talkingpointsmemo--2020-04-27--Barr Issues BOLO For COVID-19 Public Health Measures That ‘Overreach’

A new memo issued Monday by Attorney General Bill Barr told federal prosecutors nationwide to “ be on the lookout ” for COVID-19 public health measures that “ could be violating the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens.
” Barr ’ s memo alluded to the disputes have arisen between churches and government officials who have shut down religious gatherings due to the pandemic .
But he added that the “ legal restrictions on state and local authority are not limited to discrimination against religious institutions and religious believer “ For example , the Constitution also forbids , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech and undue interference with the national economy , ” Barr said .
Barr ’ s interest in those supposed constitutional violations comes as conservative groups have rallied behind protests of governors who have issued shutdown orders , while President Trump ’ s allies more broadly push for a “ re-opening ” the economy , “ If a state or local ordinance crosses the line from an appropriate exercise of authority to stop the spread of COVID19 into an overbearing infringement of constitutional and statutory protections , the Department of Justice may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal court , ” Barr said .
As a Reuters reporters pointed out , the memo did not mention abortion rights , which has also become a flashpoint as states like Texas and Alabama have sought to impose restrictions on the procedure , ostensibly because of the pandemic .
Nor did it mention voting rights , another subject that has prompted legal battles across the country related to the outbreak .
Barr , in the memo , said he was tasking Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Eric Dreiband and Matthew Schneider , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Michigan , with the job of coordinating the DOJ efforts to “ monitor state and local policies and , if necessary , take action to correct them .
”

A new memo issued Monday by Attorney General Bill Barr told federal prosecutors nationwide to “be on the lookout” for COVID-19 public health measures that “could be violating the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens.”
Barr’s memo alluded to the disputes have arisen between churches and government officials who have shut down religious gatherings due to the pandemic. But he added that the “legal restrictions on state and local authority are not limited to discrimination against religious institutions and religious believer
“For example, the Constitution also forbids, in certain circumstances, discrimination against disfavored speech and undue interference with the national economy,” Barr said. Barr’s interest in those supposed constitutional violations comes as conservative groups have rallied behind protests of governors who have issued shutdown orders, while President Trump’s allies more broadly push for a “re-opening” the economy,
“If a state or local ordinance crosses the line from an appropriate exercise of authority to stop the spread of COVID19 into an overbearing infringement of constitutional and statutory protections, the Department of Justice may have an obligation to address that overreach in federal court,” Barr said.
As a Reuters reporters pointed out, the memo did not mention abortion rights, which has also become a flashpoint as states like Texas and Alabama have sought to impose restrictions on the procedure, ostensibly because of the pandemic. Nor did it mention voting rights, another subject that has prompted legal battles across the country related to the outbreak.
Barr, in the memo, said he was tasking Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Eric Dreiband and Matthew Schneider, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, with the job of coordinating the DOJ efforts to “monitor state and local policies and, if necessary, take action to correct them.”
Read the memo below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-04-27--Coronavirus Likely To Make Meat More Expensive And Harder To Find

DES MOINES , Iowa ( AP ) — Meat isn ’ t going to disappear from supermarkets because of outbreaks of the coronavirus among workers at U.S. slaughterhouses .
But as the meat plants struggle to remain open , consumers could face less selection and slightly higher prices .
Industry leaders acknowledge that the U.S. food chain has rarely been so stressed and that no one is sure about the future , even as they try to dispel concerns about shortages .
On Sunday , the meat processing giant Tyson Foods ran a full-page advertisement in the New York Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ producing meat while keeping more than 100,000 workers safe and shutting some plants .
“ This means one thing — the food supply chain is vulnerable , ” the statement said .
“ As pork , beef and chicken plants are being forced to close , even for short periods of time , millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain.
” Company spokesman Gary Mickelson said the Tyson family thought it was important to explain their perspective .
“ The letter encourages government leaders to unite to address food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We are taking a proactive approach to balance safety and production by moving aggressively with testing and plant closures when necessary.
” COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus , has infected hundreds of workers at meat-processing plants and forced some of the largest to close and others to slow production .
While the output at beef and poultry plants has diminished , pork plants in the Midwest have been hit especially hard .
The viral outbreaks have persisted despite efforts by the meat companies to keep workers at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The 15 largest pork-packing plants account for 60 percent of all pork processed , so when even one of those plants closes for days or weeks , the consequences ripple across the industry .
That has become abundantly clear with two of the nation ’ s biggest plants now closed : Tyson suspended operations at its plant in Waterloo , Iowa .
And Smithfield Foods halted production at its plant in Sioux Falls , South Dakota .
Each plant can butcher nearly 20,000 hogs a day .
Some plants have reopened days after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation ’ s pork processing capacity had declined by about 25 % as of last week , said Steve Meyer , an industry economist with Kerns and Associates in Ames , Iowa .
Sarah Little , a spokeswoman for the North American Meat Institute , an industry trade group , said : “ It ’ s down across the board right now , so the next couple of weeks we should see how the system works .
It ’ s never been tested like this before.
” A beef production plant in Green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shut down because of infections among employees .
JBS USA said the JBS Packerland plant , which employs 1,200 , would be closed temporarily .
As of Monday , 255 employees at the plant tested positive for COVID-19 , said Claire Paprocki , a spokeswoman for the county health department .
Nationally , although the reduced meat supply is expected to cause consumer prices to rise , expectations are that the increases will be slight .
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said late last week that it expects beef prices to climb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , poultry as much as 1.5 % and pork between by from 2 % and 3 % .
The agency acknowledged that consumer buying patterns change weekly and that some products face supply-chain disruptions that could affect prices .
But the USDA said its planned $ 3 billion purchase of fresh produce , dairy and meat should help stabilize prices .
The government will work with food distributors to provide the purchased products to food banks , community and faith-based organizations and other nonprofits serving the needy .
The United Food and Commercial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million food and retail workers , said last week that 13 U.S. food-processing and meatpacking union workers in the U.S. have died and that an estimated 5,000 are sick or have been exposed to the virus while working near someone who tested positive .
Marc Perrone , the union president , said 13 plants in Indiana , Iowa , Minnesota , Missouri , Pennsylvania , South Dakota and Wisconsin and Alberta , Canada , have been closed at least temporarily because of the pandemic .
Those union plants represent about 10 percent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ production , the union said .
The union is urging state and federal officials to ensure that workers have access to protective equipment , mandate social distancing at work and halt federal waivers that allow faster line speeds .
Many employees of the meatpacking plants fear going to work , said Margarita Heredia , who has worked at the JBS pork processing plant in Marshalltown , Iowa , for 11 years .
She joined a UFCW union call with reporters to discuss the pandemic ’ s effects on workers .
Heredia credited the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hallways and common areas with bleach and placing hand sanitizer stations around the plant .
JBS also now takes workers ’ temperatures and encourages those who are sick to stay home .
But she said the company increased pay by $ 4 an hour from April 20 through May as an incentive for healthy employees to go to work .
“ Even then , we ’ re still shorthanded , but we are trying to do our best , ” she said .
The national slowdown in meat processing has surfaced in federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the week of April 13 fell nearly 24 percent from the same period a year ago .
Pig slaughter was down 13 percent .
And given the most recent plant closures , those figures have likely fallen further .
So far , the meat-processing industry has been able to shift production to open plants to keep a stream of meat moving through the supply chain , said Little , of the meat institute .
Some plants that closed have reopened after deep cleanings .
“ When one plant goes off-line , the others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the slack , ” Little said .
The situation would be more dire if not for record amounts of meat in cold storage , though much of the meat was intended for restaurants that now are largely closed .
The USDA last week reported 921 million pounds of chicken in storage and 467 million pounds of boneless beef , including hamburger , roasts and steaks .
Before much of that meat could be sold at markets , it would need to be repackaged because restaurants buy in greater bulk than individuals .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be cut by grocery store meat cutters and packaged for customers to take home .
In late March , the USDA eased restrictions to allow for meat that had been intended for commercial food use to be diverted into the grocery store channels for consumers The industry sought these changes in mid-March after brief meat shortages caused by the coronavirus panic sent people scurrying to grocery stores .
Industry reports indicate that fresh pork purchases surged 102 percent for the week ending March 22 compared with the same period a year earlier .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicken purchases grew by about 71 percent earlier in March before slowing .
Still , chicken , pork and beef purchases are still about 30 percent above year ago levels in recent reports .
“ By and large , there ’ s been enough food , ” said Jayson Lusk , an economist at Purdue University .
“ You might not get your exact variety that you want or the exact type you want , but there ’ s been food available if you have the money to buy it .
”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Meat isn’t going to disappear from supermarkets because of outbreaks of the coronavirus among workers at U.S. slaughterhouses. But as the meat plants struggle to remain open, consumers could face less selection and slightly higher prices.
Industry leaders acknowledge that the U.S. food chain has rarely been so stressed and that no one is sure about the future, even as they try to dispel concerns about shortages.
On Sunday, the meat processing giant Tyson Foods ran a full-page advertisement in the New York Times and other newspapers outlining the difficulty of producing meat while keeping more than 100,000 workers safe and shutting some plants.
“This means one thing — the food supply chain is vulnerable,” the statement said. “As pork, beef and chicken plants are being forced to close, even for short periods of time, millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain.”
Company spokesman Gary Mickelson said the Tyson family thought it was important to explain their perspective.
“The letter encourages government leaders to unite to address food supply chain challenges,” Mickelson said. “We are taking a proactive approach to balance safety and production by moving aggressively with testing and plant closures when necessary.”
COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, has infected hundreds of workers at meat-processing plants and forced some of the largest to close and others to slow production. While the output at beef and poultry plants has diminished, pork plants in the Midwest have been hit especially hard. The viral outbreaks have persisted despite efforts by the meat companies to keep workers at home with pay if they become sick.
The 15 largest pork-packing plants account for 60 percent of all pork processed, so when even one of those plants closes for days or weeks, the consequences ripple across the industry. That has become abundantly clear with two of the nation’s biggest plants now closed: Tyson suspended operations at its plant in Waterloo, Iowa. And Smithfield Foods halted production at its plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Each plant can butcher nearly 20,000 hogs a day. Some plants have reopened days after cleaning.
The result is that the nation’s pork processing capacity had declined by about 25% as of last week, said Steve Meyer, an industry economist with Kerns and Associates in Ames, Iowa.
Sarah Little, a spokeswoman for the North American Meat Institute, an industry trade group, said: “It’s down across the board right now, so the next couple of weeks we should see how the system works. It’s never been tested like this before.”
A beef production plant in Green Bay, Wisconsin, is the latest to shut down because of infections among employees. JBS USA said the JBS Packerland plant, which employs 1,200, would be closed temporarily. As of Monday, 255 employees at the plant tested positive for COVID-19, said Claire Paprocki, a spokeswoman for the county health department.
Nationally, although the reduced meat supply is expected to cause consumer prices to rise, expectations are that the increases will be slight. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said late last week that it expects beef prices to climb 1% to 2% this year, poultry as much as 1.5% and pork between by from 2% and 3%.
The agency acknowledged that consumer buying patterns change weekly and that some products face supply-chain disruptions that could affect prices. But the USDA said its planned $3 billion purchase of fresh produce, dairy and meat should help stabilize prices. The government will work with food distributors to provide the purchased products to food banks, community and faith-based organizations and other nonprofits serving the needy.
The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents 1.3 million food and retail workers, said last week that 13 U.S. food-processing and meatpacking union workers in the U.S. have died and that an estimated 5,000 are sick or have been exposed to the virus while working near someone who tested positive.
Marc Perrone, the union president, said 13 plants in Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin and Alberta, Canada, have been closed at least temporarily because of the pandemic. Those union plants represent about 10 percent of beef production and 25 percent of pork production, the union said.
The union is urging state and federal officials to ensure that workers have access to protective equipment, mandate social distancing at work and halt federal waivers that allow faster line speeds.
Many employees of the meatpacking plants fear going to work, said Margarita Heredia, who has worked at the JBS pork processing plant in Marshalltown, Iowa, for 11 years. She joined a UFCW union call with reporters to discuss the pandemic’s effects on workers.
Heredia credited the company with improving sanitation, including treating hallways and common areas with bleach and placing hand sanitizer stations around the plant. JBS also now takes workers’ temperatures and encourages those who are sick to stay home. But she said the company increased pay by $4 an hour from April 20 through May as an incentive for healthy employees to go to work.
“Even then, we’re still shorthanded, but we are trying to do our best,” she said.
The national slowdown in meat processing has surfaced in federal statistics. The daily cattle slaughter for the week of April 13 fell nearly 24 percent from the same period a year ago. Pig slaughter was down 13 percent. And given the most recent plant closures, those figures have likely fallen further.
So far, the meat-processing industry has been able to shift production to open plants to keep a stream of meat moving through the supply chain, said Little, of the meat institute. Some plants that closed have reopened after deep cleanings.
“When one plant goes off-line, the others in the region can try and pick up the slack,” Little said.
The situation would be more dire if not for record amounts of meat in cold storage, though much of the meat was intended for restaurants that now are largely closed.
The USDA last week reported 921 million pounds of chicken in storage and 467 million pounds of boneless beef, including hamburger, roasts and steaks. Before much of that meat could be sold at markets, it would need to be repackaged because restaurants buy in greater bulk than individuals. Some of the meat would need to be cut by grocery store meat cutters and packaged for customers to take home.
In late March, the USDA eased restrictions to allow for meat that had been intended for commercial food use to be diverted into the grocery store channels for consumers The industry sought these changes in mid-March after brief meat shortages caused by the coronavirus panic sent people scurrying to grocery stores.
Industry reports indicate that fresh pork purchases surged 102 percent for the week ending March 22 compared with the same period a year earlier. Beef sales were up 91 percent. Chicken purchases grew by about 71 percent earlier in March before slowing. Still, chicken, pork and beef purchases are still about 30 percent above year ago levels in recent reports.
“By and large, there’s been enough food,” said Jayson Lusk, an economist at Purdue University. “You might not get your exact variety that you want or the exact type you want, but there’s been food available if you have the money to buy it.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-04-27--Is Brazil The Next Coronavirus Hot Spot?

RIO DE JANEIRO ( AP ) — Brazil is emerging as potentially the next big hot spot for the coronavirus amid President Jair Bolsonaro ’ s insistence that it is just a “ little flu ” and that there is no need for the sharp restrictions that have slowed the infection ’ s spread in Europe and the U.S. As some U.S. states and European countries moved gradually Monday to ease their limits on movement and commerce , the intensifying outbreak in Brazil — Latin America ‘ s biggest country , with 211 million people — pushed hospitals to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home .
“ We have all the conditions here for the pandemic to become much more serious , ” said Paulo Brandão , a virologist at the University of Sao Paulo .
Brazil officially reported about 4,200 deaths and almost 62,000 confirmed infections , but the true numbers there , as in many other countries , are believed to be vastly higher , given the lack of testing and the many people without severe symptoms who haven ’ t sought hospital care .
Some scientists said over 1 million in Brazil are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ escalate as the country heads into winter , which can worsen respiratory illnesses .
Worldwide , the death toll topped 200,000 , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
The number of dead in the U.S. reached about 55,000 — close to the 58,000 U.S. troops killed during the Vietnam War .
Italy , Britain , Spain and France accounted for more than 20,000 deaths each .
— In the U.S. , the Trump administration worked to draw up new guidelines for how restaurants , schools , churches and businesses can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included suggestions such as closing break rooms at offices , using disposable menus in restaurants and having students eat lunch in their classrooms .
— British Prime Minister Boris Johnson returned to work after a bout with the virus and warned strongly against easing his own country ’ s lockdown too soon : “ I refuse to throw away all the effort and the sacrifice of the British people and to risk a second major outbreak and huge loss of life.
” — In an unprecedented move , New York canceled its Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , since Bernie Sanders has already conceded the nomination to Joe Biden .
In Brazil , Bolsonaro has disputed the seriousness of the coronavirus and said people need to resume their lives to prevent an economic meltdown .
But most state governors in the country have adopted restrictions to slow the spread and pushed people to stay at home .
In mid-April , Bolsonaro fired his popular health minister after a series of disagreements over efforts to contain the virus , replacing him with an advocate for reopening the economy .
Residents protested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pots and pans .
Medical officials in Rio de Janeiro and at least four other major cities have warned that their hospital systems are on the verge of collapse or too overwhelmed to take any more patients .
Officials in Sao Paulo — the largest city in South America , in a tightly packed metropolitan area of over 21 million residents , many of them living in poverty — have issued death certificates over the past two weeks for 236 people who succumbed at home , double the number before the outbreak , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Manaus , an Amazon city of 1.8 million , recorded 142 deaths on Sunday , the most yet .
In the main cemetery , workers have been digging mass graves .
Brazil ’ s funeral industry warned last week that the city was running out of coffins and “ there could soon be corpses left on corners.
” In the U.S. , the governors of Nevada and Colorado announced that their states will join their three West Coast counterparts in coordinating their reopenings .
In Georgia , where Republican Gov .
Brian Kemp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , restaurants received the go-ahead to resume dine-in service as long as they follow certain restrictions , including keeping tables 6 feet apart .
At Plucked Up Chicken & Biscuits in Columbus , Georgia , eight regulars showed up in the morning to have their coffee and breakfast and “ chatted at each other across the room , ” manager Alesha Webster said .
But only 10 customers could be inside at a time , well below the capacity of 45 .
Alex Brounstein , owner of the Atlanta-based chain Grindhouse Killer Burgers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away .
“ You ’ re talking about people putting their mouths on things in your restaurant .
You now have dirty dishes going back into your kitchen .
To me , it ’ s just completely illogical , ” he said .
Technology is likely to play an important role in helping countries ease their restrictions .
Many countries , including Italy , France , Switzerland and Britain , are working on virus-tracking apps and other means of reducing the labor-intensive task of tracing infected people ’ s contacts .
In Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.1 million of the country ’ s 26 million people downloaded a new contract-tracing app within 12 hours of its becoming available .
In another encouraging sign amid the gloom , New York state reported 337 deaths for the lowest daily count this month , down from a high of nearly 800 almost three weeks ago .
And Italy registered its lowest day-to-day number of new cases of COVID-19 since practically the first day the nation was put under lockdown in early March .
Biller and De Sousa reported from Rio de Janeiro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press journalists around the world contributed to this report .

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil is emerging as potentially the next big hot spot for the coronavirus amid President Jair Bolsonaro’s insistence that it is just a “little flu” and that there is no need for the sharp restrictions that have slowed the infection’s spread in Europe and the U.S.
As some U.S. states and European countries moved gradually Monday to ease their limits on movement and commerce, the intensifying outbreak in Brazil — Latin America ‘s biggest country, with 211 million people — pushed hospitals to the breaking point, leaving victims to die at home.
“We have all the conditions here for the pandemic to become much more serious,” said Paulo Brandão, a virologist at the University of Sao Paulo.
Brazil officially reported about 4,200 deaths and almost 62,000 confirmed infections, but the true numbers there, as in many other countries, are believed to be vastly higher, given the lack of testing and the many people without severe symptoms who haven’t sought hospital care.
Some scientists said over 1 million in Brazil are probably infected. and the crisis could escalate as the country heads into winter, which can worsen respiratory illnesses.
Worldwide, the death toll topped 200,000, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. The number of dead in the U.S. reached about 55,000 — close to the 58,000 U.S. troops killed during the Vietnam War. Italy, Britain, Spain and France accounted for more than 20,000 deaths each.
In other developments:
— In the U.S., the Trump administration worked to draw up new guidelines for how restaurants, schools, churches and businesses can safely reopen. The draft under consideration included suggestions such as closing break rooms at offices, using disposable menus in restaurants and having students eat lunch in their classrooms.
— British Prime Minister Boris Johnson returned to work after a bout with the virus and warned strongly against easing his own country’s lockdown too soon: “I refuse to throw away all the effort and the sacrifice of the British people and to risk a second major outbreak and huge loss of life.”
— In an unprecedented move, New York canceled its Democratic presidential primary, set for June 23, since Bernie Sanders has already conceded the nomination to Joe Biden.
In Brazil, Bolsonaro has disputed the seriousness of the coronavirus and said people need to resume their lives to prevent an economic meltdown. But most state governors in the country have adopted restrictions to slow the spread and pushed people to stay at home.
In mid-April, Bolsonaro fired his popular health minister after a series of disagreements over efforts to contain the virus, replacing him with an advocate for reopening the economy. Residents protested, leaning out their windows to bang pots and pans.
Medical officials in Rio de Janeiro and at least four other major cities have warned that their hospital systems are on the verge of collapse or too overwhelmed to take any more patients.
Officials in Sao Paulo — the largest city in South America, in a tightly packed metropolitan area of over 21 million residents, many of them living in poverty — have issued death certificates over the past two weeks for 236 people who succumbed at home, double the number before the outbreak, according to the SAMU paramedic service.
Manaus, an Amazon city of 1.8 million, recorded 142 deaths on Sunday, the most yet. In the main cemetery, workers have been digging mass graves. Brazil’s funeral industry warned last week that the city was running out of coffins and “there could soon be corpses left on corners.”
In the U.S., the governors of Nevada and Colorado announced that their states will join their three West Coast counterparts in coordinating their reopenings.
In Georgia, where Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has moved aggressively to let businesses reopen, restaurants received the go-ahead to resume dine-in service as long as they follow certain restrictions, including keeping tables 6 feet apart.
At Plucked Up Chicken & Biscuits in Columbus, Georgia, eight regulars showed up in the morning to have their coffee and breakfast and “chatted at each other across the room,” manager Alesha Webster said. But only 10 customers could be inside at a time, well below the capacity of 45.
Alex Brounstein, owner of the Atlanta-based chain Grindhouse Killer Burgers, had no plans to reopen right away. “You’re talking about people putting their mouths on things in your restaurant. You now have dirty dishes going back into your kitchen. To me, it’s just completely illogical,” he said.
Technology is likely to play an important role in helping countries ease their restrictions. Many countries, including Italy, France, Switzerland and Britain, are working on virus-tracking apps and other means of reducing the labor-intensive task of tracing infected people’s contacts.
In Australia, with about 80 COVID-19 deaths, 1.1 million of the country’s 26 million people downloaded a new contract-tracing app within 12 hours of its becoming available.
In another encouraging sign amid the gloom, New York state reported 337 deaths for the lowest daily count this month, down from a high of nearly 800 almost three weeks ago.
And Italy registered its lowest day-to-day number of new cases of COVID-19 since practically the first day the nation was put under lockdown in early March.
___
Biller and De Sousa reported from Rio de Janeiro and Geller from New York. Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.
___
Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak


talkingpointsmemo--2020-04-27--A Jump In Wisconsin’s Election-Related COVID Cases Brings Total To 40

The Wisconsin Department of Health is reporting that 40 people who voted in or worked the April 7 election have @ @ @ @ @ .
Spokesperson Elizabeth Goodsitt added to TPM on Monday that they can ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ were infected at the polls , since some of them reported other interactions as well @ @ @ @ @ since the DHS ’ finding of 19 infected voters and election workers last Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ was held in-person despite attempts by Gov .
Tony Evers ( D ) and Democrats @ @ @ @ @ .
After state Republican lawmakers lodged a challenge to Evers ’ executive order delaying the @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court ordered the election be held as planned .
Photographs of voters standing in @ @ @ @ @ masks were widely circulated .
In a particularly resonant shot , Speaker of the Assembly @ @ @ @ @ assured Wisconsinites that voting in person was “ incredibly safe , ” while clad in @ @ @ @

The Wisconsin Department of Health is reporting that 40 people who voted in or worked the April 7 election have since tested positive for COVID-19.
Spokesperson Elizabeth Goodsitt added to TPM on Monday that they can’t be sure that the 40 people were infected at the polls, since some of them reported other interactions as well.
The number has doubled since the DHS’ finding of 19 infected voters and election workers last Tuesday.
The controversial April 7 election was held in-person despite attempts by Gov. Tony Evers (D) and Democrats to have it pushed back. After state Republican lawmakers lodged a challenge to Evers’ executive order delaying the date, the majority-conservative state Supreme Court ordered the election be held as planned.
Photographs of voters standing in long lines and wearing makeshift masks were widely circulated.
In a particularly resonant shot, Speaker of the Assembly Robin Vos (R) assured Wisconsinites that voting in person was “incredibly safe,” while clad in head-to-toe protective equipment.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-04-27--New York Becomes First State To Outright Cancel Presidential Primary

New York , the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic , has cancelled its already once-delayed presidential primary .
The Democratic commissioners on the state board of elections voted to cancel the election on Monday , making New York the first state to do so .
Down-ballot races will still be held on June 23 , though it is not yet clear how extensive the in-person voting options will be .
Per the New York Times , that leaves voters in only about 40 of the state ’ s 62 counties with elections to vote in .
According to the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state party ’ s court to decide how to allot the delegates in lieu of a primary .
“ Any substantive change to a state ’ s first determining step in allocating delegates like this one will need to be reviewed by the DNC ’ s Rules and By-Laws Committee , ” said spokesperson David Bergstein .
“ Once the state party submits an updated delegate selection plan , the committee will review that plan and make a determination.
” The New York Democratic Party did not immediately respond to a request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bernie Sanders ( I-VT ) had lobbied the board Sunday to keep his name on the ballot .
A provision of the state budget signed by Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) earlier this month gave the board the power to scrub from the ballot the names of candidates who dropped out .
Sanders argues that the budget was signed into law after he suspended his campaign , and that he might not have if he ’ d known about the provision .
“ His involuntary erasure from the ballot , on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in effect when he announced his campaign ’ s limited suspension , would sow needless strife and distrust , impeding Senator Sanders ’ efforts to unify the Democratic Party in advance of November elections , ” Sanders campaign lawyer Malcolm Seymour wrote .
Though Sanders has endorsed presumptive nominee Joe Biden , he planned to keep his name on upcoming primary ballots to increase his delegate count and influence over the party ’ s platform .
New York ’ s primary was already delayed once to the June date from April 23 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it wasn ’ t “ wise ” to bring people into close contact to vote .
On Friday , he issued an executive order to ensure that all New Yorkers receive an absentee ballot application ahead of now just the state and local primaries on June 23 .
As of Monday afternoon , New York had 291,996 positive cases and 17,303 deaths , per the state department of health .

New York, the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic, has cancelled its already once-delayed presidential primary.
The Democratic commissioners on the state board of elections voted to cancel the election on Monday, making New York the first state to do so.
Down-ballot races will still be held on June 23, though it is not yet clear how extensive the in-person voting options will be. Per the New York Times, that leaves voters in only about 40 of the state’s 62 counties with elections to vote in.
According to the Democratic National Committee, the ball is in the state party’s court to decide how to allot the delegates in lieu of a primary.
“Any substantive change to a state’s first determining step in allocating delegates like this one will need to be reviewed by the DNC’s Rules and By-Laws Committee,” said spokesperson David Bergstein. “Once the state party submits an updated delegate selection plan, the committee will review that plan and make a determination.”
The New York Democratic Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) had lobbied the board Sunday to keep his name on the ballot.
A provision of the state budget signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) earlier this month gave the board the power to scrub from the ballot the names of candidates who dropped out. Sanders argues that the budget was signed into law after he suspended his campaign, and that he might not have if he’d known about the provision.
“His involuntary erasure from the ballot, on grounds of a law that was not in effect when he announced his campaign’s limited suspension, would sow needless strife and distrust, impeding Senator Sanders’ efforts to unify the Democratic Party in advance of November elections,” Sanders campaign lawyer Malcolm Seymour wrote.
Though Sanders has endorsed presumptive nominee Joe Biden, he planned to keep his name on upcoming primary ballots to increase his delegate count and influence over the party’s platform.
New York’s primary was already delayed once to the June date from April 23. At the time, Cuomo said that it wasn’t “wise” to bring people into close contact to vote.
On Friday, he issued an executive order to ensure that all New Yorkers receive an absentee ballot application ahead of now just the state and local primaries on June 23.
As of Monday afternoon, New York had 291,996 positive cases and 17,303 deaths, per the state department of health.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-04-27--Georgia Coroner Pleads Against Going Outside: ‘You’re Playing Russian Roulette’

Michael Fowler , a coroner in Albany , Georgia , warned on Monday that shopping at the businesses that Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp ( R ) has allowed to reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic could come at a heavy price .
“ Every time you walk out of the house or go to a place without a mask and practice social distancing , you ’ re playing Russian roulette , ” Fowler told CNN hosts Poppy Harlow and Jim Scuitto .
“ There ’ s a chance you might catch this virus.
” Under Kemp ’ s order , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are allowed to resume business .
However , Fowler said it ’ s too risky for people to visit those places .
“ I think you can go a little longer without getting your hair cut .
I think your life is more important , ” he said .
“ You need to worry about your inside , not just your outside , at this present time.
” Over the weekend , Fowler described for the Washington Post the pain of handling the bodies of friends who had died from the virus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing people ignoring social distancing guidelines .
“ I understand businesses are hurting and people need to work .
But I see these folks out and about and I wonder : ‘ Is this another death I ’ ll have to pronounce ? '
” he said .
“ My work never shut down .
I ’ ve been busier than ever during all this.
” The coroner also said that while he ’ s used to the gruesome aspects of his job , “ it ’ s a lot harder when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a face you know or a face of someone you love .
”

Michael Fowler, a coroner in Albany, Georgia, warned on Monday that shopping at the businesses that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) has allowed to reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic could come at a heavy price.
“Every time you walk out of the house or go to a place without a mask and practice social distancing, you’re playing Russian roulette,” Fowler told CNN hosts Poppy Harlow and Jim Scuitto. “There’s a chance you might catch this virus.”
Under Kemp’s order, salons, gyms and several other establishments are allowed to resume business. However, Fowler said it’s too risky for people to visit those places.
“I think you can go a little longer without getting your hair cut. I think your life is more important,” he said. “You need to worry about your inside, not just your outside, at this present time.”
Over the weekend, Fowler described for the Washington Post the pain of handling the bodies of friends who had died from the virus in his small town and the frustration of seeing people ignoring social distancing guidelines.
“I understand businesses are hurting and people need to work. But I see these folks out and about and I wonder: ‘Is this another death I’ll have to pronounce?'” he said. “My work never shut down. I’ve been busier than ever during all this.”
The coroner also said that while he’s used to the gruesome aspects of his job, “it’s a lot harder when the body you’re zipping up is a face you know or a face of someone you love.”
Watch Fowler below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-04-27--Nearly A Quarter Of NYC Residents Show COVID-19 Antibodies, Cuomo’s Survey Suggests

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) on Monday noted an increase in New York City residents who tested positive for the presence of COVID-19 antibodies in recent days .
According to state survey data that he described at a press conference , nearly a quarter of Big Apple residents showed signs of an immune response to the disease .
Crucially , the antibody test used by the state isn ’ t the same as other tests that show if someone is currently infected with the virus .
Rather , the presence of antibodies reflects the past presence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At a press conference last week , the governor said 21.2 % of New York City residents tested had shown antibodies for the disease .
On Monday , that number was up to 24.7 % .
New statewide results described by the governor on Monday showed a percentage point increase to 14.9 % , but the governor said that was within the study ’ s margin of error .
Announcing the initial antibody survey results on Thursday last week , Cuomo said 3,000 adults had been tested outside of grocery stores and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Monday , he said a total of 7,500 people had been tested .
Cuomo also described a jump between the two phases of the study among Hispanic and Latino New Yorkers .
While 22.5 % of Hispanic/Latino New Yorkers had tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies as of April 22 , when the governor had shared weighted survey results , 32 % of the same demographic had tested positive by April 27 , Cuomo said , a nearly 10 point jump .
“ Nobody can explain what caused that jump , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state was expanding testing in lower-income , African American and Latino neighborhoods .
The number of black New Yorkers who tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies decreased five points between the two rounds of testing , from 21.1 % to 16.9 % , Cuomo said .
Mortality data from the state shows that black and Hispanic New Yorkers have disproportionately died from COVID-19 .
But key data are still missing : The state has not released the numbers behind the governor ’ s press briefing slide shows , which are based on preliminary results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday that there was “ no set timeline ” to release more details of the survey .
The antibody tests , which use blood samples , have been received with some caution by public health authorities .
The World Health Organization , for example , said Friday that “ Laboratory tests that detect antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in people , including rapid immunodiagnostic tests , need further validation to determine their accuracy and reliability.
” The New York survey ’ s focus on grocery and big box stores may also skew numbers higher , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public rather than staying home .
Nonetheless , Cuomo asserted Monday that the tests provided “ snapshots ” of the disease ’ s presence in New York .
“ Snapshot , snapshot , snapshot , ” he said .
“ You look at the different pictures and you have a movie .
”

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Monday noted an increase in New York City residents who tested positive for the presence of COVID-19 antibodies in recent days. According to state survey data that he described at a press conference, nearly a quarter of Big Apple residents showed signs of an immune response to the disease.
Crucially, the antibody test used by the state isn’t the same as other tests that show if someone is currently infected with the virus. Rather, the presence of antibodies reflects the past presence of the disease and subsequent immune response.
At a press conference last week, the governor said 21.2% of New York City residents tested had shown antibodies for the disease. On Monday, that number was up to 24.7%. New statewide results described by the governor on Monday showed a percentage point increase to 14.9%, but the governor said that was within the study’s margin of error.
Announcing the initial antibody survey results on Thursday last week, Cuomo said 3,000 adults had been tested outside of grocery stores and other big box stores around the state. On Monday, he said a total of 7,500 people had been tested.
Cuomo also described a jump between the two phases of the study among Hispanic and Latino New Yorkers.
While 22.5% of Hispanic/Latino New Yorkers had tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies as of April 22, when the governor had shared weighted survey results, 32% of the same demographic had tested positive by April 27, Cuomo said, a nearly 10 point jump.
“Nobody can explain what caused that jump,” Cuomo said, before noting that the state was expanding testing in lower-income, African American and Latino neighborhoods.
The number of black New Yorkers who tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies decreased five points between the two rounds of testing, from 21.1% to 16.9%, Cuomo said. Mortality data from the state shows that black and Hispanic New Yorkers have disproportionately died from COVID-19.
But key data are still missing: The state has not released the numbers behind the governor’s press briefing slide shows, which are based on preliminary results. A spokesperson for Cuomo told TPM Thursday that there was “no set timeline” to release more details of the survey.
The antibody tests, which use blood samples, have been received with some caution by public health authorities.
The World Health Organization, for example, said Friday that “Laboratory tests that detect antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in people, including rapid immunodiagnostic tests, need further validation to determine their accuracy and reliability.”
The New York survey’s focus on grocery and big box stores may also skew numbers higher, by sampling people who are shopping in public rather than staying home.
Nonetheless, Cuomo asserted Monday that the tests provided “snapshots” of the disease’s presence in New York.
“Snapshot, snapshot, snapshot,” he said. “You look at the different pictures and you have a movie.”


talkingpointsmemo--2020-04-27--Florida GOP’s Ex-Felon ‘Poll Tax’ Law Goes On Trial

This piece is part of our weekly Prime series on voting rights , but it has been moved outside of the paywall while we cover COVID-19 .
Trial In Blockbuster Ex-Felon Voting Rights Case Begins .
In a federal court house in Florida , a trial is beginning Monday in the case brought against Florida ’ s so-called ex-felon “ poll tax ” law .
With the rights of hundreds of thousands of people at stake , this case is among the biggest voting rights fights this election cycle , even as the pandemic scrambles elections .
The 2019 law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approved of a constitutional amendment that granted some 1.4 million ex-felons the right to vote .
Republicans sought to undermine the initiative by imposing a requirement that those ex-felons pay off all of their court fines — including administrative fees not associated with their sentences — before regaining the franchise .
Only one-in-five otherwise eligible ex-felons have fully paid off those fees .
So far , the judge , in preliminary orders , has curtailed the effect of the law , while the Florida GOP has fought tooth and nail to see it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Michigan Absentee Voting Dispute : Michigan has reformed some of its voter signature matching policies after Democrats brought a lawsuit challenging the state ’ s practices for its lack of due process procedures .
The lawsuit was filed before the outbreak had hit the U.S. in earnest , as Michigan already was scaling up its absentee voting due to a change in the law .
Michigan has now changed its policies so that election officials notify voters whose signatures don ’ t match on the ballot so that those voters can fix the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voting In South Carolina : Democratic groups are asking South Carolina ’ s Supreme Court to declare the need to socially distance in the pandemic as valid excuse for absentee voting under the state ’ s law .
South Carolina is one of about a half-dozen states that have not fully opened up absentee voting for the coronavirus outbreak .
N.C. Purge Lawsuit Heats Up : Voting rights groups are seeking to intervene in a purge lawsuit brought in North Carolina by conservative groups known for pushing restrictive voting policies .
The lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has long been criticized by election experts , alleges that two North Carolina counties have “ implausibly high ” voter registration numbers .
If allowed to intervene , the voter groups will argue that the accusations are flawed and that the purges being sought are a violation of federal law .
Voter Registration Efforts Take A Hit In The Pandemic : Reports in the Guardian and Fulcrum highlight how the coronavirus outbreak is making it harder to register to vote in some places .
In-person voter registration drives are now essentially impossible and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amid the pandemic , voter registration won ’ t be happening that way either .
The use of naturalization ceremonies to encourage registration is largely on hold as well .
This challenge is especially problematic given that the success of mail-in-voting operations depends on voter rolls being up to date .
The obstacles are mitigated somewhat in places where online registration is available .
Where it ’ s not , creative efforts have been launched , like a Democratic initiative in Texas that allows voters to digitally send their registration to the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their application , postage included , to election officials .

This piece is part of our weekly Prime series on voting rights, but it has been moved outside of the paywall while we cover COVID-19.
Trial In Blockbuster Ex-Felon Voting Rights Case Begins. In a federal court house in Florida, a trial is beginning Monday in the case brought against Florida’s so-called ex-felon “poll tax” law. With the rights of hundreds of thousands of people at stake, this case is among the biggest voting rights fights this election cycle, even as the pandemic scrambles elections. The 2019 law was passed just months after Florida voters approved of a constitutional amendment that granted some 1.4 million ex-felons the right to vote. Republicans sought to undermine the initiative by imposing a requirement that those ex-felons pay off all of their court fines — including administrative fees not associated with their sentences — before regaining the franchise. Only one-in-five otherwise eligible ex-felons have fully paid off those fees. So far, the judge, in preliminary orders, has curtailed the effect of the law, while the Florida GOP has fought tooth and nail to see it fully implemented.
Dems Claim Victory In Michigan Absentee Voting Dispute: Michigan has reformed some of its voter signature matching policies after Democrats brought a lawsuit challenging the state’s practices for its lack of due process procedures. The lawsuit was filed before the outbreak had hit the U.S. in earnest, as Michigan already was scaling up its absentee voting due to a change in the law. Michigan has now changed its policies so that election officials notify voters whose signatures don’t match on the ballot so that those voters can fix the discrepancies.
Dems Sue To Expand Absentee Voting In South Carolina: Democratic groups are asking South Carolina’s Supreme Court to declare the need to socially distance in the pandemic as valid excuse for absentee voting under the state’s law. South Carolina is one of about a half-dozen states that have not fully opened up absentee voting for the coronavirus outbreak.
N.C. Purge Lawsuit Heats Up: Voting rights groups are seeking to intervene in a purge lawsuit brought in North Carolina by conservative groups known for pushing restrictive voting policies. The lawsuit, which uses a methodological approach that has long been criticized by election experts, alleges that two North Carolina counties have “implausibly high” voter registration numbers. If allowed to intervene, the voter groups will argue that the accusations are flawed and that the purges being sought are a violation of federal law.
Voter Registration Efforts Take A Hit In The Pandemic: Reports in the Guardian and Fulcrum highlight how the coronavirus outbreak is making it harder to register to vote in some places. In-person voter registration drives are now essentially impossible and with DMVs being closed or scantly used amid the pandemic, voter registration won’t be happening that way either. The use of naturalization ceremonies to encourage registration is largely on hold as well. This challenge is especially problematic given that the success of mail-in-voting operations depends on voter rolls being up to date. The obstacles are mitigated somewhat in places where online registration is available. Where it’s not, creative efforts have been launched, like a Democratic initiative in Texas that allows voters to digitally send their registration to the Democratic Party, which will in turn mail their application, postage included, to election officials.


talkingpointsmemo--2020-04-27--A Total Mess: WH Suddenly Backpedals And Decides Trump Will Hold Briefing After All

Okay , what ’ s going on here ?
After President Donald Trump declined to hold any coronavirus press briefings over the weekend , White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during a Fox News interview on Monday morning that Trump also would not be holding a briefing later in the day .
Then in a sudden whiplash , McEnany announced several hours later that Trump would do a briefing on Monday evening after all .
“ UPDATE : The White House has additional testing guidance and other announcements about safely opening up America again , ” the press secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brief the nation during a press conference this evening.
” Earlier in the day , McEnany had told the co-hosts of Fox News ’ “ America ’ s Newsroom ” that there would be no briefing .
She insisted that the decision was “ absolutely not an effort to cut back ” on the press conferences after Trump claimed COVID-19 could be cured by pumping disinfectant into the human body .
The press secretary said the coronavirus task force will hold briefings later on in the week .
But while Trump will “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the conferences “ may have a different look , ” McEnany said , without going into detail .
Shortly before the press secretary made the announcement , Trump fired off several tweets ranting about the “ hostile Lamestream Media ” being “ THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE ” on Monday morning .
On Friday , he complained on Twitter that the press conferences were “ not worth the time & effort ” because the media “ asks nothing but hostile questions , & then refuses to report the truth or facts accurately.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fallout of his press conference on Thursday , during which he told the country that injecting disinfectant would cure the virus .

Okay, what’s going on here?
After President Donald Trump declined to hold any coronavirus press briefings over the weekend, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during a Fox News interview on Monday morning that Trump also would not be holding a briefing later in the day.
Then in a sudden whiplash, McEnany announced several hours later that Trump would do a briefing on Monday evening after all.
“UPDATE: The White House has additional testing guidance and other announcements about safely opening up America again,” the press secretary tweeted. “President @realDonaldTrump will brief the nation during a press conference this evening.”
Earlier in the day, McEnany had told the co-hosts of Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” that there would be no briefing.
She insisted that the decision was “absolutely not an effort to cut back” on the press conferences after Trump claimed COVID-19 could be cured by pumping disinfectant into the human body.
The press secretary said the coronavirus task force will hold briefings later on in the week.
But while Trump will “absolutely” be present at those briefings, the conferences “may have a different look,” McEnany said, without going into detail.
Shortly before the press secretary made the announcement, Trump fired off several tweets ranting about the “hostile Lamestream Media” being “THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE” on Monday morning.
On Friday, he complained on Twitter that the press conferences were “not worth the time & effort” because the media “asks nothing but hostile questions, & then refuses to report the truth or facts accurately.”
Trump’s rage arose in the fallout of his press conference on Thursday, during which he told the country that injecting disinfectant would cure the virus.
Watch McEnany below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-04-28--Trump Says He ‘Never Even Thought Of’ Delaying The 2020 Election

President Donald Trump dismissed on Monday evening the notion that he would attempt to push back the presidential election , @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden predicted last week .
“ I never even thought of changing the date @ @ @ @ @ Trump said during his press briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ Why would I @ @ @ @ @ November 3 , the date of the election this year , as “ a good @ @ @ @ @ Biden of peddling “ made up propaganda.
” “ Let him know I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ all , not at all , ” Trump told reporters .
During a fundraising event @ @ @ @ @ that Trump would manufacture an excuse to push back the upcoming election .
“ Mark @ @ @ @ @ he is gon na try to kick back the election somehow , come up with @ @ @ @ @ ’ t be held , ” the Democratic candidate said .

President Donald Trump dismissed on Monday evening the notion that he would attempt to push back the presidential election, as his 2020 Democratic rival Joe Biden predicted last week.
“I never even thought of changing the date of the election,” Trump said during his press briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic. “Why would I?”
The President described November 3, the date of the election this year, as “a good number,” and accused Biden of peddling “made up propaganda.”
“Let him know I’m not thinking about it at all, not at all,” Trump told reporters.
During a fundraising event last Friday, Biden speculated that Trump would manufacture an excuse to push back the upcoming election.
“Mark my words, I think he is gonna try to kick back the election somehow, come up with some rationale why it can’t be held,” the Democratic candidate said.
Watch Trump below:


talkingpointsmemo--2020-04-28--One Thing the Pandemic Hasn’t Stopped: Aggressive Medical-Debt Collection

This story first appeared at ProPublica .
ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom .
Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox .
Darcel Richardson knows she ’ s fortunate in one sense : She still has her job as a vocational counselor in Baltimore .
But despite that , she won ’ t be able to make her rent payment this month because she ’ s not getting her full salary for a while .
More than $ 400 per biweekly paycheck — about a quarter of her after-tax income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hopkins University for unpaid medical bills at one of its hospitals .
Richardson , 60 , got word of the garnishment from her employer just as the coronavirus pandemic was arriving in full force last month .
“ My job was going to take the money out .
They don ’ t want to get in trouble , ” she said .
“ I spoke with our payroll accountant , and the bottom line was , even though the crisis had begun , they still had to pay my money to them.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being heralded for their role at the front lines of fighting the pandemic , some Americans continue to experience a less favorable side of hospital operations : aggressive collection for unpaid medical bills , even at a time when many of the debtors are seeing their income plunge .
Debt collection is occurring on other fronts as well , over unpaid college and bank loans among others , prompting debates over protecting people ’ s economic stimulus checks from collection agencies or suspending garnishments outright .
But collection by the very hospitals that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and economic exigencies of the moment into especially stark relief .
In a few cases , hospitals have brought new cases against former patients in recent weeks , such as in Wisconsin , where Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee filed 46 small-claims lawsuits even after the governor declared a state of emergency on March 12 , and other hospital systems in the state filed dozens more , according to a report by Wisconsin Public Radio and Wisconsin Watch .
Steve Schoof , Froedtert ’ s director of external communications , told ProPublica in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims suits on March 18 .
“ Moving forward , ” the statement continued , “ Froedtert Health will no longer be filing small claims suits for medical debt collection .
Unfortunately , there was a miscommunication that resulted in small claims filings after March 18 .
We immediately rectified this miscommunication and dismissed these small claims cases that were filed after March 18.
” More often , though , the collection stems from cases filed months before the pandemic arrived , as the legal process grinds its way forward .
“ Where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debt , they will continue to do that , ” said Jenifer Bosco , a staff attorney for the National Consumer Law Center .
In Richardson ’ s case , the debt stemmed from a two-day 2018 visit to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in southeast Baltimore , one of a string of medical visits she has had to make over the years to deal with a knee injury from a fall , a hip injury from a car accident , hernia repairs and back trouble .
She had insurance coverage through her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the state Division of Correction , but it left a balance of almost $ 1,000 for her to pay .
Richardson , who lives by herself in a modest apartment complex just east of the city , started hearing from a collections lawyer for Hopkins last fall and tried to work out a payment schedule with him , but she couldn ’ t make it work .
“ I just didn ’ t have the money , ” she said .
“ I said to the lawyer , I might be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it came time , I just didn ’ t have it .
What can you do when you ’ re caught between a rock and a hard place ?
I prioritize .
I ’ m going to try to pay my rent first , pay for gas and electric , cellphone costs .
And I ’ ve got to eat.
” The court judgment was finally entered against Richardson in Baltimore City District Court in January : $ 923.21 , plus $ 34 in court costs and $ 138.49 in attorney ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ garnishment went out on March 6 — the day after Maryland Gov .
Larry Hogan announced the state ’ s first three coronavirus cases .
The garnishment was confirmed by Richardson ’ s new employer , the nonprofit drug treatment organization Gaudenzia , on March 16 , the day that Hogan decreed the closure of all bars , restaurants , gyms and movie theaters , and three days after Richardson and her colleagues were barred by safety precautions from providing counseling inside prisons .
She now works at a small treatment center that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is easier .
Johns Hopkins , by far the largest private-sector employer in the state and the largest beneficiary of billionaire Michael Bloomberg ’ s charitable giving , has long faced scrutiny for its aggressive collection of medical debt , including from the many low-income Baltimore residents it serves , who in theory should be able to qualify for the hospital ’ s charity care programs .
In 2008 , The Baltimore Sun reported that Hopkins and other Maryland nonprofit hospitals had filed more than 32,000 debt-collection suits over the past five years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in judgments .
Last May , a coalition that includes the AFL-CIO and National Nurses United , which has been trying to organize Hopkins nurses , released a report finding that Hopkins had launched 2,400 lawsuits in Maryland courts since 2009 against patients with unpaid bills , increasing from 20 in 2009 to a peak of 535 in 2016 .
In response to the 2019 report , Hopkins officials said they offered considerable free and discounted services , and that “ for patients who choose not to pursue those options or who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will make every effort to reach out to them and to accommodate their schedule and needs .
In those rare occasions when a patient who has the ability to pay chooses not to , we follow our state required policies to pursue reimbursement from these patients.
” The cases have slowed in pace but not stopped altogether since the report .
Bayview , one of several hospitals under the Hopkins umbrella , has filed about 60 cases over the past year , according to Maryland court records .
Dozens of them , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kim Hoppe , vice president for communications for Johns Hopkins Medicine , said in a statement that after looking into the matter , the medical system has become aware of nine garnishments that went into effect in February and March , and that it has now placed a “ hold ” on them .
“ Johns Hopkins remains committed to providing affordable access to all patients in need of our care , regardless of ability to pay , ” Hoppe said .
“ We also make numerous efforts to communicate with patients who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive more than a dozen contacts via mail or phone call along with multiple opportunities to file for medical or financial hardship .
At all points in that process , patients are encouraged to speak with financial counselors ; their bills will be forgiven if they can show financial hardship or inability to pay.
” For Cheri Long , aggressive medical debt collection came with less warning than it did for Richardson .
Long , a nurse at an assisted living center in northern West Virginia , had stopped by a Dollar General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groceries for her kids and some requests for residents at the center : prunes , caramel candies and adult diapers .
When she went to pay with her debit card , the machine told her she had insufficient funds .
She checked the account after leaving the store and found there had been a debit for about $ 900 .
She assumed her account had been hacked and the funds would be restored .
In fact , the bank told her , her account had a hold on it from the magistrate court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not received any notification .
But that night , a card was waiting in her mailbox alerting her that there was a certified letter waiting for her at the post office .
She picked the letter up the next day and rushed to the magistrate court , and she learned that the account had been garnished by West Virginia University Hospitals , the official name for J.W .
Ruby Memorial Hospital , the large nonprofit academic medical center in Morgantown that is the flagship of the WVU Medicine system .
The bills were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seth — after a motorcycle accident seven years ago and after a visit for alcohol rehab after he had started drinking heavily upon losing his coal mining job three years ago .
He had insurance coverage at the time of both hospital stays , even supplemental motorcycle insurance , but the coverage had left a balance of about $ 3,500 .
Seth had gotten work at another mine but lost it again two years ago , leaving the family relying on Cheri ’ s income , about $ 3,000 per month in take-home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said in an interview .
“ That [ medical bill ] was my last priority .
I didn ’ t think they would do anything over $ 3,500.
” The bank garnishment sent her into a panic .
She was in tears at the courthouse , pleading for someone to help her .
She eventually filed for an “ affidavit for exemption ” through the sheriff , seemingly got the garnishment lifted temporarily and changed her direct deposit to another account to be on the safe side .
But when she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , her card was declined .
Her account had been zeroed out again despite the exemption , apparently due to a bureaucratic oversight .
She borrowed money for groceries and gas from her co-workers , nursing aides who make minimum wage .
Her father-in-law offered to cover the house payment .
And , on Easter Sunday , she started writing emails — to the governor , to the attorney general .
“ It was a very depressing time , ” she said later .
“ I ’ m out working , busting my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take my money.
” At last , she got help .
The National Consumer Law Center put her in touch with a local legal aid lawyer , Jennifer Wagner with Mountain State Justice .
Wagner filed a lawsuit on behalf of Long , arguing that it was unconstitutional to seize her property when the closure of the court system undermined her ability to seek due process .
On April 15 , Preston County Judge Steven L. Shaffer issued an emergency order halting seizure of both Long ’ s bank account and her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money already taken .
“ Seizure of personal property during the court closure and stay at home order and related state of emergency … violates due process of law , ” he wrote in the order , first reported by the Times West Virginian newspaper .
In a statement , WVU Medicine spokeswoman Angela Knopf said that the system gave guidance to its third-party collection vendors in March to be mindful of the economic impact of the pandemic crisis in seeking repayment , but it did not order them to hold back entirely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to balance our need to liquidate patient balances with the needs of our community , especially during times of disruption , ” read the guidance .
“ Collection calls and letters can continue .
However , please take a soft approach to calls and express the compassion that WVU Medicine has for our community during this difficult time .
We do not want to beat our patients up as they are sequestered in their homes , compounding the stress of the current situation .
We want to be a partner in helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vendors not to file any new lawsuits for “ at least the next 60 days , ” but it does not explicitly address the garnishing of accounts from cases launched before the crisis .
Wagner , the legal aid lawyer , said she is getting calls from more than a dozen other people in the area facing collection from the hospital and is considering filing a class-action lawsuit over the garnishments .
“ We ’ re contemplating seeking broader relief because of our concerns that they haven ’ t stopped , notwithstanding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s actually going to dissuade people from seeking medical care during a time when it ’ s really important to seek medical care , and that is really alarming.
” Governors have issued orders temporarily banning wage and bank garnishments in several states , including in Illinois , Massachusetts and Washington .
The Texas Supreme Court has decreed that any new garnishment orders not be served until after May 7 .
Governors or state attorneys general have taken the more limited step of barring the seizure of stimulus checks during bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among them California , New York and Ohio .
But this leaves several dozen states where medical debt collection can still carry forward , with or without the ability to seize stimulus checks in the process .
In recent years , revelations of aggressive medical debt collection have been especially prevalent in states that chose not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act , which has left hospitals with more unreimbursed care than in states that did expand Medicaid .
Kaiser Health News reported on 36,000 lawsuits filed in recent years by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most predating the state ’ s expansion of Medicaid in 2018 , and ProPublica last year reported on 8,300 lawsuits over five years by Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in Memphis , where Tennessee lawmakers have refused to expand Medicaid .
That reporting resulted in a pullback by Methodist , which announced that , while not altogether abandoning collection lawsuits , it would expand its financial assistance policy and stop suing its own employees over medical debts .
Meanwhile , though , another Memphis hospital , Baptist Memorial , has kept up aggressive collection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County court system lists about 20 garnishments for Baptist Memorial debts initiated last month alone , some of them for debts going back more than a decade .
One of the Baptist Memorial targets found out that she was about to have her paycheck garnished for a 13-year-old debt when she received a letter in the mail from a lawyer seeking to represent her in the matter .
“ It ’ s just been very hard , ” said the woman , who asked that her name not be used .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t work with me .
They ’ re playing hardball.
” A Baptist Memorial spokeswoman said in a written response , “ These are not new cases ; these judgments were made months ago .
You ’ re looking at renewals that were filed in January — well before the first known COVID case was diagnosed in the U.S .
If any of these people lost their jobs , we would stop trying to collect .
If they have other financial issues , they can contact us and we ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payment plans for hundreds of patients since the COVID pandemic began.
” Critics of the hospital debt collection say they are aware that hospitals may be more sympathetic creditors at the current moment , when they are strapped by the demands of treating victims of the pandemic , while losing much of their usual business .
Johns Hopkins , for one , announced this week that it was running a $ 100 million deficit , due largely to a dropoff in the elective medical procedures that provide much of its revenue base .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that hospitals nationwide are receiving $ 100 billion in the federal relief packages to help recover some of the costs of the crisis .
And Cecilia Behgam , an AFL-CIO researcher who helped produce the 2019 report on Hopkins , notes that collection on unpaid bills makes up just a tiny sliver of hospital revenue — for a giant institution like Hopkins , typically less than one-tenth of a percent .
“ This is not making a significant difference in the budget of these hospitals , ” she said .
Behgam also noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Memphis , the lawsuits and garnishments are being brought mostly against exactly the demographic that has been shown to be most vulnerable in the pandemic : lower-income African Americans with underlying health conditions .
“ These are people who are already disproportionately feeling the impact of the epidemic , ” she said .
In Baltimore , Darcel Richardson says she has so far managed to talk the managers of her apartment complex into letting her pay the outstanding balance of her rent once the garnishments stop .
They might even be willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said .
“ I am a firm believer in trusting God , ” she said .
“ He ’ ll meet my needs .
So far , he ’ s still kept the roof over my head .
”

This story first appeared at ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.
Darcel Richardson knows she’s fortunate in one sense: She still has her job as a vocational counselor in Baltimore. But despite that, she won’t be able to make her rent payment this month because she’s not getting her full salary for a while. More than $400 per biweekly paycheck — about a quarter of her after-tax income — has been siphoned off by Johns Hopkins University for unpaid medical bills at one of its hospitals.
Richardson, 60, got word of the garnishment from her employer just as the coronavirus pandemic was arriving in full force last month. “My job was going to take the money out. They don’t want to get in trouble,” she said. “I spoke with our payroll accountant, and the bottom line was, even though the crisis had begun, they still had to pay my money to them.”
In a moment when hospitals nationwide are being heralded for their role at the front lines of fighting the pandemic, some Americans continue to experience a less favorable side of hospital operations: aggressive collection for unpaid medical bills, even at a time when many of the debtors are seeing their income plunge. Debt collection is occurring on other fronts as well, over unpaid college and bank loans among others, prompting debates over protecting people’s economic stimulus checks from collection agencies or suspending garnishments outright. But collection by the very hospitals that are treating coronavirus patients brings the health and economic exigencies of the moment into especially stark relief.
In a few cases, hospitals have brought new cases against former patients in recent weeks, such as in Wisconsin, where Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee filed 46 small-claims lawsuits even after the governor declared a state of emergency on March 12, and other hospital systems in the state filed dozens more, according to a report by Wisconsin Public Radio and Wisconsin Watch. Steve Schoof, Froedtert’s director of external communications, told ProPublica in a statement that the hospital stopped filing small claims suits on March 18. “Moving forward,” the statement continued, “Froedtert Health will no longer be filing small claims suits for medical debt collection. Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication that resulted in small claims filings after March 18. We immediately rectified this miscommunication and dismissed these small claims cases that were filed after March 18.”
More often, though, the collection stems from cases filed months before the pandemic arrived, as the legal process grinds its way forward. “Where debt collection is underway for pre-COVID medical debt, they will continue to do that,” said Jenifer Bosco, a staff attorney for the National Consumer Law Center.
In Richardson’s case, the debt stemmed from a two-day 2018 visit to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in southeast Baltimore, one of a string of medical visits she has had to make over the years to deal with a knee injury from a fall, a hip injury from a car accident, hernia repairs and back trouble. She had insurance coverage through her job, which at the time was with the state Division of Correction, but it left a balance of almost $1,000 for her to pay. Richardson, who lives by herself in a modest apartment complex just east of the city, started hearing from a collections lawyer for Hopkins last fall and tried to work out a payment schedule with him, but she couldn’t make it work.
“I just didn’t have the money,” she said. “I said to the lawyer, I might be able to pay an amount monthly, but when it came time, I just didn’t have it. What can you do when you’re caught between a rock and a hard place? I prioritize. I’m going to try to pay my rent first, pay for gas and electric, cellphone costs. And I’ve got to eat.”
The court judgment was finally entered against Richardson in Baltimore City District Court in January: $923.21, plus $34 in court costs and $138.49 in attorney’s fees. The notice of wage garnishment went out on March 6 — the day after Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced the state’s first three coronavirus cases. The garnishment was confirmed by Richardson’s new employer, the nonprofit drug treatment organization Gaudenzia, on March 16, the day that Hogan decreed the closure of all bars, restaurants, gyms and movie theaters, and three days after Richardson and her colleagues were barred by safety precautions from providing counseling inside prisons. She now works at a small treatment center that houses seven women, where social distancing is easier.
Johns Hopkins, by far the largest private-sector employer in the state and the largest beneficiary of billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s charitable giving, has long faced scrutiny for its aggressive collection of medical debt, including from the many low-income Baltimore residents it serves, who in theory should be able to qualify for the hospital’s charity care programs. In 2008, The Baltimore Sun reported that Hopkins and other Maryland nonprofit hospitals had filed more than 32,000 debt-collection suits over the past five years, winning at least $100 million in judgments. Last May, a coalition that includes the AFL-CIO and National Nurses United, which has been trying to organize Hopkins nurses, released a report finding that Hopkins had launched 2,400 lawsuits in Maryland courts since 2009 against patients with unpaid bills, increasing from 20 in 2009 to a peak of 535 in 2016.
In response to the 2019 report, Hopkins officials said they offered considerable free and discounted services, and that “for patients who choose not to pursue those options or who have a demonstrated ability to pay, we will make every effort to reach out to them and to accommodate their schedule and needs. In those rare occasions when a patient who has the ability to pay chooses not to, we follow our state required policies to pursue reimbursement from these patients.”
The cases have slowed in pace but not stopped altogether since the report. Bayview, one of several hospitals under the Hopkins umbrella, has filed about 60 cases over the past year, according to Maryland court records. Dozens of them, including Richardson’s, remain open.
Kim Hoppe, vice president for communications for Johns Hopkins Medicine, said in a statement that after looking into the matter, the medical system has become aware of nine garnishments that went into effect in February and March, and that it has now placed a “hold” on them. “Johns Hopkins remains committed to providing affordable access to all patients in need of our care, regardless of ability to pay,” Hoppe said. “We also make numerous efforts to communicate with patients who have overdue bills. Typically, patients receive more than a dozen contacts via mail or phone call along with multiple opportunities to file for medical or financial hardship. At all points in that process, patients are encouraged to speak with financial counselors; their bills will be forgiven if they can show financial hardship or inability to pay.”
For Cheri Long, aggressive medical debt collection came with less warning than it did for Richardson. Long, a nurse at an assisted living center in northern West Virginia, had stopped by a Dollar General on March 23 to pick up some groceries for her kids and some requests for residents at the center: prunes, caramel candies and adult diapers. When she went to pay with her debit card, the machine told her she had insufficient funds. She checked the account after leaving the store and found there had been a debit for about $900. She assumed her account had been hacked and the funds would be restored. In fact, the bank told her, her account had a hold on it from the magistrate court.
She told the bank she had not received any notification. But that night, a card was waiting in her mailbox alerting her that there was a certified letter waiting for her at the post office. She picked the letter up the next day and rushed to the magistrate court, and she learned that the account had been garnished by West Virginia University Hospitals, the official name for J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, the large nonprofit academic medical center in Morgantown that is the flagship of the WVU Medicine system.
The bills were for care received by her husband, Seth — after a motorcycle accident seven years ago and after a visit for alcohol rehab after he had started drinking heavily upon losing his coal mining job three years ago. He had insurance coverage at the time of both hospital stays, even supplemental motorcycle insurance, but the coverage had left a balance of about $3,500. Seth had gotten work at another mine but lost it again two years ago, leaving the family relying on Cheri’s income, about $3,000 per month in take-home pay. “Times are hard,” she said in an interview. “That [medical bill] was my last priority. I didn’t think they would do anything over $3,500.”
The bank garnishment sent her into a panic. She was in tears at the courthouse, pleading for someone to help her. She eventually filed for an “affidavit for exemption” through the sheriff, seemingly got the garnishment lifted temporarily and changed her direct deposit to another account to be on the safe side. But when she went for groceries again on April 3, her card was declined. Her account had been zeroed out again despite the exemption, apparently due to a bureaucratic oversight.
She borrowed money for groceries and gas from her co-workers, nursing aides who make minimum wage. Her father-in-law offered to cover the house payment. And, on Easter Sunday, she started writing emails — to the governor, to the attorney general. “It was a very depressing time,” she said later. “I’m out working, busting my butt, and they’re going to take my money.”
At last, she got help. The National Consumer Law Center put her in touch with a local legal aid lawyer, Jennifer Wagner with Mountain State Justice. Wagner filed a lawsuit on behalf of Long, arguing that it was unconstitutional to seize her property when the closure of the court system undermined her ability to seek due process.
On April 15, Preston County Judge Steven L. Shaffer issued an emergency order halting seizure of both Long’s bank account and her imminent stimulus funds, thereby restoring the money already taken. “Seizure of personal property during the court closure and stay at home order and related state of emergency … violates due process of law,” he wrote in the order, first reported by the Times West Virginian newspaper.
In a statement, WVU Medicine spokeswoman Angela Knopf said that the system gave guidance to its third-party collection vendors in March to be mindful of the economic impact of the pandemic crisis in seeking repayment, but it did not order them to hold back entirely. “At WVU Medicine, we need to balance our need to liquidate patient balances with the needs of our community, especially during times of disruption,” read the guidance. “Collection calls and letters can continue. However, please take a soft approach to calls and express the compassion that WVU Medicine has for our community during this difficult time. We do not want to beat our patients up as they are sequestered in their homes, compounding the stress of the current situation. We want to be a partner in helping them through this.” The guidance instructed vendors not to file any new lawsuits for “at least the next 60 days,” but it does not explicitly address the garnishing of accounts from cases launched before the crisis.
Wagner, the legal aid lawyer, said she is getting calls from more than a dozen other people in the area facing collection from the hospital and is considering filing a class-action lawsuit over the garnishments. “We’re contemplating seeking broader relief because of our concerns that they haven’t stopped, notwithstanding the order,” she said. “It’s actually going to dissuade people from seeking medical care during a time when it’s really important to seek medical care, and that is really alarming.”
Governors have issued orders temporarily banning wage and bank garnishments in several states, including in Illinois, Massachusetts and Washington. The Texas Supreme Court has decreed that any new garnishment orders not be served until after May 7. Governors or state attorneys general have taken the more limited step of barring the seizure of stimulus checks during bank account garnishments in some other states, among them California, New York and Ohio. But this leaves several dozen states where medical debt collection can still carry forward, with or without the ability to seize stimulus checks in the process.
In recent years, revelations of aggressive medical debt collection have been especially prevalent in states that chose not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, which has left hospitals with more unreimbursed care than in states that did expand Medicaid. Kaiser Health News reported on 36,000 lawsuits filed in recent years by the University of Virginia medical system, most predating the state’s expansion of Medicaid in 2018, and ProPublica last year reported on 8,300 lawsuits over five years by Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in Memphis, where Tennessee lawmakers have refused to expand Medicaid. That reporting resulted in a pullback by Methodist, which announced that, while not altogether abandoning collection lawsuits, it would expand its financial assistance policy and stop suing its own employees over medical debts.
Meanwhile, though, another Memphis hospital, Baptist Memorial, has kept up aggressive collection during the economic crisis. The Shelby County court system lists about 20 garnishments for Baptist Memorial debts initiated last month alone, some of them for debts going back more than a decade.
One of the Baptist Memorial targets found out that she was about to have her paycheck garnished for a 13-year-old debt when she received a letter in the mail from a lawyer seeking to represent her in the matter. “It’s just been very hard,” said the woman, who asked that her name not be used. “I had offered a settlement, but they wouldn’t work with me. They’re playing hardball.”
A Baptist Memorial spokeswoman said in a written response, “These are not new cases; these judgments were made months ago. You’re looking at renewals that were filed in January — well before the first known COVID case was diagnosed in the U.S. If any of these people lost their jobs, we would stop trying to collect. If they have other financial issues, they can contact us and we’ll work with them. We have modified payment plans for hundreds of patients since the COVID pandemic began.”
Critics of the hospital debt collection say they are aware that hospitals may be more sympathetic creditors at the current moment, when they are strapped by the demands of treating victims of the pandemic, while losing much of their usual business. Johns Hopkins, for one, announced this week that it was running a $100 million deficit, due largely to a dropoff in the elective medical procedures that provide much of its revenue base.
But the National Consumer Law Center notes that hospitals nationwide are receiving $100 billion in the federal relief packages to help recover some of the costs of the crisis. And Cecilia Behgam, an AFL-CIO researcher who helped produce the 2019 report on Hopkins, notes that collection on unpaid bills makes up just a tiny sliver of hospital revenue — for a giant institution like Hopkins, typically less than one-tenth of a percent. “This is not making a significant difference in the budget of these hospitals,” she said.
Behgam also noted that in cities such as Baltimore and Memphis, the lawsuits and garnishments are being brought mostly against exactly the demographic that has been shown to be most vulnerable in the pandemic: lower-income African Americans with underlying health conditions. “These are people who are already disproportionately feeling the impact of the epidemic,” she said.
In Baltimore, Darcel Richardson says she has so far managed to talk the managers of her apartment complex into letting her pay the outstanding balance of her rent once the garnishments stop. They might even be willing to cancel the usual fees for late payment, she said. “I am a firm believer in trusting God,” she said. “He’ll meet my needs. So far, he’s still kept the roof over my head.”
Wendi C. Thomas contributed reporting.