buzzfeed--2020-04-09--Bernie Sanders Is Ending His Presidential Campaign

Bernie Sanders is suspending his bid for president , bringing to an end a campaign that cast health care as a human right , sought to give power and a platform to the voices of working people , and succeeded in reshaping the Democratic Party ’ s policy platform but fell far short of victory when voters across the country cast their ballots this year .
As the coronavirus pandemic has shut down much of American life over the last month , Sanders has faced strict constraints on his ability to campaign — and increasingly impossible odds in a Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been all but over for weeks .
Speaking from Burlington , Vermont , the state where he has represented Vermont in the Senate and the House of Representatives for three decades , Sanders announced his “ very difficult and painful decision ” in a livestreamed direct-to-camera address to supporters , vowing to continue his fight for progressive ideas in partnership with the Biden campaign and at the planned Democratic National Convention in August .
“ Together we have transformed American consciousness as to what kind of nation we can become , ” Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his favorite quotations , a line attributed to Nelson Mandela .
“ ‘ It always seems impossible until it is done.
’ ” “ The future of this country is with our ideas , ” he said .
The timing of the suspension , one day after a Wisconsin primary put lives at risk as voters showed up to vote in masks and rubber gloves on Tuesday , still came as a surprise stop to a 14-month presidential campaign .
The Sanders campaign was hiring new employees as of Tuesday , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posts .
For Sanders , it 's the end to an odyssey that took him from obscurity to national fame , transforming Democratic politics in the process .
Five years ago , only a small group of reporters and onlookers joined him on a lawn in Washington , when he first announced his intention to run for president and ensure a debate of progressive policy ideas .
Since then , Sanders has raised hundreds of millions of dollars , spoken to hundreds of thousands of people in venues across the country , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the votes of millions .
His 15-minute video address from Burlington took the shape at points of an abridged stump speech , a fitting coda for a politician who has preached the same message for some 50 years , starting as a third-party candidate in 1970s Vermont .
“ Few would deny that over the course of the past five years , our movement has won the ideological struggle , ” Sanders said on Wednesday , citing broad support for increased access to health care and a higher minimum wage .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these ideas radical and fringe .
Today they are mainstream ideas , and many of them are already being implemented in cities and states across the country .
That is what we have accomplished together.
” Sanders retained vibrant support from young Democrats in this year 's contests and built support among Latino voters that did not exist in 2016 .
But after rising to the top of polls and becoming the race 's clear frontrunner after a massive win in Nevada , Sanders slipped in South Carolina and Super Tuesday , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more moderate white voters consolidated behind a single candidate .
Biden , a fixture of Democratic establishment politics with whom Sanders disagrees but personally respects , will almost certainly secure the Democratic nomination when party members plan to convene later this year for their national convention .
Even as advisers urged him to go harder at Biden , the Vermont senator resisted .
He had a personal admiration for his “ friend , ” the former vice president , irking some staffers back in January when he decided to personally apologize to Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Teachout , wrote an op-ed about his “ corruption problem.
” In a statement sent to reporters soon after Sanders spoke , Biden praised the senator ’ s campaign .
“ Bernie has done something rare in politics , ” he said .
“ He hasn ’ t just run a political campaign ; he ’ s created a movement .
And make no mistake about it , I believe it ’ s a movement that is as powerful today as it was yesterday.
” Biden appealed to both Sanders ’ supporters and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ But we also want you to know : I ’ ll be reaching out to you .
You will be heard by me .
As you say , ” he said , offering a tribute to the Sanders campaign slogan , “ ‘ Not me , us.
’ ” Calling Biden a “ decent ” man , Sanders said Wednesday he would still remain on the ballot in the upcoming primary states in an attempt to collect delegates and build power for his movement heading into the summer .
“ We must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as possible at the Democratic convention where we will be able to concert significant influence over the party platform and other functions , ” Sanders said in Burlington .
“ Then together , standing united , we will go forward to defeat Donald Trump , the most dangerous president in modern American history.
” “ While the path may be slower now , we will change this nation , ” he later added .
Sanders called his decision “ painful , ” but said he did not see a path forward to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his supporters may disagree and would prefer him “ to fight on until the last ballot cast at the Democratic convention.
” Sanders said he understands that position , but could not “ in good conscience ” continue a campaign that could not win during a pandemic .
It 's a profound disappointment for a candidate and movement who believed that this time was their time .
Wednesday ’ s announcement — that “ the path toward victory is virtually impossible , ” as Sanders put it himself — had already been evident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brief moment in the race — when the vote was still fractured across a field of more than six candidates — Sanders saw his path to victory .
Before Michael Bloomberg ’ s collapse at a debate in Nevada , before Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg dropped out to lift up Biden , he could have secured a lead in the delegate count that no single candidate in a crowded field could surpass .
By early March , as Biden racked up victories in states from Michigan to Texas , with Sanders unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loyal supporters , the window had firmly closed .
When Sanders launched his presidential bid last year , his campaign emphasized the idea of turning the nonvoter , often poor or ignored by both parties , into a voter , and expanding the electorate — Sanders ' own evolved theory of how to win in America .
`` It is a gamble to see whether we can bring those people into the political process , ” he said in an interview last year .
“ One way you do it is to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ s YOU .
You ’ re workin ’ for $ 12 an hour , you can ’ t afford health insurance — so is he .
Listen to what he has to say .
It ’ s not Bernie Sanders talking , you know ?
It ’ s that guy .
Join us . '
” The policies were the same as before — health care as right , the reduction of personal debt , changes to the criminal justice and immigration systems — but in 2019 , Sanders reorganized much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to connect those stories into one larger vision of America .
For a time , it looked as though his campaign might be idling .
In early October , Sanders — a 78-year-old with endurance and a personal loathing for physical illness — suffered a heart attack during a campaign swing through Nevada .
But the existential moment , counterintuitively , marked the beginning of a comeback : Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed him .
Sanders started ticking up again in the polls , as progressives coalesced around the candidate who never deviates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' as campaign cochair Nina Turner told a Queens , New York , audience at the `` Bernie Is Back '' rally the campaign put on after the heart attack . )
The money , as always , continued to pour in .
In 2016 , his refusal to fundraise in the kinds of high-dollar , closed-door fundraising environments that became a bipartisan status quo in the 21st century resulted in a cash boom online for the democratic socialist in 2016 .
Raising more than $ 100 million online , Sanders proved it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a campaign without major donors .
And those small-dollar donors never changed over five years .
But the historic turnout Sanders had both predicted and longed for did not come to pass .
Despite his near-monopoly on voters under age 30 , young voters have not voted at record numbers in the nominating contests so far , with some of the white working-class voters choosing Biden .
And , ultimately , despite significant attention paid to organizing this time out , Sanders still has not improved with black voters of all ages , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and older voters of all races .
In the last days of active campaigning before the coronavirus pandemic set in , the Sanders campaign was riddled with debate over what to do next — whether to attack Biden , drop out early , aggressively push a policy agenda to move Biden to the left .
The result was a slow period as the realization set in that a campaign that once appeared unstoppable would soon be over .
“ He was never able to expand his coalition , ” Mark Longabaugh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign early last year , told BuzzFeed News last month .
“ He just didn ’ t succeed at it.
” Sanders on Wednesday made a plea to keep the coalition he has together .
“ Please stay in this fight with me , ” he said in Burlington .
“ Let us go forward together .
The struggle continues .
”

Bernie Sanders is suspending his bid for president, bringing to an end a campaign that cast health care as a human right, sought to give power and a platform to the voices of working people, and succeeded in reshaping the Democratic Party’s policy platform but fell far short of victory when voters across the country cast their ballots this year.
As the coronavirus pandemic has shut down much of American life over the last month, Sanders has faced strict constraints on his ability to campaign — and increasingly impossible odds in a Democratic presidential primary against Joe Biden that has been all but over for weeks.
Speaking from Burlington, Vermont, the state where he has represented Vermont in the Senate and the House of Representatives for three decades, Sanders announced his “very difficult and painful decision” in a livestreamed direct-to-camera address to supporters, vowing to continue his fight for progressive ideas in partnership with the Biden campaign and at the planned Democratic National Convention in August.
“Together we have transformed American consciousness as to what kind of nation we can become,” Sanders said, adding a recitation of one of his favorite quotations, a line attributed to Nelson Mandela. “‘It always seems impossible until it is done.’”
“The future of this country is with our ideas,” he said.
The timing of the suspension, one day after a Wisconsin primary put lives at risk as voters showed up to vote in masks and rubber gloves on Tuesday, still came as a surprise stop to a 14-month presidential campaign. The Sanders campaign was hiring new employees as of Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the open posts.
For Sanders, it's the end to an odyssey that took him from obscurity to national fame, transforming Democratic politics in the process. Five years ago, only a small group of reporters and onlookers joined him on a lawn in Washington, when he first announced his intention to run for president and ensure a debate of progressive policy ideas. Since then, Sanders has raised hundreds of millions of dollars, spoken to hundreds of thousands of people in venues across the country, and won more than two dozen states and the votes of millions.
His 15-minute video address from Burlington took the shape at points of an abridged stump speech, a fitting coda for a politician who has preached the same message for some 50 years, starting as a third-party candidate in 1970s Vermont.
“Few would deny that over the course of the past five years, our movement has won the ideological struggle,” Sanders said on Wednesday, citing broad support for increased access to health care and a higher minimum wage. “It was not long ago that people considered these ideas radical and fringe. Today they are mainstream ideas, and many of them are already being implemented in cities and states across the country. That is what we have accomplished together.”
Sanders retained vibrant support from young Democrats in this year's contests and built support among Latino voters that did not exist in 2016. But after rising to the top of polls and becoming the race's clear frontrunner after a massive win in Nevada, Sanders slipped in South Carolina and Super Tuesday, as the candidate field thinned and black and more moderate white voters consolidated behind a single candidate.
Biden, a fixture of Democratic establishment politics with whom Sanders disagrees but personally respects, will almost certainly secure the Democratic nomination when party members plan to convene later this year for their national convention.
Even as advisers urged him to go harder at Biden, the Vermont senator resisted. He had a personal admiration for his “friend,” the former vice president, irking some staffers back in January when he decided to personally apologize to Biden after one of his surrogates, Zephyr Teachout, wrote an op-ed about his “corruption problem.”
In a statement sent to reporters soon after Sanders spoke, Biden praised the senator’s campaign. “Bernie has done something rare in politics,” he said. “He hasn’t just run a political campaign; he’s created a movement. And make no mistake about it, I believe it’s a movement that is as powerful today as it was yesterday.”
Biden appealed to both Sanders’ supporters and to Bernie and Jane Sanders themselves. “But we also want you to know: I’ll be reaching out to you. You will be heard by me. As you say,” he said, offering a tribute to the Sanders campaign slogan, “‘Not me, us.’”
Calling Biden a “decent” man, Sanders said Wednesday he would still remain on the ballot in the upcoming primary states in an attempt to collect delegates and build power for his movement heading into the summer.
“We must continue working to assemble as many delegates as possible at the Democratic convention where we will be able to concert significant influence over the party platform and other functions,” Sanders said in Burlington. “Then together, standing united, we will go forward to defeat Donald Trump, the most dangerous president in modern American history.”
“While the path may be slower now, we will change this nation,” he later added.
Sanders called his decision “painful,” but said he did not see a path forward to the nomination. He acknowledged that some of his supporters may disagree and would prefer him “to fight on until the last ballot cast at the Democratic convention.” Sanders said he understands that position, but could not “in good conscience” continue a campaign that could not win during a pandemic.
It's a profound disappointment for a candidate and movement who believed that this time was their time.
Wednesday’s announcement — that “the path toward victory is virtually impossible,” as Sanders put it himself — had already been evident for nearly one month.
For a brief moment in the race — when the vote was still fractured across a field of more than six candidates — Sanders saw his path to victory. Before Michael Bloomberg’s collapse at a debate in Nevada, before Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg dropped out to lift up Biden, he could have secured a lead in the delegate count that no single candidate in a crowded field could surpass. By early March, as Biden racked up victories in states from Michigan to Texas, with Sanders unable to expand and diversify his base of loyal supporters, the window had firmly closed.
When Sanders launched his presidential bid last year, his campaign emphasized the idea of turning the nonvoter, often poor or ignored by both parties, into a voter, and expanding the electorate — Sanders' own evolved theory of how to win in America.
"It is a gamble to see whether we can bring those people into the political process,” he said in an interview last year. “One way you do it is to say, ‘You see that guy? He’s YOU. You’re workin’ for $12 an hour, you can’t afford health insurance — so is he. Listen to what he has to say. It’s not Bernie Sanders talking, you know? It’s that guy. Join us.'”
The policies were the same as before — health care as right, the reduction of personal debt, changes to the criminal justice and immigration systems — but in 2019, Sanders reorganized much of his campaign around town halls meant to connect those stories into one larger vision of America.
For a time, it looked as though his campaign might be idling.
In early October, Sanders — a 78-year-old with endurance and a personal loathing for physical illness — suffered a heart attack during a campaign swing through Nevada. But the existential moment, counterintuitively, marked the beginning of a comeback: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed him. Sanders started ticking up again in the polls, as progressives coalesced around the candidate who never deviates. ("There is only one," as campaign cochair Nina Turner told a Queens, New York, audience at the "Bernie Is Back" rally the campaign put on after the heart attack.) The money, as always, continued to pour in.
In 2016, his refusal to fundraise in the kinds of high-dollar, closed-door fundraising environments that became a bipartisan status quo in the 21st century resulted in a cash boom online for the democratic socialist in 2016. Raising more than $100 million online, Sanders proved it was possible to raise major money for a campaign without major donors. And those small-dollar donors never changed over five years.
But the historic turnout Sanders had both predicted and longed for did not come to pass. Despite his near-monopoly on voters under age 30, young voters have not voted at record numbers in the nominating contests so far, with some of the white working-class voters choosing Biden. And, ultimately, despite significant attention paid to organizing this time out, Sanders still has not improved with black voters of all ages, particularly those who live in the South, and older voters of all races.
In the last days of active campaigning before the coronavirus pandemic set in, the Sanders campaign was riddled with debate over what to do next — whether to attack Biden, drop out early, aggressively push a policy agenda to move Biden to the left. The result was a slow period as the realization set in that a campaign that once appeared unstoppable would soon be over.
“He was never able to expand his coalition,” Mark Longabaugh, a top adviser who split with the campaign early last year, told BuzzFeed News last month. “He just didn’t succeed at it.”
Sanders on Wednesday made a plea to keep the coalition he has together.
“Please stay in this fight with me,” he said in Burlington. “Let us go forward together. The struggle continues.”


buzzfeed--2020-04-07--The Wisconsin Supreme Court Ruled In-Person Voting Must Proceed Tuesday Despite The Coronavirus Pand

The Wisconsin Supreme Court Ruled In-Person Voting Must Proceed Tuesday Despite The Coronavirus Pandemic

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
The US Supreme Court and Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled against Democrats in back-to-back decisions on Monday , declaring that key aspects of the state ’ s primary election must proceed as originally scheduled — issuing two separate orders that said late mail-in ballots can not be counted and that in-person voting must proceed on Tuesday despite fears that people at polling sites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feared proceeding as planned would worsen the pandemic , while driving down voter turnout and sending hundreds of state-level elections into turmoil .
The nation ’ s top court ruled 5-4 along ideological lines in favor of Republicans , who sought to block a lower court decision that would have provided six extra days for voters to mail their ballots and for election officials to receive them in the mail .
Despite concerns that a backlog within the postal service meant thousands of voters would not get their mail-in ballots before Election Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ majority found a lower court erred by extending the date for ballots to be accepted to April 13 , even if those ballots were postmarked after Tuesday .
Democrats had not initially requested that specific ruling , and writing for the majority , Justice Brett Kavanaugh said , the lower court ’ s order “ fundamentally alters the nature of the election.
” “ When a lower court intervenes and alters the election rules so close to the election date , our precedents indicate that this Court , as appropriate , should correct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The majority added that modifying election rules ran afoul of the Purcell principle , a doctrine that courts should avoid meddling in elections immediately before the vote , saying doing so “ judicially created confusion.
” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg , leading a dissent for the court ’ s liberal wing , took umbrage with the majority opinion that had declared the case was about a “ narrow , technical question.
” The minority wrote wrote that Wisconsin voters “ will have to brave the polls , endangering their own and others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their right to vote , through no fault of their own .
That is a matter of utmost importance—to the constitutional rights of Wisconsin ’ s citizens , the integrity of the State ’ s election process , and in this most extraordinary time , the health of the Nation.
” About two hours beforehand , the Wisconsin Supreme Court declared that in-person voting in the swing state must proceed as planned despite the pandemic , blocking an executive order issued earlier the same day by Democratic Gov .
Tony Evers that attempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election until June .
Republicans have insisted extending deadlines would undermine election integrity .
In announcing their lawsuit , Republican leaders of the state legislature called the governor ’ s last-ditch effort to postpone the vote a “ constitutional overreach ” and said , “ Evers can ’ t unilaterally run the state.
” Evers , who had previously said he lacked authority to delay the election , had issued his order Monday afternoon postponing in-person voting for the primary until June 9 and directing the legislature to convene on Tuesday afternoon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ April primary that had not yet been delayed .
The state supreme court blocked the provision that suspended voting , but said the legislature could still convene on Tuesday .
Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Daniel Kelly — who was appointed by Republican former governor Scott Walker — tweeted on Monday afternoon before the decision that “ we urge clerks , poll workers , and voters to stand ready to conduct the election ” as scheduled on Tuesday .
He abstained from the state court ’ s ruling .
At least 15 states have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic — and Evers and others Democrats pleaded to do the same in Wisconsin — but Republicans who control the state legislature balked .
The GOP has long tried to suppress voter turnout , particularly by people of color in swing states ; in the lawsuit about the absentee ballot filed last week , the Republican National Committee and Wisconsin Republicans called on courts to order Wisconsin ’ s primary to proceed as scheduled and block efforts to extend the timeline for counting ballots .
In a ruling that partially sided Democrats , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conley ruled on Thursday that ballots received by April 13 must be counted regardless of when they are postmarked — six days after the original deadline for officials to receive ballots — even though Democrats had not requested that sort of ruling .
On Friday , the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals denied Republicans ’ request to block that lower court decision .
The next day , Republicans filed an emergency application at the Supreme Court saying , “ Requiring a state to permit unlimited absentee voting for almost a week after election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , voter confidence and the orderly administration of an election that already has strained state resources due to the difficult circumstances associated with COVID-19.
” The Democratic National Committee countered there had been a backlog of 21,590 requested mail-in ballots — driven by voters who wanted to vote absentee during the pandemic — as of April 2 .
“ It appears that tens of thousands of voters may not even receive their requested absentee ballots by election day , ” said a response filed at the Supreme Court by Democratic election lawyer Marc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of voters at minimum will be disenfranchised if their requested absentee ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday the 7th.
” The Democrats ’ filing went on to argue that the Republican plan “ could exacerbate the unfolding COVID-19 public health disaster .
If voters are not confident their absentee ballots will be counted , this will drive more people to vote in-person on election day , thereby increasing the risks of community spread through polling places in cities and towns throughout Wisconsin .
”

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, become a member and sign up for our newsletter, Outbreak Today.
The US Supreme Court and Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled against Democrats in back-to-back decisions on Monday, declaring that key aspects of the state’s primary election must proceed as originally scheduled — issuing two separate orders that said late mail-in ballots cannot be counted and that in-person voting must proceed on Tuesday despite fears that people at polling sites will spread the coronavirus.
Democrats had feared proceeding as planned would worsen the pandemic, while driving down voter turnout and sending hundreds of state-level elections into turmoil.
The nation’s top court ruled 5-4 along ideological lines in favor of Republicans, who sought to block a lower court decision that would have provided six extra days for voters to mail their ballots and for election officials to receive them in the mail.
Despite concerns that a backlog within the postal service meant thousands of voters would not get their mail-in ballots before Election Day, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority found a lower court erred by extending the date for ballots to be accepted to April 13, even if those ballots were postmarked after Tuesday. Democrats had not initially requested that specific ruling, and writing for the majority, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said, the lower court’s order “fundamentally alters the nature of the election.”
“When a lower court intervenes and alters the election rules so close to the election date, our precedents indicate that this Court, as appropriate, should correct that error,” the opinion said. The majority added that modifying election rules ran afoul of the Purcell principle, a doctrine that courts should avoid meddling in elections immediately before the vote, saying doing so “judicially created confusion.”
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, leading a dissent for the court’s liberal wing, took umbrage with the majority opinion that had declared the case was about a “narrow, technical question.”
The minority wrote wrote that Wisconsin voters “will have to brave the polls, endangering their own and others’ safety. Or they will lose their right to vote, through no fault of their own. That is a matter of utmost importance—to the constitutional rights of Wisconsin’s citizens, the integrity of the State’s election process, and in this most extraordinary time, the health of the Nation.”
About two hours beforehand, the Wisconsin Supreme Court declared that in-person voting in the swing state must proceed as planned despite the pandemic, blocking an executive order issued earlier the same day by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers that attempted to delay Tuesday’s scheduled primary election until June.
Republicans have insisted extending deadlines would undermine election integrity. In announcing their lawsuit, Republican leaders of the state legislature called the governor’s last-ditch effort to postpone the vote a “constitutional overreach” and said, “Evers can’t unilaterally run the state.”
Evers, who had previously said he lacked authority to delay the election, had issued his order Monday afternoon postponing in-person voting for the primary until June 9 and directing the legislature to convene on Tuesday afternoon. Wisconsin’s election was the last April primary that had not yet been delayed.
The state supreme court blocked the provision that suspended voting, but said the legislature could still convene on Tuesday.
Wisconsin Supreme Court justice Daniel Kelly — who was appointed by Republican former governor Scott Walker — tweeted on Monday afternoon before the decision that “we urge clerks, poll workers, and voters to stand ready to conduct the election” as scheduled on Tuesday. He abstained from the state court’s ruling.
At least 15 states have postponed primary voting dates due to the pandemic — and Evers and others Democrats pleaded to do the same in Wisconsin — but Republicans who control the state legislature balked.
The GOP has long tried to suppress voter turnout, particularly by people of color in swing states; in the lawsuit about the absentee ballot filed last week, the Republican National Committee and Wisconsin Republicans called on courts to order Wisconsin’s primary to proceed as scheduled and block efforts to extend the timeline for counting ballots.
In a ruling that partially sided Democrats, however, US district court judge William Conley ruled on Thursday that ballots received by April 13 must be counted regardless of when they are postmarked — six days after the original deadline for officials to receive ballots — even though Democrats had not requested that sort of ruling. On Friday, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals denied Republicans’ request to block that lower court decision.
The next day, Republicans filed an emergency application at the Supreme Court saying, “Requiring a state to permit unlimited absentee voting for almost a week after election day presents significant dangers to election integrity, voter confidence and the orderly administration of an election that already has strained state resources due to the difficult circumstances associated with COVID-19.”
The Democratic National Committee countered there had been a backlog of 21,590 requested mail-in ballots — driven by voters who wanted to vote absentee during the pandemic — as of April 2.
“It appears that tens of thousands of voters may not even receive their requested absentee ballots by election day,” said a response filed at the Supreme Court by Democratic election lawyer Marc Elias, who added, “Thousands of voters at minimum will be disenfranchised if their requested absentee ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday the 7th.”
The Democrats’ filing went on to argue that the Republican plan “could exacerbate the unfolding COVID-19 public health disaster. If voters are not confident their absentee ballots will be counted, this will drive more people to vote in-person on election day, thereby increasing the risks of community spread through polling places in cities and towns throughout Wisconsin.”


buzzfeed--2020-04-07--Do You Have To Keep Paying Your Student Loans During The Coronavirus Pandemic? It's Complicated.

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
WASHINGTON — Last month , President Donald Trump signed a bill to provide relief for struggling Americans and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic .
As part of that law , all borrowers with federally held student loans will get a six-month reprieve from payments through Sept. 30 , as Americans lose wages and already roughly 10 million people have filed for unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history .
However , not all federal student loans are covered by the law , despite Democratic efforts to include all of them .
Figuring out whether your loans are affected isn ’ t easy .
Like the rest of the law , the student loan provisions were written quickly , and many lenders have not yet updated their policies to comply with it or informed borrowers of whether they are covered ( they have until April 11 to do so ) .
BuzzFeed News has heard from dozens of borrowers in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide guidance , and some major federal loan servicers are still working to update the correct information on their websites .
Student loan servicer phone lines were already bogged down with desperate borrowers who have lost jobs or wages , and questions about the new law have only exacerbated those wait times .
If you are confused , you are not alone .
Several education advocates and congressional staffers who work on education issues spoke to BuzzFeed News and acknowledged the difficulty for individual borrowers to figure out if they will get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one congressional staffer saying even they had struggled to see if their loans qualified .
“ It ’ s incredibly confusing and a problem that borrowers do not need right now , ” a senior Democratic staffer said .
Here is a guide to some commonly asked questions about what loans qualify for suspended payments under the law and what borrowers can expect .
These answers are meant to help borrowers figure out what is going on with their loans and what that law requires .
For more information , contact your lender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can also read the department ’ s official guidance on federal student loan relief during the coronavirus pandemic .
What does the law do ?
All borrowers with federally held student loans ( see below ) will not have to make payments on their loans through Sept. 30 .
The law is retroactive to March 13 , so any borrowers who have made payments since then can get them refunded .
The Department of Education recommends calling your lender directly to get that refund .
During the six-month relief period , your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administrative forbearance ” — but that ’ s not the kind of forbearance you may be used to .
It means that the Department of Education is putting your payments on hold , not you , so you will not accrue new interest and not paying can ’ t affect your credit , the total forbearance limit you have left on your loans , or your qualifications for student loan forgiveness or a loan rehabilitation program ( if you had defaulted ) .
In other words , your lender has to treat your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paying the whole time ( though your principal balance will remain the same ) .
Additionally , if you have defaulted on a federally held student loan , you will no longer face having your tax refund withheld , your wages garnished , or social security payments withheld through Sept. 30 .
If you had those payments taken from you on or after March 13 , you are entitled to a refund ( see more below ) .
All federally held student loans qualify under the law , but commercially held Federal Family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loans owned by your school do not .
That means the vast majority of federal student loans issued after June 2010 ( when the government stopped issuing FFEL loans ) will qualify , according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau .
If you took out loans before that , they may or may not qualify .
What you need to determine is whether your loans are “ federally held.
” The National Consumer Law Center estimates that 9 million borrowers with federal student loans will not qualify under the law , either because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are Perkins loans that are owned by their school .
So how do I know if my loans are “ federally held ” ?
The question of whether your loans are federally held isn ’ t easily answered .
Generally speaking , it ’ s not a particular type of loan or even which lender you have , and it ’ s not something you can easily look up .
Borrowers basically have two options : You can call your lender and ask them , or you can call the Department of Education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you .
As many student loan lenders already have outrageous wait times right now , I called the Department of Education to ask about my own federal loans on Wednesday ( say “ agent ” from the main menu to get connected with someone ) .
Your question should be something like : “ I want to know whether my federal student loans are still federally held.
” If you have multiple federal student loans , make sure to ask about each of them .
Another option that may work : Borrowers can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aid ID ( you can get one from the Department of Education here if you don ’ t have one ) .
Once you have that account set up , you can go to your profile and select “ My Aid.
” At the bottom of that page ( stick with me here ) , it will say “ Loans Serviced By ” with the name of your lender .
If that name begins with “ DEPT OF ED/ , ” your loans are federally held and you qualify for suspended payments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ your lender .
If your loans are federally held , you qualify for suspended payments through Sept. 30 and will not have to pay or accrue any interest until then .
If your federal loans are now commercially held , this law does nothing for you .
You can contact your lender for information on your other options .

WASHINGTON — Last month, President Donald Trump signed a bill to provide relief for struggling Americans and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic. As part of that law, all borrowers with federally held student loans will get a six-month reprieve from payments through Sept. 30, as Americans lose wages and already roughly 10 million people have filed for unemployment, a staggering all-time high in US history.
However, not all federal student loans are covered by the law, despite Democratic efforts to include all of them. Figuring out whether your loans are affected isn’t easy.
Like the rest of the law, the student loan provisions were written quickly, and many lenders have not yet updated their policies to comply with it or informed borrowers of whether they are covered (they have until April 11 to do so). BuzzFeed News has heard from dozens of borrowers in the past few days whose lenders have yet to provide guidance, and some major federal loan servicers are still working to update the correct information on their websites. Student loan servicer phone lines were already bogged down with desperate borrowers who have lost jobs or wages, and questions about the new law have only exacerbated those wait times.
If you are confused, you are not alone. Several education advocates and congressional staffers who work on education issues spoke to BuzzFeed News and acknowledged the difficulty for individual borrowers to figure out if they will get benefits under the new law, with one congressional staffer saying even they had struggled to see if their loans qualified. “It’s incredibly confusing and a problem that borrowers do not need right now,” a senior Democratic staffer said.
Here is a guide to some commonly asked questions about what loans qualify for suspended payments under the law and what borrowers can expect. These answers are meant to help borrowers figure out what is going on with their loans and what that law requires. For more information, contact your lender and/or the US Department of Education. You can also read the department’s official guidance on federal student loan relief during the coronavirus pandemic.
What does the law do?
All borrowers with federally held student loans (see below) will not have to make payments on their loans through Sept. 30. The law is retroactive to March 13, so any borrowers who have made payments since then can get them refunded. The Department of Education recommends calling your lender directly to get that refund.
During the six-month relief period, your federal loans will be put in “administrative forbearance” — but that’s not the kind of forbearance you may be used to. It means that the Department of Education is putting your payments on hold, not you, so you will not accrue new interest and not paying can’t affect your credit, the total forbearance limit you have left on your loans, or your qualifications for student loan forgiveness or a loan rehabilitation program (if you had defaulted). In other words, your lender has to treat your loans as if you’ve been paying the whole time (though your principal balance will remain the same).
Additionally, if you have defaulted on a federally held student loan, you will no longer face having your tax refund withheld, your wages garnished, or social security payments withheld through Sept. 30. If you had those payments taken from you on or after March 13, you are entitled to a refund (see more below).
Do my loans qualify?
All federally held student loans qualify under the law, but commercially held Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) and Perkins loans owned by your school do not. That means the vast majority of federal student loans issued after June 2010 (when the government stopped issuing FFEL loans) will qualify, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. If you took out loans before that, they may or may not qualify. What you need to determine is whether your loans are “federally held.”
The National Consumer Law Center estimates that 9 million borrowers with federal student loans will not qualify under the law, either because their loans are commercially held or they are Perkins loans that are owned by their school.
There are, however, two recent exceptions that will affect some borrowers: The University of California system has granted the same relief (no payments through Sept. 30, 0% interest, and no fees) to all borrowers who took out loans from the UC system. You can learn more about that here. And New York state came to an agreement with several major student loan companies in early April allowing New Yorkers to request 90 days of forbearance on commercially held FFEL loans and private student loans. The state estimates 300,000 New Yorkers will qualify and you can find more information here.
So how do I know if my loans are “federally held”?
The question of whether your loans are federally held isn’t easily answered. Generally speaking, it’s not a particular type of loan or even which lender you have, and it’s not something you can easily look up. Borrowers basically have two options: You can call your lender and ask them, or you can call the Department of Education and have them look it up for you.
As many student loan lenders already have outrageous wait times right now, I called the Department of Education to ask about my own federal loans on Wednesday (say “agent” from the main menu to get connected with someone). Your question should be something like: “I want to know whether my federal student loans are still federally held.” If you have multiple federal student loans, make sure to ask about each of them.
Another option that may work: Borrowers can log into StudentAid.gov using their Federal Student Aid ID (you can get one from the Department of Education here if you don’t have one). Once you have that account set up, you can go to your profile and select “My Aid.” At the bottom of that page (stick with me here), it will say “Loans Serviced By” with the name of your lender. If that name begins with “DEPT OF ED/,” your loans are federally held and you qualify for suspended payments. If not, you should double-check with your lender.
If your loans are federally held, you qualify for suspended payments through Sept. 30 and will not have to pay or accrue any interest until then. If your federal loans are now commercially held, this law does nothing for you. You can contact your lender for information on your other options.


buzzfeed--2020-04-06--Trump Is Firing The Intelligence Community Watchdog Who Brought Forward The Whistleblower Complaint

“ As is the case with regard to other positions where I , as President , have the power of appointment , by and with the advice and consent of the Senate , it is vital that I have the fullest confidence in the appointees serving as Inspectors General , ” Trump wrote .
“ That is no longer the case with regard to this Inspector General.
” In letters sent to the congressional intelligence committees late Friday night , without warning , Trump told lawmakers that he had lost confidence in Atkinson , who has served as the watchdog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has informed Congress that he is firing Michael Atkinson , the inspector general of the intelligence community who alerted lawmakers to the whistleblower complaint that led to the president ’ s impeachment .
Here are the letters , sent to both intelligence committees .
They only received it about an hour ago .
In September , Atkinson told the intelligence committees about the existence of the whistleblower complaint , which alleged that the president has misused the powers of his office to pressure the Ukrainian government to announce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden .
Atkinson had found the complaint to be credible , but Joseph Maguire , then the acting director of national intelligence , blocked it from being sent to Congress .
The whistleblower complaint became the basis for Trump ’ s impeachment in the fall and winter .
Trump reportedly considered firing Atkinson months ago , privately complaining that the longtime career public servant had been disloyal .
On Saturday , Trump told reporters that Atkinson was `` a disgrace '' and criticized him for alerting Congress to the whistleblower complaint , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by law .
“ I thought he did a terrible job .
Absolutely terrible , '' Trump said during a coronavirus briefing at the White House .
`` He took a fake report and he brought it to Congress.
” '' He never even came into to see me .
How can you do that without seeing the person ? ''
Trump later added .
The whistleblower complaint was largely corroborated during the impeachment inquiry by witness testimony , documents , and a transcript of the president 's July call with the Ukrainian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that the firing would take effect 30 days from now .
“ At a later date , I will be submitting to the Senate my nomination of an individual for this position who has my full confidence and who meets the appropriate qualifications , ” Trump concluded .
Congress is currently in recess until at least late April as the nation grapples with the coronavirus pandemic .
Atkinson 's dismissal received immediate backlash from the Democratic leaders of the intelligence committees .
“ In the midst of a national emergency , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again attempting to undermine the integrity of the intelligence community by firing yet another intelligence official simply for doing his job , ” Sen. Mark Warner , the vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee , said in a statement .
“ The work of the intelligence community has never been about loyalty to a single individual ; it ’ s about keeping us all safe from those who wish to do our country harm .
We should all be deeply disturbed by ongoing attempts to politicize the nation ’ s intelligence agencies.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House Intelligence Committee , called the decision “ yet another blatant attempt by the President to gut the independence of the Intelligence Community and retaliate against those who dare to expose presidential wrongdoing .
“ At a time when our country is dealing with a national emergency and needs people in the Intelligence Community to speak truth to power , the President ’ s dead of night decision puts our country and national security at even greater risk , ” Schiff said in a statement .
“ Moreover , this retribution against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job and informing Congress of an urgent and credible whistleblower complaint is a direct affront to the entire inspector general system ” Schiff added .
“ It undermines the transparency and oversight the American people expect of their government , and in its absence will undoubtedly lead to even greater corruption in the Administration.
” Republicans began weighing in on Atkinson 's termination on Saturday .
Sen. Richard Burr , the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee , thanked Atkinson for his two years of service and stressed the importance of having an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Like any political appointee , the Inspector General serves at the behest of the Executive , '' Burr wrote .
`` However , in order to be effective , the IG must be allowed to conduct his or her work independent of internal or external pressure .
It is my hope the next nominee for the role of ICIG will uphold the same important standards laid out by Congress when we created this role . ''
Burr also drew attention to Atkinson 's success in transforming the inspector general 's office , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over .
`` Over the last two years , he turned the Office of the ICIG around , restoring an important organization , '' Burr said .
`` I 've appreciated his professionalism and responsiveness when working with the Senate Intelligence Committee on a wide range of issues and I wish him the best . ''
Sen. Chuck Grassley , who has a history of advocating for whistleblowers , issued a statement saying that Trump 's explanation for why he fired Atkinson was insufficient .
“ Inspectors general play a critical role in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and misconduct , and their work helps ensure the government efficiently serves the people , '' Grassley wrote .
`` And they often serve as an outlet to whistleblowers who shine a light to problems in government .
They help drain the swamp , so any removal demands an explanation .
Congress has been crystal clear that written reasons must be given when IGs are removed for a lack of confidence .
More details are needed from the administration . ''

In September, Atkinson told the intelligence committees about the existence of the whistleblower complaint, which alleged that the president has misused the powers of his office to pressure the Ukrainian government to announce an investigation into former vice president Joe Biden. Atkinson had found the complaint to be credible, but Joseph Maguire, then the acting director of national intelligence, blocked it from being sent to Congress. The whistleblower complaint became the basis for Trump’s impeachment in the fall and winter.
Trump reportedly considered firing Atkinson months ago, privately complaining that the longtime career public servant had been disloyal.
On Saturday, Trump told reporters that Atkinson was "a disgrace" and criticized him for alerting Congress to the whistleblower complaint, which the inspector general was required to do by law.
“I thought he did a terrible job. Absolutely terrible," Trump said during a coronavirus briefing at the White House. "He took a fake report and he brought it to Congress.”
"He never even came into to see me. How can you do that without seeing the person?" Trump later added.
The whistleblower complaint was largely corroborated during the impeachment inquiry by witness testimony, documents, and a transcript of the president's July call with the Ukrainian president.
In his letter, Trump said that the firing would take effect 30 days from now. “At a later date, I will be submitting to the Senate my nomination of an individual for this position who has my full confidence and who meets the appropriate qualifications,” Trump concluded. Congress is currently in recess until at least late April as the nation grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.
Atkinson's dismissal received immediate backlash from the Democratic leaders of the intelligence committees.
“In the midst of a national emergency, it is unconscionable that the President is once again attempting to undermine the integrity of the intelligence community by firing yet another intelligence official simply for doing his job,” Sen. Mark Warner, the vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement. “The work of the intelligence community has never been about loyalty to a single individual; it’s about keeping us all safe from those who wish to do our country harm. We should all be deeply disturbed by ongoing attempts to politicize the nation’s intelligence agencies.”
Rep. Adam Schiff, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, called the decision “yet another blatant attempt by the President to gut the independence of the Intelligence Community and retaliate against those who dare to expose presidential wrongdoing.
“At a time when our country is dealing with a national emergency and needs people in the Intelligence Community to speak truth to power, the President’s dead of night decision puts our country and national security at even greater risk,” Schiff said in a statement.
“Moreover, this retribution against a distinguished public servant for doing his job and informing Congress of an urgent and credible whistleblower complaint is a direct affront to the entire inspector general system” Schiff added. “It undermines the transparency and oversight the American people expect of their government, and in its absence will undoubtedly lead to even greater corruption in the Administration.”
Republicans began weighing in on Atkinson's termination on Saturday. Sen. Richard Burr, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, thanked Atkinson for his two years of service and stressed the importance of having an impartial watchdog for the intelligence community.
"Like any political appointee, the Inspector General serves at the behest of the Executive," Burr wrote. "However, in order to be effective, the IG must be allowed to conduct his or her work independent of internal or external pressure. It is my hope the next nominee for the role of ICIG will uphold the same important standards laid out by Congress when we created this role."
Burr also drew attention to Atkinson's success in transforming the inspector general's office, which was in disarray when he took over. "Over the last two years, he turned the Office of the ICIG around, restoring an important organization," Burr said. "I've appreciated his professionalism and responsiveness when working with the Senate Intelligence Committee on a wide range of issues and I wish him the best."
Sen. Chuck Grassley, who has a history of advocating for whistleblowers, issued a statement saying that Trump's explanation for why he fired Atkinson was insufficient.
“Inspectors general play a critical role in protecting against fraud, waste, abuse and misconduct, and their work helps ensure the government efficiently serves the people," Grassley wrote. "And they often serve as an outlet to whistleblowers who shine a light to problems in government. They help drain the swamp, so any removal demands an explanation. Congress has been crystal clear that written reasons must be given when IGs are removed for a lack of confidence. More details are needed from the administration."


buzzfeed--2020-04-04--The CDC Is Encouraging Americans To Wear Face Coverings In Public. Trump Said He Won't Wear One.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called for all Americans to wear face coverings in public to help stop the spread of the coronavirus Friday , pushing for people to wear cloth coverings like a bandana or a scarf .
Announcing the move at his daily briefing , President Trump undermined the recommendation of his experts by emphasizing that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one .
“ So it ’ s voluntary , you don ’ t have to do it , ” he said .
“ They suggest it for a period of time .
This is voluntary , I don ’ t think I ’ m gon na be doing it.
” In the recommendation published online Friday , the CDC said that because the virus can “ spread between people interacting in close proximity , ” they would recommend “ wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pharmacies ) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
” The recommendation is less about preventing the wearer from contracting the coronavirus themselves than it is about limiting asymptomatic people from unknowingly spreading the disease .
Wearing cloth masks , the CDC said , could “ help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.
” Trump , asked about his stance on masks later in Friday 's press briefing , said , “ I just do n't want to wear one myself .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
I 'm feeling good .
I just do n't want to be doing , I do n't know , somehow , sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk , the great Resolute Desk , I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents , prime ministers , dictators , kings , queens , I do n't know , I do n't see it for myself . ''
The Washington Post first reported Thursday that the White House would soon issue the guidance .
The call represents a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House and comes in response to studies that found people without symptoms can still spread the virus .
BuzzFeed News reported earlier this week on concerns about the availability of face masks and questions about how effective homemade or fabric masks are in stopping the spread of the virus .
Previously , the CDC had said that people do not need to wear masks unless they are coughing or sneezing , in part to preserve a short supply of masks for health care workers .
But public heath officials told BuzzFeed News that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appropriate at the time , should evolve to encourage the use of masks .
Trump and the CDC said Friday that the recommendation was not calling for people to wear surgical masks or N95 respirators , saying those should be reserved for health care workers on the front lines .
In recent days , Los Angeles County and New York state have encouraged residents to wear face coverings in public places to help stop the spread of the virus , but officials warned that masks should not give people a false sense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some additional protection against COVID-19 , but Californians should not have a false sense of security if they choose to wear them .
Make sure you ’ re also staying 6 feet away from other people if you have to leave your home to get groceries or prescriptions , ” California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly said in a statement Thursday .
But there is not much information on how much protection fabric or other homemade face masks can offer .
While they may block larger droplets of water , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the air .
One small study from 2013 suggested fabric masks are three times less effective than surgical masks .
As Roger Shapiro , a Boston doctor and an associate professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard , told BuzzFeed News this week , “ The first reason to wear a mask is so we all protect each other , ” and so that “ you don ’ t infect someone else .
”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called for all Americans to wear face coverings in public to help stop the spread of the coronavirus Friday, pushing for people to wear cloth coverings like a bandana or a scarf.
Announcing the move at his daily briefing, President Trump undermined the recommendation of his experts by emphasizing that it was voluntary and he would not be wearing one.
“So it’s voluntary, you don’t have to do it,” he said. “They suggest it for a period of time. This is voluntary, I don’t think I’m gonna be doing it.”
In the recommendation published online Friday, the CDC said that because the virus can “spread between people interacting in close proximity,” they would recommend “wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.”
The recommendation is less about preventing the wearer from contracting the coronavirus themselves than it is about limiting asymptomatic people from unknowingly spreading the disease. Wearing cloth masks, the CDC said, could “help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.”
Trump, asked about his stance on masks later in Friday's press briefing, said, “I just don't want to wear one myself. It's a recommendation, they recommend it. I'm feeling good. I just don't want to be doing, I don't know, somehow, sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk, the great Resolute Desk, I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens, I don't know, I don't see it for myself."
The Washington Post first reported Thursday that the White House would soon issue the guidance. The call represents a shift from earlier recommendations from the White House and comes in response to studies that found people without symptoms can still spread the virus.
BuzzFeed News reported earlier this week on concerns about the availability of face masks and questions about how effective homemade or fabric masks are in stopping the spread of the virus. Previously, the CDC had said that people do not need to wear masks unless they are coughing or sneezing, in part to preserve a short supply of masks for health care workers. But public heath officials told BuzzFeed News that the CDC’s guidance, while appropriate at the time, should evolve to encourage the use of masks.
Trump and the CDC said Friday that the recommendation was not calling for people to wear surgical masks or N95 respirators, saying those should be reserved for health care workers on the front lines.
In recent days, Los Angeles County and New York state have encouraged residents to wear face coverings in public places to help stop the spread of the virus, but officials warned that masks should not give people a false sense of security.
“Face coverings could provide some additional protection against COVID-19, but Californians should not have a false sense of security if they choose to wear them. Make sure you’re also staying 6 feet away from other people if you have to leave your home to get groceries or prescriptions,” California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly said in a statement Thursday.
But there is not much information on how much protection fabric or other homemade face masks can offer. While they may block larger droplets of water, they don’t protect against smaller particles in the air. One small study from 2013 suggested fabric masks are three times less effective than surgical masks.
As Roger Shapiro, a Boston doctor and an associate professor of immunology and infectious diseases at Harvard, told BuzzFeed News this week, “The first reason to wear a mask is so we all protect each other,” and so that “you don’t infect someone else.”


buzzfeed--2020-04-03--The Supreme Court Is Delaying Arguments Again — Why Don’t They Just Do A Videoconference Like The Re

The Supreme Court Is Delaying Arguments Again — Why Don’t They Just Do A Videoconference Like The Rest Of Us?

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To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
The Supreme Court on Friday once again postponed oral arguments in several major lawsuits , this time for its April session , leaving high-profile legal disputes in limbo due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The delay affects a number of cases slated for in-person debate inside the Supreme Court Building , including a trio of lawsuits about disclosing President Donald Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slated in those cases case for this week .
The roadblock has frustrated activists who say the court must adapt on urgent matters of national interest .
The nine justices already hold video conferences for their weekly closed-door conferences — prompting a growing cry to simply hold oral arguments with a videoconferencing service .
In an effort to break the logjam , progressive advocacy group Demand Justice is planning a social media ad campaign on Monday that targets about 100,000 people around Washington , DC , arguing the court must hear the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ referred to as Trump v. Mazars .
Lower courts had ruled against Trump in those disputes , saying he must hand over a trove of records , possibly even his tax filings , but the Supreme Court put the brakes on those decisions last fall .
“ If Chief Justice John Roberts wants to continue delaying the release of Donald Trump ’ s tax returns , he ’ s going to need a better excuse than not wanting to spring for a Zoom subscription , ” Brian Fallon , executive director of Demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal appellate courts have already switched to online platforms for hearing arguments , including the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and 4th Circuit Court of Appeals — plus state supreme courts in Ohio and Georgia .
Spokespeople for the Supreme Court did not reply to inquiries from BuzzFeed News about when the justices would announce a plan to hear the postponed cases or if anything stopped them from holding arguments online .
In a Friday press release , the Supreme Court said “ if circumstances permit in light of public health and safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescheduling some cases ” slated for the April session and for the March session , which had already been postponed , before the court ’ s annual term ends in early summer .
The court implied possible workarounds — without elaboration — noting that it “ will consider a range of scheduling options and other alternatives if arguments can not be held in the Courtroom before the end of the Term.
” The press release also said justices will “ continue to proceed ” with cases in which they have already heard oral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online .
“ Canceling in-person oral arguments was absolutely the right decision , ” Fallon said , “ but millions of Americans have figured out how to adjust to a public health emergency while completing time-sensitive tasks from home .
Any delay from Roberts is about his desire to cover for Trump , not technical limitations.
” Fix the Court , a nonpartisan advocacy group , is making a similar argument .
“ This is getting ridiculous , ” Gabe Roth , the group ’ s executive director , said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can conduct its weekly conferences remotely , which it has been doing for weeks , it can conduct its remaining arguments remotely and allow the public to listen in.
” A stimulus bill passed last week by Congress included a half-million dollars for the Supreme Court .
`` The country has adapted to working over Zoom , Skype , and Google Hangouts , and dozens of state and federal courts are keeping the wheels of justice moving via teleconferencing in spite of the pandemic , ” Roth said .
“ The Supreme Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major lawsuits over Trump ’ s financial records — likely including his tax forms , which he declined to make public during his last presidential campaign — test the rights of sitting presidents to stonewall investigations from prosecutors and congressional lawmakers .
Several other cases also stand in limbo , including a case involving Little Sisters of the Poor , a Catholic group , that debates whether expanding religious conscience exemptions under the Affordable Care Act ’ s birth-control mandate was legal .

The Supreme Court on Friday once again postponed oral arguments in several major lawsuits, this time for its April session, leaving high-profile legal disputes in limbo due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The delay affects a number of cases slated for in-person debate inside the Supreme Court Building, including a trio of lawsuits about disclosing President Donald Trump’s financial records; arguments were originally slated in those cases case for this week.
The roadblock has frustrated activists who say the court must adapt on urgent matters of national interest. The nine justices already hold video conferences for their weekly closed-door conferences — prompting a growing cry to simply hold oral arguments with a videoconferencing service.
In an effort to break the logjam, progressive advocacy group Demand Justice is planning a social media ad campaign on Monday that targets about 100,000 people around Washington, DC, arguing the court must hear the president’s financial records cases, collectively referred to as Trump v. Mazars.
Lower courts had ruled against Trump in those disputes, saying he must hand over a trove of records, possibly even his tax filings, but the Supreme Court put the brakes on those decisions last fall.
“If Chief Justice John Roberts wants to continue delaying the release of Donald Trump’s tax returns, he’s going to need a better excuse than not wanting to spring for a Zoom subscription,” Brian Fallon, executive director of Demand Justice, told BuzzFeed News.
Other federal appellate courts have already switched to online platforms for hearing arguments, including the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and 4th Circuit Court of Appeals — plus state supreme courts in Ohio and Georgia.
Spokespeople for the Supreme Court did not reply to inquiries from BuzzFeed News about when the justices would announce a plan to hear the postponed cases or if anything stopped them from holding arguments online.
In a Friday press release, the Supreme Court said “if circumstances permit in light of public health and safety guidance” that it “will consider rescheduling some cases” slated for the April session and for the March session, which had already been postponed, before the court’s annual term ends in early summer.
The court implied possible workarounds — without elaboration — noting that it “will consider a range of scheduling options and other alternatives if arguments cannot be held in the Courtroom before the end of the Term.” The press release also said justices will “continue to proceed” with cases in which they have already heard oral arguments. They will post those opinions online.
“Canceling in-person oral arguments was absolutely the right decision,” Fallon said, “but millions of Americans have figured out how to adjust to a public health emergency while completing time-sensitive tasks from home. Any delay from Roberts is about his desire to cover for Trump, not technical limitations.”
Fix the Court, a nonpartisan advocacy group, is making a similar argument. “This is getting ridiculous,” Gabe Roth, the group’s executive director, said in a statement Friday. “If the Supreme Court can conduct its weekly conferences remotely, which it has been doing for weeks, it can conduct its remaining arguments remotely and allow the public to listen in.”
A stimulus bill passed last week by Congress included a half-million dollars for the Supreme Court.
"The country has adapted to working over Zoom, Skype, and Google Hangouts, and dozens of state and federal courts are keeping the wheels of justice moving via teleconferencing in spite of the pandemic,” Roth said. “The Supreme Court should be no different.”
The three major lawsuits over Trump’s financial records — likely including his tax forms, which he declined to make public during his last presidential campaign — test the rights of sitting presidents to stonewall investigations from prosecutors and congressional lawmakers. Several other cases also stand in limbo, including a case involving Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic group, that debates whether expanding religious conscience exemptions under the Affordable Care Act’s birth-control mandate was legal.


buzzfeed--2020-04-03--A Pandemic Won’t Stop Trump And Republicans From Trying To Get More Judges Confirmed

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
WASHINGTON — The White House on Friday announced President Donald Trump ’ s latest nominee for a powerful federal appeals court , underscoring Trump and Republicans ’ commitment to putting new judges on the bench notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic .
US District Judge Justin Walker , a relatively new federal judge in Kentucky , is Trump ’ s pick for the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The 37-year-old Walker , who first joined the federal bench six months ago , is a fast-rising star in the conservative legal world — too fast , according to the American Bar Association committee that rates nominees , which concluded last year that Walker was “ not qualified ” due to a lack of experience .
The White House had already signaled that it would not pause work on judicial nominees as the country faces a growing death toll and economic devastation from the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the administration announced a new nominee for the 5th Circuit as well as for a Mississippi district court seat .
The White House announced three sets of new district court nominees in February .
In an interview earlier this week with conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would not commit to passing another coronavirus relief bill , but said that he planned to continue confirming Trump ’ s nominees for lifetime appointments in the federal courts when the Senate currently plans on returning from its recess later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will go back to judges , ” McConnell said .
“ You know , Hugh , you and I have talked about this before .
My motto for the rest of the year is leave no vacancy behind.
” Walker ’ s nomination Friday drew quick praise from McConnell , his home state senator , who called Walker a “ judicial all-star , ” as well as from conservative legal groups .
McConnell attended Walker ’ s swearing-in ceremony last month , joined by US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh ; Walker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and publicly supported Kavanaugh ’ s high court nomination in 2018 .
Liberal groups that opposed Walker ’ s nomination last year to the Kentucky district court — the Senate confirmed him in October — condemned his nomination to a higher court on Friday .
Citing Walker ’ s past criticism of the Affordable Care Act , the liberal non-profit People for the American Way released a statement calling Walker ’ s nomination “ especially egregious now in the middle of a national public health crisis.
” One potential hiccup in Republicans ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus outbreak continues is that hearings for nominees usually involve in-person sworn testimony and that the committee itself has to meet to vote .
Social distancing and travel restrictions could complicate that process .
There are 79 district and circuit court vacancies , according to the federal judiciary .
Of the 37 district and circuit court nominees pending in the Senate ( not counting Walker , whose nomination hasn ’ t formally been sent over yet ) , 10 have made it out of committee and are waiting for a final vote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Senate Judiciary Committee chair Lindsey Graham last month told Bloomberg Law that they ’ d keep working on nominations , but his office told BuzzFeed News this week that they hadn ’ t decided what to do yet .
“ We ’ ll make decisions when we get closer to the Senate being in session , ” Graham spokesperson Taylor Reidy wrote in an email .
Mike Davis , who heads the conservative judicial advocacy group Article III Project and previously worked on the Senate Judiciary Committee , told BuzzFeed News that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could safely move on nominees .
For instance , they could meet in a larger room — like the one used for Supreme Court nomination hearings — so senators and the nominee could sit six feet apart in accordance with social distancing guidelines .
Davis said he didn ’ t think that Congress ’ s focus on responding to the coronavirus outbreak meant they should pause working on nominations .
“ They can walk and chew gum at the same time , ” Davis said .
“ They have committees so they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the Judiciary Committee ’ s top Democrat , Sen. Dianne Feinstein , declined to comment .
Brian Fallon , who heads the liberal legal advocacy group Demand Justice , called McConnell ’ s plan to keep working on judicial nominations “ outright ghoulish.
” “ Pandemic response deserves 100 percent of Congress ' attention right now , not jamming through more Trump picks for the bench .
Every day brings more deaths and lost jobs but McConnell acts like the greater urgency is Trump 's limited time left to nominate judges , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walker ’ s DC Circuit nomination is significant for Republicans on a few levels .
The DC Circuit is the primary court for legal fights over government regulations and the relationship between the executive branch and Congress .
It ’ s where cases contesting Congress ’ s power to subpoena federal agencies and past and present Trump administration officials during the impeachment battle landed last year .
The DC Circuit historically has been a launching pad to the Supreme Court .
Besides Kavanaugh , other alumni include Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The DC Circuit seat , which doesn ’ t officially become vacant until Judge Thomas Griffith retires in September , is also one of only two circuit court vacancies nationwide .
Circuit judgeships have been a priority for the administration because those courts set precedent for the regions of the country that they cover absent a ruling from the Supreme Court , where comparatively fewer cases are heard .
The White House on Monday announced that Judge Cory Wilson , who currently serves on a Mississippi state appeals court , was Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court vacancy , on the 5th Circuit .
The administration ’ s previous nominee for that seat , US District Judge Halil “ Sul ” Ozerden , was dropped after he faced opposition from Senate Republicans who questioned his conservative credentials .
Conservative legal groups , including Davis ’ s Article III Project and the Judicial Crisis Network , have rallied around Wilson ’ s nomination so far .
Liberal groups denounced it , emphasizing Wilson ’ s past public opposition to the Affordable Care Act .

WASHINGTON — The White House on Friday announced President Donald Trump’s latest nominee for a powerful federal appeals court, underscoring Trump and Republicans’ commitment to putting new judges on the bench notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic.
US District Judge Justin Walker, a relatively new federal judge in Kentucky, is Trump’s pick for the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. The 37-year-old Walker, who first joined the federal bench six months ago, is a fast-rising star in the conservative legal world — too fast, according to the American Bar Association committee that rates nominees, which concluded last year that Walker was “not qualified” due to a lack of experience.
The White House had already signaled that it would not pause work on judicial nominees as the country faces a growing death toll and economic devastation from the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. On Monday, the administration announced a new nominee for the 5th Circuit as well as for a Mississippi district court seat. The White House announced three sets of new district court nominees in February.
In an interview earlier this week with conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would not commit to passing another coronavirus relief bill, but said that he planned to continue confirming Trump’s nominees for lifetime appointments in the federal courts when the Senate currently plans on returning from its recess later this month.
“Of course, we will go back to judges,” McConnell said. “You know, Hugh, you and I have talked about this before. My motto for the rest of the year is leave no vacancy behind.”
Walker’s nomination Friday drew quick praise from McConnell, his home state senator, who called Walker a “judicial all-star,” as well as from conservative legal groups. McConnell attended Walker’s swearing-in ceremony last month, joined by US Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh; Walker clerked for Kavanaugh on the DC Circuit and publicly supported Kavanaugh’s high court nomination in 2018.
Liberal groups that opposed Walker’s nomination last year to the Kentucky district court — the Senate confirmed him in October — condemned his nomination to a higher court on Friday. Citing Walker’s past criticism of the Affordable Care Act, the liberal non-profit People for the American Way released a statement calling Walker’s nomination “especially egregious now in the middle of a national public health crisis.”
One potential hiccup in Republicans’ effort to keep confirming judges as the coronavirus outbreak continues is that hearings for nominees usually involve in-person sworn testimony and that the committee itself has to meet to vote. Social distancing and travel restrictions could complicate that process.
There are 79 district and circuit court vacancies, according to the federal judiciary. Of the 37 district and circuit court nominees pending in the Senate (not counting Walker, whose nomination hasn’t formally been sent over yet), 10 have made it out of committee and are waiting for a final vote. The rest are still in earlier phases.
Senate Judiciary Committee chair Lindsey Graham last month told Bloomberg Law that they’d keep working on nominations, but his office told BuzzFeed News this week that they hadn’t decided what to do yet.
“We’ll make decisions when we get closer to the Senate being in session,” Graham spokesperson Taylor Reidy wrote in an email.
Mike Davis, who heads the conservative judicial advocacy group Article III Project and previously worked on the Senate Judiciary Committee, told BuzzFeed News that he thought there were ways the committee could safely move on nominees. For instance, they could meet in a larger room — like the one used for Supreme Court nomination hearings — so senators and the nominee could sit six feet apart in accordance with social distancing guidelines.
Davis said he didn’t think that Congress’s focus on responding to the coronavirus outbreak meant they should pause working on nominations.
“They can walk and chew gum at the same time,” Davis said. “They have committees so they can divide up the work.”
A spokesperson for the Judiciary Committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, declined to comment.
Brian Fallon, who heads the liberal legal advocacy group Demand Justice, called McConnell’s plan to keep working on judicial nominations “outright ghoulish.”
“Pandemic response deserves 100 percent of Congress' attention right now, not jamming through more Trump picks for the bench. Every day brings more deaths and lost jobs but McConnell acts like the greater urgency is Trump's limited time left to nominate judges,” Fallon wrote in an email.
Walker’s DC Circuit nomination is significant for Republicans on a few levels. The DC Circuit is the primary court for legal fights over government regulations and the relationship between the executive branch and Congress. It’s where cases contesting Congress’s power to subpoena federal agencies and past and present Trump administration officials during the impeachment battle landed last year.
The DC Circuit historically has been a launching pad to the Supreme Court. Besides Kavanaugh, other alumni include Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. and Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Clarence Thomas.
The DC Circuit seat, which doesn’t officially become vacant until Judge Thomas Griffith retires in September, is also one of only two circuit court vacancies nationwide. Circuit judgeships have been a priority for the administration because those courts set precedent for the regions of the country that they cover absent a ruling from the Supreme Court, where comparatively fewer cases are heard.
The White House on Monday announced that Judge Cory Wilson, who currently serves on a Mississippi state appeals court, was Trump’s nominee for the other circuit court vacancy, on the 5th Circuit. The administration’s previous nominee for that seat, US District Judge Halil “Sul” Ozerden, was dropped after he faced opposition from Senate Republicans who questioned his conservative credentials.
Conservative legal groups, including Davis’s Article III Project and the Judicial Crisis Network, have rallied around Wilson’s nomination so far. Liberal groups denounced it, emphasizing Wilson’s past public opposition to the Affordable Care Act.


buzzfeed--2020-04-04--“I’ve Never Seen Anything Like This”: Doctors Without Enough Ventilators Are Being Told Whom To Save

“I’ve Never Seen Anything Like This”: Doctors Without Enough Ventilators Are Being Told Whom To Save During The Coronavirus Pandemic

A ventilator and other hospital equipment is seen in an emergency field hospital to aid in the COVID-19 pandemic in Central Park on March 31 in New York .
The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
WASHINGTON — At the top of the list for ventilators : patients with just one failing organ .
And then there are the others .
Doctors with patients who are unresponsive to standard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ irreversible low blood pressure , or any other condition that would result in immediate mortality are instructed not to put them on ventilators during the coronavirus pandemic .
As the coronavirus wreaks havoc across the nation , doctors who shoulder much of the crisis are left with devastating life or death decisions .
BuzzFeed News reviewed documents from a New York City public hospital in line with previous reporting from the New York Times that lay out “ policy enhancements ” for doctors at hospitals across the nation on how to prioritize helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the disease caused by the coronavirus , as medical supplies run low .
At least one New York City public hospital sent specific guidelines for doctors on who should receive ventilators in light of the shortages — a harrowing task left to physicians on the front lines .
“ I watched like three people die on Saturday — nothing we can do .
Zero .
You feel defeated , ” one city doctor who works at a public hospital with similar guidelines told BuzzFeed News .
“ You feel drained.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were afraid of losing their job should they be identified .
“ There ’ s a list about six [ types of ] patients that do not get put on a vent .
‘ It makes no sense , they ’ re going to die soon anyway , so let them die ’ — like that ’ s the crazy thought process .
This shit hurts , ” they said .
During the coronavirus crisis , the steady tone of a heart monitor that signals health officials need to intervene immediately might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which most of us recognize only from episodes of Grey ’ s Anatomy , is now the backdrop for health care officials navigating a hospital ’ s intensive care unit .
“ Normally in the real world , you never let that happen so you never really see that .
That ’ s how it was on Saturday .
You saw the heart rate go down , the blood pressure go down , the oxygen go down and then everything just flatlines and stops .
Literally , we looked at each other and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Nothing , ’ ” the doctor recalled .
“ And then guess what ?
We ’ re so morbid .
We ’ re so jaded .
Guess what ’ s the first thing we think of [ when a patient dies ] ?
‘ Oh shit , we got a new ventilator , let ’ s get somebody on the ventilator !
’ ” Doctors , like the one interviewed by BuzzFeed News , are having to reckon with their decisions .
Many times that reality only hits at home , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them quarantining from the rest of their family members .
“ When I went home , I was like , what the fuck ?
I ordered another patient to go on a ventilator when a man just died !
” “ I ’ ve never seen anything like this in my life .
... Never.
” New York City has become the epicenter of the pandemic .
According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University , there are 92,743 cases in New York state and 2,473 deaths at the time of this post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City .
The crisis is taking a toll on the city ’ s health care system , especially as it relates to ventilators and protective equipment for health care professionals .
Ventilators , the doctor explained , are the safest way to assist patients with COVID-19 , as other treatments create more aerosols and could contaminate the hospital .
“ It ’ s scary and it ’ s tough , ” the doctor said .
“ I think what ’ s scary is that the resources are missing .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re out here talking about recycling masks .
... Now we ’ re using the same one all day .
We ’ re using the same gown all day .
You don ’ t really have the time to change , you ’ re just running from one patient to the next , one patient to the next , one patient to the next.
” And then there ’ s the pace at which the disease ravages each victim .
“ Literally , I went out to the visiting area — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk to the daughter .
[ The ] mom is doing fine , her numbers are OK , we ’ re just going to watch her and we ’ re going to see , ” they said .
Within six minutes of the update , the doctor had to provide another update : “ I had to intubate your mother.
” It happened a second time , to a different patient , on the same day .
“ I go out to tell the husband ‘ OK , everything looks good.
’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drop , we have to intubate her .
...
The crazy thing is how fast people go down and die .
Literally , like you walk out and go to the bathroom and pee and come back and you ’ re running around and your patient is dying.
” “ The other day I felt defeated .
The patient came in on a code .
We looked at each other .
The patient had to die .
There was nothing we could do.
” Any feelings of guilt were upended by the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had to tell EMS they had no ventilators .
EMS said they had nowhere else to go .
The patient died .
On March 26 , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo approved ventilator splitting , in which hospitals could use a single machine to treat two patients .
But the idea is controversial and was condemned by several medical associations , calling the practice unsafe “ because it can not be done safely with current equipment.
” The Trump administration , in an open letter Tuesday , called for hospitals to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should only be considered “ as an absolute last result.
” New York City Health and Hospitals , which runs the city ’ s public hospitals , said it is not going to implement ventilator splitting .
`` We are not implementing ventilation triage .
Our commitment is to ensure every patient is treated individually and receives the care they need , ” spokesperson Christopher Miller told BuzzFeed News .
For doctors , the burden friends and family take on amid the crisis does not go unnoticed , some of whom unknowingly say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they bring them into the hospital .
On March 18 , the city suspended all hospital visiting hours except to those who are medically essential to the patient ’ s care or visiting a woman in labor or someone in an imminent end-of-life situation .
“ You know what ’ s sad too from a provider 's standpoint ?
You know what it is to bring — let ’ s say — your mom , your wife , your husband , a significant other to the ER , as soon as we take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t come in.
’ We come back , maybe two hours later to say they ’ re not doing well , we have to intubate them .
And then maybe two , three weeks later [ we ] tell [ them ] they died and they did not see their family through that whole time because they can ’ t come in .
”

WASHINGTON — At the top of the list for ventilators: patients with just one failing organ. And then there are the others. Doctors with patients who are unresponsive to standard measures, have severe burns, have irreversible low blood pressure, or any other condition that would result in immediate mortality are instructed not to put them on ventilators during the coronavirus pandemic.
As the coronavirus wreaks havoc across the nation, doctors who shoulder much of the crisis are left with devastating life or death decisions.
BuzzFeed News reviewed documents from a New York City public hospital in line with previous reporting from the New York Times that lay out “policy enhancements” for doctors at hospitals across the nation on how to prioritize helping patients who are sick because of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, as medical supplies run low. At least one New York City public hospital sent specific guidelines for doctors on who should receive ventilators in light of the shortages — a harrowing task left to physicians on the front lines.
“I watched like three people die on Saturday — nothing we can do. Zero. You feel defeated,” one city doctor who works at a public hospital with similar guidelines told BuzzFeed News. “You feel drained.”
The doctor asked to remain anonymous, as they were afraid of losing their job should they be identified.
“There’s a list about six [types of] patients that do not get put on a vent. ‘It makes no sense, they’re going to die soon anyway, so let them die’ — like that’s the crazy thought process. This shit hurts,” they said.
During the coronavirus crisis, the steady tone of a heart monitor that signals health officials need to intervene immediately might go unanswered. Somehow that sound, which most of us recognize only from episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, is now the backdrop for health care officials navigating a hospital’s intensive care unit.
“Normally in the real world, you never let that happen so you never really see that. That’s how it was on Saturday. You saw the heart rate go down, the blood pressure go down, the oxygen go down and then everything just flatlines and stops. Literally, we looked at each other and said ‘what else can we do? Nothing,’” the doctor recalled.
“And then guess what? We’re so morbid. We’re so jaded. Guess what’s the first thing we think of [when a patient dies]? ‘Oh shit, we got a new ventilator, let’s get somebody on the ventilator!’”
Doctors, like the one interviewed by BuzzFeed News, are having to reckon with their decisions. Many times that reality only hits at home, when they’re alone, many of them quarantining from the rest of their family members. “When I went home, I was like, what the fuck? I ordered another patient to go on a ventilator when a man just died!”
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. ... Never.”
New York City has become the epicenter of the pandemic. According to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, there are 92,743 cases in New York state and 2,473 deaths at the time of this post, with many of them coming from New York City. The crisis is taking a toll on the city’s health care system, especially as it relates to ventilators and protective equipment for health care professionals. Ventilators, the doctor explained, are the safest way to assist patients with COVID-19, as other treatments create more aerosols and could contaminate the hospital.
“It’s scary and it’s tough,” the doctor said. “I think what’s scary is that the resources are missing. This is the richest country in the world and they’re out here talking about recycling masks. ... Now we’re using the same one all day. We’re using the same gown all day. You don’t really have the time to change, you’re just running from one patient to the next, one patient to the next, one patient to the next.”
And then there’s the pace at which the disease ravages each victim.
“Literally, I went out to the visiting area — because visitors aren’t allowed — to talk to the daughter. [The] mom is doing fine, her numbers are OK, we’re just going to watch her and we’re going to see,” they said. Within six minutes of the update, the doctor had to provide another update: “I had to intubate your mother.”
It’s “that fast. That fast,” thye said.
It happened a second time, to a different patient, on the same day.
“I go out to tell the husband ‘OK, everything looks good.’ I go back in, oxygen levels drop, we have to intubate her. ... The crazy thing is how fast people go down and die. Literally, like you walk out and go to the bathroom and pee and come back and you’re running around and your patient is dying.”
“The other day I felt defeated. The patient came in on a code. We looked at each other. The patient had to die. There was nothing we could do.” Any feelings of guilt were upended by the next patient to come through the doors when they had to tell EMS they had no ventilators. EMS said they had nowhere else to go. The patient died.
On March 26, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved ventilator splitting, in which hospitals could use a single machine to treat two patients. But the idea is controversial and was condemned by several medical associations, calling the practice unsafe “because it cannot be done safely with current equipment.” The Trump administration, in an open letter Tuesday, called for hospitals to share ventilators with guidelines that the method should only be considered “as an absolute last result.”
New York City Health and Hospitals, which runs the city’s public hospitals, said it is not going to implement ventilator splitting. "We are not implementing ventilation triage. Our commitment is to ensure every patient is treated individually and receives the care they need,” spokesperson Christopher Miller told BuzzFeed News.
For doctors, the burden friends and family take on amid the crisis does not go unnoticed, some of whom unknowingly say goodbye to their loved ones the minute they bring them into the hospital. On March 18, the city suspended all hospital visiting hours except to those who are medically essential to the patient’s care or visiting a woman in labor or someone in an imminent end-of-life situation.
“You know what’s sad too from a provider's standpoint? You know what it is to bring — let’s say — your mom, your wife, your husband, a significant other to the ER, as soon as we take them we say, ‘you can’t come in.’ We come back, maybe two hours later to say they’re not doing well, we have to intubate them. And then maybe two, three weeks later [we] tell [them] they died and they did not see their family through that whole time because they can’t come in.”
“I mean, it’s like a Twilight Zone movie.”