New Gambit To Delay The Subpoena Of His Financial Docs

The Supreme Court last week rejected the President Trump ’ s claims of total immunity from the criminal process , but a hearing Thursday in New York previewed what could be the next flashpoint in the proceedings over a subpoena for Trump ’ s financial docs .
Trump ’ s personal lawyer stressed during the teleconference before U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero that he believed the President was entitled to discovery as he continued to the litigate the grand jury subpoena for Trump ’ s financial records .
The idea drew vigorous pushback from the Manhattan District Attorney ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of its investigation into hush money payments during the 2016 campaign .
Pointing to the Supreme Court ’ s recent opinion , the D.A .
office ’ s general counsel Carey Dunne said that Trump was just like the CEO of any private company whose records had been subpoenaed .
“ And a person like that , if he doesn ’ t like his subpoenas that he received , he doesn ’ t get to take the D.A.
’ s deposition , ” Dunne said .
“ Essentially , what they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Trump team first floated the idea that they could pursue discovery in this next phase of the legal fight in a proposal submitted jointly earlier this week .
The proposal came after the Supreme Court ruled that sitting presidents are not immune from criminal proceedings — the initial claim that Trump brought to block the subpoena .
The Supreme Court opinion said that the case could go back to the district court so that Trump could seek to block the subpoena on grounds more narrow than that far-reaching argument , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submission made clear Trump intended to so , in an amended complaint that will be filed by July 27 .
The current legal fight centers on subpoenas issued last August compelling Trump ’ s accounting firm Mazars USA , LLP and his banks Deutshe Bank and Citi to produce records related to his personal financial conduct , his family ’ s and his businesses ’ .
A similar fight is being waged over congressional subpoenas seeking much of the same information .
At Thursday ’ s hearing , the judge tried to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to weigh in on the potential for several other arguments Trump could make to challenge the subpoena .
Trump ’ s personal lawyer , Will Consovoy , indicated it was possible that Trump could bring any of the possible arguments the judge laid out , which included claims that the subpoena was overbroad , that it was issued in bad faith , or that it amounted to retaliation .
“ We will raise some of [ those claims ] , ” Consovoy said .
“ But whether we raise all of these arguments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did stress however that a discovery request was likely to be part of their game plan .
“ We do think the issue of discovery is important , ” Consovoy said .
He referenced a case cited in the Supreme Court decision that Consovoy said raised the “ serious issue ” of whether it was unfair to ask a “ party to challenge a subpoena without access to at least some information about its nature and scope.
” He mentioned a declaration the D.A.
’ s office filed earlier in the case about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge has been able to view in full .
Consovoy said that Trump may seek to view some of the portions still redacted .
He also floated that “ interrogatories or something in that direction ” would be appropriate as Trump ’ s challenge of the subpoena continued .
When it was Dunne ’ s turn to speak , he discouraged any delay that would drag out the proceedings longer than the briefing schedule he and the Trump team had agreed to .
Beyond the president ’ s involvement , Dunne raised the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent his office from prosecuting others linked to the conduct being investigated , if Trump was successful in keeping the grand jury proceedings tied up in litigation .
“ Let ’ s not let delay kill this case , ” he said .

The Supreme Court last week rejected the President Trump’s claims of total immunity from the criminal process, but a hearing Thursday in New York previewed what could be the next flashpoint in the proceedings over a subpoena for Trump’s financial docs.
Trump’s personal lawyer stressed during the teleconference before U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero that he believed the President was entitled to discovery as he continued to the litigate the grand jury subpoena for Trump’s financial records.
The idea drew vigorous pushback from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, which issued the subpoena as part of its investigation into hush money payments during the 2016 campaign.
Pointing to the Supreme Court’s recent opinion, the D.A. office’s general counsel Carey Dunne said that Trump was just like the CEO of any private company whose records had been subpoenaed.
“And a person like that, if he doesn’t like his subpoenas that he received, he doesn’t get to take the D.A.’s deposition,” Dunne said. “Essentially, what they’re proposing here is a discovery campaign.”
The Trump team first floated the idea that they could pursue discovery in this next phase of the legal fight in a proposal submitted jointly earlier this week.
The proposal came after the Supreme Court ruled that sitting presidents are not immune from criminal proceedings — the initial claim that Trump brought to block the subpoena.
The Supreme Court opinion said that the case could go back to the district court so that Trump could seek to block the subpoena on grounds more narrow than that far-reaching argument, if he so chose.
The Wednesday joint submission made clear Trump intended to so, in an amended complaint that will be filed by July 27.
The current legal fight centers on subpoenas issued last August compelling Trump’s accounting firm Mazars USA, LLP and his banks Deutshe Bank and Citi to produce records related to his personal financial conduct, his family’s and his businesses’. A similar fight is being waged over congressional subpoenas seeking much of the same information.
At Thursday’s hearing, the judge tried to get Trump and the D.A.’s office to weigh in on the potential for several other arguments Trump could make to challenge the subpoena.
Trump’s personal lawyer, Will Consovoy, indicated it was possible that Trump could bring any of the possible arguments the judge laid out, which included claims that the subpoena was overbroad, that it was issued in bad faith, or that it amounted to retaliation.
“We will raise some of [those claims],” Consovoy said. “But whether we raise all of these arguments has not yet been determined.”
He did stress however that a discovery request was likely to be part of their game plan.
“We do think the issue of discovery is important,” Consovoy said.
He referenced a case cited in the Supreme Court decision that Consovoy said raised the “serious issue” of whether it was unfair to ask a “party to challenge a subpoena without access to at least some information about its nature and scope.”
He mentioned a declaration the D.A.’s office filed earlier in the case about its investigation that so far only the judge has been able to view in full. Consovoy said that Trump may seek to view some of the portions still redacted. He also floated that “interrogatories or something in that direction” would be appropriate as Trump’s challenge of the subpoena continued.
When it was Dunne’s turn to speak, he discouraged any delay that would drag out the proceedings longer than the briefing schedule he and the Trump team had agreed to. Beyond the president’s involvement, Dunne raised the possibility that the statute of limitations would prevent his office from prosecuting others linked to the conduct being investigated, if Trump was successful in keeping the grand jury proceedings tied up in litigation.
“Let’s not let delay kill this case,” he said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-16--USA Today Issues Editor’s Note Saying Navarro’s Op-Ed Failed To Meet Standards

USA Today on Wednesday night issued an editor ’ s note following intense backlash over its publication of White House trade adviser Peter Navarro ’ s op-ed criticizing Dr. Anthony Fauci .
On Tuesday night , Navarro blasted Fauci in his USA Today op-ed by arguing that the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert “ has been wrong about everything I have interacted with him on.
” On Wednesday , USA TODAY editorial page editor Bill Sternberg responded to the backlash over Navarro ’ s op-ed in an editor ’ s note .
Sternberg wrote that the decision to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of USA Today ’ s “ longstanding tradition ” of giving “ readers another point of view ” and that the newspaper reached out to Navarro individually .
Navarro ’ s op-ed was published soon after USA Today ’ s editorial board praised Fauci for being a “ national treasure ” and sharply criticized recent White House efforts to discredit him .
“ We dealt directly with Navarro and do not know whether he spoke to anyone else at the White House about his statement , ” Sternberg wrote .
Sternberg explained that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticisms of Fauci that he shared with other news outlets recently .
“ We felt it was newsworthy because it expanded on those comments , put an on-the-record name to the attacks on Fauci , and contradicted White House denials of an anti-Fauci campaign , ” Sternberg wrote .
Sternberg concluded his editor ’ s note by determining that Navarro ’ s op-ed failed to meet USA Today ’ s fact-checking standards .
Sternberg cited Navarro ’ s criticisms of Fauci regarding China travel restrictions , the risk from the coronavirus and falling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lacked context.
” Navarro ’ s op-ed came just days after an unnamed White House official sent news outlets a memo over the weekend claiming that “ several White House officials are concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things.
” The next day , White House chief of staff Mark Meadows denied in a statement shared with TPM that President Trump gave Navarro the clear to publish his caustic op-ed against Fauci .
Meadows issued his denial of Trump ’ s role in Navarro ’ s op-ed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an administration official claimed that “ not only was ( Navarro ) authorized by Trump , he was encouraged.
” Several White House officials distanced themselves from Navarro ’ s op-ed on Wednesday .
When pressed by reporters about whether he approved Navarro ’ s op-ed , Trump dodged by saying “ that ’ s Peter Navarro , but I have a very good relationship with Dr. Fauci.
” Vice President Mike Pence echoed Trump soon after by telling reporters during a campaign call on Wednesday that the White House “ couldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s “ steady counsel.
” Deputy White House press secretary Alyssa Farah tweeted Wednesday morning that Navarro ’ s op-ed “ didn ’ t go through normal White House clearance processes .
”

USA Today on Wednesday night issued an editor’s note following intense backlash over its publication of White House trade adviser Peter Navarro’s op-ed criticizing Dr. Anthony Fauci.
On Tuesday night, Navarro blasted Fauci in his USA Today op-ed by arguing that the nation’s top infectious disease expert “has been wrong about everything I have interacted with him on.”
On Wednesday, USA TODAY editorial page editor Bill Sternberg responded to the backlash over Navarro’s op-ed in an editor’s note.
Sternberg wrote that the decision to publish Navarro’s op-ed is part of USA Today’s “longstanding tradition” of giving “readers another point of view” and that the newspaper reached out to Navarro individually. Navarro’s op-ed was published soon after USA Today’s editorial board praised Fauci for being a “national treasure” and sharply criticized recent White House efforts to discredit him.
“We dealt directly with Navarro and do not know whether he spoke to anyone else at the White House about his statement,” Sternberg wrote.
Sternberg explained that Navarro’s op-ed expanded on the criticisms of Fauci that he shared with other news outlets recently.
“We felt it was newsworthy because it expanded on those comments, put an on-the-record name to the attacks on Fauci, and contradicted White House denials of an anti-Fauci campaign,” Sternberg wrote.
Sternberg concluded his editor’s note by determining that Navarro’s op-ed failed to meet USA Today’s fact-checking standards. Sternberg cited Navarro’s criticisms of Fauci regarding China travel restrictions, the risk from the coronavirus and falling mortality rates as being “misleading or lacked context.”
Navarro’s op-ed came just days after an unnamed White House official sent news outlets a memo over the weekend claiming that “several White House officials are concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things.”
The next day, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows denied in a statement shared with TPM that President Trump gave Navarro the clear to publish his caustic op-ed against Fauci. Meadows issued his denial of Trump’s role in Navarro’s op-ed in a Los Angeles Times report where an administration official claimed that “not only was (Navarro) authorized by Trump, he was encouraged.”
Several White House officials distanced themselves from Navarro’s op-ed on Wednesday.
When pressed by reporters about whether he approved Navarro’s op-ed, Trump dodged by saying “that’s Peter Navarro, but I have a very good relationship with Dr. Fauci.”
Vice President Mike Pence echoed Trump soon after by telling reporters during a campaign call on Wednesday that the White House “couldn’t be more grateful” for Fauci’s “steady counsel.”
Deputy White House press secretary Alyssa Farah tweeted Wednesday morning that Navarro’s op-ed “didn’t go through normal White House clearance processes.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-07-16--Maryland GOP Governor Shreds Trump’s Coronavirus Response

Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan ( R ) castigated President Donald Trump ’ s failure to act early in the coronavirus crisis that has now months later spiraled out of control , calling the President ’ s handling of the pandemic “ hopeless.
” “ Eventually , it was clear that waiting around for the president to run the nation ’ s response was hopeless , ” Hogan wrote in a scathing op-ed published in the Washington Post on Thursday , describing a man who instead of planning a federal response to the crisis as it ravaged other countries and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ like a man more concerned about boosting the stock market or his reelection plans.
” Hogan , who is the chairman of the National Governors Association — and has hinted at a 2024 presidential run — has established himself as a prominent Republican critic of the President .
The GOP governor suggested in the op-ed that had the governors waited any longer for the President to take the reins in action against the spread of the coronavirus , they would be “ condemning more of our citizens to suffering and death.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump “ downplayed the outbreak ’ s severity “ and as the White House refused to issue genuine public warnings , failed to create a federal strategy that extended to all 50 states , and creeped along in the provision of medical equipment or ventilators from the national stockpile to hospitals in short supply across the country .
Hogan has been especially vocal in the past in criticizing the President ’ s claims about the wide availability of coronavirus testing , which Hogan ramped up in Thursday ’ s essay .
The op-ed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regimes ” that were being rolled out in other countries , decried the Trump administrations “ bungled effort ” and “ resulting disorganization , ” which delayed mass testing for almost two months and left the United States “ largely in the dark as the epidemic spread.
” Hogan ’ s essay comes as governors around the country have been given no other choice but to issue their own measures to get coronavirus outbreaks in their respective states under control in what Hogan calls “ a patchwork response ” — arguably netting varying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best I could for Maryland , ” Hogan said , also chronicling his own efforts to secure 500,000 coronavirus tests from South Korea with the help of his wife , Yumi Hogan , who was born there .
“ It was hopeless , waiting around for him , ” Hogan wrote , adding that governors had been told they were on their own — “ it was sink or swim.
” Hogan said his move to secure tests from abroad provoked an attack from the President .
Trump criticized those efforts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The President suggested in press conferences after the test kits were secured that governors like Hogan , who were urging him to drive up national testing efforts , were part of a political conspiracy to bring him down .

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) castigated President Donald Trump’s failure to act early in the coronavirus crisis that has now months later spiraled out of control, calling the President’s handling of the pandemic “hopeless.”
“Eventually, it was clear that waiting around for the president to run the nation’s response was hopeless,” Hogan wrote in a scathing op-ed published in the Washington Post on Thursday, describing a man who instead of planning a federal response to the crisis as it ravaged other countries and increasingly his own, tweeted and talked “like a man more concerned about boosting the stock market or his reelection plans.”
Hogan, who is the chairman of the National Governors Association — and has hinted at a 2024 presidential run — has established himself as a prominent Republican critic of the President. The GOP governor suggested in the op-ed that had the governors waited any longer for the President to take the reins in action against the spread of the coronavirus, they would be “condemning more of our citizens to suffering and death.”
The essay describes how Hogan watched as Trump “downplayed the outbreak’s severity “ and as the White House refused to issue genuine public warnings, failed to create a federal strategy that extended to all 50 states, and creeped along in the provision of medical equipment or ventilators from the national stockpile to hospitals in short supply across the country.
Hogan has been especially vocal in the past in criticizing the President’s claims about the wide availability of coronavirus testing, which Hogan ramped up in Thursday’s essay.
The op-ed, pointing at the “well-coordinated testing regimes” that were being rolled out in other countries, decried the Trump administrations “bungled effort” and “resulting disorganization,” which delayed mass testing for almost two months and left the United States “largely in the dark as the epidemic spread.”
Hogan’s essay comes as governors around the country have been given no other choice but to issue their own measures to get coronavirus outbreaks in their respective states under control in what Hogan calls “a patchwork response” — arguably netting varying levels of success.
“I did the best I could for Maryland,” Hogan said, also chronicling his own efforts to secure 500,000 coronavirus tests from South Korea with the help of his wife, Yumi Hogan, who was born there.
“It was hopeless, waiting around for him,” Hogan wrote, adding that governors had been told they were on their own — “it was sink or swim.”
Hogan said his move to secure tests from abroad provoked an attack from the President. Trump criticized those efforts and any others that implied his own incompetency. The President suggested in press conferences after the test kits were secured that governors like Hogan, who were urging him to drive up national testing efforts, were part of a political conspiracy to bring him down.
Read Gov. Hogan’s full essay here.