buzzfeed--2020-10-15--Nearly 5.2 Million Americans Can't Vote In The 2020 Election Due To A Felony Conviction

`` The number of people disenfranchised is still too high for a country that wants to be considered a model of democracy . ''
More than 5 million Americans wo n't be allowed to vote in the 2020 election , one of the most consequential in recent history , because of a felony conviction , according to a new study released Wednesday .
The Sentencing Project study shows that , despite reforms to laws in many states over the past 25 years , felony disenfranchisement is still alive and well in the US .
`` There 's been a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felony disenfranchisement ... but even in spite of that there is so much that needs to be done , '' Nicole D. Porter , director of advocacy at the Sentencing Project , told BuzzFeed News .
`` Because mass incarceration is a problem ... the number of people disenfranchised is still too high for a country that wants to be considered a model of democracy . ''
The report from the nonprofit criminal justice advocacy group , titled `` Locked Out 2020 , '' estimates that 5.17 million people are barred from voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — down about 15 % from an estimate of 6.11 million disenfranchised Americans in 2016 .
According to the study , felony disenfranchisement continues to be more prevalent in states in the South , where voting restrictions have historically been used to exclude Black Americans from the electorate .
For example , in Alabama , Florida , Mississippi , and Tennessee , more than 7 % of adults are still unable to vote because of felony convictions .
Nationally , the disenfranchisement disproportionately affects Black people and other communities of color .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Americans and 1 in 49 Latinx Americans who are of voting age are not allowed to vote ; among non-Black adults , that figure is 1 in 59 .
In Florida , despite a 2018 constitutional amendment overwhelmingly approved by voters that restored voting rights to about 1.4 million former felons , nearly 900,000 people who have completed their sentences are still barred from voting , the study estimated .
That 's because of a law passed by the state 's Republican-controlled legislature and signed by Republican Gov .
Ron DeSantis last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outstanding restitution , fines , and fees related to their convictions .
Former felons sued the state over the law arguing that it creates a “ pay to vote ” system akin to the poll taxes outlawed under the US Constitution .
But a federal appeals court upheld that 2019 law in a 6–4 decision on Sept. 11 .
In response to the state law , the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition , the group behind the 2018 amendment , created a `` Fines and Fees Fund '' and began working with court clerks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felons figure out and pay off their financial obligations or modify their sentences , as allowed under the state law .
The coalition started paying people 's fines in late 2019 and has since received more than $ 27 million in donations from over 86,000 people for the fund — a large portion of which flowed in after the court decision last month .
`` We ’ re doing what we can to remove financial obstacles for people who are too poor to be able to pay off those legal financial obligations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meade told BuzzFeed News in a recent phone interview .
Porter with the Sentencing Project noted that their estimate predates the Sept. 11 ruling , saying `` there is no doubt a lower number of people who are currently disenfranchised compared to when we generated our estimate of close to 900,000 . ''
At the time of the court decision , the coalition said they had helped more than 4,000 former felons through their program .
( Representatives for the coalition did not immediately respond to requests for an updated figure Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ many Floridians with prior felony convictions have registered to vote because the state does not have a database of former felons who have paid off their fines and fees , according to University of Florida political science professor Dan Smith , who has studied the impact of the law .
There is also no central system showing what people owe , making it difficult for former felons to figure out whether they have any outstanding financial obligations .
`` That is still a problem , '' said Meade with the Florida Rights Restoration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work that we ’ re doing working with officials to really try to sift through that is just so important , so vital . ''
Even Meade , who has spent nearly a decade advocating for returning citizens , only became aware earlier this year through his latest petition for clemency that he still owed $ 1,200 .
When he inquired about his outstanding financial obligations years ago , he said he was told he had paid off his debts .
`` I was able to afford to pay it , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and if a person like me ... [ has ] something like this happen then , well , what does that mean for the average citizen ? ''
For 45-year-old Dolce Bastien , who was convicted of a felony in the 1990s , the coalition 's work made all that easy .
After they helped him work through the courts to ensure all of his financial obligations were taken care of late last year , he plans to vote for the first time in his life this fall .
`` I 'm excited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who works at a Family Dollar store in Jacksonville .
He told BuzzFeed News being barred from voting after completing his sentence and turning his life around felt like `` a continuous punishment . ''
`` Not being able to vote just is another way of feeling that you ’ re no longer connected with our society , '' Bastien said .
`` Now , to be able to feel like I can make a difference ... makes me feel good .
The magnitude of the feeling that I am going to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll and vote is going to be overwhelming . ''
The Sentencing Project 's Porter said that while what happened in Florida `` is in many ways a cautionary tale , '' the passage of that state 's constitutional amendment , which was considered the largest restoration of voting rights in history , is part of a growing effort .
In the last couple years , several states — including Iowa , Kentucky , and New Jersey , — have restored voting rights to more categories of former felons .
In California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would allow former prisoners to vote while on parole .
`` The solution around this is to continue to challenge felony disenfranchisement ... and really to work towards no loss of voting rights for any resident with a justice involvement , '' Porter said .
`` We still have way too many people who are locked out of voting . ''

Porter with the Sentencing Project noted that the group's estimate predates the Sept. 11 ruling, saying, "there is no doubt a lower number of people who are currently disenfranchised compared to when we generated our estimate of close to 900,000." At the time of the court decision, the coalition said it had helped more than 4,000 former felons through its program. (Representatives for the coalition did not immediately respond to requests for an updated figure Wednesday.)
It's difficult to say how many Floridians with prior felony convictions have registered to vote because the state does not have a database of former felons who have paid off their fines and fees, according to University of Florida political science professor Dan Smith, who has studied the impact of the law. There is also no central system showing what people owe, making it difficult for former felons to figure out whether they have any outstanding financial obligations.
"That is still a problem," said Meade. "That's why the work that we’re doing, working with officials to really try to sift through that, is just so important, so vital."
Even Meade, who has spent nearly a decade advocating for returning citizens, only became aware earlier this year through his latest petition for clemency that he still owed $1,200. When he inquired about his outstanding financial obligations years ago, he said, he was told he had paid off his debts.
"I was able to afford to pay it, but it just shows how complex this system is. And if a person like me ... [has] something like this happen, then, well, what does that mean for the average citizen?"
For 45-year-old Dolce Bastien, who was convicted of a felony in the 1990s, the coalition's work made all that easy. After it helped him work through the courts to ensure all of his financial obligations were taken care of late last year, he plans to vote for the first time in his life this fall.
"I'm excited about it," said Bastien, who works at a Family Dollar store in Jacksonville.
He told BuzzFeed News being barred from voting after completing his sentence and turning his life around felt like "a continuous punishment."
"Not being able to vote just is another way of feeling that you’re no longer connected with our society," Bastien said. "Now, to be able to feel like I can make a difference ... makes me feel good. The magnitude of the feeling that I am going to have when I actually show up at the poll and vote is going to be overwhelming."


buzzfeed--2020-10-15--Republicans Repeatedly Brought Up Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Faith. Democrats Stayed Away From It.

WASHINGTON — In the hours and days after President Donald Trump announced Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee for the US Supreme Court last month , Republican lawmakers and conservative groups launched widespread preemptive attacks against any criticism of Barrett ’ s Catholic faith from Democrats .
Over three days of hearings on her nomination this week , Democrats barely touched the subject .
The preemptive counteroffensive by Republicans stems from questions that Barrett faced in 2017 as a nominee for the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit .
Those questions and comments — especially Sen. Dianne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dogma lives loudly within you ” — became a rallying cry for Barrett ’ s supporters over the next three years .
Republicans resurfaced the quote into the conversation around Barrett ’ s Supreme Court nomination in recent weeks , predicting Democrats would make her religion an issue after Trump chose the judge as his nominee for the late justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s seat .
In their opening statements and questions for Barrett this week , Democrats pressed her about whether she would be a vote to reverse or chip away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court decision that established a nationwide right to abortion .
Democrats also asked her about anti-abortion statements she ’ d signed in the past .
But they did not focus on her faith or bring up her religious practices as a Catholic .
In trying to combat questions about Barrett ’ s religion that never came , Republican members ended up repeatedly bringing her religion into the hearings , however .
“ You ’ re Catholic , ” Lindsey Graham , chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee , said to Barrett on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions about her faith .
She replied that she was .
Graham asked whether her faith meant “ a lot ” to her personally , to confirm that she ’ d raised her family Catholic , and if she could set aside her religious beliefs in considering cases as a judge .
Barrett answered yes to each of his questions .
“ This is the first time in American history that we 've nominated a woman who is unashamedly pro-life and embraces her faith without apology and she is going to the court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Marsha Blackburn praised Barrett for being “ pro-life , pro-family , pro-religion.
” Sen. John Kennedy asked if Barrett would adhere to the oath she would take if confirmed as a Supreme Court justice to support and defend the Constitution , regardless of her religion ; she said she would .
Sen. Josh Hawley brought up Barrett ’ s faith several times , saying on Wednesday that “ there 's nothing wrong with confirming to the Supreme Court of the United States a devout Catholic , pro-life , Christian.
” Hawley at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ willing to in discussing her faith .
In a line of questioning intended to defend an anti-abortion statement that Barrett signed in 2006 , when she was a law professor , Hawley asked Barrett if the statement “ reflects your understanding of your church ’ s teaching and your own personal views.
” Barrett demurred ; she said that while the statement reflected her views as a private citizen nearly 15 years ago , now that she was a public official , “ I don ’ t feel like it is appropriate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of conduct , to express an affirmative view at this point in time.
” No committee member , Republican or Democrat , asked Barrett about her reported membership in People of Praise , the close-knit charismatic Christian community that received considerable press attention in the lead-up to her confirmation hearings .
Vice President Mike Pence had also raised the specter of Democrats attacking Barrett ’ s faith during his debate with Sen. Kamala Harris , the Democratic vice presidential nominee , last week .
Harris , who also sits on the Judiciary Committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former vice president Joe Biden would do so “ insulting , ” noting that they are both “ people of faith ” and that Biden would be only the nation ’ s second Catholic president .
Harris , too , did not raise the issue during her remarks or questioning of Barrett this week , instead focusing on healthcare and the coronavirus pandemic .
Hawley accused Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of going after Barrett ’ s faith for asking her about speeches she ’ d made at the Blackstone Legal Fellowship , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alliance Defending Freedom , a conservative legal advocacy group .
Leahy asked if Barrett was aware that the group had supported “ recriminalizing homosexuality ” ; ADF filed briefs in 2003 in the Supreme Court supporting state anti-sodomy laws and has supported such laws in other countries .
Barrett said she was not .
“ Whether you believe that being gay is right or wrong is irrelevant to me .
But my concern is that you work with an organization working to criminalize people for loving a person that they are in love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... worried me , ” Leahy said .
Barrett replied that she hadn ’ t “ read all of the material that the students were given to read.
” “ I enjoyed teaching the students about what my specialty was , which is constitutional law , and nothing about any of my interactions with anyone involved in the Blackstone program were ever indicative of any kind of discrimination on the basis of anything , ” Barrett said .
She declined to specify how she would rule on any abortion-related cases as a Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be appropriate to speculate or telegraph how she might rule on issues that could come before the court , and that doing so would violate the ethics rules she ’ s bound by as a lower court judge .
She did say that she did not think that Roe and the decisions on abortion rights that followed were so settled that the case was an untouchable “ super precedent.
” Barrett had used that term in her writings as a law professor to refer to a small group of major Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Education , the 1954 decision that struck down racial segregation in public schools .
“ I 'm answering a lot of questions about Roe , which I think indicates that Roe does n't fall in that category , ” Barrett said on Tuesday in response to questions about the case from Sen. Amy Klobuchar .
“ And scholars across the spectrum say that does n't mean Roe should be overruled , but descriptively it means it 's not a case that everyone has accepted and does n't call for its overruling .
”

WASHINGTON — In the hours and days after President Donald Trump announced Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his nominee for the US Supreme Court last month, Republican lawmakers and conservative groups launched widespread preemptive attacks against any criticism of Barrett’s Catholic faith from Democrats.
Over three days of hearings on her nomination this week, Democrats barely touched the subject.
The preemptive counteroffensive by Republicans stems from questions that Barrett faced in 2017 as a nominee for the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. Those questions and comments — especially Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s remark that “the dogma lives loudly within you” — became a rallying cry for Barrett’s supporters over the next three years. Republicans resurfaced the quote into the conversation around Barrett’s Supreme Court nomination in recent weeks, predicting Democrats would make her religion an issue after Trump chose the judge as his nominee for the late justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat.
In their opening statements and questions for Barrett this week, Democrats pressed her about whether she would be a vote to reverse or chip away at Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that established a nationwide right to abortion. Democrats also asked her about anti-abortion statements she’d signed in the past. But they did not focus on her faith or bring up her religious practices as a Catholic.
In trying to combat questions about Barrett’s religion that never came, Republican members ended up repeatedly bringing her religion into the hearings, however.
“You’re Catholic,” Lindsey Graham, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said to Barrett on Tuesday, kicking off a string of questions about her faith. She replied that she was. Graham asked whether her faith meant “a lot” to her personally, to confirm that she’d raised her family Catholic, and if she could set aside her religious beliefs in considering cases as a judge. Barrett answered yes to each of his questions.
“This is the first time in American history that we've nominated a woman who is unashamedly pro-life and embraces her faith without apology and she is going to the court,” Graham said on Wednesday.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn praised Barrett for being “pro-life, pro-family, pro-religion.” Sen. John Kennedy asked if Barrett would adhere to the oath she would take if confirmed as a Supreme Court justice to support and defend the Constitution, regardless of her religion; she said she would.
Sen. Josh Hawley brought up Barrett’s faith several times, saying on Wednesday that “there's nothing wrong with confirming to the Supreme Court of the United States a devout Catholic, pro-life, Christian.” Hawley at one point went further than Barrett was willing to in discussing her faith. In a line of questioning intended to defend an anti-abortion statement that Barrett signed in 2006, when she was a law professor, Hawley asked Barrett if the statement “reflects your understanding of your church’s teaching and your own personal views.”
Barrett demurred; she said that while the statement reflected her views as a private citizen nearly 15 years ago, now that she was a public official, “I don’t feel like it is appropriate for me anymore, because of the canons of conduct, to express an affirmative view at this point in time.”
No committee member, Republican or Democrat, asked Barrett about her reported membership in People of Praise, the close-knit charismatic Christian community that received considerable press attention in the lead-up to her confirmation hearings.
Vice President Mike Pence had also raised the specter of Democrats attacking Barrett’s faith during his debate with Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, last week. Harris, who also sits on the Judiciary Committee, called the suggestion that she or former vice president Joe Biden would do so “insulting,” noting that they are both “people of faith” and that Biden would be only the nation’s second Catholic president. Harris, too, did not raise the issue during her remarks or questioning of Barrett this week, instead focusing on healthcare and the coronavirus pandemic.
Hawley accused Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy of going after Barrett’s faith for asking her about speeches she’d made at the Blackstone Legal Fellowship, a program for Christian law students sponsored by Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal advocacy group. Leahy asked if Barrett was aware that the group had supported “recriminalizing homosexuality”; ADF filed briefs in 2003 in the Supreme Court supporting state anti-sodomy laws and has supported such laws in other countries. Barrett said she was not.
“Whether you believe that being gay is right or wrong is irrelevant to me. But my concern is that you work with an organization working to criminalize people for loving a person that they are in love with. So that’s what ... worried me,” Leahy said.
Barrett replied that she hadn’t “read all of the material that the students were given to read.”
“I enjoyed teaching the students about what my specialty was, which is constitutional law, and nothing about any of my interactions with anyone involved in the Blackstone program were ever indicative of any kind of discrimination on the basis of anything,” Barrett said.
She declined to specify how she would rule on any abortion-related cases as a Supreme Court justice, saying it wouldn’t be appropriate to speculate or telegraph how she might rule on issues that could come before the court, and that doing so would violate the ethics rules she’s bound by as a lower court judge.
She did say that she did not think that Roe and the decisions on abortion rights that followed were so settled that the case was an untouchable “super precedent.” Barrett had used that term in her writings as a law professor to refer to a small group of major Supreme Court cases such as Brown v. Board of Education, the 1954 decision that struck down racial segregation in public schools.
“I'm answering a lot of questions about Roe, which I think indicates that Roe doesn't fall in that category,” Barrett said on Tuesday in response to questions about the case from Sen. Amy Klobuchar. “And scholars across the spectrum say that doesn't mean Roe should be overruled, but descriptively it means it's not a case that everyone has accepted and doesn't call for its overruling.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-14--Barron Trump Tested Positive For COVID-19

Barron Trump tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after his parents revealed they had been infected with the virus , first lady Melania Trump announced Wednesday .
President Donald Trump and the first lady announced they had tested positive for the virus on Oct. 1 .
The next day , the president was flown to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center , where he was tended by a team of doctors for three days .
`` Naturally , my mind went immediately to our son , '' the first lady said in a statement released Wednesday .
`` To our great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as so many parents have thought over the past months , I could n't help but think 'what about tomorrow or the next day ? '
My fear came true when he was tested again and it came up positive . ''
Melania said Barron , 14 , exhibited no symptoms during his infection and has since tested negative , although no date was given as to when the test was conducted .
`` In one way I was glad the three of us went through this at the same time so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and spend time together , '' the statement added .
The infections among members of the first family came after the president for months took on a cavalier and dismissive tone against measures recommended by his own CDC on how to prevent and slow down the spread of the coronavirus .
The president held large indoor rallies and mocked his election rival , Joe Biden , for wearing a mask .
He has also refused to regularly wear a mask and did not do so publicly until months into the pandemic .
Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive test result , the White House held a gathering to announce the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court , an event where people sat shoulder to shoulder and few wore masks .
The event is now believed to be a possible super-spreader event .
In her statement , the first lady said she herself experienced only minimal symptoms , such as body aches , a cough , headaches , and fatigue but decided to take a `` more natural route in terms of medicine , opting more for vitamins @ @ @ @ @

Barron Trump tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after his parents revealed they had been infected with the virus, first lady Melania Trump announced Wednesday.
President Donald Trump and the first lady announced they had tested positive for the virus on Oct. 1. The next day, the president was flown to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he was tended by a team of doctors for three days.
"Naturally, my mind went immediately to our son," the first lady said in a statement released Wednesday. "To our great relief he tested negative, but again, as so many parents have thought over the past months, I couldn't help but think 'what about tomorrow or the next day?' My fear came true when he was tested again and it came up positive."
Melania said Barron, 14, exhibited no symptoms during his infection and has since tested negative, although no date was given as to when the test was conducted.
"In one way I was glad the three of us went through this at the same time so we could take care of one another and spend time together," the statement added.
The infections among members of the first family came after the president for months took on a cavalier and dismissive tone against measures recommended by his own CDC on how to prevent and slow down the spread of the coronavirus.
The president held large indoor rallies and mocked his election rival, Joe Biden, for wearing a mask. He has also refused to regularly wear a mask and did not do so publicly until months into the pandemic.
Just days before news of the president's positive test result, the White House held a gathering to announce the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, an event where people sat shoulder to shoulder and few wore masks. The event is now believed to be a possible super-spreader event.
In her statement, the first lady said she herself experienced only minimal symptoms, such as body aches, a cough, headaches, and fatigue but decided to take a "more natural route in terms of medicine, opting more for vitamins and healthy food."


buzzfeed--2020-10-14--Seniors Who Aren't Afraid Of The Coronavirus Love What Trump Is Saying About COVID

Trump and his campaign are keeping focused on their base , and the base does n't want to hear about the coronavirus .
Even among older adults in Florida .
THE VILLAGES , Florida — They played that song from Grease .
The song from the 1970s movie set in the 1950s blasted over the loudspeaker in the parking lot at Brownwood Paddock Square .
And when Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta sang the hook — “ You ’ re the one that I want ” — at Saturday ’ s MAGA rally , some older adults chimed in , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honey.
” It was the second large-crowd event in more than 200 days at The Villages — a sprawling senior community in Central Florida where the average age is 67 .
Nighttime dancing and entertainment stopped in March because of the coronavirus and resumed just days ago .
A week earlier , the big farmers market had started up again .
So Vice President Mike Pence rolling up in a big blue bus was exciting .
He and other surrogates for President Donald Trump ’ s campaign have been on a tear in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president ’ s polling is slipping — most notably among older people .
And The Villages , known for its manicured lawns and golf carts and courses , is a Republican haven .
If there are older adults anywhere in America who aren ’ t particularly concerned about a pandemic that is particularly dangerous for older people , it is here .
Here , the fear is about supposedly rising socialism and radically changing American culture , not the coronavirus .
Frankly , they ’ re just not that interested .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president .
Trump made Florida his first campaign stop since returning to the trail after being hospitalized for the coronavirus .
Before thousands on Monday night , he bragged about being “ immune ” ( something not scientifically known ) and said he wanted to go into his crowd and kiss everyone : “ I 'll kiss the guys and the beautiful women and the— I 'll just give you a big fat kiss . ''
He ’ ll be back in the state on Friday .
One thing rings true : The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the realities of the coronavirus because their supporters don ’ t want to hear about it , and at this point the president ’ s campaign doesn ’ t seem interested in speaking to anyone else .
“ Where ’ s our boy ?
” Faye Hamdan asked about 30 minutes before Pence arrived on Saturday .
The Virginia native was one of the rare mask wearers — a red nylon number with black piping and two vents .
The headband resembling antennas , that completed her ladybug look , was an afterthought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it became popular ” in late December , early January , she said .
And yet , Hamdan had little to no interest in hearing what Pence has to say about the coronavirus .
The demands for her party and the nation at large are simple : “ I want to stop that overuse of the word racism .
It 's overused .
And I want all that looting and burning to stop .
I want justice to be served when it needs to be served and I want Hillary Clinton ... to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see her in an orange outfit to tell you the truth.
” Hamdan , 77 , admits she is vulnerable , but she ’ s a “ no ” on Joe Biden ’ s plan to mandate masks .
“ People are smart enough to know if they want to take care of their own health .
They have the guidelines to do so , ” she said before weighing in on the president ’ s health .
“ He 's a healthy boy , ” she said .
“ He 's gon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,000 older adults who showed up to greet the vice president — some with decorated golf carts boasting “ Trump for Women , ” “ Jews for Trump , ” and “ Black Voices for Trump.
” Many of them didn ’ t wear masks , because the pandemic is n't front and center for most Republican seniors in The Villages , who make up 69 % of registered voters in the community .
As of Wednesday , Florida has nearly 730,000 cases of COVID-19 , according to state data , including more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died of the virus .
Around 82 % of those who died were over the age of 65 .
The state has recorded 45,675 hospitalizations related to the virus — 53 % of those hospitalized were over the age of 65 .
The Villages is spread over 32 miles of Central Florida , accounting for most of Sumter County , which has seen several recent spikes in recorded COVID-19 infections , according to state data .
As of Friday , 261 people in the county were hospitalized and 76 have died .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not been updated since Aug. 17 , said there ’ ve been 119 cases and eight deaths recorded within the community .
“ I ’ m fearful we 're developing a fear of living and that ’ s paralyzing , ” Kathy Cross , 74 , told BuzzFeed News , after offering to put on her mask during the short interview .
“ Some of our neighbors haven ’ t been out of the house since March.
” For John , 73 , Kathy ’ s husband , who sat in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cart next to her , the law and order candidate has his vote .
“ I grew up in Kenosha , Wisconsin , and I know exactly where all that stuff happened , '' John Cross told BuzzFeed News .
“ And I have loved ones who still live back there who were hunkered down and were just waiting for them to come .
They were gon na get in their vans and go north or south.
” Trump won Florida by a margin of 1.2 % in the last presidential election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state , though Hillary Clinton was ahead at this stage of the last campaign , too .
In the Villages , so far , 6,840 Democrats have voted compared to 5,764 Republicans , many of whom told BuzzFeed News they planned on walking in their vote on Election Day .
According to two recent national polls , Biden holds a double-digit lead over Trump among older adults — but it ’ s not clear he ’ ll sustain the lead or win over enough Republicans in a community like The Villages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign radically differently : in a visit to Florida on Tuesday , he targeted comments about the pandemic directly to seniors .
“ It ’ s harder than ever to spend time with the people you love , other than on Zoom or on a computer connection , ” he said in Pembroke Pines , speaking through a mask .
“ We ’ ve all felt that sense of interruption in our lives , and we all know this isn ’ t normal .
Things didn ’ t have to be this bad.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans who have died , and the president ’ s underplaying of a virus that has predominantly affected older adults .
“ You ’ re expendable .
You ’ re forgettable .
You ’ re virtually nobody .
That ’ s how he sees seniors , ” Biden said .
“ That ’ s how he sees you.
” Trump released a nearly three-minute video after leaving the hospital last week where he promised his “ favorite people in the world , the seniors ” would have access to the drugs he took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His supporters at The Villages were thrilled .
“ He looked unbelievable , ” Suzanne Day told BuzzFeed News .
“ He looked 20 years younger , and I do n't think he had that much makeup on or anything .
He looked young !
” Day , 68 , was enthusiastic about an experimental drug Eli Lilly is developing intended to treat COVID-19 .
“ So if it has the same effect that Regeneron did , which made President Trump feel 20 years younger , we ’ re all gon na sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have COVID or not.
” “ It showed he 's a real guy , ” one senior said .
“ And his humanity when he came back out and said , you know , ‘ I 'm not gon na let this define who I am.
’ I really respected that it made me feel proud of him to get up and be honest about it , not to tell lies and not to beat his chest and not say , ‘ I 'm the greatest because it could n't get me.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it.
” Trump , though , has a knack for complicating his own message .
Late Tuesday night , he tweeted an image that mocked older adults in nursing homes , as a means of attacking Biden .
“ Once again he ’ s lying about things , ” Staruch , who was masked and practicing social distancing , said just a few seconds into the video .
Staruch , 67 , has had buyer ’ s remorse since the president “ became fixated on crowd size ” at the inauguration .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stump speech that he gives with no basis in fact , not really addressing the issue and his performance.
” Chris Stanley , president of the community ’ s Democratic club , told BuzzFeed News she ’ s had a steady flow of Republicans offering to volunteer “ to get that guy out ” since July .
But their ire is centered around his reckless tweeting and , more recently , executive orders threatening the payroll tax that funds Social Security rather than fighting the coronavirus .
In recent weeks , both campaigns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though the Biden campaign is now outspending the Trump campaign , particularly on TV ads .
Biden has had six seniors-focused ads running in Florida , including two specifically made to target older adults in Florida , which address COVID-19 and Social Security .
“ Throughout his presidency , Donald Trump has taken older people ’ s support for granted while failing them on numerous issues , whether it be his threat to slash funding for Social Security or his refusal to take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously , '' said the Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s not lost on the Trump campaign that their candidate is hemorrhaging votes within his own age demographic .
“ Seniors want the peace of mind knowing that their government is doing everything in its capacity to care for them and the Trump Administration has been steadfast in preserving Social Security , strengthening Medicare , and lowering prescription drug prices across the board , ” said Trump campaign spokesperson Ken Farnaso .
During a call with reporters Monday morning , Bill Stepien , Trump ’ s campaign manager , said recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I 'm absolutely sure that there are some votes that we wo n't perform as well among in certain parts of the country or amongst certain voting populations , ” Stepien said .
He also said “ it ’ s a good thing ” Trump ’ s base changes from the 2016 election versus his reelection campaign suggesting the Black and Hispanic vote would make up the difference .
“ So , whatever perceived slippage you 're seeing in your numbers among seniors , I 'm absolutely certain that it will be @ @ @ @ @ @

THE VILLAGES, Florida — They played that song from Grease.
The song from the 1970s movie set in the 1950s blasted over the loudspeaker in the parking lot at Brownwood Paddock Square. And when Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta sang the hook — “You’re the one that I want” — at Saturday’s MAGA rally, some older adults chimed in, “ooh, ooh, ooh, honey.”
It was the second large-crowd event in more than 200 days at The Villages — a sprawling senior community in Central Florida where the average age is 67. Nighttime dancing and entertainment stopped in March because of the coronavirus and resumed just days ago. A week earlier, the big farmers market had started up again.
So Vice President Mike Pence rolling up in a big blue bus was exciting.
He and other surrogates for President Donald Trump’s campaign have been on a tear in Florida, a politically vital state where the president’s polling is slipping — most notably among older people. And The Villages, known for its manicured lawns and golf carts and courses, is a Republican haven.
If there are older adults anywhere in America who aren’t particularly concerned about a pandemic that is particularly dangerous for older people, it is here. Here, the fear is about supposedly rising socialism and radically changing American culture, not the coronavirus. Frankly, they’re just not that interested.
That seems to be a relief for the president. Trump made Florida his first campaign stop since returning to the trail after being hospitalized for the coronavirus. Before thousands on Monday night, he bragged about being “immune” (something not scientifically known) and said he wanted to go into his crowd and kiss everyone: “I'll kiss the guys and the beautiful women and the— I'll just give you a big fat kiss." He’ll be back in the state on Friday.
One thing rings true: The Trump campaign’s not talking about the realities of the coronavirus because their supporters don’t want to hear about it, and at this point the president’s campaign doesn’t seem interested in speaking to anyone else.
“Where’s our boy?” Faye Hamdan asked about 30 minutes before Pence arrived on Saturday. The Virginia native was one of the rare mask wearers — a red nylon number with black piping and two vents. The headband resembling antennas, that completed her ladybug look, was an afterthought. She had the coronavirus “before it became popular” in late December, early January, she said.
And yet, Hamdan had little to no interest in hearing what Pence has to say about the coronavirus. The demands for her party and the nation at large are simple: “I want to stop that overuse of the word racism. It's overused. And I want all that looting and burning to stop. I want justice to be served when it needs to be served and I want Hillary Clinton...to be prosecuted. I would love to see her in an orange outfit to tell you the truth.”
Hamdan, 77, admits she is vulnerable, but she’s a “no” on Joe Biden’s plan to mandate masks.
“People are smart enough to know if they want to take care of their own health. They have the guidelines to do so,” she said before weighing in on the president’s health. “He's a healthy boy,” she said. “He's gonna make it.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-14--These Men Think Feminism Is "The KKK Of Our Day"

Alas , our journey has come to an end — for now .
It 's time for the season finale of Not Great With Scaachi Koul .
And good lord , this one 's a doozy .
You can also listen to the show on : This week , we meet the men involved in the 21 Summit , a three-day event where men teach other men how to be great , uphold the patriarchy , and also teach women how to be great again .
( Unsurprisingly , it has a lot to do with traditional gender roles and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) We interview the founder of the 21 Summit , Anthony Johnson , as well as event speakers Michael Foster , Steve Brule , and George Bruno about feminism ( bad ) , women in the military ( bad ? )
, and men 's rights ( necessary , apparently ) .
Got something good to tell the show ?
Email us at notgreat @ buzzfeed.com , or find Scaachi Koul on Twitter or Instagram .
Got something bad to tell the show ?
Sorry , it seems like I 'm going through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear you !
Call you back !
!

You can also listen to the show on:
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Stitcher
Overcast
Anchor
This week, we meet the men involved in the 21 Summit, a three-day event where men teach other men how to be great, uphold the patriarchy, and also teach women how to be great again. (Unsurprisingly, it has a lot to do with traditional gender roles and popping out a couple of kids.)
We interview the founder of the 21 Summit, Anthony Johnson, as well as event speakers Michael Foster, Steve Brule, and George Bruno about feminism (bad), women in the military (bad?), and men's rights (necessary, apparently).
Got something good to tell the show? Email us at notgreat@buzzfeed.com, or find Scaachi Koul on Twitter or Instagram. Got something bad to tell the show? Sorry, it seems like I'm going through a tunnel right now. Can't hear you! Call you back!!


buzzfeed--2020-10-14--Facebook Limited The Reach Of An Unconfirmed Story About Joe Biden’s Son Hunter. Twitter Blocked It.

`` In many countries , including in the US , if we have signals that a piece of content is false , we temporarily reduce its distribution pending review by a third-party fact-checker . ''
Facebook and Twitter said they will be limiting the distribution of or blocking a New York Post story making unverified claims about former vice president Joe Biden .
On Wednesday morning , the Post published a series of stories it claimed were sourced from a hard drive given to the publication by a computer repair technician in Delaware that contained details of Hunter Biden 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Post , “ Steve Bannon , former adviser to President Trump , told The Post about the existence of the hard drive in late September and Giuliani provided The Post with a copy of it on Sunday.
” `` While I will intentionally not link to the New York Post , I want [ to ] be clear that this story is eligible to be fact checked by Facebook 's third-party fact checking partners , Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone said in a tweet on Wednesday .
“ In the meantime , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platform . ''
When contacted by BuzzFeed News , Stone cited a blog post from the company from October 2019 in which it discussed how it would handle the 2020 US presidential election : `` In addition to clearer labels , we 're also working to take faster action to prevent misinformation from going viral , especially given that quality reporting and fact-checking takes time , '' he reiterated .
`` In many countries , including in the US , if we have signals that a piece of content is false , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a third-party fact-checker . ''
While Facebook is limiting the spread of the stories , Twitter moved to block them outright , blocking links to or images to the stories in line with its policy on hacked material , according to a company spokesperson .
Later in the day , the company clarified that the article also violated its rules about disclosing personal and private information .
On Wednesday evening , President Donald Trump criticized the decisions , tweeting : “ So terrible that Facebook and Twitter took down the story of “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden and his son , Hunter , in the @ nypost .
It is only the beginning for them .
There is nothing worse than a corrupt politician .
REPEAL SECTION 230 !
!
!
” Section 230 of the Communication Decency Act of 1996 is the part of federal law that protects online intermediaries like Facebook and Twitter from liability for content posted by people using their services .
The Trump campaign and his supporters have for months latched onto Hunter Biden ’ s relationships in Ukraine as a way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Joe Biden , engaged in corruption , for which two former prosecutors general of Ukraine said there was no evidence .
These flimsy claims have been promoted — with the help of controversial Ukrainian operatives , including one whom the US Treasury imposed sanctions upon after deeming him to be an `` active Russian agent '' — as a way to distract from Trump ’ s overt and repeated corruption as well as draw a false equivalence between the president 's corruption and conspiracy theories alleging corruption on Biden 's part .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of dollars flow into his family companies from people looking for specific action from his administration , as reported by the New York Times .
“ Twitter banning the NY Post story on Joe/Hunter Biden is a mistake .
Gives the piece more attention than it would otherwise get .
And hard to make a credible argument that would see this specific article singled out for such treatment , ” wrote Ian Bremmer , a political scientist at Columbia .
Mollie Hemingway , a senior editor at the Federalist , tweeted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the immediate pushback by Biden 's many allies in Big Media and Big Tech serve as confirmation of the story and how damaging it is to the Biden campaign .
If it were n't true , they 'd just say that , rather than censor its distribution . ''
Journalist Zaid Jilani tweeted , `` A former DCCC staffer who works for Facebook is talking about how the website is purposely suppressing a story that is unflattering towards a Democrat ?
Having these companies act like a private government choosing what speech is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Facebook said in a blog post that it would be paying more attention to “ hack-and-leak operations ” where “ a bad actor steals sensitive information , sometimes manipulates it , and then strategically releases it to influence public debate.
” The company said it was one of the threats it was uniquely focused on ahead of the 2020 US elections .
It ’ s unclear , however , if this is the reason why the social network acted on the Post ’ s Biden story .
For years , Facebook has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a media company and has shifted the responsibility of fact-checking content on its platform to a network of third-party fact-checkers and news outlets .
Among Facebook ’ s fact-check partners are Reuters , the Associated Press , and the Daily Caller , a right-wing news site .
Wednesday 's move is not the first time that Facebook has reduced the spread of information on the platform prior to fact-checking decisions .
Last month , it did so over conspiracy theories that Biden wore an earpiece during the presidential debate .
The move also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce the spread of harmful misinformation and mass delusions .
This week , the company announced it is banning ads that `` discourage '' vaccines and content related to Holocaust denial .
Last week , it banned all references to the QAnon mass delusion and said it would not accept political ads relating to the election after Election Day .

The Trump campaign and his supporters have for months latched onto Hunter Biden’s relationships in Ukraine as a way to tenuously raise the idea that his father, Joe Biden, engaged in corruption, for which two former prosecutors general of Ukraine said there was no evidence.
These flimsy claims have been promoted — with the help of controversial Ukrainian operatives, including one whom the US Treasury imposed sanctions upon after deeming him to be an "active Russian agent" — as a way to distract from Trump’s overt and repeated corruption as well as draw a false equivalence between the president's corruption and conspiracy theories alleging corruption on Biden's part.
Trump, for example, has seen millions of dollars flow into his family companies from people looking for specific action from his administration, as reported by the New York Times.
Facebook's action on Wednesday drew wide criticism.
“Twitter banning the NY Post story on Joe/Hunter Biden is a mistake.
Gives the piece more attention than it would otherwise get. And hard to make a credible argument that would see this specific article singled out for such treatment,” wrote Ian Bremmer, a political scientist at Columbia.
Mollie Hemingway, a senior editor at the Federalist, tweeted, "The most Pravda-like thing is that the immediate pushback by Biden's many allies in Big Media and Big Tech serve as confirmation of the story and how damaging it is to the Biden campaign. If it weren't true, they'd just say that, rather than censor its distribution."
Journalist Zaid Jilani tweeted, "A former DCCC staffer who works for Facebook is talking about how the website is purposely suppressing a story that is unflattering towards a Democrat? Having these companies act like a private government choosing what speech is allowed working swimmingly."
Last month, Facebook said in a blog post that it would be paying more attention to “hack-and-leak operations” where “a bad actor steals sensitive information, sometimes manipulates it, and then strategically releases it to influence public debate.” The company said it was one of the threats it was uniquely focused on ahead of the 2020 US elections.
It’s unclear, however, if this is the reason why the social network acted on the Post’s Biden story.
For years, Facebook has told the public that it is not a media company and has shifted the responsibility of fact-checking content on its platform to a network of third-party fact-checkers and news outlets. Among Facebook’s fact-check partners are Reuters, the Associated Press, and the Daily Caller, a right-wing news site.
Wednesday's move is not the first time that Facebook has reduced the spread of information on the platform prior to fact-checking decisions. Last month, it did so over conspiracy theories that Biden wore an earpiece during the presidential debate.
The move also comes as Facebook has taken steps to reduce the spread of harmful misinformation and mass delusions. This week, the company announced it is banning ads that "discourage" vaccines and content related to Holocaust denial. Last week, it banned all references to the QAnon mass delusion and said it would not accept political ads relating to the election after Election Day.
Christopher Miller contributed reporting to this story.


buzzfeed--2020-10-14--More Than 14 Million Americans Have Already Voted In The Presidential Election

Wearing their `` Vote '' T-shirts , Jeannie Osbourne ( left ) and Judy Nader stand beside an official Orange County ballot drop-box in Santa Ana , California , on Tuesday .
With just 20 days to go until Election Day , more than 14 million Americans have already voted , according to data compiled by the US Elections Project as of Wednesday .
The figure , which includes both ballots cast in-person and absentee or mail-in ballots returned to local elections offices , comes as more states open early voting locations and the window for registering to vote closes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ballots cast across the country so far represents just 10.2 % of the 2016 total turnout , the number of people who have voted in Vermont so far — 95,885 — account for nearly 30 % of the state 's total turnout in the 2016 general election , according to the data from the University of Florida-run project .
In Wisconsin , Virginia , and South Dakota , that figure is at around 25 % of 2016 levels .
In Georgia , where a record number of 128,590 ballots were cast on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a more than 40 % increase from 2016 — the high turnout has led to long lines and hourslong waits for people to vote .
On Tuesday , Gwinnett County 's website listed a wait time of eight hours for the county elections office , one of nine early voting centers .
Joe Sorenson , a spokesperson for the county , told BuzzFeed News that was just an estimate and that the true wait peaked at six hours Tuesday at the location , citing continued slowdowns with the state 's voter registration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiting in line before the office opened this morning .
As of 5 p.m. , when the site was set to close , a little over 100 people were still in line to vote , Sorensen estimated , adding that it would take about an hour to clear through .
On Monday , people were still voting there until a little after 9 p.m. , he said .
Elections experts have said that the hourslong waits voters experienced in Georgia on Monday were unacceptable , but that they did not necessarily indicate voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead , they said high voter enthusiasm may be a cause .
Tuesday was the first day of in-person early voting in Kentucky and Texas , where voters experienced long lines and opening day voting records were shattered early in the day .

With just 20 days to go until Election Day, more than 14 million Americans have already voted, according to data compiled by the US Elections Project as of Wednesday.
The figure, which includes both ballots cast in-person and absentee or mail-in ballots returned to local elections offices, comes as more states open early voting locations and the window for registering to vote closes in others.
While the total number of ballots cast across the country so far represents just 10.2% of the 2016 total turnout, the number of people who have voted in Vermont so far — 95,885 — account for nearly 30% of the state's total turnout in the 2016 general election, according to the data from the University of Florida-run project.
In Wisconsin, Virginia, and South Dakota, that figure is at around 25% of 2016 levels.
In Georgia, where a record number of 128,590 ballots were cast on the first day of early voting Monday — a more than 40% increase from 2016 — the high turnout has led to long lines and hourslong waits for people to vote.
On Tuesday, Gwinnett County's website listed a wait time of eight hours for the county elections office, one of nine early voting centers. Joe Sorenson, a spokesperson for the county, told BuzzFeed News that was just an estimate and that the true wait peaked at six hours Tuesday at the location, citing continued slowdowns with the state's voter registration and a relatively high number of people waiting in line before the office opened this morning. As of 5 p.m., when the site was set to close, a little over 100 people were still in line to vote, Sorensen estimated, adding that it would take about an hour to clear through. On Monday, people were still voting there until a little after 9 p.m., he said.
Elections experts have said that the hourslong waits voters experienced in Georgia on Monday were unacceptable, but that they did not necessarily indicate voter suppression despite concerns to that effect. Instead, they said high voter enthusiasm may be a cause.
Tuesday was the first day of in-person early voting in Kentucky and Texas, where voters experienced long lines and opening day voting records were shattered early in the day.


buzzfeed--2020-10-14--Two Major COVID Clinical Trials Were Paused Over Safety Concerns — Which Is Exactly How Trials Shoul

Two Major COVID Clinical Trials Were Paused Over Safety Concerns — Which Is Exactly How Trials Should Work

Within 24 hours , two pharmaceutical companies separately confirmed that their COVID-19 clinical trials — one for a vaccine , the other for a therapy — were being paused over potential safety concerns .
A government-sponsored trial for Eli Lilly ’ s antibody drug was paused due to a “ potential safety concern , ” according to emails sent to testing sites on Tuesday .
The company confirmed in a statement that an independent board overseeing the trial ’ s safety had made the decision “ out of an abundance of caution.
” Eli Lilly ’ s therapy is similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and used to treat President Donald Trump two weeks ago .
And on Monday , Johnson & Johnson confirmed that it paused its vaccine trial due to “ an unexplained illness in a study participant , ” as first reported by Stat .
There was little information immediately available about either incident , including whether they were linked to the pharmaceutical being tested or the placebos it was being tested against , or when the trials might be restarted .
Johnson & Johnson said in a statement that it was “ learning more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it ’ s important to have all the facts before we share additional information.
” Study pauses , which are initiated by companies , are not uncommon occurrences in trials and are less severe than clinical holds , which are initiated by regulators .
And “ adverse ” events — illnesses or other undesirable medical outcomes — are expected to some degree in all clinical trials , especially ones that involve large numbers of patients .
Johnson & Johnson noted that it typically does not “ communicate study pauses publicly , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regulator-required holds .
Still , some medical experts have criticized pharmaceutical companies for not being more transparent about issues that could seem troubling to a lay audience , given the tremendous degree of interest in vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 and the importance of maintaining public trust .
As of yet , there is no vaccine or FDA-approved therapy for a virus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans .
The back-to-back pauses of two high-profile COVID-19–related trials raise the possibility that they could be delayed .
Eli Lilly 's trial , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Allergy and Infectious Diseases , tested the antibody therapy on 300 patients hospitalized with mild to moderate COVID-19 who also received an antiviral drug , remdesivir , commonly used to treat these patients .
In a statement , a NIAID spokesperson said the trial was paused when the safety board found that the trial had reached a notable difference in safety outcomes between the treatment group and the placebo group .
It is not yet clear which group may have experienced the safety issue described , or whether the trial had met the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ researchers can conclude that the pharmaceutical does not work .
As a result , the independent safety board `` recommended pausing enrollment out of an abundance of caution and continuing data collection and follow-up of current participants for safety and efficacy , '' the statement said .
The board will review the data again on Oct. 26 before deciding whether or not to resume the trial .
Both Eli Lilly and Regeneron filed for emergency authorization from the FDA last week in the middle of a publicity storm spurred by Trump .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s antibody cocktail — which he received in addition to the antiviral drug remdesivir and the steroid dexamethasone — as “ a cure.
” According to a summary of results released last month from another Eli Lilly trial studying more than 450 patients recently diagnosed with a mild to moderate case of the disease , volunteers receiving the antibody treatment had a 72 % lower risk of hospitalizations and emergency room admissions , compared to those taking the placebo .
Late last month , Johnson & Johnson began testing its one-shot vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 60,000 participants .
It is one of the manufacturers backed by Operation Warp Speed , the public-private partnership that is channeling $ 10 billion into COVID-19 vaccines and therapies , including about $ 1.5 billion to Johnson & Johnson .
These weren ’ t the first COVID-19–related trials to be paused .
AstraZeneca has halted its vaccine clinical trial at least twice to investigate two cases of severe illness developed by participants .
The first patient , in July , was deemed to have multiple sclerosis , unrelated to the vaccine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ symptoms consistent with a rare but serious condition called transverse myelitis , according to news reports .
AstraZeneca ’ s trial has since resumed in the UK , Brazil , South Africa , and India but is still on hold in the US pending the FDA ’ s review .
Trump has also made statements about how quickly pharmaceutical companies will be able to develop a vaccine , despite concerns from scientists who say that the process should not be rushed and adequate safety data should be collected .

Within 24 hours, two pharmaceutical companies separately confirmed that their COVID-19 clinical trials — one for a vaccine, the other for a therapy — were being paused over potential safety concerns.
A government-sponsored trial for Eli Lilly’s antibody drug was paused due to a “potential safety concern,” according to emails sent to testing sites on Tuesday. The company confirmed in a statement that an independent board overseeing the trial’s safety had made the decision “out of an abundance of caution.” Eli Lilly’s therapy is similar to another experimental treatment manufactured by Regeneron and used to treat President Donald Trump two weeks ago.
And on Monday, Johnson & Johnson confirmed that it paused its vaccine trial due to “an unexplained illness in a study participant,” as first reported by Stat.
There was little information immediately available about either incident, including whether they were linked to the pharmaceutical being tested or the placebos it was being tested against, or when the trials might be restarted. Johnson & Johnson said in a statement that it was “learning more about this participant’s illness, and it’s important to have all the facts before we share additional information.”
Study pauses, which are initiated by companies, are not uncommon occurrences in trials and are less severe than clinical holds, which are initiated by regulators. And “adverse” events — illnesses or other undesirable medical outcomes — are expected to some degree in all clinical trials, especially ones that involve large numbers of patients. Johnson & Johnson noted that it typically does not “communicate study pauses publicly,” but added that it proactively discloses any regulator-required holds.
Still, some medical experts have criticized pharmaceutical companies for not being more transparent about issues that could seem troubling to a lay audience, given the tremendous degree of interest in vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 and the importance of maintaining public trust.
As of yet, there is no vaccine or FDA-approved therapy for a virus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans. The back-to-back pauses of two high-profile COVID-19–related trials raise the possibility that they could be delayed.
Eli Lilly's trial, which is sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, tested the antibody therapy on 300 patients hospitalized with mild to moderate COVID-19 who also received an antiviral drug, remdesivir, commonly used to treat these patients.
In a statement, a NIAID spokesperson said the trial was paused when the safety board found that the trial had reached a notable difference in safety outcomes between the treatment group and the placebo group. It is not yet clear which group may have experienced the safety issue described, or whether the trial had met the threshold for "futility," where researchers can conclude that the pharmaceutical does not work.
As a result, the independent safety board "recommended pausing enrollment out of an abundance of caution and continuing data collection and follow-up of current participants for safety and efficacy," the statement said. The board will review the data again on Oct. 26 before deciding whether or not to resume the trial.
Both Eli Lilly and Regeneron filed for emergency authorization from the FDA last week in the middle of a publicity storm spurred by Trump. Last week, the president referred to Regeneron’s antibody cocktail — which he received in addition to the antiviral drug remdesivir and the steroid dexamethasone — as “a cure.”
According to a summary of results released last month from another Eli Lilly trial studying more than 450 patients recently diagnosed with a mild to moderate case of the disease, volunteers receiving the antibody treatment had a 72% lower risk of hospitalizations and emergency room admissions, compared to those taking the placebo.
Late last month, Johnson & Johnson began testing its one-shot vaccine in a late-stage clinical trial with up to 60,000 participants. It is one of the manufacturers backed by Operation Warp Speed, the public-private partnership that is channeling $10 billion into COVID-19 vaccines and therapies, including about $1.5 billion to Johnson & Johnson.
These weren’t the first COVID-19–related trials to be paused. AstraZeneca has halted its vaccine clinical trial at least twice to investigate two cases of severe illness developed by participants. The first patient, in July, was deemed to have multiple sclerosis, unrelated to the vaccine. A second person in September developed neurological symptoms consistent with a rare but serious condition called transverse myelitis, according to news reports.
AstraZeneca’s trial has since resumed in the UK, Brazil, South Africa, and India but is still on hold in the US pending the FDA’s review.
Trump has also made statements about how quickly pharmaceutical companies will be able to develop a vaccine, despite concerns from scientists who say that the process should not be rushed and adequate safety data should be collected.


buzzfeed--2020-10-14--Doctors Are Questioning Trump’s COVID-19 Test After His Physician Said He Tested Negative

President Trump boards Air Force One without wearing a mask as he leaves Joint Base Andrews in Maryland for a rally in Florida on Monday .
President Donald Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus and is “ not infectious to others , ” his doctor announced Monday , but other physicians are questioning those findings , noting the test does not appear to have been used for its intended purpose .
The memo from Trump ’ s doctor , Sean Conley , came shortly before the president went to Florida for a rally .
This was some 10 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for COVID-19 .
The CDC recommends that patients isolate for at least 10 days after symptoms first appear , and possibly up to 20 days in severe cases .
Trump “ has tested NEGATIVE , on consecutive days , using the Abbott BinaxNOW antigen card , ” Conley wrote , referring to an antigen test made by the company Abbott Laboratories that can detect a SARS-CoV-2 infection in under 15 minutes .
Antigen tests , which look for proteins on the virus ’ s surface , are much faster and cheaper than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) tests , which look for the genetic material of the virus .
Based on those test results and other information , Conley wrote , the medical team determined that “ in concert with the CDC ’ s guidelines for removal of transmission-based precautions … the President is not infectious to others.
” In a previous memo over the weekend , Conley had cleared Trump to return to an active schedule because he was “ no longer considered a transmission risk to others.
” But other doctors noted that the CDC does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients from isolating .
“ That ’ s not the purpose of the test , ” Megan Ranney , an emergency physician and researcher at Brown University , told BuzzFeed News .
“ They ’ re selectively reporting testing to somehow make the case he ’ s not infectious.
” The CDC ’ s website states that it “ does not recommend using antigen tests to make decisions about discontinuing isolation.
” For patients who have COVID-19 symptoms or had a known exposure to someone infected , it recommends confirming negative antigen tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to know his PCR test information .
That ’ s the information we ’ re curious about , ” said Krutika Kuppalli , an assistant professor of medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina .
Antigen tests are most likely to capture an infection at its peak .
Due to their relative ease and affordability , they are considered useful for screening people who are asymptomatic .
They also indicate whether the virus is present , whereas PCR tests can evaluate the levels of the virus .
Overall , antigen tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in terms of picking up small traces of the virus .
Abbott ’ s BinaxNow test has a sensitivity rate of 97.1 % , according to the company , meaning it will return false-negative results for about 3 % of people who are infected and should have tested positive .
The company also recommends that in patients who are beyond a week from when their symptoms started , negative results “ should be treated as presumptive ” and confirmed with a PCR test .
“ Negative results do not rule out SARS-CoV-2 infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sole basis for treatment or patient management decisions , including infection control decisions , ” company documents state .
The Trump administration has championed this particular test as a tool to help expand the nation ’ s testing capacity .
In August , the day after the FDA granted the tests an emergency use authorization , the Department of Health and Human Services announced that it planned to distribute 150 million of the tests nationwide .
Conley ’ s memo stated that the Abbott antigen test “ was not used in isolation for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current negative status , ” and that Trump had taken a PCR test .
But it gave no information about the results of that test , nor did it go into detail about the other factors that helped inform the diagnosis .
In the memo , Conley stated that “ additional clinical and laboratory data , including viral load , subgenomic RNA , and PCR cycle threshold measurements , as well as ongoing assessment of viral culture data , all indicate a lack of viral replication.
” “ PCR cycle threshold measurements ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polymerase chain reactions that need to be run in order to detect the virus .
When a sample has a very high viral load , fewer cycles are needed in order to amplify the virus enough to detect it .
Conversely , the lower the viral load is in the sample , the more cycles that are needed to pick up on it .
Conley ’ s memo did not specify what Trump ’ s “ cycle threshold measurements ” were .
Even if the number were low , “ a smaller amount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Ranney , the Brown University researcher .
It also doesn ’ t necessarily mean that someone is or isn ’ t infectious to others .
Angie Rasmussen , a virologist at Columbia University , noted that the antigen test is “ less sensitive than ALL those other tests ” mentioned by Conley .
“ So I am wondering why the negative result is being reported only from that , ” she told BuzzFeed News .
“ Why not share the data ?
”

President Donald Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus and is “not infectious to others,” his doctor announced Monday, but other physicians are questioning those findings, noting the test does not appear to have been used for its intended purpose.
The memo from Trump’s doctor, Sean Conley, came shortly before the president went to Florida for a rally. This was some 10 days after Trump announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19. The CDC recommends that patients isolate for at least 10 days after symptoms first appear, and possibly up to 20 days in severe cases.
Trump “has tested NEGATIVE, on consecutive days, using the Abbott BinaxNOW antigen card,” Conley wrote, referring to an antigen test made by the company Abbott Laboratories that can detect a SARS-CoV-2 infection in under 15 minutes.
Antigen tests, which look for proteins on the virus’s surface, are much faster and cheaper than the gold-standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which look for the genetic material of the virus.
Based on those test results and other information, Conley wrote, the medical team determined that “in concert with the CDC’s guidelines for removal of transmission-based precautions … the President is not infectious to others.” In a previous memo over the weekend, Conley had cleared Trump to return to an active schedule because he was “no longer considered a transmission risk to others.”
But other doctors noted that the CDC does not recommend using antigen tests to clear sick patients from isolating.
“That’s not the purpose of the test,” Megan Ranney, an emergency physician and researcher at Brown University, told BuzzFeed News. “They’re selectively reporting testing to somehow make the case he’s not infectious.”
The CDC’s website states that it “does not recommend using antigen tests to make decisions about discontinuing isolation.” For patients who have COVID-19 symptoms or had a known exposure to someone infected, it recommends confirming negative antigen tests with a PCR test.
“We want to know his PCR test information. That’s the information we’re curious about,” said Krutika Kuppalli, an assistant professor of medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Antigen tests are most likely to capture an infection at its peak. Due to their relative ease and affordability, they are considered useful for screening people who are asymptomatic. They also indicate whether the virus is present, whereas PCR tests can evaluate the levels of the virus. Overall, antigen tests are not as good as PCR tests in terms of picking up small traces of the virus.
Abbott’s BinaxNow test has a sensitivity rate of 97.1%, according to the company, meaning it will return false-negative results for about 3% of people who are infected and should have tested positive. The company also recommends that in patients who are beyond a week from when their symptoms started, negative results “should be treated as presumptive” and confirmed with a PCR test. “Negative results do not rule out SARS-CoV-2 infection and should not be used as the sole basis for treatment or patient management decisions, including infection control decisions,” company documents state.
The Trump administration has championed this particular test as a tool to help expand the nation’s testing capacity. In August, the day after the FDA granted the tests an emergency use authorization, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that it planned to distribute 150 million of the tests nationwide.
Conley’s memo stated that the Abbott antigen test “was not used in isolation for the determination of the President’s current negative status,” and that Trump had taken a PCR test. But it gave no information about the results of that test, nor did it go into detail about the other factors that helped inform the diagnosis.
In the memo, Conley stated that “additional clinical and laboratory data, including viral load, subgenomic RNA, and PCR cycle threshold measurements, as well as ongoing assessment of viral culture data, all indicate a lack of viral replication.”
“PCR cycle threshold measurements” refers to the number of cycles of polymerase chain reactions that need to be run in order to detect the virus. When a sample has a very high viral load, fewer cycles are needed in order to amplify the virus enough to detect it. Conversely, the lower the viral load is in the sample, the more cycles that are needed to pick up on it.
Conley’s memo did not specify what Trump’s “cycle threshold measurements” were. Even if the number were low, “a smaller amount of virus does not mean no virus,” said Ranney, the Brown University researcher. It also doesn’t necessarily mean that someone is or isn’t infectious to others.
Angie Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University, noted that the antigen test is “less sensitive than ALL those other tests” mentioned by Conley. “So I am wondering why the negative result is being reported only from that,” she told BuzzFeed News. “Why not share the data?”


buzzfeed--2020-10-15--This Guy Discovered Extremely Expired Cosmetic Products In Stores And Is Going Viral For Making Peop

This Guy Discovered Extremely Expired Cosmetic Products In Stores And Is Going Viral For Making People Aware

Canon said he wants to remind people to make sure they are getting the quality they are paying for .
@ @ @ @ @ on the stores and distributors for this ; however , mistakes can be made — @ @ @ @ @ ' by companies .
So we should be checking our products and holding companies accountable @ @ @ @ @ the best possible care of my skin , and I understand how sensitive it is @ @ @ @ @ `` You could have a horrible reaction from an expired product like I did — @ @ @ @ @ with the aftereffects for weeks . ''

Canon said he wants to remind people to make sure they are getting the quality they are paying for. "Normally, we rely on the stores and distributors for this; however, mistakes can be made — as well as 'money-saving efforts' by companies. So we should be checking our products and holding companies accountable. I try to take the best possible care of my skin, and I understand how sensitive it is," he said. "You could have a horrible reaction from an expired product like I did — and be left to deal with the aftereffects for weeks."


buzzfeed--2020-10-15--Gal Gadot Broke Her Silence On Her Controversial "Imagine" Video, Calling It "Not The Right Good Dee

Gal Gadot Broke Her Silence On Her Controversial "Imagine" Video, Calling It "Not The Right Good Deed"

In the video , she says that the pandemic has made her feel `` philosophical '' and that it `` @ @ @ @ @ are , where you 're from , we 're all in this together . ''
@ @ @ @ @ Imagine , '' and is joined by a roster of other A-list celebs , including @ @ @ @ @ , Natalie Portman , Jimmy Fallon , Leslie Odom Jr. , Zoë Kravitz , Amy @ @ @ @ @ all singing from the comforts of their big ol ' Hollywood homes .

"Sometimes it can get me in trouble," she said. “There is something that I’ve learned to say, which is, ‘I don’t disagree with you, but’ — so basically I’m disagreeing with you. So I adapted. I just came to the conclusion: I do me, you do you. I’d rather have you not liking me at this moment than not saying my truth.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-15--In Defiance Of A State Order, California Republicans Say They Plan To Keep Collecting Ballots Via Un

In Defiance Of A State Order, California Republicans Say They Plan To Keep Collecting Ballots Via Unauthorized Boxes

A lawyer representing California ’ s Republican Party said in a letter Wednesday that it plans to continue collecting ballots in controversial unofficial ballot boxes placed at businesses and party headquarters throughout the state in defiance of a cease-and-desist order by the state 's attorney general , whose office confirmed receiving the letter .
`` Voters have decided , for themselves , that they trust the staff and volunteers at their local political Party headquarters , or their church , or a business that they patronize , to securely deliver their completed [ vote-by-mail ] ballot to the appropriate election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was first shared by CBS News .
In at least four counties in Southern California , the state GOP recently placed unauthorized ballot drop boxes — some of which were wrongly labeled as official or authorized ballot drop boxes — in churches , businesses , and party headquarters .
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said at a press conference Monday that the use of unauthorized drop boxes to collect ballots is not permitted .
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra warned that his office would consider pursuing civil or criminal action against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fraudulent ballot boxes .
The GOP is arguing that there is no difference between the use of unauthorized ballot boxes and ballot collection , sometimes called ballot harvesting , the process by which ballots are picked up and delivered by third parties , which became legal in California in 2016 .
But the California authorities say that ’ s not true ; the law requires the person entrusted to deliver the ballots to sign the envelope .
When the ballots are dropped in an unofficial ballot collection box , officials argue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time .
The California GOP ’ s general counsel , Thomas Hiltachk , told CBS News that stickers saying the party ’ s ballot drop boxes were “ authorized ” had been placed there in error .
He said in his letter to the attorney general that going forward the unauthorized drop boxes would not be inaccurately labeled and would be secured indoors , rather than outdoors .
The secretary of state ’ s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the GOP will be permitted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party also did not respond to a request for comment on this update , but it told BuzzFeed News on Monday that it did not plan to comply with the state ’ s order to remove the boxes .
Some of the boxes , however , were removed , including several in Fresno County and one outside a Catholic church in Simi Valley , California , according to people who had seen them .
Pastor Jerry Cook of Freedom ’ s Way Baptist Church in Los Angeles County encouraged his congregation to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivered to his church , which was removed earlier this week .
In a Facebook post on Tuesday , Cook was asked by a parishioner why he agreed to place one of the boxes at the church and encouraged the congregation to use it when it wasn ’ t an official ballot box .
“ The ballot box came from the California GOP .
It ’ s been in the news as of late , ” Cook wrote on Tuesday .
“ The GOP has taken the ‘ authorizes ’ sticker off and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by this Thursday ( per our Secretary of State ) the box will be returned.
” Cook did not respond to a request for comment from BuzzFeed News .
Fresno County GOP President Fred Vanderhoof — who had distributed some of the boxes to businesses , including smog testing shops , gun clubs , and camping stores , before collecting them on Monday — said he wasn ’ t sure how long it would take before the GOP started replacing the unauthorized ballot boxes in Fresno County .
A list of the locations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Fresno County GOP 's website earlier this week and has not been replaced .
`` We are looking into it , ” Vanderhoof told BuzzFeed News .
“ We have to talk to our attorneys and get some direction on that .
It may take one day .
It may take several days.
” Vanderhoof said any ballots he collected were returned to the election committee but declined to say specifically where .
In the letter to the attorney general ’ s office , attorneys for the California Republican Party said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been “ delivered timely to the appropriate election official as the law commands.
” On Tuesday night , President Donald Trump weighed in on the dispute via Twitter , saying , “ See you in court !
” He encouraged supporters in New York and Illinois to follow the California GOP ’ s example .

A lawyer representing California’s Republican Party said in a letter Wednesday that it plans to continue collecting ballots in controversial unofficial ballot boxes placed at businesses and party headquarters throughout the state in defiance of a cease-and-desist order by the state's attorney general, whose office confirmed receiving the letter.
"Voters have decided, for themselves, that they trust the staff and volunteers at their local political Party headquarters, or their church, or a business that they patronize, to securely deliver their completed [vote-by-mail] ballot to the appropriate election official,” said the letter, which was first shared by CBS News.
In at least four counties in Southern California, the state GOP recently placed unauthorized ballot drop boxes — some of which were wrongly labeled as official or authorized ballot drop boxes — in churches, businesses, and party headquarters.
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said at a press conference Monday that the use of unauthorized drop boxes to collect ballots is not permitted. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra warned that his office would consider pursuing civil or criminal action against people engaging in or encouraging the use of fraudulent ballot boxes.
The GOP is arguing that there is no difference between the use of unauthorized ballot boxes and ballot collection, sometimes called ballot harvesting, the process by which ballots are picked up and delivered by third parties, which became legal in California in 2016.
But the California authorities say that’s not true; the law requires the person entrusted to deliver the ballots to sign the envelope. When the ballots are dropped in an unofficial ballot collection box, officials argue, they are not signed by anyone at the time.
The California GOP’s general counsel, Thomas Hiltachk, told CBS News that stickers saying the party’s ballot drop boxes were “authorized” had been placed there in error. He said in his letter to the attorney general that going forward the unauthorized drop boxes would not be inaccurately labeled and would be secured indoors, rather than outdoors.
The secretary of state’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the GOP will be permitted to replace its ballot boxes.
The state party also did not respond to a request for comment on this update, but it told BuzzFeed News on Monday that it did not plan to comply with the state’s order to remove the boxes.
Some of the boxes, however, were removed, including several in Fresno County and one outside a Catholic church in Simi Valley, California, according to people who had seen them.
Pastor Jerry Cook of Freedom’s Way Baptist Church in Los Angeles County encouraged his congregation to use the unauthorized ballot box the California GOP delivered to his church, which was removed earlier this week. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Cook was asked by a parishioner why he agreed to place one of the boxes at the church and encouraged the congregation to use it when it wasn’t an official ballot box.
“The ballot box came from the California GOP. It’s been in the news as of late,” Cook wrote on Tuesday. “The GOP has taken the ‘authorizes’ sticker off and replaced it with Ballot Box. But by this Thursday (per our Secretary of State) the box will be returned.”
Cook did not respond to a request for comment from BuzzFeed News.
Fresno County GOP President Fred Vanderhoof — who had distributed some of the boxes to businesses, including smog testing shops, gun clubs, and camping stores, before collecting them on Monday — said he wasn’t sure how long it would take before the GOP started replacing the unauthorized ballot boxes in Fresno County. A list of the locations of the unauthorized drop boxes was removed from the Fresno County GOP's website earlier this week and has not been replaced.
"We are looking into it,” Vanderhoof told BuzzFeed News. “We have to talk to our attorneys and get some direction on that. It may take one day. It may take several days.”
Vanderhoof said any ballots he collected were returned to the election committee but declined to say specifically where.
In the letter to the attorney general’s office, attorneys for the California Republican Party said the ballots collected in the boxes had been “delivered timely to the appropriate election official as the law commands.”
On Tuesday night, President Donald Trump weighed in on the dispute via Twitter, saying, “See you in court!” He encouraged supporters in New York and Illinois to follow the California GOP’s example.