buzzfeed--2020-03-13--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--2020-03-13--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--2020-03-13--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 .
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 ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 , and Technology sent a letter signed by each party ’ s ranking member to Ton-That asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 firm was listed as having access to the company ’ s facial recognition software .
Clearview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 performed six searches .
“ If a current or former staff member attempted to access more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 “ Tor Ecklund ” on the list .
All three organizations did not respond to requests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 its technology was “ 100 % accurate.
” Although the spokesperson denied that the Manhattan Institute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 News listed thousands of organizations with accounts , there were other unknown individual users who ran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 were photographed at a dinner together .
Johnson did not respond to multiple requests for comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 Kleiner Perkins spokesperson did not respond to an email request for comment .
Other firms did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 , ” they said .
“ Through preliminary market due diligence , we evaluated the application with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 comment on companies we pass on , ” a Sequoia spokesperson told BuzzFeed News .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 reply to requests for comment .
A spokesperson for Thiel , who personally invested $ 200,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 to Iconiq Capital , an investment firm that manages the money of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 than 20 searches .
`` Clearview AI , as part of its fundraising efforts , contacted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 Emirates , is listed in the data as having six accounts that ran more than 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
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 ’ s unclear whom those accounts belonged to .
Among the known Clearview investors who did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 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 ] .
” “ It is inevitable that this digital information 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.


buzzfeed--2020-03-13--Trump Says He Won't Self-Isolate After Coming Into Contact With Someone With The Coronavirus, But He

Trump Says He Won't Self-Isolate After Coming Into Contact With Someone With The Coronavirus, But He'll "Most Likely" Get Tested

Trump said he will likely get tested for the coronavirus but not because he came into contact with someone who later tested positive for COVID-19 .
WASHINGTON — After shaking hands with several CEOs of major American companies , President Donald Trump said Friday he “ most likely ” will get tested for the coronavirus after coming into contact with a Brazilian official who later tested positive .
Trump dined with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at Mar-a-Lago last weekend and was photographed standing next to Bolsonaro ’ s press secretary Fabio Wajngarten .
Wajngarten tested positive for for COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on Thursday .
Trump has so far declined to get tested or self-isolate , despite Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Miami mayor Francis Suarez doing so after coming in contact with Wajngarten .
Suarez tested positive for COVID-19 Friday .
Several other Republicans have also self-isolated after coming into contact with an attendee at the Conservative Political Action Conference who later tested positive ; Trump gave a speech at the conference .
There ’ s a lot we still don ’ t know about the coronavirus outbreak .
Our newsletter , Outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 line channels ) .
During a lengthy press conference Friday , Trump interacted with several top administration officials and business leaders , then said he did not need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms of illness .
“ We have a White House doctor , I should say many White House doctors , '' said Trump .
`` I asked them that same question and they said ‘ you don ’ t have any symptoms whatsoever.
’ And we do n't want people without symptoms to go and do the test .
The test is not insignificant . ''
But pressed on his contact with the Brazilian staffer , Trump said “ I didn ’ t say I wasn ’ t going to be tested.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , “ Most likely .
Not for that reason but because I think I will do it anyway .
Fairly soon .
We ’ re working out a schedule.
” During the same press conference he announced that all Americans returning from Europe would be directed to self-quarantine for 14 days , whether or not they showed coronavirus symptoms .
Trump said he and Bolsonaro “ sat next to each other for a long period of time ” but he was not concerned because Bolsonaro was tested and Brazilian officials say it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Graham announced Thursday he was self-quarantining because he also was at Mar-a-Lago last weekend , though he said he has no recollection of direct contact with Bolsonaro or Wajngarten .
Graham 's office said he is awaiting the results of a coronavirus test .

WASHINGTON — After shaking hands with several CEOs of major US companies, President Donald Trump said Friday he will “most likely” get tested for the coronavirus after coming into contact with a Brazilian official who later tested positive.
Trump dined with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at Mar-a-Lago last weekend and was photographed standing next to Bolsonaro’s press secretary, Fabio Wajngarten. Wajngarten tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, on Thursday.
Trump has so far declined to get tested or self-isolate, despite Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez doing so after coming in contact with Wajngarten. Suarez tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. Several other Republicans have also self-isolated after coming into contact with an attendee at the Conservative Political Action Conference who later tested positive; Trump gave a speech at the conference.


buzzfeed--2020-03-13--Chinese Diplomats Are Pushing Conspiracy Theories That The Coronavirus Didn't Originate In China

On Thursday , a prominent Chinese diplomat tweeted a false conspiracy theory that the novel coronavirus did not originate in Wuhan , China , but in the United States .
“ This article is very much important to each and every one of us .
Please read and retweet it .
COVID-19 : Further Evidence that the Virus Originated in the US , ” Lijian Zhao , the deputy director-general of the Information Department of China 's Foreign Ministry , tweeted .
In a follow-up tweet , the diplomat wrote , “ Just take a few minutes to read one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it changed many things I used to believe in .
Please retweet to let more people know about it.
” The tweet linked to a story on conspiracy theory site Global Research that falsely claimed the novel coronavirus originated in the US .
Experts at the World Health Organization have concluded the disease first appeared in the Chinese province of Hubei .
As of Friday , the disease has infected 137,860 people and killed 5,074 around the world .
The false claim was far from the only piece of propaganda that Zhao @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Foreign Ministry on Twitter , has pushed about the coronavirus outbreak in the last week — a strategy that did n't convince anyone , but appears designed to polarize the US government and disrupt any bipartisan mitigation efforts .
Zhao and Hua Chunying , another spokesperson for China ’ s Foreign Ministry , have flooded Twitter with posts lauding the Chinese Communist Party 's response to COVID-19 and indulging in conspiracy theories about the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
Unlike other parts of China ’ s propaganda apparatus , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ networks like Weibo and WeChat , Zhao , Hua , and a small group of other diplomats have become more and more brazen about taking their information war to American platforms .
Following Zhao and Hua ’ s tweet , the State Department summoned the Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai on Friday .
The Chinese embassy did not respond to a request for comment .
President Donald Trump , in a coronavirus press conference Friday , was asked about Zhao 's propaganda efforts .
Trump waved them away , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` They know where [ the virus ] came from , we all know where it came from , '' he said .
Del Harvey , Twitter 's vice president of trust and safety , said the platform is assessing things `` case by case '' and that government officials do n't have special rights to post harmful information , but the platform is also taking into account if the replies to tweets are providing `` corrective '' information .
Zhao , who currently has 284,000 followers on Twitter , first went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He did so again last November after he fired off an eight-part tweetstorm about American racism and mocked Trump .
“ This is a time for Chinese diplomats to tell the true picture , ” he told BuzzFeed News in December .

On Thursday, a prominent Chinese diplomat tweeted a false conspiracy theory that the novel coronavirus did not originate in Wuhan, China, but in the United States.
“This article is very much important to each and every one of us. Please read and retweet it. COVID-19: Further Evidence that the Virus Originated in the US,” Lijian Zhao, the deputy director-general of the Information Department of China's Foreign Ministry, tweeted. In a follow-up tweet, the diplomat wrote, “Just take a few minutes to read one more article. This is so astonishing that it changed many things I used to believe in. Please retweet to let more people know about it.”
The tweet linked to a story on conspiracy theory site Global Research that falsely claimed the novel coronavirus originated in the US. Experts at the World Health Organization have concluded the disease first appeared in the Chinese province of Hubei. As of Friday, the disease has infected 137,860 people and killed 5,074 around the world.
The false claim was far from the only piece of propaganda that Zhao, the most prominent member of China's Foreign Ministry on Twitter, has pushed about the coronavirus outbreak in the last week — a strategy that didn't convince anyone, but appears designed to polarize the US government and disrupt any bipartisan mitigation efforts.
Zhao and Hua Chunying, another spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, have flooded Twitter with posts lauding the Chinese Communist Party's response to COVID-19 and indulging in conspiracy theories about the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Unlike other parts of China’s propaganda apparatus, which are typically concerned with manipulating homegrown social networks like Weibo and WeChat, Zhao, Hua, and a small group of other diplomats have become more and more brazen about taking their information war to American platforms.
Following Zhao and Hua’s tweet, the State Department summoned the Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai on Friday. The Chinese embassy did not respond to a request for comment. President Donald Trump, in a coronavirus press conference Friday, was asked about Zhao's propaganda efforts. Trump waved them away, saying they wouldn't impact trade with China.
"They know where [the virus] came from, we all know where it came from," he said.
Del Harvey, Twitter's vice president of trust and safety, said the platform is assessing things "case by case" and that government officials don't have special rights to post harmful information, but the platform is also taking into account if the replies to tweets are providing "corrective" information.
Zhao, who currently has 284,000 followers on Twitter, first went viral in the US last July. He did so again last November after he fired off an eight-part tweetstorm about American racism and mocked Trump.
“This is a time for Chinese diplomats to tell the true picture,” he told BuzzFeed News in December.


buzzfeed--2020-03-13--Trump Declared A National State Of Emergency Over The Coronavirus Outbreak

Several states had been pleading with Trump to declare a state of emergency to help them fight the outbreak .
President Trump declared a national state of emergency on Friday over the coronavirus outbreak , unleashing billions of dollars in federal funding and ordering all states to set up emergency operations centers to combat the pandemic .
`` To unleash the full power of the federal government , I 'm officially declaring a national emergency , '' Trump told reporters in the White House Rose Garden .
`` Two very big words . ''
A number of cities and states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowing them to access federal aid to address the health crisis , but Trump said the national emergency would unleash a further $ 50 billion nationally .
The president also ordered hospitals to activate emergency preparedness plans .
`` We 'll remove or eliminate every obstacle necessary to deliver our people the care that they need and that they 're entitled to , '' he said .
`` No resource will be spared .
Nothing whatsoever . ''
Trump said Google is setting up an online quiz that people can take to determine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus .
Those who need the test will then be directed to a drive-thru testing area ; the CEOs of Walmart , Target , CVS , and Walgreens said they will open their parking lots across the country for testing .
Additionally , Trump announced a public-private partnership to increase testing for COVID-19 , saying that the FDA had approved a new test within hours after receiving an application to do so .
`` We therefore expect up to half a million additional tests will be available early next week , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcing locations probably on Sunday night . ''
The administration is also directing nursing homes to temporarily restrict visitors and nonessential personnel with a few exceptions , such as end-of-life situations , said Seema Verma , administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services , at the press conference .
“ We fully appreciate that this measure represents a severe trial for residents of nursing homes and those who love them .
But we are doing what we must to protect our vulnerable elderly , ” said Verma .
Elderly people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a COVID-19 infection .
Studies show the mortality rate for people aged 80 and older could be over 20 % , while the mortality rates for people under the age of 50 are significantly below 1 % .
The president also said he had signed executive orders to waive interest on student loans held by federal government agencies until further notice .
`` That 's a big thing for a lot of students that are left in the middle right now , '' he said .
There ’ s a lot we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 line channels ) .
Trump also said the United Kingdom may be added to the list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel to the United States .
The UK was initially excluded from the ban of 26 European countries that make up the Schengen Area .
When asked why the UK was excluded when it has more cases of confirmed coronavirus than many of the banned European countries , Trump said , “ We may have to include them in the list.
” Trump also said that due to plummeting oil prices , he has directed Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette to purchase large quantities of oil for strategic reserves .
Trump was also asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jair Bolsonaro last weekend at his Mar-a-Lago property .
A Bolsonaro staffer who was there tested positive for COVID-19 , while the Brazilian president himself has said he tested negative .
`` We have no symptoms whatsoever , '' Trump said of himself and his staffers .
He later added , `` As you know , he tested negative , meaning nothing wrong this morning , and we got that word too — because we did have dinner with him , uh , we were sitting next to each other for a long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was n't self-isolating , as other politicians who have interacted with those who have tested positive for the disease have done , Trump reiterated : `` I do n't have any of the symptoms .
We have a White House doctor — I should say many White House doctors .
I asked them that same question , and they said , 'you do n't have any symptoms whatsoever . '
'' The national emergency comes amid widespread criticism over his administration 's slow response to the outbreak so far as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the disease .
States such as Washington and California had been pleading with Trump to declare a state of emergency so they can mobilize their Medicaid systems to fight the coronavirus outbreak .
As first reported by Talking Points Memo , states have wanted to loosen Medicaid rules to both provide more care and offer more options for people to receive health services .
Essentially , they want to make the system more flexible to prevent it from being overwhelmed .
However , they ’ ve been hamstrung by the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — known as 1135 waivers — that can only be used when the president has declared an emergency .
But for weeks now , Trump has refused such a declaration and downplayed the danger posed by the COVID-19 pandemic .

President Trump declared a national state of emergency on Friday over the coronavirus outbreak, unleashing billions of dollars in federal funding and ordering all states to set up emergency operations centers to combat the pandemic.
"To unleash the full power of the federal government, I'm officially declaring a national emergency," Trump told reporters in the White House Rose Garden. "Two very big words."
A number of cities and states have already declared states of emergency, allowing them to access federal aid to address the health crisis, but Trump said the national emergency would unleash a further $50 billion nationally.
The president also ordered hospitals to activate emergency preparedness plans.
"We'll remove or eliminate every obstacle necessary to deliver our people the care that they need and that they're entitled to," he said. "No resource will be spared. Nothing whatsoever."
Trump said Google is setting up an online quiz that people can take to determine whether they need to be tested for the coronavirus. Those who need the test will then be directed to a drive-thru testing area; the CEOs of Walmart, Target, CVS, and Walgreens said they will open their parking lots across the country for testing.
But Google said Friday evening that Trump was incorrect, according to the Verge. The website is being developed not by Google, but another division of its parent company Alphabet, and it will only direct people to testing sites in the Bay Area, at least initially.
Additionally on Friday, Trump announced a public-private partnership to increase testing for COVID-19, saying that the FDA had approved a new test within hours after receiving an application to do so.
"We therefore expect up to half a million additional tests will be available early next week," he said. "We'll be announcing locations probably on Sunday night."
The administration is also directing nursing homes to temporarily restrict visitors and nonessential personnel with a few exceptions, such as end-of-life situations, said Seema Verma, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, at the press conference. “We fully appreciate that this measure represents a severe trial for residents of nursing homes and those who love them. But we are doing what we must to protect our vulnerable elderly,” said Verma.
Elderly people are at a much higher risk of dying from a COVID-19 infection. Studies show the mortality rate for people aged 80 and older could be over 20%, while the mortality rates for people under the age of 50 are significantly below 1%.
The president also said he had signed executive orders to waive interest on student loans held by federal government agencies until further notice.
"That's a big thing for a lot of students that are left in the middle right now," he said.


buzzfeed--2020-03-13--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--2020-03-13--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 is the first by a state government to delay a scheduled presidential primary .
But it may not be the last .
Georgia ’ s March 24 primary appears to be up in the air as state officials discuss what to do .
“ At the end of the day , the average poll worker is 70 or 72 years old , ” Georgia Deputy Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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--Fox News And Donald Trump Are Embracing Xenophobia To Defend Against The Coronavirus

For a man who campaigned on inflammatory rhetoric and made anti-immigrant policies a cornerstone of his agenda , it should perhaps come as little surprise that appears to be the next turn in Donald Trump ’ s defense against the coronavirus .
With COVID-19 spreading across the US , Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning that “ we need the wall more than ever !
” falling back on his tried and tested trope of blaming immigrants for the country ’ s ills .
Trump ’ s allies in Washington and on Fox News have ramped up their rhetoric against China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ core dilemma : how to prepare the population for severe disruptions while ensuring no blowback on the man in the White House ?
At least part of the answer seems to be : xenophobia .
Fox News has shifted to nearly nonstop coverage of the coronavirus .
During the day , viewers get largely straightforward information about the virus ’ s spread , the administration ’ s response , the danger of cruise ships , and general health advice .
When the channel ’ s opinion powerhouses come out at night , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday night , two of the network ’ s three main opinion hosts — Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham — leaned heavily into the fact that the virus originated in China and that any response should further isolate the US from the country .
( The third , Sean Hannity , focused on combating criticism of Trump ’ s handling of the crisis . )
“ People you know will get sick .
Some may die .
This is real , ” Carlson said at the top of his hour , striking a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the network .
He called out those on the right , including those in government for being overly blasé .
“ People you trust — people you probably voted for — have spent weeks minimizing what is a very serious problem , ” he said .
But first , he had words for the left , speaking next to a graphic that blared : “ the Chinese coronavirus.
” “ On the left , you ’ ve heard them tell you that the real worry is you might use the wrong word to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , ” he said .
“ It ’ s racist , they ’ re telling you , to blame the most racist country in the world for the spread of this virus .
Right.
” “ It 's extraordinarily predictable , ” said Paul Lombardo , a professor at Georgia State University and expert on eugenics .
“ It 's consistent with the usual historical trend — you decide who you want to stay away from , people you do n't want in the country , and then you exploit them.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Trump and his allies since before they entered the White House , and the language of infestation often deployed against those looking to enter America .
“ The bigotry against actual or would-be immigrants kind of goes hand in hand with the scapegoating of those same groups at a time of medical crisis.
” Attaching a Chinese descriptor to the virus — formally known as COVID-19 — has become a means of signaling xenophobic intent .
When the virus first emerged late last year , many called it the “ Wuhan flu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the World Health Organization formally gave the virus a name .
“ On the one hand I think that there could be a relatively innocent reason , ” Lombardo said .
“ But that the messaging is coming out from people who know about messaging is not by chance.
” Rep. Kevin McCarthy has taken to calling the virus “ the Chinese coronavirus , ” first in a tweet Monday evening and then repeatedly that night in an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox .
Rep. Grace Meng , vice-chair of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement Tuesday that his use of the term was “ embarrassing , disrespectful , offensive , and downright disgusting.
” She continued : “ Wrongly inserting ‘ Chinese ’ into the name of this disease only reinforces the disparaging and negative stereotypes of Asian Americans.
” Asian Americans and Asians around the world have already been targeted by racist slurs and attacks in the wake of the virus .
“ The naming of a novel disease is so critically important because of the power that a name — especially tied to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — can have in producing stigma , ” said Alexandre White , an assistant professor of sociology and the history of medicine at Johns Hopkins .
In the past , diseases were often named after where they originated — from Lyme to West Nile — but White said those diseases were “ quite old ” and standards had evolved since then .
The way previous outbreaks of disease were discussed worked to both stigmatize entire populations and to mask forms of transmission , White said , pointing in particular to the HIV epidemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the administration to further disengage the US from the global , and particularly the Chinese , economy .
“ One of the first things we can do to prepare ourselves is break our dependence on China for essential medical supplies , ” Carlson said .
Ingraham said Trump should take “ steps that harken back to his original America First agenda.
” “ We can ’ t keep flooding America with migrant families on the bogus asylum pretense .
We got ta be stronger on these borders , ” she said , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are being flown back to Mexico pending their cases , thousands are still getting in and impossible to screen completely — for health , ” she said .
“ Now is not the time to take in any extra burdens on our schools or the health care system.
” “ The question I would have for Fox News especially is : What is the benefit of this blame ?
” White asked .
“ And the answer is , foundationally , that it allows you to justify very aggressive responses against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way in the interest of public health and solely in the interest of racist xenophobic anxieties or economic protectionism.
” “ The US has a particular history of epidemic control and particularly Sinophobia , ” he said , pointing to a 1900 outbreak of the bubonic plague in Hawaii following an epidemic in Asia .
Local authorities dealt with the outbreak through a strict quarantine of Honolulu ’ s Chinatown — avoiding buildings occupied by white people .
Later , they burned much of that Chinatown down .

For a man who campaigned on inflammatory rhetoric and made anti-immigrant policies a cornerstone of his agenda, it should perhaps come as little surprise that appears to be the next turn in Donald Trump’s defense against the coronavirus.
With COVID-19 spreading across the US, Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning that “we need the wall more than ever!” falling back on his tried and tested trope of blaming immigrants for the country’s ills.
Trump’s allies in Washington and on Fox News have ramped up their rhetoric against China, as they are faced with a core dilemma: how to prepare the population for severe disruptions while ensuring no blowback on the man in the White House? At least part of the answer seems to be: xenophobia.
Fox News has shifted to nearly nonstop coverage of the coronavirus. During the day, viewers get largely straightforward information about the virus’s spread, the administration’s response, the danger of cruise ships, and general health advice. When the channel’s opinion powerhouses come out at night, it’s a different story.
On Monday night, two of the network’s three main opinion hosts — Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham — leaned heavily into the fact that the virus originated in China and that any response should further isolate the US from the country. (The third, Sean Hannity, focused on combating criticism of Trump’s handling of the crisis.)
“People you know will get sick. Some may die. This is real,” Carlson said at the top of his hour, striking a more alarmist tone than anyone else on the network. He called out those on the right, including those in government for being overly blasé. “People you trust — people you probably voted for — have spent weeks minimizing what is a very serious problem,” he said. But first, he had words for the left, speaking next to a graphic that blared: “the Chinese coronavirus.”
“On the left, you’ve heard them tell you that the real worry is you might use the wrong word to describe what’s happening to the country,” he said. “It’s racist, they’re telling you, to blame the most racist country in the world for the spread of this virus. Right.”
“It's extraordinarily predictable,” said Paul Lombardo, a professor at Georgia State University and expert on eugenics. “It's consistent with the usual historical trend — you decide who you want to stay away from, people you don't want in the country, and then you exploit them.” He pointed to the anti-immigrant rhetoric coming from Trump and his allies since before they entered the White House, and the language of infestation often deployed against those looking to enter America. “The bigotry against actual or would-be immigrants kind of goes hand in hand with the scapegoating of those same groups at a time of medical crisis.”
Attaching a Chinese descriptor to the virus — formally known as COVID-19 — has become a means of signaling xenophobic intent. When the virus first emerged late last year, many called it the “Wuhan flu” or something similar, but shifted after the World Health Organization formally gave the virus a name. “On the one hand I think that there could be a relatively innocent reason,” Lombardo said. “But that the messaging is coming out from people who know about messaging is not by chance.”
Rep. Kevin McCarthy has taken to calling the virus “the Chinese coronavirus,” first in a tweet Monday evening and then repeatedly that night in an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox. Rep. Grace Meng, vice-chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said in a statement Tuesday that his use of the term was “embarrassing, disrespectful, offensive, and downright disgusting.” She continued: “Wrongly inserting ‘Chinese’ into the name of this disease only reinforces the disparaging and negative stereotypes of Asian Americans.” Asian Americans and Asians around the world have already been targeted by racist slurs and attacks in the wake of the virus.
“The naming of a novel disease is so critically important because of the power that a name — especially tied to a particular geography, region or place — can have in producing stigma,” said Alexandre White, an assistant professor of sociology and the history of medicine at Johns Hopkins. In the past, diseases were often named after where they originated — from Lyme to West Nile — but White said those diseases were “quite old” and standards had evolved since then.
The way previous outbreaks of disease were discussed worked to both stigmatize entire populations and to mask forms of transmission, White said, pointing in particular to the HIV epidemic.
Both Carlson and Ingraham called on the administration to further disengage the US from the global, and particularly the Chinese, economy. “One of the first things we can do to prepare ourselves is break our dependence on China for essential medical supplies,” Carlson said. Ingraham said Trump should take “steps that harken back to his original America First agenda.”
“We can’t keep flooding America with migrant families on the bogus asylum pretense. We gotta be stronger on these borders,” she said, while discussing the coronavirus. “While some people are being flown back to Mexico pending their cases, thousands are still getting in and impossible to screen completely — for health,” she said. “Now is not the time to take in any extra burdens on our schools or the health care system.”
“The question I would have for Fox News especially is: What is the benefit of this blame?” White asked. “And the answer is, foundationally, that it allows you to justify very aggressive responses against the Chinese economically, which are in no way in the interest of public health and solely in the interest of racist xenophobic anxieties or economic protectionism.”
“The US has a particular history of epidemic control and particularly Sinophobia,” he said, pointing to a 1900 outbreak of the bubonic plague in Hawaii following an epidemic in Asia. Local authorities dealt with the outbreak through a strict quarantine of Honolulu’s Chinatown — avoiding buildings occupied by white people. Later, they burned much of that Chinatown down.


buzzfeed--2020-03-14--A Senator From The State Hit Hardest By Coronavirus Is “So Angry And Frustrated” With Trump For Not

A Senator From The State Hit Hardest By Coronavirus Is “So Angry And Frustrated” With Trump For Not Responding Sooner

“ Look , from day one , when we started seeing this grow and develop in China and continue to grow rapidly and expansively , all of us should have been aware that issues like a virus don ’ t stay in one place .
That we are a global community , people travel .
...
Instead , the reaction from the federal government or from the person in the White House , in particular , was ‘ no worries , be happy , ’ ” Murray told BuzzFeed News in a phone interview on Friday .
“ And I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Murray , the lead Democrat on the Senate ’ s Health Committee , first called on Trump ’ s administration to intervene as early as January and told BuzzFeed News Friday that the administration was largely unresponsive leading up to the death of a Washington resident , the first person to die in the US , two weeks ago .
WASHINGTON — When Washington state emerged as the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak , Sen. Patty Murray was already pushing President Donald Trump and the administration to act .
Now that her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached 37 with more than 1,900 confirmed cases nationwide , Murray is furious that the president didn ’ t act sooner .
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 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from you ( you can reach out to us via one of our tip line channels ) .
On February 15 , Murray and 25 other senators sent a letter to Trump pushing him to request emergency funding to combat the novel coronavirus .
By February 24 , Trump asked Congress for $ 2.5 billion , a figure Democrats said wasn ’ t enough .
Four days later , Trump called coronavirus Democrats ’ “ new hoax.
” A few days later , he told people at a town hall in Scranton , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit with the virus really three weeks ago ” — this after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had declared the first confirmed coronavirus case in the country more than six weeks earlier .
“ It seems to me , from day one , the message from the top [ of ] this administration has been to downplay it , ” Murray said .
“ I don ’ t believe in panicking people , but I believe that our response as a country has to be ... a sense of urgency , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of Trump ’ s administration were equally unresponsive .
Earlier this month , Murray and nine other senators sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos asking how her department is coordinating with public health officials as it relates to coronavirus preparedness .
“ My own granddaughter ’ s school at that point had been closed for a week , ” Murray told BuzzFeed News .
“ I saw specifically what they were dealing with in terms of making sure that kids get access to material , that nutritious lunches were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , every day , was in the school — kids who were sick themselves.
” The letter went unanswered as schools across the nation have begun to close in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee , a former presidential candidate whom Trump called “ a snake ” during a news conference , announced statewide school closures on Friday and he has banned public gatherings of more than 250 people .
Globally , more than 140,000 have contracted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as of Friday evening , according to data from Johns Hopkins University .
There have been 43 deaths in the US with 37 of them coming from Washington state .
Twenty-five of those deaths were linked to the Life Care Center , a nursing home in Kirkland , Washington .
Murray is one of several lawmakers who has expressed concerns about access to coronavirus testing , particularly after a briefing from administration officials on Capitol Hill left members furious with the lack of information on the issue .
Murray said that after she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held a hearing asking when testing would be available , health officials told senators during the closed-door briefing : “ ‘ No , we can ’ t tell you when.
” “ I am still talking to families every day who are being told ‘ we don ’ t have the test , ’ ” Murray said .
“ The message , consistently to everybody is , if you are sick , stay home .
”

On Feb. 15, Murray and 25 other senators sent a letter to Trump pushing him to request emergency funding to combat the novel coronavirus. By Feb. 24, Trump asked Congress for $2.5 billion, a figure Democrats said wasn’t enough. Four days later, Trump called coronavirus Democrats’ “new hoax.” A few days later, he told people at a town hall in Scranton, Pennsylvania, that the US “got hit with the virus really three weeks ago” — this after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had declared the first confirmed coronavirus case in the country more than six weeks earlier.
“It seems to me, from day one, the message from the top [of] this administration has been to downplay it,” Murray said. “I don’t believe in panicking people, but I believe that our response as a country has to be ... a sense of urgency,” she added.
Murray said other members of Trump’s administration were equally unresponsive. Earlier this month, Murray and nine other senators sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos asking how her department is coordinating with public health officials as it relates to coronavirus preparedness.
“My own granddaughter’s school at that point had been closed for a week,” Murray told BuzzFeed News. “I saw specifically what they were dealing with in terms of making sure that kids get access to material, that nutritious lunches were being provided for kids whose only meal, every day, was in the school — kids who were sick themselves.”
The letter went unanswered as schools across the nation have begun to close in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a former presidential candidate whom Trump called “a snake” during a news conference, announced statewide school closures on Friday and he has banned public gatherings of more than 250 people.
Globally, more than 140,000 have contracted the disease with 1,998 in the US, as of Friday evening, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. There have been 43 deaths in the US with 37 of them coming from Washington state. Twenty-five of those deaths were linked to the Life Care Center, a nursing home in Kirkland, Washington.
Murray is one of several lawmakers who has expressed concerns about access to coronavirus testing, particularly after a briefing from administration officials on Capitol Hill left members furious with the lack of information on the issue.
Murray said that after she made numerous calls to administration officials and held a hearing asking when testing would be available, health officials told senators during the closed-door briefing: “‘No, we can’t tell you when.”
“I am still talking to families every day who are being told ‘we don’t have the test,’” Murray said. “The message, consistently to everybody is, if you are sick, stay home.”