buzzfeed--2020-03-17--What Happens If Trump Tries To Cancel The Election Because Of The Coronavirus?

`` He might well try , even though the answer is , 'No , he can not . '
'' Thousands of Americans think President Donald Trump may try to cancel the 2020 election by citing the coronavirus pandemic .
On the left and right , they envision him declaring a national emergency , using those newly invoked powers to suspend the November vote and extend his first term in the White House .
It ’ s not purely paranoia .
The pandemic has already canceled campaign rallies , postponed the primary election in Louisiana , and raised ideas to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , for his part , has often lied about his last election to justify his political power , and most specifically , he retweeted a suggestion last year from Jerry Falwell Jr. that his first term should be extended by two years .
Major disturbances during elections , it turns out , are an age-old American problem , and so , dear reader , we are here to answer the question : Can the president cancel the election ?
Or can a viral outbreak — or some other bona fide crisis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to postponing voting day ?
The short answer is no , a president can not defer an election unilaterally .
And even with support in much of Congress and the states , it would be extremely difficult , perhaps logistically impossible , to postpone the presidential general election .
But that doesn ’ t mean disasters can ’ t wreak havoc on democracy as usual .
Congress could try setting a new election timeline , local election boards could be unable to operate polling sites , and the president could sow doubt in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency powers to the legal brink to disrupt the vote .
It is important that we discuss all of these scenarios right now .
There ’ s a lot we still don ’ t know about the coronavirus outbreak .
Our newsletter , Outbreak Today , will do its best to put everything we do know in one place — you can sign up here .
Do you have questions you want answered ?
You can always get in touch .
And if you 're someone who is seeing the impact of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hear from you ( you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels ) .
What if Trump wants to postpone Election Day ?
In a viral Twitter thread last month , former assistant US attorney Glenn Kirschner , now an analyst for MSNBC , envisioned Trump delivering a national TV address in October 2020 to announce , “ I am declaring a national emergency and postponing the presidential election.
” While Trump could say that , he couldn ’ t follow through on it on his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts agree .
Hans von Spakovsky , an election law specialist for the conservative Heritage Foundation , told BuzzFeed News in an email this week , “ The president has no power to change the date of a federal election.
” His answer jibes with Justin Levitt ’ s , who led the Justice Department ’ s Voting Section during the Obama administration .
“ The president saying we are not having an election until X date has as much authority as me saying it , which is zero , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might well try , even thought the answer is , ‘ No , he can not .
’ ” This is because only Congress sets the “ times , places and manner ” of federal elections , according to the Constitution .
While the Constitution doesn ’ t prescribe those dates , exactly , Congress did in 3 U.S. Code § 1 .
That federal law schedules presidential elections — brace for this sentence — “ on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November , in every fourth year succeeding every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” This year , that is Nov. 3 .
What if Congress wants to change the date ?
In addition to changing Election Day , Congress would need to rewrite 3 U.S. Code § 7 , which sets the timeline for electors — chosen by states — to vote in the Electoral College and install the new president .
That law says the electors “ shall meet and give their votes on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December.
” This year , it ’ s Dec. 14 .
Even if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers still couldn ’ t delay Election Day by more than a couple months without rewriting the Constitution itself , which says the president can only “ hold his Office during the Term of four Years.
” The upshot : After four years , the president ’ s term — and authority — expires .
“ There ’ s no holdover , ” John Conklin , the director of public information at the New York State Board of Elections , told BuzzFeed News , about what happens if that four-year term ends without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There ’ s no one to replace the president and vice president.
” A Congressional Research Service report in 2004 noted the 20th Amendment terminates each presidential term at noon on Jan. 20 .
As a result , the report found , “ Congress could not postpone elections indefinitely.
” Extending the president ’ s term by amending the Constitution would require two-thirds of the House and the Senate .
Speaker Nancy Pelosi , who runs the Democrat-controlled House , didn ’ t answer questions about her willingness to postpone the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this Congress will not do that , ” Levitt said of delaying the vote due to the novel coronavirus .
“ If virus fears are bad enough in early November that you can ’ t hold an election in many places , they ’ re still going to be that bad on December 31.
” What if Trump tries to use a national emergency to delay the election ?
The president can quickly amass dozens of powers by declaring a national emergency , citing the National Emergencies Act and other laws for crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created by the Brennan Center for Justice .
But the president only gets emergency powers domestically that are given to him by federal law , Levitt explained .
“ Those have to be locked in by statute.
” None of those emergency laws apply to changing the time we vote .
As a result , the 2004 Congressional Research Service report , “ Executive Branch Power to Postpone Elections , ” concluded : “ The Executive Branch does not appear to currently have the authority to establish or postpone the dates of elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the event of an emergency situation.
” What if states want to change their Election Day ?
A peculiarity of US federal elections — both for Congress and the White House — is that the federal government doesn ’ t administer them .
The states do .
The president only commands federal agents ; the 10th Amendment stops the federal government from commandeering state officials .
The officers who actually run elections — secretaries of state , state and county election boards , election supervisors , the list goes on — simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House .
The laws they follow aren ’ t primarily federal , either .
Conklin , whose office oversees New York elections , explained , “ All of the elections are codified in the state laws.
” In order to change procedures on the ground nationally , 50 states would need to be on board .
“ I think legislatures would have to act , ” Conklin said , except where certain authority is already vested governors or other officials .
Even then , he added , “ Most states would want the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an election.
” Despite the states ’ autonomy to run the show , they can ’ t stray much from the national timeline .
They are bound to pick their presidential electors in mid-December , as required by federal law , Conklin added .
“ Most states would have to keep their election in place to send electors to vote in the Electoral College.
” This creates a sort of baked-in lethargy to any possible change ; a slew of federal and state laws , plus constitutional amendments to term limits , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to change Election Day for the president .
It would be difficult , if not impossible , to announce a change in October and enact all of that by early November .
What if a bona fide emergency threatens to upend the election ?
We have examples .
The 9/11 attackers hit New York City the morning of the state ’ s 2001 primary election , so the governor postponed voting for two weeks .
Historically , however , disruptions haven ’ t changed the date of US elections so much as turnout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late October 2012 , when Hurricane Sandy hit New York and New Jersey — two states currently facing viral breakouts — “ schools , nursing homes , and dozens of other poll sites were no longer available , ” Conklin recalled .
“ In some places , they were putting up tents in parking lots and brought in generators to run lights.
” During the coronavirus pandemic , he said , “ the problem seems to be not bringing people together in large clumps.
” That was an issue during the Spanish flu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1918 midterm elections for Congress , killing an estimated half million people in the United States , despite quarantines .
“ In Idaho , the governor mandated that all voters queue single file in their polling places to avoid the crowds that the flu liked to feed on , ” according to a 2010 study by Jason Marisam in the Election Law Journal .
In San Francisco , poll workers and voters all had to wear masks .
“ The flu likely had a significant impact on voter turnout — perhaps keeping hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Election Day , ” said the study , which reported turnout down about 10 % from the previous midterms , despite newspapers urging people to vote .
“ But surprisingly , in most places the election was held with relatively few complications .
There was no national debate about the legitimacy of the election results.
” Like the Spanish flu , the coronavirus may require quarantines .
A 2006 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza : Implementation Plan , sets out “ a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in non-essential travel and , as a last resort , mandatory restrictions.
” Although the CDC ’ s pandemic plan makes no mention of what happens in the event of an election , the federal government ’ s powers to quarantine domestically and punish violators are restricted : Federal officials can only block domestic travel between states , a power created by the Constitution ’ s Commerce Clause .
A CDC quarantine can ’ t keep Americans in their homes on its own .
However , states could establish more stringent rules for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach the polls .
“ I have a hard time seeing anything other than a mass disaster being a reason to delay an election , ” von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation said , dismissing the coronavirus as a reason to stall .
“ The outbreak of a disease with an extremely low fatality rate does not even come close.
” What if Trump tries to discourage voting , even if he can ’ t stop it ?
The Atlantic last year described a hypothetical situation where Trump abuses his power to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alert system , he would send a text message to every cellphone about the “ risk of violence at polling stations , ” saying “ troops will be deployed as necessary ” to keep order .
Scared Democrats would stay home and , voila , Trump would win .
“ He could claim authority he does not have , which would not be the first time , ” Levitt said .
An analysis by the Washington Post last year found judges had ruled against the administration 63 times , often for violating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Constitution , including on issues of immigration , the census , and law enforcement .
Trump has a predilection for lying about elections .
The White House voter fraud commission was created after Trump claimed 3 to 5 million people voted illegally , but the board shut down after being sued for records by one of its own Democratic members .
Those records , the member said after getting the documents , showed Trump ’ s voting fraud claims were “ false.
” At least two laws could stop efforts to deploy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intimidate voters .
The Posse Comitatus Act , as described in a 2018 report to Congress , “ outlaws the willful use of any part of the Army or Air Force to execute the law unless expressly authorized by the Constitution or an act of Congress.
” Likewise , the Antideficiency Act prevents federal workers from using their resources beyond the purpose of their funding appropriations — so FBI agents can ’ t be stationed outside polling places for the purpose of scaring away voters .
Levitt warned , however , those laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troops in ways that are “ right up to the border of what is legal.
” Trump may not have the backing of the military to push those limits , he said .
“ That doesn ’ t mean you won ’ t read about it on Twitter.
” What if we try to protect the vote now ?
States ’ legislatures can expand the right to vote by mail — getting people out of crowded polling places and , according to research , increasing voter participation .
Dale Ho , a voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the New York Times , “ In the 2018 midterms , for example , states that permit voting by mail had , on average , a 15.5 percentage point higher turnout than states that did not.
” A handful of states have switched to this system entirely , including Colorado , Hawaii , Oregon , and Washington .
States can also expand the right to vote absentee for any reason ( known as no-fault absentee voting ) .
The House last year passed H.R.1 , a bill to expand voting access — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure ballots cast by mail are counted .
The Republican-controlled Senate hasn ’ t touched it .
●

What if a bona fide emergency threatens to upend the election?
We have examples. The 9/11 attackers hit New York City the morning of the state’s 2001 primary election, so the governor postponed voting for two weeks.
Historically, however, disruptions haven’t changed the date of US elections so much as turnout and practices at the polls.
In late October 2012, when Hurricane Sandy hit New York and New Jersey — two states currently facing viral breakouts — “schools, nursing homes, and dozens of other poll sites were no longer available,” Conklin recalled. “In some places, they were putting up tents in parking lots and brought in generators to run lights.”
During the coronavirus pandemic, he said, “the problem seems to be not bringing people together in large clumps.”
That was an issue during the Spanish flu, which engulfed the country amid the 1918 midterm elections for Congress, killing an estimated half million people in the United States, despite quarantines.
“In Idaho, the governor mandated that all voters queue single file in their polling places to avoid the crowds that the flu liked to feed on,” according to a 2010 study by Jason Marisam in the Election Law Journal. In San Francisco, poll workers and voters all had to wear masks.
“The flu likely had a significant impact on voter turnout — perhaps keeping hundreds of thousands away from the polls on Election Day,” said the study, which reported turnout down about 10% from the previous midterms, despite newspapers urging people to vote. “But surprisingly, in most places the election was held with relatively few complications. There was no national debate about the legitimacy of the election results.”
Like the Spanish flu, the coronavirus may require quarantines. A 2006 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza: Implementation Plan, sets out “a range of options, such as reductions in non-essential travel and, as a last resort, mandatory restrictions.”
Although the CDC’s pandemic plan makes no mention of what happens in the event of an election, the federal government’s powers to quarantine domestically and punish violators are restricted: Federal officials can only block domestic travel between states, a power created by the Constitution’s Commerce Clause. A CDC quarantine can’t keep Americans in their homes on its own. However, states could establish more stringent rules for travel, potentially impeding voters trying to reach the polls.
“I have a hard time seeing anything other than a mass disaster being a reason to delay an election,” von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation said, dismissing the coronavirus as a reason to stall. “The outbreak of a disease with an extremely low fatality rate does not even come close.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-14--Here's How The Remaining Primary States Are Handling The Coronavirus Threat

Louisiana will postpone its presidential primaries , scheduled for early next month , until June because of the coronavirus outbreak , state officials said Friday .
Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said at a press conference that the decision was made in accordance with the state 's election code .
`` Today I have certified that a state of emergency exists and requested that the governor issue an executive order postponing the elections this spring , '' he said .
`` We have requested postponing the April 4 primary to June 20 . ''
Ardoin said the governor agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louisiana Gov .
John Bel Edwards told the Advocate that the move was an “ extraordinary measure but one we feel is prudent . ''
The decision was the first by a state government to delay a scheduled presidential primary .
But it was not the last .
On Saturday state officials in Georgia announced that the March 24 primary was officially moved to May 19 , according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution .
“ At the end of the day , the average poll worker is 70 or 72 years old , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fuchs previously told BuzzFeed News .
“ We have a duty to protect their health.
” The Alaska Democratic Party told BuzzFeed News it had no plans to suspend in-person voting yet , also scheduled for April 4 , but that it is encouraging voters to vote by mail .
`` We are paying close attention for guidance from local health authorities , and urge people — especially those in high-risk groups — to consider any and all exposure to public places and continue taking proper precautions , '' Jeanne Devon , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in an email .
`` We will continue to assess our plans on a daily basis . ''
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders , the two remaining top Democratic presidential candidates , are coming out of a stretch of primaries in the last two weeks that have seen Biden begin to build a large and potentially insurmountable delegate lead .
The primaries scheduled for this coming Tuesday in Ohio , Florida , Illinois , and Arizona could virtually close the path for a Sanders comeback .
BuzzFeed News has reached out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduled between now and April 4 to determine if those states plan to continue their plans .
Ohio officials said a delay of the state ’ s Tuesday primary is unlikely .
Early balloting has been underway since last month .
The Columbus Dispatch reported Friday that county elections boards in the state are rushing to line up additional poll workers before the vote .
Officials in Arizona , Florida , and Illinois also told BuzzFeed News their states ’ voting on Tuesday will continue as planned .
Top elections administrators from those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release stating they `` are working closely with our state health officials to ensure that our poll workers and voters can be confident that voting is safe . ''
`` Unlike concerts , sporting events or other mass gatherings where large groups of people travel long distances to congregate in a confined space for an extended period of time , polling locations see people from a nearby community coming into and out of the building for a short duration , '' the release — issued by Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee , and Illinois Elections Board Chair Charles Scholz — stated .
`` Americans have participated in elections during challenging times in the past , and based on the best information we have from public health officials , we are confident that voters in our states can safely and securely cast their ballots in this election , and that otherwise healthy poll workers can and should carry out their patriotic duties on Tuesday . ''
Delaware State Election Commissioner Anthony Albence said he is still planning to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 28 primary .
He said poll workers are being trained to wipe down the voting machines with disinfectant after each vote is cast .
In-person voting as part of the Wyoming caucuses , scheduled for April 4 , will also be suspended , the state party there said in a release on their website .
The decision was made Thursday night , Nina Hebert , a spokesperson for the Wyoming Democratic Party , told BuzzFeed News .
“ Our priority is ensuring that people are healthy and safe .
Holding public events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so this is the responsible course of action , ” the statement from the Wyoming Democratic Party said .
The party is encouraging people to vote by mail , and voters are able to pick up ballots beginning March 28 and drop them off April 4 .
Hebert said in an email that they are consulting with public health officials to “ ensure the safety of voters on ballot drop off days.
” Biden and Sanders have both radically scaled back their campaigns in the last day to try to prevent the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they would ask staff to work from home , limiting the large public events and person-to-person interaction that is core to traditional campaigning .
Instead , both Biden and Sanders have spoken at length about the virus in televised remarks ; each one is making a case for their platform and candidacy based on how they would handle the outbreak as president and contrasting their proposals with the actions of the Trump administration .
`` Voting is at the very heart of who we are as a democracy , ” Biden campaign spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ As election officials working with public health officials are demonstrating throughout the country , our elections can be conducted safely in consultation with public health officials .
If voters are feeling healthy , not exhibiting symptoms , and don ’ t believe they 've been exposed to COVID-19 , please vote on Tuesday .
If voters are members of an at-risk population , exhibiting symptoms , or have been exposed to a diagnosed case of COVID-19 , we encourage them to explore absentee ballots and vote by mail options . ''

Louisiana will postpone its presidential primaries, scheduled for early next month, until June because of the coronavirus outbreak, state officials said Friday.
Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin said at a press conference that the decision was made in accordance with the state's election code. "Today I have certified that a state of emergency exists and requested that the governor issue an executive order postponing the elections this spring," he said. "We have requested postponing the April 4 primary to June 20."
Ardoin said the governor agreed with the decision. A spokesperson for Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards told the Advocate that the move was an “extraordinary measure but one we feel is prudent."
The decision was the first by a state government to delay a scheduled presidential primary. But it was not the last. On Saturday state officials in Georgia announced that the March 24 primary was officially moved to May 19, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
“At the end of the day, the average poll worker is 70 or 72 years old,” Georgia Deputy Secretary of State Jordan Fuchs previously told BuzzFeed News. “We have a duty to protect their health.”
The Alaska Democratic Party told BuzzFeed News it had no plans to suspend in-person voting yet, also scheduled for April 4, but that it is encouraging voters to vote by mail.
"We are paying close attention for guidance from local health authorities, and urge people — especially those in high-risk groups — to consider any and all exposure to public places and continue taking proper precautions," Jeanne Devon, the Alaska Democratic Party's communications director, said in an email. "We will continue to assess our plans on a daily basis."
Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, the two remaining top Democratic presidential candidates, are coming out of a stretch of primaries in the last two weeks that have seen Biden begin to build a large and potentially insurmountable delegate lead. The primaries scheduled for this coming Tuesday in Ohio, Florida, Illinois, and Arizona could virtually close the path for a Sanders comeback.
BuzzFeed News has reached out to local officials in the states with primaries scheduled between now and April 4 to determine if those states plan to continue their plans.
Ohio officials said a delay of the state’s Tuesday primary is unlikely. Early balloting has been underway since last month. The Columbus Dispatch reported Friday that county elections boards in the state are rushing to line up additional poll workers before the vote. Officials in Arizona, Florida, and Illinois also told BuzzFeed News their states’ voting on Tuesday will continue as planned.
Top elections administrators from those four states later issued a joint news release stating they "are working closely with our state health officials to ensure that our poll workers and voters can be confident that voting is safe."
"Unlike concerts, sporting events or other mass gatherings where large groups of people travel long distances to congregate in a confined space for an extended period of time, polling locations see people from a nearby community coming into and out of the building for a short duration," the release — issued by Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee, and Illinois Elections Board Chair Charles Scholz — stated.
"Americans have participated in elections during challenging times in the past, and based on the best information we have from public health officials, we are confident that voters in our states can safely and securely cast their ballots in this election, and that otherwise healthy poll workers can and should carry out their patriotic duties on Tuesday."
Delaware State Election Commissioner Anthony Albence said he is still planning to go through with his state’s scheduled April 28 primary. He said poll workers are being trained to wipe down the voting machines with disinfectant after each vote is cast.
In-person voting as part of the Wyoming caucuses, scheduled for April 4, will also be suspended, the state party there said in a release on their website. The decision was made Thursday night, Nina Hebert, a spokesperson for the Wyoming Democratic Party, told BuzzFeed News.
“Our priority is ensuring that people are healthy and safe. Holding public events right now would put that in jeopardy, so this is the responsible course of action,” the statement from the Wyoming Democratic Party said.
The party is encouraging people to vote by mail, and voters are able to pick up ballots beginning March 28 and drop them off April 4. Hebert said in an email that they are consulting with public health officials to “ensure the safety of voters on ballot drop off days.”
Biden and Sanders have both radically scaled back their campaigns in the last day to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Both campaigns announced they would ask staff to work from home, limiting the large public events and person-to-person interaction that is core to traditional campaigning.
Instead, both Biden and Sanders have spoken at length about the virus in televised remarks; each one is making a case for their platform and candidacy based on how they would handle the outbreak as president and contrasting their proposals with the actions of the Trump administration.
"Voting is at the very heart of who we are as a democracy,” Biden campaign spokesperson Kate Bedingfield said in a statement Friday. “As election officials working with public health officials are demonstrating throughout the country, our elections can be conducted safely in consultation with public health officials. If voters are feeling healthy, not exhibiting symptoms, and don’t believe they've been exposed to COVID-19, please vote on Tuesday. If voters are members of an at-risk population, exhibiting symptoms, or have been exposed to a diagnosed case of COVID-19, we encourage them to explore absentee ballots and vote by mail options."


buzzfeed--2020-03-13--Coronavirus Is The Nightmare Situation People Worried About When Trump Won

Nobody knows what to do .
Is it ethical to go for a walk ?
Maybe ?
To the movies ?
Probably not .
How about to dinner with a friend ?
Likely not a great idea , but also small restaurants , and the people who work there , are suffering .
What is the right thing to do ?
Every decision in the time of COVID-19 has taken on extraordinary weight .
It ’ s up to us to stop this thing , we feel in our guts .
We know the tests just aren ’ t being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the task .
We look to a country on total lockdown and another digging mass graves and ask : Is this our future ?
This is the nightmare situation some feared when Donald Trump first came to power .
His favorability ratings have been about what you ’ d think — high among Republicans , low among Democrats .
But look at how many people view him as “ honest and trustworthy ” and you get a better picture .
One hundred days after he took office , he was viewed as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public , “ the lowest number ever recorded this early in a presidency , ” as my colleague Dan Vergano reported at the time .
That number stayed about flat at 34 % by summer of last year .
How do you live when you don ’ t trust your leader to do the right thing ?
We ’ ve seen mistakes before and disagreed with policies enacted by previous leaders .
Gay men probably know better than anyone what it ’ s like to live with a government that refuses to adequately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can wipe out millions of people .
To live amid a crisis without the basic assumption that your government is competent enough to handle it is a recipe for total anxiety .
Night after night , the president ’ s favorite acolytes on Fox News trot out a series of platitudes , as well as bleary-eyed senators and experts , to try to calm people down .
Sean Hannity , an informal Trump adviser , repeatedly insists that only elderly and immunocompromised people will die — as if those people aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
“ We ’ re not all gon na die , ” Laura Ingraham said Wednesday night , as if this was meant to make people feel better .
Later , a guest on her show assured those watching that only a fraction of the infected would face “ mortality issues , ” which is a new way of talking about death .
Millions of people around the world live this way , and have for decades , and it is unsettling to see this blanket of horror descend upon the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2002 when a group of Chechen militants took a crowded theater hostage in the middle of a musical .
The siege went on for days , and in the end 129 people were dead ( though some continue to insist the number was even higher ) .
Nearly all of them were killed not by the hostage-takers , but by a gas the Russian government pumped in through the vents to incapacitate the militants so they could storm the theater .
The government told no one — not police , not doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was no way to treat people when they were pulled out .
Many of those who died had been loaded onto buses , seated with their heads slung back , and choked on their own vomit .
I was two years out of college then , a freelancer trying to make her way in the world , and have an image of myself absolutely frozen at the thought of what had just happened .
I ’ m standing wide-eyed in my living room , my hands covering my mouth , trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sacrifice dozens upon dozens of its people in a bid to look tough and decisive .
It could have been so different — why didn ’ t they do the bare minimum to ensure those people lived ?
Because they were fodder , a sacrifice for a bigger priority .
The Trump administration squandered weeks when they could have been preparing for COVID-19 by projecting denialism instead .
There they were , blaming China , hoping for warm weather , patting themselves on the back when they could have been getting tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health system under strain .
It seems like Trump only woke up to the crisis once the stock market began to crash , and spent the days after that focusing on the economic impact instead of informing an increasingly worried population .
Now he is calling for unity and trust .
Trump ’ s address to the nation — which contained numerous inaccuracies — was designed to project calm and resolve , according to aides .
Some of his supporters see the subsequent outcry as further evidence of a grand plan to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t see is that everyone is screaming into the void , begging for guidance , but how are they supposed to trust a man for whom they know they are not the top priority ?
“ Epidemics do not create abnormal situations but rather sharpen existing behavior which ‘ betray deeply rooted and continuing social imbalances , ’ ” Roderick McGrew wrote in the last century , in a paper studying a cholera epidemic in Russia .
This pandemic is bringing everything into sharp focus — from class structures to the chaos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forcing us to reckon with the US 's role in the world , and our own image of ourselves .
And it is revealing the president for who he truly is , what he is capable of , and where his priorities lie , more than ever before .
That McGrew quote was cited in another paper , on a bubonic plague outbreak in South Africa in the early years of the previous century .
It begins with a quote from Benjamin Disraeli , the 19th century–era UK prime minister , speaking in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foundation on which repose the happiness of the people and the power of a country .
The care of the public health is the first duty of a statesman.
” No wonder everyone feels at a complete loss .

Nobody knows what to do. Is it ethical to go for a walk? Maybe? To the movies? Probably not. How about to dinner with a friend? Likely not a great idea, but also small restaurants, and the people who work there, are suffering. What is the right thing to do?
Every decision in the time of COVID-19 has taken on extraordinary weight. It’s up to us to stop this thing, we feel in our guts. We know the tests just aren’t being done, the health system not up to the task. We look to a country on total lockdown and another digging mass graves and ask: Is this our future?
This is the nightmare situation some feared when Donald Trump first came to power. His favorability ratings have been about what you’d think — high among Republicans, low among Democrats. But look at how many people view him as “honest and trustworthy” and you get a better picture. One hundred days after he took office, he was viewed as such by only 36% of the public, “the lowest number ever recorded this early in a presidency,” as my colleague Dan Vergano reported at the time. That number stayed about flat at 34% by summer of last year.
How do you live when you don’t trust your leader to do the right thing?
We’ve seen mistakes before and disagreed with policies enacted by previous leaders. Gay men probably know better than anyone what it’s like to live with a government that refuses to adequately confront a deadly epidemic, one that can wipe out millions of people.
To live amid a crisis without the basic assumption that your government is competent enough to handle it is a recipe for total anxiety. Night after night, the president’s favorite acolytes on Fox News trot out a series of platitudes, as well as bleary-eyed senators and experts, to try to calm people down. Sean Hannity, an informal Trump adviser, repeatedly insists that only elderly and immunocompromised people will die — as if those people aren’t sitting there, at home, watching him. “We’re not all gonna die,” Laura Ingraham said Wednesday night, as if this was meant to make people feel better. Later, a guest on her show assured those watching that only a fraction of the infected would face “mortality issues,” which is a new way of talking about death.
Millions of people around the world live this way, and have for decades, and it is unsettling to see this blanket of horror descend upon the United States.
I was living in Moscow in 2002 when a group of Chechen militants took a crowded theater hostage in the middle of a musical. The siege went on for days, and in the end 129 people were dead (though some continue to insist the number was even higher). Nearly all of them were killed not by the hostage-takers, but by a gas the Russian government pumped in through the vents to incapacitate the militants so they could storm the theater. The government told no one — not police, not doctors — what the gas was, so there was no way to treat people when they were pulled out. Many of those who died had been loaded onto buses, seated with their heads slung back, and choked on their own vomit.
I was two years out of college then, a freelancer trying to make her way in the world, and have an image of myself absolutely frozen at the thought of what had just happened. I’m standing wide-eyed in my living room, my hands covering my mouth, trying to understand what it means for a government to sacrifice dozens upon dozens of its people in a bid to look tough and decisive. It could have been so different — why didn’t they do the bare minimum to ensure those people lived? Because they were fodder, a sacrifice for a bigger priority.
The Trump administration squandered weeks when they could have been preparing for COVID-19 by projecting denialism instead. There they were, blaming China, hoping for warm weather, patting themselves on the back when they could have been getting tests out and laying the groundwork for a health system under strain. It seems like Trump only woke up to the crisis once the stock market began to crash, and spent the days after that focusing on the economic impact instead of informing an increasingly worried population.
Now he is calling for unity and trust. Trump’s address to the nation — which contained numerous inaccuracies — was designed to project calm and resolve, according to aides. Some of his supporters see the subsequent outcry as further evidence of a grand plan to bring the president down. What they don’t see is that everyone is screaming into the void, begging for guidance, but how are they supposed to trust a man for whom they know they are not the top priority?
“Epidemics do not create abnormal situations but rather sharpen existing behavior which ‘betray deeply rooted and continuing social imbalances,’” Roderick McGrew wrote in the last century, in a paper studying a cholera epidemic in Russia. This pandemic is bringing everything into sharp focus — from class structures to the chaos of US health care. It is forcing us to reckon with the US's role in the world, and our own image of ourselves. And it is revealing the president for who he truly is, what he is capable of, and where his priorities lie, more than ever before.
That McGrew quote was cited in another paper, on a bubonic plague outbreak in South Africa in the early years of the previous century. It begins with a quote from Benjamin Disraeli, the 19th century–era UK prime minister, speaking in 1875: “The public health is the foundation on which repose the happiness of the people and the power of a country. The care of the public health is the first duty of a statesman.” No wonder everyone feels at a complete loss.


buzzfeed--2020-03-13--Katie Porter Got The CDC Director To Promise Free Coronavirus Tests

California Rep. Katie Porter exacted a commitment from the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to pay @ @ @ @ @ Americans , grilling the Trump administration official repeatedly in the middle of a congressional hearing @ @ @ @ @ would pay for the tests .
When CDC Director Robert Redfield agreed to Porter ’ @ @ @ @ @ turned to the American public to urge them to get tested .
“ Everyone in @ @ @ @ @ You are eligible to go get tested for coronavirus and have that covered , regardless @ @ @ @ @ a provision in federal administrative law to ask Redfield if he would commit to “ @ @ @ @ @ pay for diagnostic testing free to every American regardless of insurance .
”

California Rep. Katie Porter exacted a commitment from the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to pay for coronavirus testing for uninsured Americans, grilling the Trump administration official repeatedly in the middle of a congressional hearing until he agreed the government would pay for the tests.
When CDC Director Robert Redfield agreed to Porter’s demands, she quickly turned to the American public to urge them to get tested.
“Everyone in America, hear that. You are eligible to go get tested for coronavirus and have that covered, regardless of insurance.”
Porter cited a provision in federal administrative law to ask Redfield if he would commit to “using that existing authority to pay for diagnostic testing free to every American regardless of insurance.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-12--Bernie Sanders Pitched Medicare For All As The Way To Fight The Coronavirus

Bernie Sanders turned a press statement on the coronavirus on Thursday into a concerted pitch for Medicare for All .
“ In the last few days , we have seen the crisis of the coronavirus continue to grow exponentially here in the United States and around the world , and we have witnessed a global economic meltdown which will impact millions of workers in our own country , ” Sanders said during remarks in Burlington , Vermont .
“ In terms of potential deaths and in terms of the economic impact on our economy , the crisis we face from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a major war and we must act accordingly.
” Sanders spent the majority of his speech calling on Americans to unite with their neighbors and for the government to protect people from price-gouging for medical treatment .
And he pushed further for Medicare for All , the signature issue that has propelled his presidential campaigns , saying that the United States is at a “ severe disadvantage ” when it comes to treating people for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , because the country doesn ’ t provide health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are uninsured or under-insured , you hesitate about getting the medical care you need because you can not afford to get that medical care , ” Sanders said .
“ The result is that millions of our people can not afford to go to a doctor let alone pay for a coronavirus test .
While we work to pass a Medicare for All single-payer system , the United States government today must make it clear that in the midst of this emergency , everyone in our country , regardless of income or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get all of the health care they need without cost.
” Sanders ’ comments in Vermont followed a speech on the coronavirus from Joe Biden , who is leading Sanders in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination .
Biden ’ s remarks marked the beginnings of a shift in focus to a general election race against Trump , with the release of a lengthy plan to combat the virus .
Biden ’ s plan , while not Medicare for All , is still extensive , including calling for free coronavirus tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sanders made similar proposals , saying that vaccinations for coronavirus should be provided free of charge once they are developed .
“ We can not live in a nation where , if you have the money , you get the treatment you need to survive , but if you 're working-class or poor , you get to the end of the line .
That would be morally unacceptable.
” Sanders also called for a national moratorium on evictions , home foreclosures , and utility shutoffs while people who have contracted the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been fired from companies during the economic downturn .
That position has gained steam among progressive activists in the weeks since the virus has spread across the country .
The Miami-Dade County Police Department issued a notice that it would not be assisting homeowners in evictions until further notice , and the city of San Jose , California approved a 30-day moratorium on evictions for residents who can document that they ’ ve faced significant financial hardship because of the coronavirus .
In New York City , City Council Speaker Corey Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to halt evictions during the pandemic .

Bernie Sanders turned a press statement on the coronavirus on Thursday into a concerted pitch for Medicare for All.
“In the last few days, we have seen the crisis of the coronavirus continue to grow exponentially here in the United States and around the world, and we have witnessed a global economic meltdown which will impact millions of workers in our own country,” Sanders said during remarks in Burlington, Vermont. “In terms of potential deaths and in terms of the economic impact on our economy, the crisis we face from the coronavirus is on the scale of a major war and we must act accordingly.”
Sanders spent the majority of his speech calling on Americans to unite with their neighbors and for the government to protect people from price-gouging for medical treatment. And he pushed further for Medicare for All, the signature issue that has propelled his presidential campaigns, saying that the United States is at a “severe disadvantage” when it comes to treating people for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, because the country doesn’t provide health care to all citizens.
“When you are uninsured or under-insured, you hesitate about getting the medical care you need because you cannot afford to get that medical care,” Sanders said. “The result is that millions of our people cannot afford to go to a doctor let alone pay for a coronavirus test. While we work to pass a Medicare for All single-payer system, the United States government today must make it clear that in the midst of this emergency, everyone in our country, regardless of income or where they live, must be able to get all of the health care they need without cost.”
Sanders’ comments in Vermont followed a speech on the coronavirus from Joe Biden, who is leading Sanders in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Biden’s remarks marked the beginnings of a shift in focus to a general election race against Trump, with the release of a lengthy plan to combat the virus. Biden’s plan, while not Medicare for All, is still extensive, including calling for free coronavirus tests and no out-of-pocket expenses for related care.
Sanders made similar proposals, saying that vaccinations for coronavirus should be provided free of charge once they are developed. “We cannot live in a nation where, if you have the money, you get the treatment you need to survive, but if you're working-class or poor, you get to the end of the line. That would be morally unacceptable.”
Sanders also called for a national moratorium on evictions, home foreclosures, and utility shutoffs while people who have contracted the coronavirus take time away from work or who have been fired from companies during the economic downturn. That position has gained steam among progressive activists in the weeks since the virus has spread across the country.
The Miami-Dade County Police Department issued a notice that it would not be assisting homeowners in evictions until further notice, and the city of San Jose, California approved a 30-day moratorium on evictions for residents who can document that they’ve faced significant financial hardship because of the coronavirus. In New York City, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson tweeted that he agreed with a call to halt evictions during the pandemic.


buzzfeed--2020-03-14--The Trump Administration Will Move Ahead With Its Plan To Kick People Off Of Food Stamps Despite The

The Trump Administration Will Move Ahead With Its Plan To Kick People Off Of Food Stamps Despite The Coronavirus Outbreak

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is moving ahead with its plan to enact strict work requirements on people who use food stamps despite the coronavirus pandemic — a move that could result in hundreds of thousands of people losing their eligibility for the program .
People could soon be forced to work public-facing jobs when they should stay home or else risk losing access to the assistance they get to buy food .
The Department of Agriculture confirmed this week it is sticking to its timeline to tighten work requirements starting April 1 .
People without a disability or children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ qualify for SNAP , the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps .
The White House projects 700,000 people would lose SNAP eligibility .
Lauren Bauer , a fellow with the Brookings Institution , filed access to information requests for figures from all 50 states and projected the number of people losing assistance would be much higher , at 1.3 million to 1.5 million .
But those projections all came out before the novel coronavirus swept across the United States , causing a wave of self-quarantines and threatening economic downturn .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ much , much higher , ” she said .
“ It ’ s going to cause harm both to the people who are eligible for SNAP , but it ’ s also going to cause harm for the economy.
” One fear in particular is that those who work in the service industry or gig economy will see their hours cut as would-be customers stay inside rather than go out to restaurants , bars , and sporting events .
If those workers fall below 80 hours per month , they can be kicked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a public health issue : Hourly workers may go to their jobs while they feel ill , a dangerous proposition when officials are recommending most people stay home to help stop the spread of the disease .
The Trump administration had considered delaying the April 1 start day for the rule change but ultimately decided to stay on schedule , Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue confirmed on Tuesday to a House Appropriations Subcommittee .
Since the mid- ’ 90s , adults between the ages of 18 and 49 without a disability or children have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , or they are capped at three months of SNAP eligibility over three years .
But states are currently waiving that requirement in high-unemployment areas .
The Trump administration rule change would make it harder for states to get those waivers .
Perdue said the administration , however , determined states can mitigate the effects of the coronavirus on SNAP enrollment through “ good cause ” waivers .
These exemptions apply when someone has a good cause for missing work , such as falling ill or an office building being shut down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorized at the state level and do not need to be approved federally .
“ Whether you are sick or your job says you can ’ t come to work , the good cause will eliminate need for work requirements under this rule , ” Perdue said in a statement released to BuzzFeed News .
Experts have raised concerns that good cause waivers need to be processed on a case-by-case basis .
This can cause case managers to become overloaded , and people may not even know they are able to make such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an odd time to be forcing people to go out and work 80 hours of predominantly public-facing jobs , said Ed Bolen , senior policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities .
Because “ good cause ” is a relatively obscure provision , he said , it is not clear whether someone with a sick spouse would have cause to stay home from their food service job , even if that ’ s medically wise .
“ It just seems shortsighted and counterproductive to condition SNAP benefits on making those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency , ” he said .
Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee repeatedly pressed Perdue to delay the rule change until the coronavirus was no longer a threat , as well as taking other steps to expand the social safety net .
“ Really it ’ s a cruel rule , taking food out of the mouths of hungry individuals , ” she said .
“ Why can ’ t we just postpone or delay this at least until at least this critical moment is over ?
” But Perdue said any response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be approved by both the White House and Congress as part of a “ one government approach ” to the problem .
House Democrats included a blanket work requirement waiver during the length of the coronavirus outbreak in their signature legislation they introduced to address the crisis .
However , that policy package was rebuffed in the Senate , where Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell denounced the bill for creating a “ thicket of bureaucracy ” that will kill thousands of jobs .
What measures ultimately get passed will depend on negotiations @ @ @ @ @ @ @

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is moving ahead with its plan to enact strict work requirements on people who use food stamps despite the coronavirus pandemic — a move that could result in hundreds of thousands of people losing their eligibility for the program.
People could soon be forced to work public-facing jobs when they should stay home or else risk losing access to the assistance they get to buy food.
The Department of Agriculture confirmed this week it is sticking to its timeline to tighten work requirements starting April 1. People without a disability or children must work 20 hours per week to qualify for SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program formerly known as food stamps.
The White House projects 700,000 people would lose SNAP eligibility. Lauren Bauer, a fellow with the Brookings Institution, filed access to information requests for figures from all 50 states and projected the number of people losing assistance would be much higher, at 1.3 million to 1.5 million.
But those projections all came out before the novel coronavirus swept across the United States, causing a wave of self-quarantines and threatening economic downturn.
“That number is going to be much, much higher,” she said. “It’s going to cause harm both to the people who are eligible for SNAP, but it’s also going to cause harm for the economy.”
One fear in particular is that those who work in the service industry or gig economy will see their hours cut as would-be customers stay inside rather than go out to restaurants, bars, and sporting events. If those workers fall below 80 hours per month, they can be kicked off SNAP. There’s also a public health issue: Hourly workers may go to their jobs while they feel ill, a dangerous proposition when officials are recommending most people stay home to help stop the spread of the disease.
The Trump administration had considered delaying the April 1 start day for the rule change but ultimately decided to stay on schedule, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue confirmed on Tuesday to a House Appropriations Subcommittee.
Since the mid-’90s, adults between the ages of 18 and 49 without a disability or children have been required to work 80 hours per month, or they are capped at three months of SNAP eligibility over three years. But states are currently waiving that requirement in high-unemployment areas. The Trump administration rule change would make it harder for states to get those waivers.
Perdue said the administration, however, determined states can mitigate the effects of the coronavirus on SNAP enrollment through “good cause” waivers. These exemptions apply when someone has a good cause for missing work, such as falling ill or an office building being shut down due to infection. They can be authorized at the state level and do not need to be approved federally.
“Whether you are sick or your job says you can’t come to work, the good cause will eliminate need for work requirements under this rule,” Perdue said in a statement released to BuzzFeed News.
Experts have raised concerns that good cause waivers need to be processed on a case-by-case basis. This can cause case managers to become overloaded, and people may not even know they are able to make such claims.
It also just seems like an odd time to be forcing people to go out and work 80 hours of predominantly public-facing jobs, said Ed Bolen, senior policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Because “good cause” is a relatively obscure provision, he said, it is not clear whether someone with a sick spouse would have cause to stay home from their food service job, even if that’s medically wise.
“It just seems shortsighted and counterproductive to condition SNAP benefits on making those kinds of decisions during a public health emergency,” he said.
Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee repeatedly pressed Perdue to delay the rule change until the coronavirus was no longer a threat, as well as taking other steps to expand the social safety net. “Really it’s a cruel rule, taking food out of the mouths of hungry individuals,” she said. “Why can’t we just postpone or delay this at least until at least this critical moment is over?”
But Perdue said any response to the coronavirus involving food programs would need to be approved by both the White House and Congress as part of a “one government approach” to the problem.
House Democrats included a blanket work requirement waiver during the length of the coronavirus outbreak in their signature legislation they introduced to address the crisis. However, that policy package was rebuffed in the Senate, where Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell denounced the bill for creating a “thicket of bureaucracy” that will kill thousands of jobs. What measures ultimately get passed will depend on negotiations between Congress and the White House.


buzzfeed--2020-03-12--Members Of Congress Are Furious At The Lack Of Information On Coronavirus Testing

`` Can I tell my constituents that if a doctor recommends , that they can get [ a coronavirus test ] ?
We still do n't know that , and that 's the important question . ''
WASHINGTON — A day after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic , health experts came to the Capitol on Thursday to brief members of Congress on the disease and testing .
But members emerged from the meeting saying they were unhappy with the lack of information health experts provided .
“ What we still do n't have is a real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and this is what 's most important to us .
You can talk to us about reagents and processing capacity , but we still do n't have is : Can I tell my constituents that if a doctor recommends , that they can get [ a test ] ?
” Rep. Jim Himes told BuzzFeed News after the meeting .
“ We still do n't know that , and that 's the important question.
” A shortage of testing kits has become the latest problem in trying to implement nationwide coronavirus detection , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Dr. Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , weren ’ t able to give “ clear ” responses on how they would address the issue or how long it would take , members said .
Fauci told members in a separate House committee hearing Thursday that the US is “ failing ” at providing testing for the coronavirus .
`` It is failing .
Let ’ s admit it .
… The system ... is not really geared to what we need right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oversight Committee .
There ’ s a lot we still don ’ t know about the coronavirus outbreak .
Our newsletter Outbreak Today will do its best to put everything we do know in one place — you can sign up here .
Do you have questions you want answered ?
You can always get in touch .
And if you 're someone who is seeing the impact of this firsthand , we ’ d also love to hear from you ( you can reach out to us via one of our tip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is they didn ’ t come with much information today , ” Rep. Abigail Spanberger told BuzzFeed News after the meeting , which also included officials from the FDA and the Defense Department .
Earlier this week , the CDC updated guidance for doctors to better identify patients who should be tested .
The revisions would widen the group of symptomatic patients , which unfortunately means nothing without the appropriate testing materials .
There have been 1,323 cases of coronavirus in the US , according to the latest data compiled by Johns Hopkins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members that there are “ hundreds of thousands ” of testing kits , but the problem seems to be processing capabilities , which stems from coordination issues between public and private agencies .
“ I think most people are going to come out of this very discouraged about where we are , honestly , ” Rep. Jason Crow told BuzzFeed News upon exiting the briefing .
“ We 're not remotely where we need to be .
I think one of the biggest problems is that the briefers were not able to tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” “ The fact that the top people leading this response can ’ t tell me where we are sitting here today means we also don ’ t know what our plan is to get to where we need to be , ” Crow added .
Even Republicans expressed their concerns about the delays in testing .
“ I am satisfied that they ’ re working towards trying to get new tests out , ” Rep. Will Hurd told reporters .
“ I wish it would be at a— We all wish it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is.
” The Republican said health experts conducting the briefing did discuss the number of tests available to the public , but he told BuzzFeed News that while he didn ’ t “ want to misspeak on the data , ” the availability is increasing and they are working on a plan .
On Wednesday night , President Donald Trump addressed the nation over the crisis and instituted a travel ban from Europe , effective Friday .
Himes said the president ’ s decision to exempt the UK from the ban was “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accessible from the rest of Europe .
`` Heathrow [ Airport ] is the single biggest travel hub in Europe , right ?
So just as a layperson , I do n't understand that , '' the representative said .

WASHINGTON — A day after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic, health experts came to the Capitol on Thursday to brief members of Congress on the disease and testing.
But members emerged from the meeting saying they were unhappy with the lack of information health experts provided.
“What we still don't have is a real sense [of the situation], and this is what's most important to us. You can talk to us about reagents and processing capacity, but we still don't have is: Can I tell my constituents that if a doctor recommends, that they can get [a test]?” Rep. Jim Himes told BuzzFeed News after the meeting. “We still don't know that, and that's the important question.”
A shortage of testing kits has become the latest problem in trying to implement nationwide coronavirus detection, according to reports. But health officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, weren’t able to give “clear” responses on how they would address the issue or how long it would take, members said.
Fauci told members in a separate House committee hearing Thursday that the US is “failing” at providing testing for the coronavirus. "It is failing. Let’s admit it. … The system ... is not really geared to what we need right now,” he told the House Oversight Committee.


buzzfeed--2020-03-18--Joe Biden’s Coronavirus Speech And Campaign Shakeup Show Him Shifting Into General Election Mode

Joe Biden is looking past the remaining primaries with a shakeup of his campaign leadership and an approach to the coronavirus outbreak framed as a rebuttal to President Donald Trump .
During remarks Thursday afternoon in Wilmington , Delaware , Biden pointedly called back to Trump ’ s address the night before , when from the Oval Office he announced a ban on a significant amount of travel from Europe and described the disease as a “ foreign ” virus with origins in China .
“ Downplaying it , being overly dismissive , or spreading misinformation is only going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the disease , ” Biden said .
“ But neither should we panic or fall back on xenophobia .
Labeling COVID-19 a foreign virus does not displace accountability for the misjudgments that have been taken thus far by the Trump administration.
” “ Let me be crystal clear , ” the former vice president added .
“ The coronavirus does not have a political affiliation , but will infect Republicans , independents , and Democrats alike .
And it will not discriminate based on national origin , race , gender , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in positions of power , as well as the most vulnerable in our society .
And it will not stop banning all travel from Europe or any other part of the world .
It may slow it , but as we ’ ve seen , it will not stop it.
” Biden , who on Wednesday formed a public health advisory committee for his campaign , also criticized the Trump administration for cuts to global health investments that he said left the US vulnerable to a pandemic like the coronavirus .
And he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus that is heavy on broad themes and ideas , like `` restoring trust , credibility , and common purpose . ''
But it also includes big and potentially expensive proposals , like preventing Americans from paying out of pocket for preventive care or treatment for the virus , and providing emergency paid leave for people impacted by the virus ’ s spread .
The Democratic frontrunner also called for COVID-19 testing to be made both free and widely available , for mobile testing sites and drive-through medical facilities in each state , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patient influxes with temporary hospitals and military resources .
“ Biden believes , ” the plan states , “ we must spend whatever it takes , without delay , to meet public health needs and deal with the mounting economic consequences.
” Trump reelection campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh defended the president in a statement emailed after Biden ’ s speech .
“ His every move has been aimed at keeping Americans safe , ” Murtaugh said of Trump , “ while Joe Biden has sought to capitalize politically and stoke citizens ’ fears.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pivotal moment in the campaign .
Both Biden and Bernie Sanders have canceled events , citing the public health risks .
The next debate , initially set for Sunday in Phoenix , is now closed to spectators and the media and happening in Washington , DC .
Just as Biden tightens his grasp on the Democratic nomination and Sanders struggles to reconcile what ’ s next for his now–long shot candidacy , both are limited to televised moments .
( Sanders is expected to address the “ health and economic crisis ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conference in Burlington , Vermont . )
Biden also has canceled upcoming visits to Chicago and Miami ahead of next week ’ s primaries in Illinois and Florida , and instead plans events such as a “ virtual town hall ” Friday for Illinois voters .
He spoke Thursday about “ radical changes ” necessary in daily behavior , with more hand-washing and less hand-shaking and more people working remotely .
The NBA and NHL have suspended the remainder of their seasons indefinitely .
The NCAA ’ s March Madness tournament is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to assess and adjust how we conduct our campaign as we move forward and find new ways to share our message with the public while putting the health and safety of the American people first , ” Biden said .
Just before he began his remarks Thursday , Biden announced a shakeup that puts longtime Democratic strategist Jen O ’ Malley Dillon in as the new campaign manager and moves Greg Schultz , who had held the position since Biden ’ s campaign launch last year , into an organizational role that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I am grateful to Greg for his leadership and hard work to help get our campaign where it is today , and I will value his continued input on this campaign , ” Biden said in a statement distributed by the campaign .
“ I am also thrilled that Jen is bringing her considerable talent and insight to this team .
She will be a tremendous asset to a campaign that is only growing and getting stronger as we prepare to take the fight to Donald Trump this fall.
” Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a reassuring attribute during times of crisis , tragedy , and uncertainty .
As impeachment proceedings began against Trump last year , he used a speech in Wilmington to paint the president as a threat to the Constitution .
And the overall theme of Biden ’ s campaign is that Trump — through his character and his handling of racist riots in Charlottesville , Virginia — has forced a battle for the soul of the nation .
“ No president can promise to prevent future outbreaks , ” Biden said Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : When I am president , we will be better prepared , respond better , and recover better .
”

Joe Biden is looking past the remaining primaries with a shakeup of his campaign leadership and an approach to the coronavirus outbreak framed as a rebuttal to President Donald Trump.
During remarks Thursday afternoon in Wilmington, Delaware, Biden pointedly called back to Trump’s address the night before, when from the Oval Office he announced a ban on a significant amount of travel from Europe and described the disease as a “foreign” virus with origins in China.
“Downplaying it, being overly dismissive, or spreading misinformation is only going to hurt us and further advantage the spread of the disease,” Biden said. “But neither should we panic or fall back on xenophobia. Labeling COVID-19 a foreign virus does not displace accountability for the misjudgments that have been taken thus far by the Trump administration.”
“Let me be crystal clear,” the former vice president added. “The coronavirus does not have a political affiliation, but will infect Republicans, independents, and Democrats alike. And it will not discriminate based on national origin, race, gender, or zip code. It will touch people in positions of power, as well as the most vulnerable in our society. And it will not stop banning all travel from Europe or any other part of the world. It may slow it, but as we’ve seen, it will not stop it.”
Biden, who on Wednesday formed a public health advisory committee for his campaign, also criticized the Trump administration for cuts to global health investments that he said left the US vulnerable to a pandemic like the coronavirus. And he released a lengthy plan to combat the coronavirus that is heavy on broad themes and ideas, like "restoring trust, credibility, and common purpose." But it also includes big and potentially expensive proposals, like preventing Americans from paying out of pocket for preventive care or treatment for the virus, and providing emergency paid leave for people impacted by the virus’s spread.
The Democratic frontrunner also called for COVID-19 testing to be made both free and widely available, for mobile testing sites and drive-through medical facilities in each state, and for preparing hospitals for possibly gigantic patient influxes with temporary hospitals and military resources.
“Biden believes,” the plan states, “we must spend whatever it takes, without delay, to meet public health needs and deal with the mounting economic consequences.”
Trump reelection campaign spokesperson Tim Murtaugh defended the president in a statement emailed after Biden’s speech. “His every move has been aimed at keeping Americans safe,” Murtaugh said of Trump, “while Joe Biden has sought to capitalize politically and stoke citizens’ fears.”
Thursday’s speech came at a pivotal moment in the campaign. Both Biden and Bernie Sanders have canceled events, citing the public health risks. The next debate, initially set for Sunday in Phoenix, is now closed to spectators and the media and happening in Washington, DC. Just as Biden tightens his grasp on the Democratic nomination and Sanders struggles to reconcile what’s next for his now–long shot candidacy, both are limited to televised moments. (Sanders is expected to address the “health and economic crisis” at a 3 p.m. ET news conference in Burlington, Vermont.)
Biden also has canceled upcoming visits to Chicago and Miami ahead of next week’s primaries in Illinois and Florida, and instead plans events such as a “virtual town hall” Friday for Illinois voters. He spoke Thursday about “radical changes” necessary in daily behavior, with more hand-washing and less hand-shaking and more people working remotely. The NBA and NHL have suspended the remainder of their seasons indefinitely. The NCAA’s March Madness tournament is in jeopardy.
“We’ll continue to assess and adjust how we conduct our campaign as we move forward and find new ways to share our message with the public while putting the health and safety of the American people first,” Biden said.
Just before he began his remarks Thursday, Biden announced a shakeup that puts longtime Democratic strategist Jen O’Malley Dillon in as the new campaign manager and moves Greg Schultz, who had held the position since Biden’s campaign launch last year, into an organizational role that is expected to focus on general election planning.
“I am grateful to Greg for his leadership and hard work to help get our campaign where it is today, and I will value his continued input on this campaign,” Biden said in a statement distributed by the campaign. “I am also thrilled that Jen is bringing her considerable talent and insight to this team. She will be a tremendous asset to a campaign that is only growing and getting stronger as we prepare to take the fight to Donald Trump this fall.”
Biden often offers his experience in federal government as a reassuring attribute during times of crisis, tragedy, and uncertainty. As impeachment proceedings began against Trump last year, he used a speech in Wilmington to paint the president as a threat to the Constitution. And the overall theme of Biden’s campaign is that Trump — through his character and his handling of racist riots in Charlottesville, Virginia — has forced a battle for the soul of the nation.
“No president can promise to prevent future outbreaks,” Biden said Thursday. “But I can promise you this: When I am president, we will be better prepared, respond better, and recover better.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-16--A Brazilian Official Who Met Trump At Mar-A-Lago Has Tested Positive For The Coronavirus

Fabio Wajngarten was pictured alongside Donald Trump and Mike Pence last Saturday .
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is being monitored for the coronavirus .
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro 's press secretary has tested positive for the coronavirus , days after meeting President Donald Trump .
Fabio Wajngarten was part of a Brazilian delegation that recently visited the US , and last weekend posted a photo on Instagram of him standing next to Trump at the president 's Mar-a-Lago compound in Florida .
A Brazilian government source told BuzzFeed News that they suspect Wajngarten contracted the virus while in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday of the Brazilian president having dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago .
According to Brazil 's Folha de S.Paulo newspaper , which first reported the news about Wajngarten , Wajngarten 's wife revealed her husband 's positive test on the WhatsApp group for parents at the school their children attend .
“ The White House is aware of public reports that a member of the Brazilian delegation ‘ s visit to Mar-a-Lago last weekend tested positive for COVID-19 ; confirmatory testing is pending .
Exposures from the case are being assessed , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President and Vice President had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time , '' White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement .
“ As stated before , the White House Medical Unit and the United States Secret Service has been working closely with various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First & Second Families , and all White House staff healthy .
“ To reiterate CDC guidelines , there is currently no indication to test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine .
We are monitoring the situation closely and will update everyone as we get more information.
” Trump earlier responded to a journalist 's question in the Oval Office about Wajngarten testing positive for the novel coronavirus , saying , `` I did hear something about that .
We had dinner together in Florida , at Mar-a-Lago , with the entire delegation .
I don ’ t know if the press aide was there , if he was there he was there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We sat together for a period of time , had a great conversation .
[ Bolsonaro 's ] doing a terrific job in Brazil , and we ’ ll find out what happens — I guess they ’ re being tested right now . ''
Trump added , `` Let ’ s put it this way : I ’ m not concerned . ''
Also on Thursday , Florida Sen. Rick Scott said he was self-quarantining after potential contact with Wajngarten at a separate event in Miami on Tuesday .
Just days ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
“ During the past year , obviously , we have had moments of crisis .
A lot of that is fantasy .
And coronavirus , which is not all the mainstream media makes it out to be , ” he said at the business event in Miami .

“The White House is aware of public reports that a member of the Brazilian delegation‘s visit to Mar-a-Lago last weekend tested positive for COVID-19; confirmatory testing is pending. Exposures from the case are being assessed, which will dictate next steps. Both the President and Vice President had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time," White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement.
“As stated before, the White House Medical Unit and the United States Secret Service has been working closely with various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First & Second Families, and all White House staff healthy.
“To reiterate CDC guidelines, there is currently no indication to test patients without symptoms, and only people with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine. We are monitoring the situation closely and will update everyone as we get more information.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-25--Secret Users Of Clearview AI’s Facial Recognition Dragnet Included A Former Trump Staffer, A Troll,

Secret Users Of Clearview AI’s Facial Recognition Dragnet Included A Former Trump Staffer, A Troll, And Conservative Think Tanks

CEO Hoan Ton-That said his facial recognition app is strictly for law enforcement .
But he ’ s shared it with political connections , potential investors , and entities designated as “ Friend.
” On a flight to Boston in January , James , a young academic , caught the attention of an aisle mate .
“ Do you go to school in the area ?
” the red-bearded man asked James , whose name has been changed to shield his identity , amid other small talk about technology and science .
Later , as the plane taxied to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the man suggested the two connect on social media .
But before James could agree or even give his full name , his fellow passenger pulled out his phone and asked to show him something .
He opened an app , snapped a photo of James , and then showed him the phone .
The app , which flashed a banner reminding its users not to talk to journalists , populated with a handful of pictures from James ’ brother ’ s Instagram account .
And James ’ face was in every single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself in so many photos on a stranger ’ s phone .
Some of his social media accounts had been set to private , and he had been careful not to post too many photos of himself to the web .
But the mysterious app had found him on his brother ’ s Instagram account within seconds .
Later that evening , James received a friend request .
It was from the bearded man on the plane — Charles C. Johnson , a controversial right-wing activist and accused Holocaust denier with ties to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to multiple requests for comment .
( Following the publication of this story , Johnson denied accusations of Holocaust denial . )
After reading coverage about a new facial recognition tool , James deduced that Johnson had identified him using Clearview AI , a secretive company that ’ s claimed to have scraped more than 3 billion photos from social media and the web .
Last month , a BuzzFeed News investigation found that people at more than 2,200 organizations have tried Clearview ’ s facial recognition technology , including federal entities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FBI , and private companies like Macy ’ s , the NBA , and Bank of America .
Prior to BuzzFeed News ’ report , Clearview insisted its tool was strictly for law enforcement .
“ Clearview AI ’ s search engine is available only for law enforcement agencies and select security professionals to use as an investigative tool , and its results contain only public information , ” the company wrote in a Jan. 27 blog post .
“ Accordingly , the Clearview app has built-in safeguards to ensure these trained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purpose : to help identify the perpetrators and victims of crimes.
” Clearview , however , has shared its technology with organizations it designated as friends , conservative think tanks , Republican lawmakers , and more than 20 potential investors around the world , according to company documents seen by BuzzFeed News .
Some of those entities have connections to the far right and the Trump administration , as do Clearview CEO Hoan Ton-That , a MAGA-supporting mobile app developer , and cofounder Richard Schwartz , who was once an adviser to former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ton-That declined to answer a series of detailed questions , saying : “ Once again , BuzzFeed ’ s information is flawed , some of it provided via illegal means .
Therefore , we can not comment.
” Got a tip ?
Email one of the reporters of this story at Caroline.Haskins @ buzzfeed.com or Ryan.Mac @ buzzfeed.com , or contact us here .
The widespread , unregulated use of Clearview ’ s technology has concerned both Democratic and Republican lawmakers .
Last week , the House Committee on Science , Space , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each party ’ s ranking member to Ton-That asking how his company determined who gets access to its products .
That was followed by a separate note to Clearview from Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts , who sought to understand why the startup had provided its software to organizations outside of law enforcement and to entities in countries with histories of human rights violations , including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates .
Clearview — which is facing multiple lawsuits from concerned citizens and potential legal action from tech giants including Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has maintained in media interviews that “ it ’ s strictly for law enforcement.
” But company data viewed by BuzzFeed News appeared to contradict that statement .
A BuzzFeed News review of the publicly available code for Clearview ’ s web app found that the company had created a list of “ company type ” designations — including “ Government , ” “ Bank , ” and “ Investor ” — for entities that had access to its tool .
Among those 12 labels was one for “ Friend.
” A security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ label in an independent review of the code .
On a list of more than 2,200 entities seen by BuzzFeed News , Clearview apparently designated the “ company type ” of a handful of organizations as “ Friend.
” Among them was SHW Partners LLC , a company founded by Jason Miller , a former Trump campaign senior communications official and one-time nominee for White House communications director .
Miller , who cohosts a podcast with Trump ’ s former chief strategist Steve Bannon , declined to comment on Clearview or why his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company ’ s facial recognition software .
Clearview ’ s records show that an account tied to SHW had run nearly 20 searches , some as recently as October .
BuzzFeed News previously revealed that Clearview ’ s data listed the offices of four Republican members of Congress — including Rep. John Ratcliffe , a current nominee for the director of national intelligence — as having been given accounts , along with someone associated with the “ White House Tech Office.
” That White House–affiliated account was credentialed in September 2019 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current or former staff member attempted to access more information about this product , it was not an official inquiry and was not sanctioned by the White House , ” a senior White House official told BuzzFeed News last month .
Beyond SHW , other entities on Clearview ’ s list with the “ Friend ” designation included the Samarian Group , a New York–based private equity firm ; Droese Raney , a Dallas commercial architecture company ; and Tor Ekeland , Clearview ’ s outside law firm , whose name was misspelled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
All three organizations did not respond to requests for comment .
Clearview also provided access to two conservative think tanks : the Manhattan Institute and the American Enterprise Institute .
The Manhattan Institute , where cofounders Ton-That and Schwartz reportedly first met , received an account in the fall .
A spokesperson for the think tank said Schwartz is a “ longtime friend of the Institute ” and noted that a former fellow at the organization had served as one of three judges for a supposedly independent report in which Clearview claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Although the spokesperson denied that the Manhattan Institute used Clearview , a document reviewed by BuzzFeed News shows that one person associated with the organization ran more than a dozen searches .
An individual associated with the American Enterprise Institute is also listed with an account , which , according to Clearview documents seen by BuzzFeed News , was designed to display a banner reading “ Richard Says Hi ” — an apparent reference to Schwartz .
AEI did not return multiple requests for comment .
While the data seen by BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there were other unknown individual users who ran searches with Clearview ’ s app .
On its list , the startup maintained an entry for “ Clearview Test Users , ” which included more than 220 accounts that had run more than 30,000 searches over a 19-month period .
When asked if Johnson was one of its test users , Clearview , whose founders have a history of connections to individuals on the far right , declined to answer .
Johnson has known Ton-That since at least 2016 , when the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson did not respond to multiple requests for comment via email and phone .
Based on a list of credentialed users reviewed by BuzzFeed News , Clearview met with individuals from many of Silicon Valley ’ s most notable firms , among them Kleiner Perkins and Greylock Partners .
A Greylock Partners spokesperson said a firm staffer met Ton-That at “ a defense industry dinner ” in late 2018 and was given a demo account that was sparsely used .
Greylock is not an investor in the company , they said .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an email request for comment .
Other firms did not invest but are listed in Clearview documents as having run hundreds of searches .
Among them was venture capital firm Data Collective Venture Capital , which ran more than 270 scans , some as recently as last month .
A spokesperson for the firm confirmed it had used Clearview , but noted that “ the product never made it past our preliminary due diligence phase.
” “ DCVC invests in Deep Tech companies including those in the AI privacy and security space , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market due diligence , we evaluated the application with test searches of friends and family , conducted with their full consent.
” Passport Capital , a San Francisco–based firm which did not respond to a request for comment , ran more than 350 searches , according to documents seen by BuzzFeed News .
Another account linked to Sequoia Capital was listed as having run more than 210 scans over a 10-month period .
The New York Times previously reported that Sequoia managing partner Doug Leone had used Clearview .
`` We do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” a Sequoia spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
“ We regularly test apps while we are evaluating an investment , and we no longer have access to this app . ''
Founders Fund , the venture firm founded by Peter Thiel , a billionaire and Facebook board member , also appears on Clearview ’ s list .
There were two accounts associated with the San Francisco–based venture firm that have run about 70 searches , some as recently as October , according to Clearview ’ s records .
A company spokesperson did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesperson for Thiel , who personally invested $ 200,000 in Smartcheckr , Ton-That ’ s predecessor company — an investment that was later converted into a stake in Clearview — did not provide comment .
Thiel ’ s personal investment firm , Thiel Capital , had a Clearview login , though it appears it was never used , based on documents seen by BuzzFeed News .
Clearview didn ’ t just stick to traditional venture firms .
According to documents seen by BuzzFeed News , it provided two accounts to individuals with ties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that manages the money of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other tech billionaires .
Those accounts ran more than 70 searches , some as recently as February .
Iconiq did not respond to requests for comment .
Oculus Rift cofounder Palmer Luckey , who now leads defense contractor Anduril Industries , is also listed in Clearview 's data as having an account .
A spokesperson told BuzzFeed News that Anduril “ has never had any relationship of any kind ” with the company .
Clearview data shows that account as having run more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as part of its fundraising efforts , contacted Palmer Luckey in his individual capacity via his personal email to ask him if he would consider investing in their company , ” the spokesperson said .
“ He was sent a test account without requesting one.
” Beyond Silicon Valley , Clearview also credentialed people associated with Japanese conglomerate SoftBank , and RIT Capital Partners , a the UK-based investor in the startup .
Mubadala Investment Company , a sovereign wealth fund owned by the government of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as having six accounts that ran more than 100 searches , some as recently as January .
An RIT spokesperson confirmed it had made “ a very small minority investment ” in Clearview .
SoftBank declined to answer questions , and Mubadala did not respond to multiple requests for comment .
Clearview data reviewed by BuzzFeed News listed more than 20 venture and private equity firms the company had credentialed , but there were others as well .
An entry titled “ Clearview Investors ” showed five associated accounts , though it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Among the known Clearview investors who did not appear in that data was Kirenaga Partners , an investment firm based in Bronxville , New York , led by David Scalzo .
A vocal proponent of the startup , Scalzo has appeared on CNBC and various podcasts to defend the company and its technology .
One of those appearances was in a January interview with Dilbert creator Scott Adams , who asked the investor if he thought “ it ’ s inevitable the public will have [ Clearview AI ] .
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be out there , ” Scalzo replied .
●

After reading coverage about a new facial recognition tool, James deduced that Johnson had identified him using Clearview AI, a secretive company that’s claimed to have scraped more than 3 billion photos from social media and the web. Last month, a BuzzFeed News investigation found that people at more than 2,200 organizations have tried Clearview’s facial recognition technology, including federal entities such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, and private companies like Macy’s, the NBA, and Bank of America.
Prior to BuzzFeed News’ report, Clearview insisted its tool was strictly for law enforcement. “Clearview AI’s search engine is available only for law enforcement agencies and select security professionals to use as an investigative tool, and its results contain only public information,” the company wrote in a Jan. 27 blog post. “Accordingly, the Clearview app has built-in safeguards to ensure these trained professionals only use it for its intended purpose: to help identify the perpetrators and victims of crimes.”
Clearview, however, has shared its technology with organizations it designated as friends, conservative think tanks, Republican lawmakers, and more than 20 potential investors around the world, according to company documents seen by BuzzFeed News. Some of those entities have connections to the far right and the Trump administration, as do Clearview CEO Hoan Ton-That, a MAGA-supporting mobile app developer, and cofounder Richard Schwartz, who was once an adviser to former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Ton-That declined to answer a series of detailed questions, saying: “Once again, BuzzFeed’s information is flawed, some of it provided via illegal means. Therefore, we cannot comment.”
Got a tip? Email one of the reporters of this story at Caroline.Haskins@buzzfeed.com or Ryan.Mac@buzzfeed.com, or contact us here.
The widespread, unregulated use of Clearview’s technology has concerned both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Last week, the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology sent a letter signed by each party’s ranking member to Ton-That asking how his company determined who gets access to its products. That was followed by a separate note to Clearview from Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, who sought to understand why the startup had provided its software to organizations outside of law enforcement and to entities in countries with histories of human rights violations, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Clearview — which is facing multiple lawsuits from concerned citizens and potential legal action from tech giants including Facebook and Google for scraping their images — has maintained in media interviews that “it’s strictly for law enforcement.” But company data viewed by BuzzFeed News appeared to contradict that statement.
A BuzzFeed News review of the publicly available code for Clearview’s web app found that the company had created a list of “company type” designations — including “Government,” “Bank,” and “Investor” — for entities that had access to its tool. Among those 12 labels was one for “Friend.” A security researcher on Twitter also discovered the same label in an independent review of the code.
On a list of more than 2,200 entities seen by BuzzFeed News, Clearview apparently designated the “company type” of a handful of organizations as “Friend.” Among them was SHW Partners LLC, a company founded by Jason Miller, a former Trump campaign senior communications official and one-time nominee for White House communications director.