talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-01--Illinois Takes Up Fight Against GOP Lawmaker Turned Stay-At-Home Resister

The state of Illinois is moving quickly to appeal the “ mistaken circuit court decision ” that granted a state Republican lawmaker reprieve from the governor ’ s stay-at-home order .
The state is also asking the state Supreme Court to weigh in .
“ I am asking the appellate court to address this mistaken circuit court decision now , ” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement .
“ In addition , I believe that it is paramount for the Illinois Supreme Court to take up this matter immediately because continued uncertainty surrounding this question will lead to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today — that threaten the Governor ’ s ability to save lives.
” The state lawmaker , Rep. Darren Bailey ( R ) , won a temporary injunction and restraining order from the Clay County circuit court earlier this week , freeing himself from having to stay home and limit his intra-state travel .
His argument centered on Governor J.D .
Pritzker ’ s ( D ) power under the state ’ s Emergency Management Agency Act .
Bailey ’ s complaint said that by issuing multiple consecutive emergency declarations stemming from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skirting the 30-day limitation on such announcements .
Thus , Bailey ’ s lawyers argued , Pritzker is rendering the law ’ s restrictions on the governor ’ s emergency powers “ meaningless.
” In his opening brief filed in the appeal , Raoul called Bailey ’ s reading of the law “ faulty , ” pointing out that it doesn ’ t enumerate how many declarations a governor may issue based on one , ongoing emergency .
He also cited multiple former governors who have issued successive disaster proclamations to deal with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Governor has not purported to exercise emergency powers indefinitely ; he has issued disaster proclamations for 30-day periods , ” the brief said .
“ But if the factual circumstances change—as every Illinoisan hopes they will—the Governor may no longer be able to reasonably conclude that a disaster still exists .
At that point , the Governor ’ s emergency powers would expire 30 days after issuance of the most recent disaster proclamation.
” Raoul also emphasized that as a government employee , Bailey is already exempt from executive orders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ copycats across the state .
“ Orders like the circuit court ’ s inject uncertainty into the need to comply with the Governor ’ s directives , ” Raoul wrote .
“ Such a disruption could undo much of the progress already made.
” He requests that the court reverse and vacate the temporary restraining order .
As of Friday afternoon , Illinois had 52,918 positive cases of coronavirus , per the state health department .
At least 2,355 people have died .

The state of Illinois is moving quickly to appeal the “mistaken circuit court decision” that granted a state Republican lawmaker reprieve from the governor’s stay-at-home order. The state is also asking the state Supreme Court to weigh in.
“I am asking the appellate court to address this mistaken circuit court decision now,” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement. “In addition, I believe that it is paramount for the Illinois Supreme Court to take up this matter immediately because continued uncertainty surrounding this question will lead to additional actions — as we have seen today — that threaten the Governor’s ability to save lives.”
The state lawmaker, Rep. Darren Bailey (R), won a temporary injunction and restraining order from the Clay County circuit court earlier this week, freeing himself from having to stay home and limit his intra-state travel.
His argument centered on Governor J.D. Pritzker’s (D) power under the state’s Emergency Management Agency Act. Bailey’s complaint said that by issuing multiple consecutive emergency declarations stemming from the same, ongoing pandemic, Pritzker is skirting the 30-day limitation on such announcements. Thus, Bailey’s lawyers argued, Pritzker is rendering the law’s restrictions on the governor’s emergency powers “meaningless.”
In his opening brief filed in the appeal, Raoul called Bailey’s reading of the law “faulty,” pointing out that it doesn’t enumerate how many declarations a governor may issue based on one, ongoing emergency. He also cited multiple former governors who have issued successive disaster proclamations to deal with the H1N1 outbreak and massive floods.
“The Governor has not purported to exercise emergency powers indefinitely; he has issued disaster proclamations for 30-day periods,” the brief said. “But if the factual circumstances change—as every Illinoisan hopes they will—the Governor may no longer be able to reasonably conclude that a disaster still exists. At that point, the Governor’s emergency powers would expire 30 days after issuance of the most recent disaster proclamation.”
Raoul also emphasized that as a government employee, Bailey is already exempt from executive orders, but that his court action has encouraged copycats across the state.
“Orders like the circuit court’s inject uncertainty into the need to comply with the Governor’s directives,” Raoul wrote. “Such a disruption could undo much of the progress already made.”
He requests that the court reverse and vacate the temporary restraining order.
As of Friday afternoon, Illinois had 52,918 positive cases of coronavirus, per the state health department. At least 2,355 people have died.
Read Raoul’s memo here:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-01--Trying To Email Chloroquine Advocate, Corsi Accidentally Tips Off Ex-Mueller Prosecutor

A New York-based doctor and recent right-wing star has reportedly drawn the scrutiny of federal prosecutors after a former Mueller probe character accidentally emailed one of Mueller ’ s deputies about the doctor ’ s work .
The doctor , Vladimir “ Zev ” Zelenko , has championed the same anti-malaria drug that the President has speculated for weeks could be a COVID-19 cure : Hydroxychloroquine .
But when Jerome Corsi — who prosecutors suggested was Roger Stone ’ s back channel to Wikileaks — tried to send an email to Zelenko about his work , Corsi accidentally contacted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former prosecutor on Mueller ’ s team who ’ s now investigating coronavirus-related crimes in the Maryland U.S. Attorney ’ s office .
The Washington Post got the story of the unfortunate mix-up Thursday night .
The two are quite familiar with each other .
Zelinsky investigated Corsi and interviewed him extensively as part of the Mueller probe .
At one point , prosecutors reportedly drafted a plea agreement for Corsi in which he would have admitted to lying about Wikileaks , but Corsi said he refused to sign it .
Zelinsky was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federal case against Roger Stone after Attorney General Bill Barr intervened in order to reduce the department ’ s recommended prison sentence for Stone .
The email that Corsi accidentally sent Zelinsky , according to the Post , said that Zelenko had “ an FDA approved randomized test of HCQ underway.
” Except that ’ s not the case .
After prosecutors expressed their curiosity , Zelenko told Corsi that he really was referring to a study that had been approved by a hospital panel , not the FDA , Corsi said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ But it ’ s not registered as an FDA test , and you can ’ t say it is , ’ ” Corsi said in a recent YouTube video , the Post reported .
Corsi told the Post he didn ’ t believe Zelenko was trying to mislead anyone — but rather that he didn ’ t know what it meant to have an FDA-approved test .
Corsi ’ s lawyer , David Gray , declined TPM ’ s request for comment on the matter Friday .
Zelenko , for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A lawyer working with him told the Post that he hadn ’ t heard anything from the feds .
Zelenko told Corsi on a recent podcast that Zelenko and two German scientists would soon publish data on his use of hydroxychloroquine , the Post noted .
“ The difference between me and Dr. Fauci is only about 100,000 dead people , ” Zelenko said , referring to the government infectious disease expert who ’ s cautioned against using the drug .
Corsi said he complied fully with Zelinksy ’ s request for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” including emails , text messages , and marketing materials for a website he ’ s starting to connect people with doctors via telehealth .
Zelenko is listed as an unpaid medical adviser for the site , the Post reported .
“ I did nothing wrong , ” Corsi told the Post .
“ Zelenko made a mistake .
He ’ s got no case .
And we ’ re following all the rules.
” Zelenko ’ s advocacy of hydroxychloroquine , which has not been established as an effective COVID-19 treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News and gotten him in touch with the White House .
It ’ s also led to some embarrassing mix-ups like Corsi ’ s .
Another member of Trump ’ s circle , former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani , also acknowledged mucking up the doctor ’ s name in an interview with The New York Times last month .
Giuliani , an advocate of hydroxychloroquine himself and a fan of the doctor ’ s , told the Times he had accidentally referred to Zelenko as “ Dr .
Zelensky , ” confusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he last spent months researching : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky .
This post has been updated .
Correction : An earlier version of this article erroneously reported that Zelenko had been on Fox News .
While the doctor ’ s work has been discussed on the network , he has not appeared as a guest .

A New York-based doctor and recent right-wing star has reportedly drawn the scrutiny of federal prosecutors after a former Mueller probe character accidentally emailed one of Mueller’s deputies about the doctor’s work.
The doctor, Vladimir “Zev” Zelenko, has championed the same anti-malaria drug that the President has speculated for weeks could be a COVID-19 cure: Hydroxychloroquine.
But when Jerome Corsi — who prosecutors suggested was Roger Stone’s back channel to Wikileaks — tried to send an email to Zelenko about his work, Corsi accidentally contacted the wrong person: Aaron Zelinsky, a former prosecutor on Mueller’s team who’s now investigating coronavirus-related crimes in the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s office.
The Washington Post got the story of the unfortunate mix-up Thursday night.
The two are quite familiar with each other. Zelinsky investigated Corsi and interviewed him extensively as part of the Mueller probe. At one point, prosecutors reportedly drafted a plea agreement for Corsi in which he would have admitted to lying about Wikileaks, but Corsi said he refused to sign it.
Zelinsky was one of several prosecutors to withdraw from the federal case against Roger Stone after Attorney General Bill Barr intervened in order to reduce the department’s recommended prison sentence for Stone.
The email that Corsi accidentally sent Zelinsky, according to the Post, said that Zelenko had “an FDA approved randomized test of HCQ underway.” Except that’s not the case. After prosecutors expressed their curiosity, Zelenko told Corsi that he really was referring to a study that had been approved by a hospital panel, not the FDA, Corsi said.
“I pointed out to Zelenko, ‘But it’s not registered as an FDA test, and you can’t say it is,’” Corsi said in a recent YouTube video, the Post reported. Corsi told the Post he didn’t believe Zelenko was trying to mislead anyone — but rather that he didn’t know what it meant to have an FDA-approved test. Corsi’s lawyer, David Gray, declined TPM’s request for comment on the matter Friday.
Zelenko, for his part, has kept his head down. A lawyer working with him told the Post that he hadn’t heard anything from the feds. Zelenko told Corsi on a recent podcast that Zelenko and two German scientists would soon publish data on his use of hydroxychloroquine, the Post noted.
“The difference between me and Dr. Fauci is only about 100,000 dead people,” Zelenko said, referring to the government infectious disease expert who’s cautioned against using the drug.
Corsi said he complied fully with Zelinksy’s request for documents — “everything he asked for,” including emails, text messages, and marketing materials for a website he’s starting to connect people with doctors via telehealth. Zelenko is listed as an unpaid medical adviser for the site, the Post reported.
“I did nothing wrong,” Corsi told the Post. “Zelenko made a mistake. He’s got no case. And we’re following all the rules.”
Zelenko’s advocacy of hydroxychloroquine, which has not been established as an effective COVID-19 treatment, has landed his work on Fox News and gotten him in touch with the White House.
It’s also led to some embarrassing mix-ups like Corsi’s. Another member of Trump’s circle, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, also acknowledged mucking up the doctor’s name in an interview with The New York Times last month.
Giuliani, an advocate of hydroxychloroquine himself and a fan of the doctor’s, told the Times he had accidentally referred to Zelenko as “Dr. Zelensky,” confusing his name with that of the man he last spent months researching: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
This post has been updated.
Correction: An earlier version of this article erroneously reported that Zelenko had been on Fox News. While the doctor’s work has been discussed on the network, he has not appeared as a guest.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-01--Trump Admin Leans Into COVID-19 Chinese Lab Conspiracy Theory

President Donald Trump seems to be buying into the conspiracy theory alleging that the COVID-19 virus came from a lab in Wuhan , China , and members of his administration are helping him peddle the claim .
On Friday , White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told CNBC anchor Carl Quintanilla that there are “ a lot of theories ” and “ discussions ” on the origins of the virus .
“ The President has his views on this , ” the adviser said .
“ Those views are being developed by the help of our intelligence people and others.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of Chinese transparency and cooperation in pursuing investigations to get to the bottom of this.
” “ So that is an open discussion , an ongoing discussion , ” he said .
During a press briefing on Thursday , Trump cast doubt on the theory that COVID-19 was transmitted from a bat and said he has scientists looking at the origins of the virus “ very very strongly.
” “ What gives you a high degree of confidence that this originated from the lab ?
” asked Fox News correspondent John Roberts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you that .
I ’ m not allowed to tell you that , ” Trump replied .
The President frequently tries to shift the attention away his disastrous response to COVID-19 outbreak by hammering on China ’ s role in the pandemic .
Trump ’ s deflection efforts have culminated in him ordering an intelligence investigation into the matter .
As such , right-wingers have been floating the conspiracy theory that the virus was engineered at the Wuhan Institute of Virology , then escaped from the facility and caused the pandemic .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lab of deliberately letting the disease loose out into the world .
The Trump administration took one step toward embracing the conspiracy theory last week when it pulled funding for an American scientific study on bat-to-human disease transmission after Trump ’ s allies peddled an unproven rumor that the lab running the study was sending the funds to the Wuhan lab .

President Donald Trump seems to be buying into the conspiracy theory alleging that the COVID-19 virus came from a lab in Wuhan, China, and members of his administration are helping him peddle the claim.
On Friday, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told CNBC anchor Carl Quintanilla that there are “a lot of theories” and “discussions” on the origins of the virus.
“The President has his views on this,” the adviser said. “Those views are being developed by the help of our intelligence people and others.”
Kudlow then swiped at the “lack of Chinese transparency and cooperation in pursuing investigations to get to the bottom of this.”
“So that is an open discussion, an ongoing discussion,” he said.
During a press briefing on Thursday, Trump cast doubt on the theory that COVID-19 was transmitted from a bat and said he has scientists looking at the origins of the virus “very very strongly.”
“What gives you a high degree of confidence that this originated from the lab?” asked Fox News correspondent John Roberts.
“I can’t tell you that. I’m not allowed to tell you that,” Trump replied.
The President frequently tries to shift the attention away his disastrous response to COVID-19 outbreak by hammering on China’s role in the pandemic. Trump’s deflection efforts have culminated in him ordering an intelligence investigation into the matter.
As such, right-wingers have been floating the conspiracy theory that the virus was engineered at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, then escaped from the facility and caused the pandemic. One version of the theory even accuses the lab of deliberately letting the disease loose out into the world.
The Trump administration took one step toward embracing the conspiracy theory last week when it pulled funding for an American scientific study on bat-to-human disease transmission after Trump’s allies peddled an unproven rumor that the lab running the study was sending the funds to the Wuhan lab.
Watch Kudlow below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-01--Trump Sides With Armed Protesters As Whitmer Bucks The GOP Legislature

A tense week in Michigan culminated Thursday with images of angry and armed protesters swarming the state capitol while Republican lawmakers let Governor Gretchen Whitmer ’ s ( D ) COVID emergency declaration lapse .
President Donald Trump weighed in Friday morning , taking the side of the protesters who gathered around and , eventually , in the capitol calling from “ freedom ” from Whitmer ’ s stay-at-home order .
Some of those protesters carried guns into the galleries above where the lawmakers debated .
Trump has appeared to take a particular dislike to Whitmer , saying in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” with the “ young , a woman governor ” and later referring to her as “ that woman in Michigan.
” He even bestowed on her a nickname : “ Gretchen ‘ Half ’ Whitmer.
” The Republican leaders of the legislature took a position in line with Trump ’ s .
As midnight , the expiration date for Whitmer ’ s emergency declaration , came and went , they refused to renew it .
Whitmer maintains that she doesn ’ t need the legislature ’ s approval to extend the declaration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The two sides cite conflicting state laws to support their positions .
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey ( R ) promised legal action during his Thursday night floor speech , should Whitmer press on unilaterally .
“ The Senate will also authorize filing a lawsuit against the Governor , ” he said .
“ If she does not recognize the end of the emergency declaration , we have no other choice but to act for our constituents.
” He also referenced a compromise rejected by the governor , an allusion to one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week ’ s quarrels .
On Wednesday , Whitmer ’ s office leaked emails with Shirkey ’ s aides in which his chief of staff tried to barter a one- or two-week extension of the emergency declaration in exchange for Whitmer ’ s public promise that she will go through the legislature , and not executive order , with future stay-at-home orders .
Whitmer turned down the offer , asserting that the emergency declaration will endure whether Republicans like it or not .
In a biting statement and trio of executive orders released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Whitmer ignored Shirkey ’ s warnings of legal action and pressed ahead with another executive order to extend the emergency declaration through May 28 .
“ While some members of the legislature might believe this crisis is over , common sense and all of the scientific data tells us we ’ re not out of the woods yet , ” she said .
“ By refusing to extend the emergency and disaster declaration , Republican lawmakers are putting their heads in the sand and putting more lives and livelihoods at risk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that happen.
” With the trifecta of orders , Whitmer ended the current state of emergency , then issued two new emergency declarations , one under each of the conflicting state laws governing her emergency powers .
The double-team emergency orders seem to be an attempt to cover her bases .
She declared the first under the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act of 1945 , which gives the governor broad powers without any time constraints .
She issued the second under the Emergency Management Act of 1976 , which only allots the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state of emergency before the legislature must approve an extension .
Her first order technically ending the current state of emergency seems to be a way to skirt the law ’ s legislative extension requirement .
It remains to be seen whether such maneuvers will work , if the Republicans do take her to court .
In a response to Trump , or the armed protesters , or the Republican legislature , or maybe all three , Whitmer wordlessly let a spokeswoman do the talking Friday morning .
Correction : This article initially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding as machine guns .
In reality , they were reported to be assault rifles .

A tense week in Michigan culminated Thursday with images of angry and armed protesters swarming the state capitol while Republican lawmakers let Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) COVID emergency declaration lapse.
President Donald Trump weighed in Friday morning, taking the side of the protesters who gathered around and, eventually, in the capitol calling from “freedom” from Whitmer’s stay-at-home order. Some of those protesters carried guns into the galleries above where the lawmakers debated.
The Governor of Michigan should give a little, and put out the fire. These are very good people, but they are angry. They want their lives back again, safely! See them, talk to them, make a deal. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 1, 2020
Trump has appeared to take a particular dislike to Whitmer, saying in March that he had a “big problem” with the “young, a woman governor” and later referring to her as “that woman in Michigan.” He even bestowed on her a nickname: “Gretchen ‘Half’ Whitmer.”
The Republican leaders of the legislature took a position in line with Trump’s. As midnight, the expiration date for Whitmer’s emergency declaration, came and went, they refused to renew it.
Whitmer maintains that she doesn’t need the legislature’s approval to extend the declaration; the legislature says she does. The two sides cite conflicting state laws to support their positions.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R) promised legal action during his Thursday night floor speech, should Whitmer press on unilaterally.
“The Senate will also authorize filing a lawsuit against the Governor,” he said. “If she does not recognize the end of the emergency declaration, we have no other choice but to act for our constituents.”
He also referenced a compromise rejected by the governor, an allusion to one of the most dramatic moments of the past week’s quarrels. On Wednesday, Whitmer’s office leaked emails with Shirkey’s aides in which his chief of staff tried to barter a one- or two-week extension of the emergency declaration in exchange for Whitmer’s public promise that she will go through the legislature, and not executive order, with future stay-at-home orders. Whitmer turned down the offer, asserting that the emergency declaration will endure whether Republicans like it or not.
In a biting statement and trio of executive orders released after the Republicans’ inaction Thursday night, Whitmer ignored Shirkey’s warnings of legal action and pressed ahead with another executive order to extend the emergency declaration through May 28.
“While some members of the legislature might believe this crisis is over, common sense and all of the scientific data tells us we’re not out of the woods yet,” she said. “By refusing to extend the emergency and disaster declaration, Republican lawmakers are putting their heads in the sand and putting more lives and livelihoods at risk. I’m not going to let that happen.”
With the trifecta of orders, Whitmer ended the current state of emergency, then issued two new emergency declarations, one under each of the conflicting state laws governing her emergency powers.
The double-team emergency orders seem to be an attempt to cover her bases. She declared the first under the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act of 1945, which gives the governor broad powers without any time constraints.
She issued the second under the Emergency Management Act of 1976, which only allots the governor 28 days of authority under a state of emergency before the legislature must approve an extension. Her first order technically ending the current state of emergency seems to be a way to skirt the law’s legislative extension requirement.
It remains to be seen whether such maneuvers will work, if the Republicans do take her to court.
In a response to Trump, or the armed protesters, or the Republican legislature, or maybe all three, Whitmer wordlessly let a spokeswoman do the talking Friday morning.
Correction: This article initially referred to the guns some protesters were holding as machine guns. In reality, they were reported to be assault rifles.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-01--UK Officials Report Poor People Are Dying From COVID-19 At Much Higher Rate Than Rich

LONDON – Officials say the mortality rate among poorer people with the coronavirus is twice that of the richest in @ @ @ @ @ National Statistics studied 20,283 deaths between March 1 and April 17 .
It says the @ @ @ @ @ areas was 55.1 deaths per 100,000 people compared to 25.3 deaths per 100,000 in the @ @ @ @ @ , professor of evidence-based medicine at Oxford University , said “ these areas also suffer @ @ @ @ @ and higher incidence of health conditions that might act to lower immunity.
” Helen Barnard @ @ @ @ @ charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation , says poorer people are less likely to have jobs @ @ @ @ @ home .
She says , “ this means they may have to face a very @ @ @ @ @ keep going to work , facing greater risks of catching the virus .
”

LONDON – Officials say the mortality rate among poorer people with the coronavirus is twice that of the richest in Britain.
The Office for National Statistics studied 20,283 deaths between March 1 and April 17. It says the mortality rate in the poorer areas was 55.1 deaths per 100,000 people compared to 25.3 deaths per 100,000 in the richer areas.
Carl Heneghan, professor of evidence-based medicine at Oxford University, said “these areas also suffer from poor housing, nutrition and higher incidence of health conditions that might act to lower immunity.”
Helen Barnard, acting director of anti-poverty charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, says poorer people are less likely to have jobs where they can work from home. She says, “this means they may have to face a very significant drop in income or keep going to work, facing greater risks of catching the virus.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-01--Trump Admin Orders Over 100,000 Extra Body Bags Amid POTUS’ Rosy Framing Of Outbreak

President Donald Trump has painted a cheery image of the COVID-19 outbreak soon being tamed enough to reopen the economy while downplaying the death rate , but the federal government ’ s recent purchases signal that his own administration has a more grim outlook on the pandemic .
The Department of Homeland Security put in an order for 100,000 “ human remains pouches ” in a contract with construction supply firm E.M. Oil Transport , Inc. to the tune of $ 5.1 million dollars last week , per official government spending records .
The Department of Veteran Affairs also has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a supply company for the defense industry , The Department of Veteran Affairs also purchased body bags from ISO Group , Inc. , a supply company for the defense industry , for $ 293,780 dollars , though the record does not disclose how many were ordered , only that the VA made the purchase “ in response to COVID-19 ” and that the bags were delivered on Thursday .
The DHS and VA ’ s orders were first reported by NBC News , which also pointed out that the federal government awarded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body bags totaling over $ 12 million dollars in the past 90 days .
Mike Pryor , the marketing manager at E.M. Oil Transport , told NBC News that the government has not paid for its order to the company or collected the 100,000 bags yet .
“ I hope to God that they don ’ t need my order and that they cancel it , ” he said .
The COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. has already surpassed Trump ’ s predicted 60,000 fatalities from the virus , and his administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even as the President claims that the country is on a trajectory to lift social distancing measures and go back to work soon .

President Donald Trump has painted a cheery image of the COVID-19 outbreak soon being tamed enough to reopen the economy while downplaying the death rate, but the federal government’s recent purchases signal that his own administration has a more grim outlook on the pandemic.
The Department of Homeland Security put in an order for 100,000 “human remains pouches” in a contract with construction supply firm E.M. Oil Transport, Inc. to the tune of $5.1 million dollars last week, per official government spending records.
The Department of Veteran Affairs also has eight contracts with ISO Group, Inc., a supply company for the defense industry,
The Department of Veteran Affairs also purchased body bags from ISO Group, Inc., a supply company for the defense industry, for $293,780 dollars, though the record does not disclose how many were ordered, only that the VA made the purchase “in response to COVID-19” and that the bags were delivered on Thursday.
The DHS and VA’s orders were first reported by NBC News, which also pointed out that the federal government awarded ISO Group, Inc. eight contracts for body bags totaling over $12 million dollars in the past 90 days.
Mike Pryor, the marketing manager at E.M. Oil Transport, told NBC News that the government has not paid for its order to the company or collected the 100,000 bags yet.
“I hope to God that they don’t need my order and that they cancel it,” he said.
The COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. has already surpassed Trump’s predicted 60,000 fatalities from the virus, and his administration is apparently gearing up for far more even as the President claims that the country is on a trajectory to lift social distancing measures and go back to work soon.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-02--Mississippi Guv Has Second Thoughts About Stay-At-Home Order Lift After Sharp Rise In COVID-19 Cases

Mississippi Gov .
Tate Reeves ( R ) is reconsidering his plan to keep reversing his stay at home order after his state saw its largest spike in COVID-19 cases in one day following his first partial rollback .
“ Things can change quickly , ” the GOP governor said during a press briefing on Friday .
“ We have to stay flexible.
” Mississip State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs , who was also present at the briefing , reported that there were 397 new cases in Mississippi , “ the largest number of cases we ’ ve reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had issued an executive order that allowed some businesses to reopen effective April 24 , told reporters that he had originally planned to announce more reopenings during the press conference , then changed his mind upon hearing about the sudden surge in cases .
“ The increase was a large enough change to make me take a step back , reexamine things and must hold on and reconsider at least over the weekend , ” the governor said .
“ Not to recklessly put people in harms way.
” Mississippi ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , there are over 7,400 cases of the virus in Mississippi and 291 deaths .

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) is reconsidering his plan to keep reversing his stay-at-home order after his state saw its largest spike in COVID-19 cases in one day following his first partial rollback.
“Things can change quickly,” the GOP governor said during a press briefing on Friday. “We have to stay flexible.”
Mississip State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs, who was also present at the briefing, reported that there were 397 new cases in Mississippi, “the largest number of cases we’ve reported in a single day.”
Tate, who had issued an executive order that allowed some businesses to reopen effective April 24, told reporters that he had originally planned to announce more reopenings during the press conference, then changed his mind upon hearing about the sudden surge in cases.
“The increase was a large enough change to make me take a step back, reexamine things and must hold on and reconsider at least over the weekend,” the governor said. “Not to recklessly put people in harm’s way.”
Mississippi’s department of health reported that as of Friday, there are over 7,400 cases of the virus in Mississippi and 291 deaths.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-02--Pelosi And McConnell Turn Down Trump Admin’s Offer To Send Special COVID Tests To Congress

House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) and Senate Majority Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) announced on Saturday that they would not accept the Trump administration ’ s offer to send members of Congress quick Abbott tests for COVID-19 .
“ Congress is grateful for the Administration ’ s generous offer to deploy rapid COVID-19 testing capabilities to Capitol Hill , but we respectfully decline the offer at this time , ” Pelosi and McConnell said in a joint statement .
“ Our country ’ s testing capacities are continuing to scale up nationwide and Congress wants to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can do the most good the most quickly.
” The two congressional leaders said lawmakers on the Hill would continue to use current testing procedures “ until these speedier technologies become more widely available.
” Earlier on Saturday , President Donald Trump bragged about “ tremendous ” opportunities for Congress to take tests for the virus .
“ There is tremendous CoronaVirus testing capacity in Washington for the Senators returning to Capital [ sic ] Hill on Monday .
Likewise the House , which should return but isn ’ t because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The 5 minute Abbott Test will be used.
” Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar had announced the previous day that the administration would send Abbott tests to the Senate .

House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced on Saturday that they would not accept the Trump administration’s offer to send members of Congress quick Abbott tests for COVID-19.
“Congress is grateful for the Administration’s generous offer to deploy rapid COVID-19 testing capabilities to Capitol Hill, but we respectfully decline the offer at this time,” Pelosi and McConnell said in a joint statement. “Our country’s testing capacities are continuing to scale up nationwide and Congress wants to keep directing resources to the front-line facilities where they can do the most good the most quickly.”
The two congressional leaders said lawmakers on the Hill would continue to use current testing procedures “until these speedier technologies become more widely available.”
Earlier on Saturday, President Donald Trump bragged about “tremendous” opportunities for Congress to take tests for the virus.
“There is tremendous CoronaVirus testing capacity in Washington for the Senators returning to Capital [sic] Hill on Monday. Likewise the House, which should return but isn’t because of Crazy Nancy P,” he tweeted. “The 5 minute Abbott Test will be used.”
Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar had announced the previous day that the administration would send Abbott tests to the Senate.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-02--Reade Says She Did Not Include Alleged Sexual Assault In Complaint Against Biden

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — Tara Reade , the former Senate staffer who alleges Joe Biden sexually assaulted her 27 years ago , says she filed a limited report with a congressional personnel office that did not explicitly accuse him of sexual assault or harassment .
“ I remember talking about him wanting me to serve drinks because he liked my legs and thought I was pretty and it made me uncomfortable , ” Reade said in an interview Friday with The Associated Press .
“ I know that I was too scared to write about the sexual assault.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden but “ the main word I used — and I know I didn ’ t use sexual harassment — I used ‘ uncomfortable.
’ And I remember ‘ retaliation . '
” Reade described the report after the AP discovered additional transcripts and notes from its interviews with Reade last year in which she says she “ chickened out ” after going to the Senate personnel office .
The AP interviewed Reade in 2019 after she accused Biden of uncomfortable and inappropriate touching .
She did not raise allegations of sexual assault @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time he became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee .
The existence of the Senate report has become a key element of the accusations against Biden , which he has flatly denied .
Reade says she doesn ’ t have a copy of the report , and Biden said Friday that he is not aware that any complaint against him exists .
He asked the Senate and the National Archives to search their records to try to locate a complaint from Reade .
But Reade is suggesting that even if the report surfaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations because she chose not to detail them at the time .
According to a transcript of her 2019 interview with the AP , Reade said : “ They have this counseling office or something , and I think I walked in there once , but then I chickened out.
” She made a similar statement in a second interview with AP that same day , according to written notes from the interview .
On Friday , Reade said she was referring to having “ chickened out ” by not filing full harassment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple interviews with the AP on Friday , Reade insisted she filed an “ intake form ” at the Senate personnel office , which included her contact information , the office she worked for and some broad details of her issues with Biden .
Reade was one of eight women who came forward last year with allegations that Biden made them feel uncomfortable with inappropriate displays of affection .
Biden acknowledged the complaints and promised to be “ more mindful about respecting personal space in the future.
” During one of the April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Biden rubbed her shoulders and neck and played with her hair .
She said she was asked by an aide in Biden ’ s Senate office to dress more conservatively and told “ don ’ t be so sexy.
” She said of Biden : “ I wasn ’ t scared of him , that he was going to take me in a room or anything .
It wasn ’ t that kind of vibe.
” The AP reviewed notes of its 2019 interviews with Reade after she came forward in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But reporters discovered an additional transcript and notes from those interviews on Friday .
A recording of one of the interviews was deleted before Reade emerged in 2020 with new allegations against Biden , in keeping with the reporter ’ s standard practice for disposing of old interviews .
A portion of that interview was also recorded on video , but not the part in which she spoke of having “ chickened out.
” The AP declined to publish details of the 2019 interviews at the time because reporters were unable to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her story contradicted other reporting .
In recent weeks , Reade told the AP and other news organizations that Biden sexually assaulted her , pushing her against a wall in the basement of a Capitol Hill office building in 1993 , groping her and penetrating her with his fingers .
She says she was fired from Biden ’ s office after filing a complaint with the Senate alleging harassment .
The accusation has roiled Biden ’ s presidential campaign , sparking anxiety among Democrats .
Republicans have accused Biden backers of hypocrisy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe women who have accused President Donald Trump and other conservatives of assault .
Trump has faced multiple accusations of assault and harassment , all of which he denies .
Reade says she was reluctant to share details of the assault during her initial conversations with reporters over a year ago because she was scared of backlash , and was still coming to terms with what happened to her .
Two of Reade ’ s associates said publicly this past week that Reade had conversations with them that they said corroborated aspects of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbor , said Reade told her about the alleged assault a few years after Reade said it happened .
The other , a former coworker , said Reade told her she had been sexually harassed by her boss during her previous job in Washington .
The AP has also spoken to two additional people , who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their families ’ privacy , who said Reade had told them about aspects of her allegations against Biden years ago .
One friend , who knew Reade in 1993 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assault when it happened .
The second friend met Reade more than a decade after the alleged incident and confirmed that Reade had a conversation with the friend in 2007 or 2008 about experiencing sexual harassment from Biden while working in his Senate office .
___ Thompson reported from Nevada City , California .
___ Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast , “ Ground Game .
”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tara Reade, the former Senate staffer who alleges Joe Biden sexually assaulted her 27 years ago, says she filed a limited report with a congressional personnel office that did not explicitly accuse him of sexual assault or harassment.
“I remember talking about him wanting me to serve drinks because he liked my legs and thought I was pretty and it made me uncomfortable,” Reade said in an interview Friday with The Associated Press. “I know that I was too scared to write about the sexual assault.”
Reade said she described her issues with Biden but “the main word I used — and I know I didn’t use sexual harassment — I used ‘uncomfortable.’ And I remember ‘retaliation.'”
Reade described the report after the AP discovered additional transcripts and notes from its interviews with Reade last year in which she says she “chickened out” after going to the Senate personnel office. The AP interviewed Reade in 2019 after she accused Biden of uncomfortable and inappropriate touching. She did not raise allegations of sexual assault against Biden until this year, around the time he became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.
The existence of the Senate report has become a key element of the accusations against Biden, which he has flatly denied. Reade says she doesn’t have a copy of the report, and Biden said Friday that he is not aware that any complaint against him exists. He asked the Senate and the National Archives to search their records to try to locate a complaint from Reade.
But Reade is suggesting that even if the report surfaces, it would not corroborate her assault allegations because she chose not to detail them at the time.
According to a transcript of her 2019 interview with the AP, Reade said: “They have this counseling office or something, and I think I walked in there once, but then I chickened out.” She made a similar statement in a second interview with AP that same day, according to written notes from the interview.
On Friday, Reade said she was referring to having “chickened out” by not filing full harassment or assault allegations against Biden. In multiple interviews with the AP on Friday, Reade insisted she filed an “intake form” at the Senate personnel office, which included her contact information, the office she worked for and some broad details of her issues with Biden.
Reade was one of eight women who came forward last year with allegations that Biden made them feel uncomfortable with inappropriate displays of affection. Biden acknowledged the complaints and promised to be “more mindful about respecting personal space in the future.”
During one of the April 2019 interviews with the AP, she said Biden rubbed her shoulders and neck and played with her hair. She said she was asked by an aide in Biden’s Senate office to dress more conservatively and told “don’t be so sexy.”
She said of Biden: “I wasn’t scared of him, that he was going to take me in a room or anything. It wasn’t that kind of vibe.”
The AP reviewed notes of its 2019 interviews with Reade after she came forward in March with allegations of sexual assault against Biden. But reporters discovered an additional transcript and notes from those interviews on Friday.
A recording of one of the interviews was deleted before Reade emerged in 2020 with new allegations against Biden, in keeping with the reporter’s standard practice for disposing of old interviews. A portion of that interview was also recorded on video, but not the part in which she spoke of having “chickened out.”
The AP declined to publish details of the 2019 interviews at the time because reporters were unable to corroborate her allegations, and aspects of her story contradicted other reporting.
In recent weeks, Reade told the AP and other news organizations that Biden sexually assaulted her, pushing her against a wall in the basement of a Capitol Hill office building in 1993, groping her and penetrating her with his fingers. She says she was fired from Biden’s office after filing a complaint with the Senate alleging harassment.
The accusation has roiled Biden’s presidential campaign, sparking anxiety among Democrats. Republicans have accused Biden backers of hypocrisy, arguing that they have been quick to believe women who have accused President Donald Trump and other conservatives of assault. Trump has faced multiple accusations of assault and harassment, all of which he denies.
Reade says she was reluctant to share details of the assault during her initial conversations with reporters over a year ago because she was scared of backlash, and was still coming to terms with what happened to her.
Two of Reade’s associates said publicly this past week that Reade had conversations with them that they said corroborated aspects of her allegation. One, a former neighbor, said Reade told her about the alleged assault a few years after Reade said it happened. The other, a former coworker, said Reade told her she had been sexually harassed by her boss during her previous job in Washington.
The AP has also spoken to two additional people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their families’ privacy, who said Reade had told them about aspects of her allegations against Biden years ago.
One friend, who knew Reade in 1993, said Reade told them about the alleged assault when it happened. The second friend met Reade more than a decade after the alleged incident and confirmed that Reade had a conversation with the friend in 2007 or 2008 about experiencing sexual harassment from Biden while working in his Senate office.
___
Thompson reported from Nevada City, California.
___
Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, “Ground Game.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-02--Trump To Remove HHS Watchdog Who Wrote Report Critical Of POTUS’ COVID-19 Response

President Donald Trump has nominated a replacement for Health and Human Services acting inspector general Christi Grimm after she wrote @ @ @ @ @ his administration had bungled its response to the COVID-19 outbreak .
The White House announced @ @ @ @ @ Jason Weida , an assistant United States attorney in Boston , to replace Grimm .
@ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s ire last month when she released a report stating that the federal @ @ @ @ @ responsible for the “ significant challenges ” hospitals were burdened with as they dealt with @ @ @ @ @ cases , such as medical supply shortages .
A furious Trump proceeded to attack Grimm @ @ @ @ @ against him due to the fact that she worked for the Obama administration , even @ @ @ @ @ under George W. Bush ’ s administration .
“ Another Fake Dossier !
” Trump @ @ @ @ @ ’ s report came out .

President Donald Trump has nominated a replacement for Health and Human Services acting inspector general Christi Grimm after she wrote a report laying out how his administration had bungled its response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The White House announced on Friday that Trump tapped Jason Weida, an assistant United States attorney in Boston, to replace Grimm.
The acting inspector general drew Trump’s ire last month when she released a report stating that the federal government was at least partially responsible for the “significant challenges” hospitals were burdened with as they dealt with the massive wave of COVID-19 cases, such as medical supply shortages.
A furious Trump proceeded to attack Grimm and accuse her of working against him due to the fact that she worked for the Obama administration, even though she had also worked under George W. Bush’s administration.
“Another Fake Dossier!” Trump tweeted a day after Grimm’s report came out.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-02--WH Won’t Allow Fauci To Testify In Front Of House Next Week, Claims It Would Be ‘Counterproductive’

President Donald Trump is refusing to let National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci , who also serves on the White House COVID-19 task force , testify before a House subcommittee hearing scheduled for next week .
White House spokesperson Judd Deere confirmed in an emailed statement to TPM on Saturday that Fauci would not be allowed to appear in front of the the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor , Health and Human Services , Education and Related Agencies on Wednesday .
“ While the Trump Administration continues its whole-of-government response to COVID-19 , including safely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development , it is counterproductive to have the very individuals involved in those efforts appearing at congressional hearings , ” Deere said .
“ We are committed to working with Congress to offer testimony at the appropriate time.
” The White House ’ s decision was first reported by the Washington Post .
An unnamed administration official told the Post that Fauci is slated to testify in front of the Senate to discuss testing amid the COVID-19 outbreak sometime during the week after he was supposed to appear at the House subcommittee hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean up Trump ’ s overly optimistic framing of the outbreak as the President pushes for an end to social distancing to allow the economy to reopen .
The resulting contradiction between Fauci and Trump ’ s messaging has reportedly angered the President , who retweeted a post in mid-April calling for the doctor ’ s ouster .
However , the White House denied that Trump was planning to fire Fauci .

President Donald Trump is refusing to let National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, who also serves on the White House COVID-19 task force, testify before a House subcommittee hearing scheduled for next week.
White House spokesperson Judd Deere confirmed in an emailed statement to TPM on Saturday that Fauci would not be allowed to appear in front of the the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies on Wednesday.
“While the Trump Administration continues its whole-of-government response to COVID-19, including safely opening up America again and expediting vaccine development, it is counterproductive to have the very individuals involved in those efforts appearing at congressional hearings,” Deere said. “We are committed to working with Congress to offer testimony at the appropriate time.”
The White House’s decision was first reported by the Washington Post.
An unnamed administration official told the Post that Fauci is slated to testify in front of the Senate to discuss testing amid the COVID-19 outbreak sometime during the week after he was supposed to appear at the House subcommittee hearing.
The doctor has often had to clean up Trump’s overly optimistic framing of the outbreak as the President pushes for an end to social distancing to allow the economy to reopen.
The resulting contradiction between Fauci and Trump’s messaging has reportedly angered the President, who retweeted a post in mid-April calling for the doctor’s ouster. However, the White House denied that Trump was planning to fire Fauci.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-03--As Lockdowns Ease, Some Countries Report New Infection Peaks

ROME ( AP ) — While millions of people took advantage of easing coronavirus lockdowns to enjoy spring weather , some of the world ’ s most populous countries reported worrisome new peaks in infections Sunday , including India , which saw its biggest single-day jump yet .
Second in population only to China , India reported more than 2,600 new infections .
In Russia , new cases exceeded 10,000 for the first time .
The confirmed death toll in Britain climbed near that of Italy , the epicenter of Europe ’ s outbreak , even though the U.K. population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain had more time to prepare before the pandemic hit .
The United States continues to see tens of thousands of new infections each day , with more than 1,400 new deaths reported Saturday .
Health experts warn that a second wave of infections could hit unless testing is expanded dramatically once the lockdowns are relaxed .
But pressure to reopen keeps building after the weeks-long shutdown of businesses worldwide plunged the global economy into its deepest slump since the 1930s and wiped out millions of jobs .
China , which reported only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in visitors to newly reopened tourist spots after domestic travel restrictions were loosened ahead of a five-day holiday that runs through Tuesday .
Nearly 1.7 million people visited Beijing parks on the first two days of the holiday , and Shanghai ’ s main tourist spots welcomed more than 1 million visitors , according to Chinese media .
Many spots limited daily visitors to 30 % of capacity .
On the eve of Italy ’ s first steps toward easing restrictions , the Health Ministry reported 174 COVID deaths in the 24-hour period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number since the national lockdown began on March 10 .
Parks and public gardens were set to reopen on Monday .
In Spain , many ventured outside for the first time since the country ’ s lockdown began March 14 , but social distancing rules remained in place .
Masks are mandatory starting Monday on public transit .
In Britain , Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under pressure to reveal how the country will lift its lockdown .
The restrictions are due to last through Thursday , but with hundreds of deaths still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently as Italy or Spain — it ’ s unclear how the country can safely loosen the restrictions .
The 55-year-old Johnson , who spent three nights in intensive care while being treated for COVID-19 , told The Sun newspaper that he knew his doctors were preparing for the worst .
“ It was a tough old moment , I won ’ t deny it , ’ ’ he said .
“ They had a strategy to deal with a ‘ death of Stalin ’ -type scenario ’ ’ if he succumbed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerged in Afghanistan ’ s capital city of Kabul , where a third of the 500 people selected in random test came up positive for the virus .
In the U.S. , New Jersey reopened state parks , though several had to turn people away after reaching a 50 % limit in their parking lots .
Margie Roebuck and her husband were among the first on the sand at Island Beach State Park .
“ Forty-six days in the house was enough , ” she said .
Speaking on “ Fox News Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Birx expressed concern about protests by armed and mostly maskless crowds demanding an end to stay-at-home orders and a full reboot of the economy .
President Donald Trump has encouraged people to “ liberate ” their states .
“ It ’ s devastatingly worrisome to me personally , because if they go home and infect their grandmother or their grandfather … they will feel guilty for the rest of our lives , ” she said .
“ So we need to protect each other at the same time we ’ re voicing our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon , the virus could come back in “ small waves in various places around the country , ” said Dr. Tom Inglesby , director of the Center for Health Security of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health .
“ Nothing has changed in the underlying dynamics of this virus , ” he said on NBC ’ s “ Meet the Press.
” New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo announced that his state would join with six others to create a regional supply chain for masks , gowns , ventilators , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease .
“ It will make us more competitive in the international marketplace , and I believe it will save taxpayers money , ” Cuomo said .
Meanwhile , the divide in the United States between those who want lockdowns to end and those who want to move more cautiously extended to Congress .
The Republican-majority Senate will reopen Monday in Washington .
The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives is staying shuttered .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ’ s decision to convene 100 senators gives Trump , a Republican , the imagery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , despite the risks .
Russia ’ s latest tally of infections was nearly double the new cases reported a week ago .
More than half of Russia ’ s new cases were in Moscow , where concern is rising about whether the capital ’ s medical facilities will be overwhelmed .
Indian air force helicopters showered flower petals on hospitals in several cities to thank doctors , nurses and police at the forefront of the battle against the pandemic .
The country ’ s number of confirmed cases neared 40,000 as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40th day of a nationwide lockdown .
The official death toll reached 1,323 .
Pope Francis called Sunday for international collaboration in the search for a vaccine and treatment for COVID-19 and invited faithful of all religions to spiritually unite in prayer , fasting and works of charity on May 14 .
The virus has infected 3.4 million people and killed more than 244,000 worldwide , including more than 66,000 dead in the United States , according to a count by Johns Hopkins University .
All the numbers are considered to be undercounts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems of counting deaths in a pandemic and deliberate concealment by some governments .
Moritsugu reported from Beijing and Gorondi from Budapest , Hungary , and Kirka from London .
Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report .

ROME (AP) — While millions of people took advantage of easing coronavirus lockdowns to enjoy spring weather, some of the world’s most populous countries reported worrisome new peaks in infections Sunday, including India, which saw its biggest single-day jump yet.
Second in population only to China, India reported more than 2,600 new infections. In Russia, new cases exceeded 10,000 for the first time. The confirmed death toll in Britain climbed near that of Italy, the epicenter of Europe’s outbreak, even though the U.K. population is younger than Italy’s and Britain had more time to prepare before the pandemic hit.
The United States continues to see tens of thousands of new infections each day, with more than 1,400 new deaths reported Saturday.
Health experts warn that a second wave of infections could hit unless testing is expanded dramatically once the lockdowns are relaxed. But pressure to reopen keeps building after the weeks-long shutdown of businesses worldwide plunged the global economy into its deepest slump since the 1930s and wiped out millions of jobs.
China, which reported only two new cases, saw a surge in visitors to newly reopened tourist spots after domestic travel restrictions were loosened ahead of a five-day holiday that runs through Tuesday. Nearly 1.7 million people visited Beijing parks on the first two days of the holiday, and Shanghai’s main tourist spots welcomed more than 1 million visitors, according to Chinese media. Many spots limited daily visitors to 30% of capacity.
On the eve of Italy’s first steps toward easing restrictions, the Health Ministry reported 174 COVID deaths in the 24-hour period ending Sunday evening — the lowest day-to-day number since the national lockdown began on March 10. Parks and public gardens were set to reopen on Monday.
In Spain, many ventured outside for the first time since the country’s lockdown began March 14, but social distancing rules remained in place. Masks are mandatory starting Monday on public transit.
In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under pressure to reveal how the country will lift its lockdown. The restrictions are due to last through Thursday, but with hundreds of deaths still being reported daily — twice as many recently as Italy or Spain — it’s unclear how the country can safely loosen the restrictions.
The 55-year-old Johnson, who spent three nights in intensive care while being treated for COVID-19, told The Sun newspaper that he knew his doctors were preparing for the worst.
“It was a tough old moment, I won’t deny it,’’ he said. “They had a strategy to deal with a ‘death of Stalin’-type scenario’’ if he succumbed to the virus.
Another potentially troubling sign emerged in Afghanistan’s capital city of Kabul, where a third of the 500 people selected in random test came up positive for the virus.
In the U.S., New Jersey reopened state parks, though several had to turn people away after reaching a 50% limit in their parking lots. Margie Roebuck and her husband were among the first on the sand at Island Beach State Park.
“Forty-six days in the house was enough,” she said.
Speaking on “Fox News Sunday,” White House coronavirus coordinator Deborah Birx expressed concern about protests by armed and mostly maskless crowds demanding an end to stay-at-home orders and a full reboot of the economy. President Donald Trump has encouraged people to “liberate” their states.
“It’s devastatingly worrisome to me personally, because if they go home and infect their grandmother or their grandfather … they will feel guilty for the rest of our lives,” she said. “So we need to protect each other at the same time we’re voicing our discontent.”
If restrictions are lifted too soon, the virus could come back in “small waves in various places around the country,” said Dr. Tom Inglesby, director of the Center for Health Security of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
“Nothing has changed in the underlying dynamics of this virus,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that his state would join with six others to create a regional supply chain for masks, gowns, ventilators, testing supplies and other equipment for fighting the disease.
“It will make us more competitive in the international marketplace, and I believe it will save taxpayers money,” Cuomo said.
Meanwhile, the divide in the United States between those who want lockdowns to end and those who want to move more cautiously extended to Congress.
The Republican-majority Senate will reopen Monday in Washington. The Democrat-controlled House of Representatives is staying shuttered. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s decision to convene 100 senators gives Trump, a Republican, the imagery he wants of America getting back to work, despite the risks.
Russia’s latest tally of infections was nearly double the new cases reported a week ago. More than half of Russia’s new cases were in Moscow, where concern is rising about whether the capital’s medical facilities will be overwhelmed.
Indian air force helicopters showered flower petals on hospitals in several cities to thank doctors, nurses and police at the forefront of the battle against the pandemic.
The country’s number of confirmed cases neared 40,000 as the population of 1.3 billion marked the 40th day of a nationwide lockdown. The official death toll reached 1,323.
Pope Francis called Sunday for international collaboration in the search for a vaccine and treatment for COVID-19 and invited faithful of all religions to spiritually unite in prayer, fasting and works of charity on May 14.
The virus has infected 3.4 million people and killed more than 244,000 worldwide, including more than 66,000 dead in the United States, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University.
All the numbers are considered to be undercounts, due to testing issues, the problems of counting deaths in a pandemic and deliberate concealment by some governments.
—-
Moritsugu reported from Beijing and Gorondi from Budapest, Hungary, and Kirka from London. Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-03--Cuomo: New York Will Join Northeastern States To Form Supply Chain To Combat COVID

NEW YORK — After working with neighboring states on coronavirus-related closing and reopening plans , Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that New York will join with states from Massachusetts to Delaware to create a regional supply chain for masks , gowns , ventilators , testing supplies and other equipment vital to fighting the disease .
The states are joining together after months of dealing separately with what Cuomo said was a “ totally inefficient and ineffective ” purchasing process that pitted all 50 states against each other , as well as the federal government and other entities , driving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York buys about $ 2 billion worth of medical equipment supplies per year , Cuomo said .
The other states joining the consortium together spend about $ 5 billion per year .
Working together , they ’ ll have stronger purchasing power and improve their clout with global suppliers , Cuomo said .
“ It will make us more competitive in the international marketplace and I believe it will save taxpayers money , ” Cuomo said .
“ I also believe it will actually help us get the equipment , because we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The other states in the consortium are Connecticut , Rhode Island , New Jersey and Pennsylvania .
One goal , the states ’ governors said , is to find suppliers within the region , instead of relying on swamped manufacturers in China and other faraway places .
WASHINGTON — Michigan ’ s governor says gun-carrying protesters who demonstrated inside her state ’ s Capitol “ depicted some of the worst racism ” and “ awful parts ” of U.S. history .
Democrat Gretchen Whitmer tells CNN that the protests featured “ Confederate Flags @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as swastikas .
Members of the Michigan Liberty Militia protested the state ’ s stay-at-home orders this week , some with weapons and tactical gear and their faces partially covered .
They went inside the Capitol , where being armed is allowed , then demanded access to the House floor , which is prohibited .
Some went to the Senate gallery , where a senator said armed men shouted at her .
Michigan ’ s Republican-controlled Legislature has questioned Whitmer ’ s authority to extend stay-at-home orders amid the coronavirus pandemic .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extend a state of emergency declaration and has directed most businesses statewide to remain closed .
Mentioned as a possible running mate for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden , Whitmer said Sunday , “ This isn ’ t something we just negotiate ourselves out of and it ’ s a political matter.
” “ This is a public health crisis , ” she said .

NEW YORK — After working with neighboring states on coronavirus-related closing and reopening plans, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that New York will join with states from Massachusetts to Delaware to create a regional supply chain for masks, gowns, ventilators, testing supplies and other equipment vital to fighting the disease.
The states are joining together after months of dealing separately with what Cuomo said was a “totally inefficient and ineffective” purchasing process that pitted all 50 states against each other, as well as the federal government and other entities, driving up prices as supplies dried up.
New York buys about $2 billion worth of medical equipment supplies per year, Cuomo said. The other states joining the consortium together spend about $5 billion per year. Working together, they’ll have stronger purchasing power and improve their clout with global suppliers, Cuomo said.
“It will make us more competitive in the international marketplace and I believe it will save taxpayers money,” Cuomo said. “I also believe it will actually help us get the equipment, because we have trouble still getting the equipment.”
The other states in the consortium are Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. One goal, the states’ governors said, is to find suppliers within the region, instead of relying on swamped manufacturers in China and other faraway places.
___
WASHINGTON — Michigan’s governor says gun-carrying protesters who demonstrated inside her state’s Capitol “depicted some of the worst racism” and “awful parts” of U.S. history.
Democrat Gretchen Whitmer tells CNN that the protests featured “Confederate Flags, and nooses,” as well as swastikas.
Members of the Michigan Liberty Militia protested the state’s stay-at-home orders this week, some with weapons and tactical gear and their faces partially covered. They went inside the Capitol, where being armed is allowed, then demanded access to the House floor, which is prohibited.
Some went to the Senate gallery, where a senator said armed men shouted at her.
Michigan’s Republican-controlled Legislature has questioned Whitmer’s authority to extend stay-at-home orders amid the coronavirus pandemic. But the governor used an executive order to extend a state of emergency declaration and has directed most businesses statewide to remain closed.
Mentioned as a possible running mate for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, Whitmer said Sunday, “This isn’t something we just negotiate ourselves out of and it’s a political matter.”
“This is a public health crisis,” she said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-03--New DHS Report Claims China Hid Virus’ Severity To Hoard Supplies

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — U.S. officials believe China covered up the extent of the coronavirus outbreak — and how contagious the disease is — to stock up on medical supplies needed to respond to it , intelligence documents show .
Chinese leaders “ intentionally concealed the severity ” of the pandemic from the world in early January , according to a four-page Department of Homeland Security intelligence report dated May 1 and obtained by The Associated Press .
The revelation comes as the Trump administration has intensified its criticism of China , with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of disease and must be held accountable .
The sharper rhetoric coincides with administration critics saying the government ’ s response to the virus was slow and inadequate .
President Donald Trump ’ s political opponents have accused him of lashing out at China , a geopolitical foe but critical U.S. trade partner , in an attempt to deflect criticism at home .
Not classified but marked “ for official use only , ” the analysis states that , while downplaying the severity of the coronavirus , China increased imports and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempted to cover up doing so by “ denying there were export restrictions and obfuscating and delaying provision of its trade data , ” the analysis states .
The report also says China held off informing the World Health Organization that the coronavirus “ was a contagion ” for much of January so it could order medical supplies from abroad — and that its imports of face masks and surgical gowns and gloves increased sharply .
Those conclusions are based on the 95 % probability that China ’ s changes in imports and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the report .
Trump has speculated that China could have unleashed the coronavirus due to some kind of horrible “ mistake.
” His intelligence agencies say they are still examining a notion put forward by the president and aides that the pandemic may have resulted from an accident at a Chinese lab .
Speaking Sunday on ABC ’ s “ This Week , ” Pompeo said he had no reason to believe that the virus was deliberately spread .
But he added , “ Remember , China has a history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a history of running substandard laboratories.
” “ These are not the first times that we ’ ve had a world exposed to viruses as a result of failures in a Chinese lab , ” Pompeo said .
“ And so , while the intelligence community continues to do its work , they should continue to do that , and verify so that we are certain , I can tell you that there is a significant amount of evidence that this came from that laboratory in Wuhan.
” The secretary of state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of respiratory viruses , like SARS , which started in China .
His remark may be seen as offensive in China .
Still , Pompeo repeated the same assertion virtually word for word hours later , via a tweet Sunday afternoon .
Speaking Sunday on Fox News Channel ’ s “ Sunday Morning Futures , ” Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas , echoed that sentiment , saying he believes China “ is the most significant geopolitical threat to the United States for the next century.
” “ The communist government in China bears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this pandemic .
We know they covered it up , ” Cruz said .
“ Had they behaved responsibly and sent in health professionals and quarantined those infected , there ’ s a real possibility this could have been a regional outbreak , and not a global pandemic .
And the hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide are in a very real sense the direct responsibility of the communist Chinese government ’ s lies.
” ___ AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report .

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials believe China covered up the extent of the coronavirus outbreak — and how contagious the disease is — to stock up on medical supplies needed to respond to it, intelligence documents show.
Chinese leaders “intentionally concealed the severity” of the pandemic from the world in early January, according to a four-page Department of Homeland Security intelligence report dated May 1 and obtained by The Associated Press. The revelation comes as the Trump administration has intensified its criticism of China, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying Sunday that that country was responsible for the spread of disease and must be held accountable.
The sharper rhetoric coincides with administration critics saying the government’s response to the virus was slow and inadequate. President Donald Trump’s political opponents have accused him of lashing out at China, a geopolitical foe but critical U.S. trade partner, in an attempt to deflect criticism at home.
Not classified but marked “for official use only,” the analysis states that, while downplaying the severity of the coronavirus, China increased imports and decreased exports of medical supplies. It attempted to cover up doing so by “denying there were export restrictions and obfuscating and delaying provision of its trade data,” the analysis states.
The report also says China held off informing the World Health Organization that the coronavirus “was a contagion” for much of January so it could order medical supplies from abroad — and that its imports of face masks and surgical gowns and gloves increased sharply.
Those conclusions are based on the 95% probability that China’s changes in imports and export behavior were not within normal range, according to the report.
Trump has speculated that China could have unleashed the coronavirus due to some kind of horrible “mistake.” His intelligence agencies say they are still examining a notion put forward by the president and aides that the pandemic may have resulted from an accident at a Chinese lab.
Speaking Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” Pompeo said he had no reason to believe that the virus was deliberately spread. But he added, “Remember, China has a history of infecting the world, and they have a history of running substandard laboratories.”
“These are not the first times that we’ve had a world exposed to viruses as a result of failures in a Chinese lab,” Pompeo said. “And so, while the intelligence community continues to do its work, they should continue to do that, and verify so that we are certain, I can tell you that there is a significant amount of evidence that this came from that laboratory in Wuhan.”
The secretary of state appeared to be referring to previous outbreaks of respiratory viruses, like SARS, which started in China. His remark may be seen as offensive in China. Still, Pompeo repeated the same assertion virtually word for word hours later, via a tweet Sunday afternoon.
Speaking Sunday on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, echoed that sentiment, saying he believes China “is the most significant geopolitical threat to the United States for the next century.”
“The communist government in China bears enormous responsibility, enormous direct culpability for this pandemic. We know they covered it up,” Cruz said. “Had they behaved responsibly and sent in health professionals and quarantined those infected, there’s a real possibility this could have been a regional outbreak, and not a global pandemic. And the hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide are in a very real sense the direct responsibility of the communist Chinese government’s lies.”
___
AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-03--Supreme Court Enter New Era As It Hears Key Cases Over The Phone

WASHINGTON ( AP ) — The coronavirus pandemic is forcing big changes at the tradition-bound Supreme Court .
Beginning this coming week , the justices will hear arguments by telephone for the first time since Alexander Graham Bell patented his invention in 1876 .
Audio of the arguments will be broadcast live by the news media , another first .
This will be just the second time that the justices will meet outside the court since the Supreme Court building opened in 1935 .
( The discovery of anthrax in a court mailroom in 2001 forced a temporary relocation to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away . )
The first argument is scheduled for Monday , and the court will hear a total of 10 cases over six days .
Among the cases to be argued : President Donald Trump ’ s bid to keep certain financial records private and whether presidential electors are required to cast their Electoral College ballots for the candidate who won their state .
A few things to know before the arguments are heard : Supreme Court arguments are generally freewheeling affairs , with rapid-fire questions coming at advocates .
That often means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get in a question .
This time , the justices will ask questions in order of seniority , with Chief Justice John Roberts going first and Justice Brett Kavanaugh , the last to speak .
Doing things in seniority order is routine at the court .
The justices sit according to the length of their court service both at the bench and when they meet for private conferences , where discussion also proceeds in seniority order .
One justice you probably won ’ t hear much from is Clarence Thomas , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost never asks questions , and he ’ s said he thinks his colleagues interrupt the lawyers before them too much .
Before taking the bench , the justices gather just behind the courtroom to put on their black robes and shake hands , another tradition upended by the virus outbreak .
But with no one to see them , they could just as easily wear their bathrobes .
The same goes for lawyers who argue before the Supreme Court .
Appropriate court attire for lawyers , the court says , is “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Think navy blue or charcoal gray .
Sweatpants come in those colors , don ’ t they ?
Meanwhile , the Justice Department says the government ’ s lawyers will wear their traditional long-tailed formal morning coats and present their arguments from the conference room of the solicitor general , the government ’ s top Supreme Court lawyer .
Five minutes before the justices take the bench , a buzzer sounds in the courtroom .
It sounds again right before they emerge from behind the courtroom ’ s red velvet curtains .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the court said , and it ’ s not as though the lawyers need any .
They ’ ll get a call at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time , 30 minutes before arguments begin .
Right at 10 , the court ’ s marshal , Pamela Talkin , will call the court to order .
It ’ s possible there will be some variation on her usual cry that begins with the phrase “ Oyez !
Oyez !
Oyez !
” Another courtroom cue will be missing .
Typically lawyers arguing before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is about to expire : a white light that goes on at the podium where they are arguing .
A red light goes on when it ’ s time to stop talking .
“ Arguing counsel have been encouraged to keep their own time for argument , so that they can independently determine how much time is remaining , ” court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said .
Chief Justice William Rehnquist used to cut lawyers off mid-sentence when the red light went on .
Roberts is more lenient , and this month , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , “ signaling that they should wrap up with a sentence or two , ” Arberg said .
If you ’ re a member of the public , getting a ticket to watch a Supreme Court argument is like winning the lottery .
The tickets are free , but there are fewer than 100 seats typically available to the public , and to get one you have to line up before dawn .
And that ’ s just for cases that are snoozers .
Watching a real blockbuster can mean spending days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do it on your behalf .
People waited through a rainy night and falling temperatures for arguments in November over legal protections for young immigrants .
This time , with arguments beginning at the traditional 10 a.m. in Washington , even West Coasters can stay in bed past dawn and still have time to tune in to C-SPAN to hear the proceedings .
Many state Supreme Courts and one federal appeals court , in San Francisco , regularly have live video of their courtroom sessions , and have continued to do so even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of the coronavirus .
But that ’ s a bridge too far for the Supreme Court .
The justices won ’ t even have any internal video link that would allow them to see each other during the arguments , Arberg said .

WASHINGTON (AP) — The coronavirus pandemic is forcing big changes at the tradition-bound Supreme Court.
Beginning this coming week, the justices will hear arguments by telephone for the first time since Alexander Graham Bell patented his invention in 1876.
Audio of the arguments will be broadcast live by the news media, another first. This will be just the second time that the justices will meet outside the court since the Supreme Court building opened in 1935. (The discovery of anthrax in a court mailroom in 2001 forced a temporary relocation to another federal courthouse less than a mile away.)
The first argument is scheduled for Monday, and the court will hear a total of 10 cases over six days. Among the cases to be argued: President Donald Trump’s bid to keep certain financial records private and whether presidential electors are required to cast their Electoral College ballots for the candidate who won their state.
A few things to know before the arguments are heard:
SENIORITY RULES
Supreme Court arguments are generally freewheeling affairs, with rapid-fire questions coming at advocates. That often means the justices trip over each other trying to get in a question. This time, the justices will ask questions in order of seniority, with Chief Justice John Roberts going first and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the last to speak.
Doing things in seniority order is routine at the court. The justices sit according to the length of their court service both at the bench and when they meet for private conferences, where discussion also proceeds in seniority order. One justice you probably won’t hear much from is Clarence Thomas, the longest-serving member of the court. He almost never asks questions, and he’s said he thinks his colleagues interrupt the lawyers before them too much.
___
DRESS CODE: ROBES OPTIONAL
Before taking the bench, the justices gather just behind the courtroom to put on their black robes and shake hands, another tradition upended by the virus outbreak. But with no one to see them, they could just as easily wear their bathrobes.
The same goes for lawyers who argue before the Supreme Court. Appropriate court attire for lawyers, the court says, is “conservative business dress in traditional dark colors.” Think navy blue or charcoal gray. Sweatpants come in those colors, don’t they?
Meanwhile, the Justice Department says the government’s lawyers will wear their traditional long-tailed formal morning coats and present their arguments from the conference room of the solicitor general, the government’s top Supreme Court lawyer.
___
NO BUZZER, NO LIGHTS
Five minutes before the justices take the bench, a buzzer sounds in the courtroom. It sounds again right before they emerge from behind the courtroom’s red velvet curtains.
No warnings are likely over the phone, the court said, and it’s not as though the lawyers need any. They’ll get a call at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time, 30 minutes before arguments begin. Right at 10, the court’s marshal, Pamela Talkin, will call the court to order. It’s possible there will be some variation on her usual cry that begins with the phrase “Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!”
Another courtroom cue will be missing. Typically lawyers arguing before the court get a warning that their time is about to expire: a white light that goes on at the podium where they are arguing. A red light goes on when it’s time to stop talking. “Arguing counsel have been encouraged to keep their own time for argument, so that they can independently determine how much time is remaining,” court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said.
Chief Justice William Rehnquist used to cut lawyers off mid-sentence when the red light went on. Roberts is more lenient, and this month, he will thank lawyers when their time is up, “signaling that they should wrap up with a sentence or two,” Arberg said.
___
EVERYONE GETS A SEAT
If you’re a member of the public, getting a ticket to watch a Supreme Court argument is like winning the lottery. The tickets are free, but there are fewer than 100 seats typically available to the public, and to get one you have to line up before dawn. And that’s just for cases that are snoozers.
Watching a real blockbuster can mean spending days in line, or paying someone to do it on your behalf. People waited through a rainy night and falling temperatures for arguments in November over legal protections for young immigrants.
This time, with arguments beginning at the traditional 10 a.m. in Washington, even West Coasters can stay in bed past dawn and still have time to tune in to C-SPAN to hear the proceedings.
___
STILL NO CAMERAS
Many state Supreme Courts and one federal appeals court, in San Francisco, regularly have live video of their courtroom sessions, and have continued to do so even as they have moved to remote hearings because of the coronavirus. But that’s a bridge too far for the Supreme Court. The justices won’t even have any internal video link that would allow them to see each other during the arguments, Arberg said.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-05-03--UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson Reveals How Seriously Sick He Was With COVID-19

LONDON ( AP ) — Prime Minister Boris Johnson has offered more insight into his hospitalization for coronavirus , telling a British newspaper that he knew doctors were preparing for the worst .
The 55-year-old Johnson , who spent three nights in intensive care during his week of treatment in a London hospital after falling ill with COVID-19 , told The Sun newspaper he was aware that doctors were discussing his fate .
“ It was a tough old moment , I won ’ t deny it , ’ ’ he said .
“ They had a strategy to deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -type scenario.
’ ’ Johnson couldn ’ t believe how quickly his health had deteriorated and had difficulty understanding why he wasn ’ t getting better .
Medical workers gave him “ liters and liters of oxygen ’ ’ but he said the “ indicators kept going in the wrong direction.
’ “ But the bad moment came when it was 50-50 whether they were going to have to put a tube down my windpipe , ’ ’ he told the newspaper .
“ That was when it got a bit … they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handle it presentationally.
” The remarks were Johnson ’ s most candid yet on his brush with death , though he acknowledged when he left the hospital that his fight to survive “ could have gone either way , ″ as he paid tribute to the two nurses who never left his bedside for 48 hours .
Jenny McGee from New Zealand and Luis Pitarma from Portugal , he said , embodied the caring and sacrifice of National Health Service staff on the front lines of the pandemic , which has already killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s close call is reflected in the name that he and fiancée Carrie Symonds gave to their newborn son .
Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson was named after Johnson and Symonds ’ grandfathers and after Dr. Nick Price and Dr. Nick Hart — the two doctors who saved the prime minister ’ s life .
Johnson ’ s actions since leaving the hospital suggest the NHS has a powerful new advocate as it seeks to reverse a decade of austerity that has left Britain ’ s doctors and nurses struggling to treat the flood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protective gear .
Dozens of NHS workers have died in the outbreak .
T he interview follows an emotional video made by Johnson after being released from the hospital on April 12 .
Johnson called the NHS “ unconquerable ” and “ the beating heart of this country ” after seeing its response to the outbreak first-hand .
He also lauded the courage of everyone from doctors to cooks .
The prime minister returned to work on April 27 .

LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Boris Johnson has offered more insight into his hospitalization for coronavirus, telling a British newspaper that he knew doctors were preparing for the worst.
The 55-year-old Johnson, who spent three nights in intensive care during his week of treatment in a London hospital after falling ill with COVID-19, told The Sun newspaper he was aware that doctors were discussing his fate.
“It was a tough old moment, I won’t deny it,’’ he said. “They had a strategy to deal with a ‘death of Stalin’-type scenario.’’
Johnson couldn’t believe how quickly his health had deteriorated and had difficulty understanding why he wasn’t getting better. Medical workers gave him “liters and liters of oxygen’’ but he said the “indicators kept going in the wrong direction.’
“But the bad moment came when it was 50-50 whether they were going to have to put a tube down my windpipe,’’ he told the newspaper. “That was when it got a bit … they were starting to think about how to handle it presentationally.”
The remarks were Johnson’s most candid yet on his brush with death, though he acknowledged when he left the hospital that his fight to survive “could have gone either way,″ as he paid tribute to the two nurses who never left his bedside for 48 hours.
Jenny McGee from New Zealand and Luis Pitarma from Portugal, he said, embodied the caring and sacrifice of National Health Service staff on the front lines of the pandemic, which has already killed 28,131 people in Britain.
Johnson’s close call is reflected in the name that he and fiancée Carrie Symonds gave to their newborn son. Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson was named after Johnson and Symonds’ grandfathers and after Dr. Nick Price and Dr. Nick Hart — the two doctors who saved the prime minister’s life.
Johnson’s actions since leaving the hospital suggest the NHS has a powerful new advocate as it seeks to reverse a decade of austerity that has left Britain’s doctors and nurses struggling to treat the flood of coronavirus patients with inadequate supplies of protective gear. Dozens of NHS workers have died in the outbreak.
T he interview follows an emotional video made by Johnson after being released from the hospital on April 12.
Johnson called the NHS “unconquerable” and “the beating heart of this country” after seeing its response to the outbreak first-hand. He also lauded the courage of everyone from doctors to cooks.
The prime minister returned to work on April 27.
___
Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak