buzzfeed--2020-10-12--Cory Booker Is Trying To Keep Up With The News

And so this Wednesday , the back-to-back Zoom marathon-slash-maelstrom that is a typical day inside the senator ’ s house , a multifamily home in Newark ’ s Central Ward that he now shares with his girlfriend , the actor and activist Rosario Dawson , began in the dark , before dawn , around 5:50 a.m .
He got out of bed , padded to his office , opened his computer , and started recording videos .
There are always videos to do — a backlog of thank-you messages and prerecorded clips for different groups ( the Jack and Jill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Campaign Committee ) whose events he can ’ t attend .
When Booker ’ s digital director woke up sometime before 7 a.m. , there were 15 videos in his inbox .
Next : “ text messages and emails , which have piled up considerably.
” Next : reading for the Supreme Court hearings set to begin this month .
By then , Dawson was awake .
The couple had about 20 minutes together in the kitchen .
She made something to eat while Booker , a proponent of intermittent fasting , took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pure cacao oil , and organic vegan ghee — his own “ bulletproof coffee , ” an energy-boosting keto-influencer favorite .
“ Breakfast was basically sitting at the table with my cellphone — which is a bad thing to do for a relationship , ” Booker said in an interview later that day .
This may be true , but could anyone blame him ?
Like most of the country , Booker wasn ’ t even up last Friday when Trump , around 1 a.m. , tweeted that he and the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ setting off a week of chaos and confusion .
Keeping track of the days since that moment , even from the safe remove of a kitchen table , has been a bewildering exercise , with big , unbelievable developments unfolding with rapid speed in small , incremental updates , flitting casually across a screen .
You open Twitter , scroll , then swipe away .
You see the president , newly tanned , talking about China and Regeneron-for-all and how “ perfect ” he feels .
By the time you learn that next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held virtually , Donald Trump has already pulled out , and Joe Biden is planning his own televised town hall in its place .
There is a vague sense at all times that , somewhere , someone new has tested positive for the coronavirus .
Perhaps you , too , are experiencing a form of “ insomnia or something.
” Twenty-three days from the election , it is an insane time to be a human in America .
It is another kind of bizarre insanity to be experiencing the spiral of government from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where at least three Republican senators have contracted COVID-19 while the Majority Leader Mitch McConnell continues to plow ahead with a Supreme Court nomination .
“ I am literally jumping from Zoom to Zoom , to conference call , to SCOTUS prep — I mean , this is a very intense , compressed time for me , ” Booker said .
Usually , he would be surfing Twitter or checking push alerts from the New York Times .
Now Booker ’ s chief of staff , Matt Klapper , has had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to let me know , ‘ Hey , this colleague of yours has COVID , ’ ” so that in his next Zoom , “ people aren ’ t telling me the news , ” he said .
“ It is almost comical.
” Booker , a hyperactive former mayor of Newark who is up for reelection this year in the Senate , is living a particular kind of insanity — some of it self-imposed , some not .
He is running at the top of the ticket in New Jersey , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ really committed to helping.
” He is a surrogate for Senate candidates around the country and has dedicated “ chunks ” of his day to virtual events for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris .
In the Senate , he is preparing “ a week of really intense hearings ” for the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett .
He is finding co-sponsors for new bills via text message .
He is checking on friends who have contracted COVID , such as former New Jersey governor Chris Christie , who has kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There 's been a lot of false rumors out there circulating , ” he said .
“ He is fighting through [ that ] as well.
” At the same time , Booker ’ s own campaign is negotiating the terms of a possible debate with his GOP opponent , Rik Mehta , a Trump-styled Republican who , as it turns out , was a guest at the famous Bedminster fundraiser that the president attended hours before announcing he had tested positive for the virus .
( Mehta has claimed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mehta ’ s name aloud during his Senate reelection bid , is “ ignoring ” him .
“ I do n't even know who Rick Mehta is , ” the state ’ s Democratic governor , Phil Murphy , recently said . )
Also at the same time , Booker just moved in with his significant other .
This is a first for the 51-year-old .
The couple has been dating since 2018 but spent most of the pandemic on separate coasts — Dawson helping take care of her father in Los Angeles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In late August , with her dad in tow , Dawson loaded an RV with boxes and house plants , and drove the 29-foot-long , 13-foot-tall bus across the country .
She resettled her father in New York City and moved into Booker ’ s home in the Central Ward — a simple house , three stories of yellow-brown brick .
Booker has only ever shared it with the 24-hour security detail assigned to him while he served as mayor of the city — with Newark officers occupying the second floor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This is the first time in my life I 've really lived with somebody — and obviously Rosario and I are enjoying and adjusting to that , right ?
” he said now .
Whatever “ adjustment ” period might normally take place during such life events has , in this household , been somewhat tabled until Election Day : “ I think we both realize that this is a ‘ batten-down-the-hatches , ’ ‘ get-to-Nov.-3 ’ kinda thing.
” Booker ’ s description of remote work , where days can seem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between work and life , takes on its own frenetic pace : mornings with Dawson are short , rare , bursts together in the kitchen table ; evenings are “ crashing with Rosario ” ; small blocks of time in his daily schedule are reserved for “ PERSONAL TIME.
” Dawson , a hardline progressive who backed Bernie Sanders until the bitter end of the Democratic primary in 2016 before supporting Booker in his own presidential bid last year , is busy with her own Zoom calls .
“ She 's in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed silence , so I 'm in my office , trying to talk more quietly than I normally do on my Zoom , and she 's in the other room recording a long PSA for Iowa congressional candidate J.D .
Sholten , in Spanish .
It 's happened multiple times , where we both just need quiet because we 're both doing reams of work .
So I think we ’ re both bonding in that.
” She ’ s unpacked her clothes and immediate belongings .
But elsewhere in the house , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened .
“ We already know we 're not gon na get to it until after the election , ” he said .
Meetings and calls began again after breakfast : a conference call with reporters for the Biden campaign ahead of Harris ’ s debate against Vice President Mike Pence ; fundraising “ call time ” ; a Supreme Court prep call ; more prerecorded videos .
“ In some ways , the unique circumstances of this year have enabled Sen. Booker to do more events for more candidates , ” an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in August where he did a virtual tour of the country , joining six Democratic candidates for events in states ranging from Virginia to Pennsylvania , Colorado , and Nevada .
From Booker , this is not a surprising approach .
His tendency is to meet an intense moment by redoubling his own intensity , which can overwhelm his staff and occasionally overcomplicate any given situation .
As mayor , he worked from City Hall during the day and shadowed police patrols through the night .
As senator , after reporters and critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stories he told on the campaign trail , he wrote a memoir in part to excavate his own life , collecting “ recorded testimony ” from various “ sources ” to corroborate his biography .

Cory Booker couldn’t sleep. “Insomnia or something,” an aide explained.
And so this Wednesday, the back-to-back Zoom marathon-slash-maelstrom that is a typical day inside the senator’s house, a multifamily home in Newark’s Central Ward that he now shares with his girlfriend, the actor and activist Rosario Dawson, began in the dark, before dawn, around 5:50 a.m. He got out of bed, padded to his office, opened his computer, and started recording videos.
There are always videos to do — a backlog of thank-you messages and prerecorded clips for different groups (the Jack and Jill South Jersey chapter, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee) whose events he can’t attend. When Booker’s digital director woke up sometime before 7 a.m., there were 15 videos in his inbox. Next: “text messages and emails, which have piled up considerably.” Next: reading for the Supreme Court hearings set to begin this month.
By then, Dawson was awake. The couple had about 20 minutes together in the kitchen. She made something to eat while Booker, a proponent of intermittent fasting, took out the blender and threw in coffee, pure cacao oil, and organic vegan ghee — his own “bulletproof coffee,” an energy-boosting keto-influencer favorite.
“Breakfast was basically sitting at the table with my cellphone — which is a bad thing to do for a relationship,” Booker said in an interview later that day.
This may be true, but could anyone blame him?
Like most of the country, Booker wasn’t even up last Friday when Trump, around 1 a.m., tweeted that he and the first lady had tested positive for COVID-19, setting off a week of chaos and confusion.
Keeping track of the days since that moment, even from the safe remove of a kitchen table, has been a bewildering exercise, with big, unbelievable developments unfolding with rapid speed in small, incremental updates, flitting casually across a screen. You open Twitter, scroll, then swipe away. You see the president, newly tanned, talking about China and Regeneron-for-all and how “perfect” he feels. By the time you learn that next week’s presidential debate will be held virtually, Donald Trump has already pulled out, and Joe Biden is planning his own televised town hall in its place. There is a vague sense at all times that, somewhere, someone new has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Perhaps you, too, are experiencing a form of “insomnia or something.” Twenty-three days from the election, it is an insane time to be a human in America. It is another kind of bizarre insanity to be experiencing the spiral of government from inside its main deliberative body in Washington, where at least three Republican senators have contracted COVID-19 while the Majority Leader Mitch McConnell continues to plow ahead with a Supreme Court nomination.
“I am literally jumping from Zoom to Zoom, to conference call, to SCOTUS prep — I mean, this is a very intense, compressed time for me,” Booker said. Usually, he would be surfing Twitter or checking push alerts from the New York Times. Now Booker’s chief of staff, Matt Klapper, has had to interrupt him during or between meetings “to let me know, ‘Hey, this colleague of yours has COVID,’” so that in his next Zoom, “people aren’t telling me the news,” he said. “It is almost comical.”
Booker, a hyperactive former mayor of Newark who is up for reelection this year in the Senate, is living a particular kind of insanity — some of it self-imposed, some not. He is running at the top of the ticket in New Jersey, where there are five competitive House races he is “really committed to helping.” He is a surrogate for Senate candidates around the country and has dedicated “chunks” of his day to virtual events for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. In the Senate, he is preparing “a week of really intense hearings” for the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett. He is finding co-sponsors for new bills via text message. He is checking on friends who have contracted COVID, such as former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who has kept in touch with Booker from the hospital. “There's been a lot of false rumors out there circulating,” he said. “He is fighting through [that] as well.”
At the same time, Booker’s own campaign is negotiating the terms of a possible debate with his GOP opponent, Rik Mehta, a Trump-styled Republican who, as it turns out, was a guest at the famous Bedminster fundraiser that the president attended hours before announcing he had tested positive for the virus. (Mehta has claimed that Booker, who has never once uttered Mehta’s name aloud during his Senate reelection bid, is “ignoring” him. “I don't even know who Rick Mehta is,” the state’s Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, recently said.)
Also at the same time, Booker just moved in with his significant other.
This is a first for the 51-year-old. The couple has been dating since 2018 but spent most of the pandemic on separate coasts — Dawson helping take care of her father in Los Angeles, Booker doing Senate work from Newark. In late August, with her dad in tow, Dawson loaded an RV with boxes and house plants, and drove the 29-foot-long, 13-foot-tall bus across the country. She resettled her father in New York City and moved into Booker’s home in the Central Ward — a simple house, three stories of yellow-brown brick. Booker has only ever shared it with the 24-hour security detail assigned to him while he served as mayor of the city — with Newark officers occupying the second floor, and Booker living on the third.
“This is the first time in my life I've really lived with somebody — and obviously Rosario and I are enjoying and adjusting to that, right?” he said now.
Whatever “adjustment” period might normally take place during such life events has, in this household, been somewhat tabled until Election Day: “I think we both realize that this is a ‘batten-down-the-hatches,’ ‘get-to-Nov.-3’ kinda thing.”
Booker’s description of remote work, where days can seem both endless and compressed into arbitrary divisions between work and life, takes on its own frenetic pace: mornings with Dawson are short, rare, bursts together in the kitchen table; evenings are “crashing with Rosario”; small blocks of time in his daily schedule are reserved for “PERSONAL TIME.”
Dawson, a hardline progressive who backed Bernie Sanders until the bitter end of the Democratic primary in 2016 before supporting Booker in his own presidential bid last year, is busy with her own Zoom calls. “She's in the bedroom recording, but both of us needed silence, so I'm in my office, trying to talk more quietly than I normally do on my Zoom, and she's in the other room recording a long PSA for Iowa congressional candidate J.D. Sholten, in Spanish. It's happened multiple times, where we both just need quiet because we're both doing reams of work. So I think we’re both bonding in that.”
She’s unpacked her clothes and immediate belongings. But elsewhere in the house, there are still boxes waiting to be opened.
“We already know we're not gonna get to it until after the election,” he said.
Meetings and calls began again after breakfast: a conference call with reporters for the Biden campaign ahead of Harris’s debate against Vice President Mike Pence; fundraising “call time”; a Supreme Court prep call; more prerecorded videos. “In some ways, the unique circumstances of this year have enabled Sen. Booker to do more events for more candidates,” an aide said, citing a single day in August where he did a virtual tour of the country, joining six Democratic candidates for events in states ranging from Virginia to Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Nevada.
From Booker, this is not a surprising approach. His tendency is to meet an intense moment by redoubling his own intensity, which can overwhelm his staff and occasionally overcomplicate any given situation. As mayor, he worked from City Hall during the day and shadowed police patrols through the night. As senator, after reporters and critics questioned the veracity of some of the stories he told on the campaign trail, he wrote a memoir in part to excavate his own life, collecting “recorded testimony” from various “sources” to corroborate his biography.


buzzfeed--2020-10-12--“I Can’t Vote For Someone Who I Blame For The Death Of My Husband”: Meet The Coronavirus Widows

Thousands of Americans ' partners have died during the coronavirus pandemic .
Their grief — and anger — is driving some of them to the polls .
When Stacey Nagy ’ s 79-year-old husband David died from COVID-19 in July , she wasn ’ t just sad — she was angry .
And in an obituary published in her local Texas paper , the Jefferson Jimplecute , on July 30 , the 72-year-old said exactly why .
“ Family members believe David ’ s death was needless , ” Nagy wrote .
“ They blame his death and the deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Trump , [ Texas Gov .
Greg ] Abbott and all the other politicians who did not take this pandemic seriously and were more concerned with their popularity and votes than lives.
” `` Dave did everything he was supposed to do , but you did not , '' she wrote .
`` Shame on all of you , and may Karma find you all !
” It has now been three months since David died , but Nagy ’ s pain has not subsided .
She lives with just her dogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She has also had to contend with hate mail she received after the obituary went viral .
She ’ s too worried about her safety to put a Joe Biden sign in her yard , but on Thursday , she hand-delivered her ballot to the Marion County clerk ’ s office , fueled by a desire to vote out the person she sees as responsible for her grief .
“ Trump has no sympathy , no empathy , and he doesn ’ t think about all the people that have died and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left behind , ” Nagy told BuzzFeed News .
“ He is a sick , sick man , and I hope to god he is not reelected.
” “ The whole country is full of sad people who ’ ve lost loved ones , ” she said , “ and he doesn ’ t care.
” The pandemic has been a difficult and destabilizing time for all Americans , but none more so than people whose loved ones have died from the coronavirus .
The pain of losing a partner , though , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spouse is a world-shattering , isolating experience — especially during a deadly pandemic , when you can not safely mourn with others and still have to worry about yourself or people you love getting sick .
As the country nears an election set to be in part a referendum on the Trump administration ’ s handling of a pandemic that has killed over 212,000 Americans , millions of grieving people — the loved ones left behind by the victims — will also be a voting bloc .
People who followed all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have their spouses die have had to watch as the president and his allies shamelessly flout them .
Worsening their grief is the haunting feeling that their partners ’ deaths may have been preventable , that with stronger government action , with shutdown orders and mask mandates and travel bans being put in place sooner , their loved ones might still be alive .
“ I feel Tim ’ s death was preventable , ” said Andrea Mulcahy , 53 , whose 52-year-old husband died in July .
“ I think if action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our government , both federal and state , he didn ’ t have to die.
” Mulcahy , who lives in Ocala , Florida , watched in shock over the past week as Trump himself became infected with the virus amid an outbreak in the White House caused by a flagrant disregard of social distancing guidance .
“ With everything happening with the president having COVID and his cavalier reaction to it , I just got really , really angry , ” she said .
“ His reaction to it was like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us who ’ ve been dealing with this.
” Fueled by anger , she has now connected with COVID Survivors for Change , an organization of coronavirus victims ’ loved ones who are demanding politicians take better action to end the pandemic .
She is planning to get involved however she can to make sure Trump is not reelected .
“ [ Trump ] made you believe it could only affect elderly people , but my husband was 53 years old , ” said Sonya Polk Hall , a 49-year-old in New Orleans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group started by a Survivors for Change member .
Hall ’ s husband , Mark , died in April .
The 30-year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department became sick with COVID-19 after he assisted in moving people experiencing homelessness into hotels .
“ He didn ’ t have a bad heart .
He was not morbidly obese , ” she said .
“ He just took a physical on March 18 .
He was perfectly healthy.
” While Hall does n't particularly like either Biden or Trump , she did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until after her husband died .
“ Because so many people follow [ Trump ] and believe in him , I think if he would have taken it more seriously , people would have taken it seriously , ” she said .
“ I think it would ’ ve calmed down the death toll.
” “ I had to pick the lesser of the evils , so to speak , ” she said , “ so that ’ s how [ Biden ] ended up with my vote.
” While some people whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public denunciations of the president , others are simply too bereft , too exhausted from rebuilding their own lives to focus on rebuilding the country .
The only people who know their pain are others whose spouses died from the coronavirus — and some are finding each other .
Shortly after 37-year-old Lew Berry died from COVID-19 in April in northern Indiana , his wife , Brianna Berry , 31 , created a Facebook group , which she called “ COVID-19 Widows and Widowers Support Group.
” It now has 24 mostly women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it has slowly grown over the past six months as more Americans die and more of their surviving partners seek support .
Many members found the group organically , just searching on Facebook ; others Berry found in separate support groups or through obituaries in the news .
The group has served as a safe haven for these people , said 28-year-old Tulsi Patel-Workoff of Huntington , New York , whose 33-year-old husband , Luke , died from the coronavirus in early April .
“ It ’ s comforting .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put it , ” Patel-Workoff said .
“ They ’ re going through everything I 'm going through .
I need that support from someone else going through it.
” “ We call each other when we ’ re having a difficult time , ” said Weehawken , New Jersey–based group member Natasha Gibbons-Hodkinson , 37 , whose husband Gregory died in April , at age 47 .
“ It ’ s been helpful to speak to others that feel what we ’ re experiencing.
” The group doesn ’ t talk politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discuss how painful it ’ s been seeing individuals flouting social distancing guidelines and the government failing to enact measures that could have saved thousands of lives .
Even worse has been dealing with outright COVID-19 conspiracy theorists , some of whom sent Berry cruel messages after her husband ’ s obituary appeared in the news .
“ I ’ ve had multiple people tell me COVID is not real , blah blah blah , ” Berry said .
“ One of the widows I talked to , she ’ s been hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big conspiracy theory and the hospitals are giving lethal injections.
’ It ’ s crazy stuff , like , who says that to people ?
” Michele Neff Hernandez , the founder of Soaring Spirits International , an organization that helps people dealing with the death of a spouse connect with one another , said the coronavirus news cycle makes things especially difficult for people whose partners died of COVID-19 .
“ What ’ s really been hard , I think , is news that it could ’ ve been better , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say the pandemic was handled in a different way and we shut down earlier , how many of their people might be alive ?
It ’ s a really hard thing to wrap your head around.
” Hernandez , whose husband died in a cycling accident in 2005 , said the “ what ifs ” are a common thing for people whose spouses have died , including herself , to struggle with : What if he had biked down a different street ?
What if he left 20 minutes later ?
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ the world is saying ‘ what if.
’ ” The grief of people whose partners died from the coronavirus is not made easier by the constant avalanche of news about the pandemic .
This week , in particular , has been overwhelming for Berry , who started the Facebook group , given the flood of headlines about the outbreak at the White House .
“ It was kind of triggering , just all that in the news , ” she said .
Berry watched in horror as the president took a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agents to wave to fans outside his hospital .
She knew firsthand how deadly the virus was , but the president seemed almost nonchalant about risking the exposure of others .
Still , she hopes that , unlike her husband , Trump ’ s health improves .
“ You know , some people are saying he deserves to die from it , and while I don ’ t like him and don ’ t agree with him… I still wouldn ’ t wish that on my worst enemy , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus , even after he was sickened by it , are infuriating people whose spouses have died across the country .
After Trump tweeted Monday that he was leaving the hospital and that people shouldn ’ t let fear of the virus “ dominate ” their life , Amanda Kloots , a fitness influencer whose husband Nick Cordero died of COVID-19 complications in July , spoke out publicly against the president .
“ Unfortunately it did dominate our lives , didn ’ t it ?
” Kloots said in an Instagram post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family ’ s lives and my family ’ s lives.
” “ I cried next to my husband for 95 days watching what COVID did to the person I love .
It IS something to be afraid of , ” she continued .
“ After you see the person you love the most die from this disease you would never say what this tweet says.
” Some people whose loved ones have died from the virus are channeling their grief into political action .
The most prominent people , though , have not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children of COVID-19 victims .
That includes Kristin Urquiza , whose father died of COVID-19 in June and who went on to start the organization “ Marked by COVID , ” which organized a national “ week of mourning ” this week .
In August , Urquiza spoke at the Democratic National Convention , saying in a video message that her father was a Trump supporter who believed the president ’ s downplaying of the virus , and as a result , he went to a bar with friends .
“ Once the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we could open up and we were on the other side … my dad thought it was safe to start resuming normal activities , ” Urquiza told BuzzFeed News .
“ That ’ s why he got sick , and unfortunately had to pay the ultimate price.
” For Urquiza , political activism is a major part of her grieving process .
“ There are some grief circles out there that currently exist around COVID that are strict about not being political , and I understand that , but I would n't be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Urquiza said .
“ My anger about the policy failure , the leadership failure , the lies , I can ’ t stifle that , so I ’ m creating this additional space for people who are ready to channel their pain into purpose.
” Fiana Tulip , a 40-year-old Texan now living in Brooklyn , also got involved in Marked by COVID shortly after her mom , Isabelle Papadimitriou , 64 , died from the virus in July .
Tulip said she was surprised by how quickly after the loss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It was so fast for me , ” she said .
“ I spent the day that my mom died crying , but I also spent that day trying to get her back — which obviously isn ’ t reality , but that ’ s where my mind was going .
And the only thing I could think of was a change in leadership.
” Tulip said she ’ s hoping with all her heart that Biden wins the election and that she thinks it would bring her a sense of peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do this for my mom , ” Tulip said Chris Meagher , a spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee , told BuzzFeed News that his party does expect that people whose loved ones died from COVID will make up a significant voting bloc .
“ People like Kristin Urquiza and others around the country who have lost family members are sharing their personal stories and raising their voices to talk about what ’ s at stake with this election , ” Meagher said .
Trump 's campaign said they were willing to campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling the pandemic .
`` As President Trump has said on multiple occasions , the loss of a single American life is tragic , '' spokesperson Courtney Parella said .
`` Coronavirus is a deadly enemy that has threatened us and our loved ones , but despite what the mainstream media and Democrats may peddle , President Trump and his administration faced this pandemic head-on . ''
Hernandez , the Soaring Spirits International founder , isn ’ t surprised that not too many people whose spouses died from COVID-19 have yet entered the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expects they have such little energy to spare beyond working to get through the day .
“ You ’ ve seen people get fired up [ after loss ] , like with Mothers Against Drunk Driving , or people who have experienced gun violence , ” Hernandez said .
“ Sometimes they ’ re riled up and ready to go , and their grief fires that , but with COVID widows , it ’ s this exhausting , nonstop ride that you ’ re on and can not get off — and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too , is exhausted by the election news cycle .
Alone in her home in northern Indiana , she can ’ t help but wonder if her husband might still be here if Trump had acted differently — if , say , he ’ d been as honest with the country about the deadliness of the virus as he had been privately with Bob Woodward .
“ We know he knew [ about the virus ] in February , he ’ s admitted that .
We could ’ ve probably saved thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just made a mask mandate , and I ’ m upset by that , ” she said .
“ Maybe my husband would still be here .
That is something I have to struggle with.
” Berry said she has previously identified as a moderate , having voted for a mix of Democrats and Republicans in the past — but Trump ’ s handling of the pandemic has pushed her firmly to the left .
“ I can not vote for someone , ” she said , “ who I blame for the @ @ @ @ @ @

When Stacey Nagy’s 79-year-old husband David died from COVID-19 in July, she wasn’t just sad — she was angry. And in an obituary published in her local Texas paper, the Jefferson Jimplecute, on July 30, the 72-year-old said exactly why.
“Family members believe David’s death was needless,” Nagy wrote. “They blame his death and the deaths of all the other innocent people, on Trump, [Texas Gov. Greg] Abbott and all the other politicians who did not take this pandemic seriously and were more concerned with their popularity and votes than lives.”
"Dave did everything he was supposed to do, but you did not," she wrote. "Shame on all of you, and may Karma find you all!”
It has now been three months since David died, but Nagy’s pain has not subsided. She lives with just her dogs for company and has been terribly lonely. She has also had to contend with hate mail she received after the obituary went viral. She’s too worried about her safety to put a Joe Biden sign in her yard, but on Thursday, she hand-delivered her ballot to the Marion County clerk’s office, fueled by a desire to vote out the person she sees as responsible for her grief.
“Trump has no sympathy, no empathy, and he doesn’t think about all the people that have died and all the families the dead people have left behind,” Nagy told BuzzFeed News. “He is a sick, sick man, and I hope to god he is not reelected.”
“The whole country is full of sad people who’ve lost loved ones,” she said, “and he doesn’t care.”
The pandemic has been a difficult and destabilizing time for all Americans, but none more so than people whose loved ones have died from the coronavirus. The pain of losing a partner, though, is uniquely devastating. The death of a spouse is a world-shattering, isolating experience — especially during a deadly pandemic, when you cannot safely mourn with others and still have to worry about yourself or people you love getting sick.
As the country nears an election set to be in part a referendum on the Trump administration’s handling of a pandemic that has killed over 212,000 Americans, millions of grieving people — the loved ones left behind by the victims — will also be a voting bloc. People who followed all the rules of social distancing only to still have their spouses die have had to watch as the president and his allies shamelessly flout them. Worsening their grief is the haunting feeling that their partners’ deaths may have been preventable, that with stronger government action, with shutdown orders and mask mandates and travel bans being put in place sooner, their loved ones might still be alive.
“I feel Tim’s death was preventable,” said Andrea Mulcahy, 53, whose 52-year-old husband died in July. “I think if action had been taken a lot sooner by our government, both federal and state, he didn’t have to die.”
Mulcahy, who lives in Ocala, Florida, watched in shock over the past week as Trump himself became infected with the virus amid an outbreak in the White House caused by a flagrant disregard of social distancing guidance.
“With everything happening with the president having COVID and his cavalier reaction to it, I just got really, really angry,” she said. “His reaction to it was like a slap in the face for those of us who’ve been dealing with this.”
Fueled by anger, she has now connected with COVID Survivors for Change, an organization of coronavirus victims’ loved ones who are demanding politicians take better action to end the pandemic. She is planning to get involved however she can to make sure Trump is not reelected.
“[Trump] made you believe it could only affect elderly people, but my husband was 53 years old,” said Sonya Polk Hall, a 49-year-old in New Orleans, a member of a Facebook support group started by a Survivors for Change member.
Hall’s husband, Mark, died in April. The 30-year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department became sick with COVID-19 after he assisted in moving people experiencing homelessness into hotels. “He didn’t have a bad heart. He was not morbidly obese,” she said. “He just took a physical on March 18. He was perfectly healthy.”
While Hall doesn't particularly like either Biden or Trump, she did not know how she would vote in November until after her husband died.
“Because so many people follow [Trump] and believe in him, I think if he would have taken it more seriously, people would have taken it seriously,” she said. “I think it would’ve calmed down the death toll.”
“I had to pick the lesser of the evils, so to speak,” she said, “so that’s how [Biden] ended up with my vote.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-12--BuzzFeed News Is Going To Court For A Quick Release Of All Russia Investigation Documents Following

BuzzFeed News Is Going To Court For A Quick Release Of All Russia Investigation Documents Following Trump's Tweets

President Trump tweeted that he had “ fully authorized ” release of the records , so BuzzFeed News went to court to ask for immediate access .
Now a judge wants an answer from the White House .
Prompted by recent tweets from the president , BuzzFeed News has asked a federal judge to order the government to declassify and release thousands of pages of documents about investigations related to Russia ’ s interference in the 2016 presidential election and allegations that President Donald Trump tried to obstruct one of the inquiries .
BuzzFeed News is requesting that the documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nov. 3 .
In an emergency motion filed Thursday in US District Court in Washington , DC , BuzzFeed News cited two tweets by Trump late Tuesday night in which he said , “ I have fully authorized the total Declassification of any & all documents pertaining to the single greatest political CRIME in American History , the Russia Hoax .
Likewise , the Hillary Clinton Email Scandal .
No redactions !
” Last year , BuzzFeed News , and later CNN , filed Freedom of Information Act lawsuits to gain access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s investigation .
Since last November , the Department of Justice and FBI have turned over more than 4,000 pages of documents .
But the records are heavily redacted .
In a second tweet Tuesday night , Trump said , “ All Russia Hoax Scandal information was Declassified by me long ago.
” In response to Trump ’ s assertion , BuzzFeed News and CNN have asked the judge presiding over the case to order the government to remove the redactions and rerelease the FBI interview summaries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing to discuss the matter as early as Friday afternoon .
Later Thursday , US District Judge Reggie Walton directed the Justice Department to “ confer with the White House ” and report back to the court the “ official position regarding the declassification and release to the public of information related to the Russia investigation.
” The judge gave a deadline of Wednesday .
Separately , BuzzFeed News filed emergency court papers related to two additional FOIA lawsuits it has filed that requested documents related to other aspects of the Russia investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fully unredacted copy of the Mueller report .
BuzzFeed News ’ lawyers asked federal judges presiding over those cases to also order the government to release the records before Election Day .
Judge Walton , handling the filing on the Mueller report , again responded on Thursday by requesting the Justice Department report back on the White House position on declassification .
A different judge handling a separate lawsuit gave the department until Oct. 16 to respond but didn ’ t order that it confer with the White House .
Government attorneys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these requests , despite Trump ’ s order .
Last year , Justice Department lawyers claimed the volume of records requested could total 18 billion pages and take centuries to produce .

Prompted by recent tweets from the president, BuzzFeed News has asked a federal judge to order the government to declassify and release thousands of pages of documents about investigations related to Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election and allegations that President Donald Trump tried to obstruct one of the inquiries.
BuzzFeed News is requesting that the documents be released before the presidential election, Nov. 3.
In an emergency motion filed Thursday in US District Court in Washington, DC, BuzzFeed News cited two tweets by Trump late Tuesday night in which he said, “I have fully authorized the total Declassification of any & all documents pertaining to the single greatest political CRIME in American History, the Russia Hoax. Likewise, the Hillary Clinton Email Scandal. No redactions!”


buzzfeed--2020-10-12--9 Small But Effective Things You Can Do To Impact The Election This Year (Besides Vote)

Ok , so you may not be able to literally knock on doors during a pandemic , but you can @ @ @ @ @ n't live in and make a real impact ( here 's a quick guide on @ @ @ @ @ by Googling phone banking initiatives for your candidate of choice ( Knock for Democracy is @ @ @ @ @ , for example ) .
Then , join in to have direct , one-to-one conversations @ @ @ @ @ .

Regardless of your party or top political priorities, one thing everyone can agree on is the fact that our system is in need of repair. RepresentUs is one of the main groups trying to put a stop to the gerrymandering and lobbyism that negatively affect our democracy. You can volunteer to work on their Anti-Corruption Act campaigns and make a difference on a local (and eventually, national) level.


buzzfeed--2020-10-13--Demi Lovato Said She Finally Has "The Boobs She Wanted" After Resolving To Eat Whatever She Wants

`` If I was in my hotel room at night , [ my management team ] would take the phone @ @ @ @ @ so that I could n't call room service .
Or if there was fruit in @ @ @ @ @ take it out because that 's extra sugar .
Like , we 're not talking @ @ @ @ @ candies and stuff like that .
It 's like , it was fruit . ''

"If I was in my hotel room at night, [my management team] would take the phone out of the hotel room so that I couldn't call room service. Or if there was fruit in my room, they would take it out because that's extra sugar. Like, we're not talking about brownies and cookies and candies and stuff like that. It's like, it was fruit."


buzzfeed--2020-10-13--Experts Say Hours-Long Lines In Georgia For Early Voting Are A Sign Of Voter Enthusiasm, Not Suppres

Experts Say Hours-Long Lines In Georgia For Early Voting Are A Sign Of Voter Enthusiasm, Not Suppression

`` Voting should not be this difficult , '' said one voter who was unable to vote Monday because of the long wait .
When Elizabeth Brownlie showed up at Chastain Park to cast her ballot at 10:45 a.m. Monday , the 32-year-old Atlanta resident expected to wait up to two hours to vote .
But after an hour and a half of standing in line , Brownlie was still nowhere near the entrance to the polling place inside the park gym .
With an appointment to get to , she left .
`` For me , it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ it was ] disheartening ... to have that experience , '' she said .
`` Voting should not be this difficult . ''
As early voting got underway in Georgia on Monday , energized voters turned out in droves across the state , resulting in long lines and wait times of up to eight hours in Gwinnett County .
While many expressed frustration over having to stand in line for so long to make their voices heard , experts said the agonizing wait times , while unacceptable , were not necessarily evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d be concerned if I did n't see long lines , '' said David Becker , executive director and founder for the Center for Election Innovation & Research .
Rather , long lines at the beginning of early voting are a sign that voters are enthusiastic about participating in the election , Becker told BuzzFeed News , adding that every person that votes early is one less person who could be stuck in line on election night .
`` We ’ re 22 days away from the election , '' he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and does not have the time to wait can come back tomorrow . ''
Still , in Georgia , which has a long history of voter suppression tactics that have disproportionately targeted Black voters , the long waits were a reminder of previous efforts to limit people 's access to the polls .
`` Some of this is voter enthusiasm .
But this is just not acceptable in a modern day democracy , '' Kristen Clarke , president of the Lawyers ' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law , wrote on Twitter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Voting Rights Act ] & officials who ’ ll provide more voting opportunities during a pandemic . ''
If past early voting trends hold true , experts and local officials said they expect to see a dip in turnout after Monday 's surge before seeing numbers increase again closer to Election Day .
In addition to voter enthusiasm , the huge turnout may have been due in part to the first day of early voting falling on the Columbus Day holiday , experts and officials said , with many people possibly choosing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Today might be an anomaly because it 's the first day of early voting and people are excited and it 's a holiday , '' said Josh Douglas , an election law and voting rights professor at the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law .
Douglas warned voters not to `` jump to conclusions about whether this is some sort of intentional effort at voter suppression . ''
`` I do n't think it is , '' he said .
`` I think it ’ s accurate to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wait five hours and that ... we ca n't know for sure that every day of early voting in Georgia is going to have these same kind of waits . ''
In addition to the large turnout , other technical issues may have added to the wait times .
Gwinnett County spokesperson Joe Sorenson told BuzzFeed News at least one of the county 's nine early voting locations were n't able to get all of the voting machines running early in the morning because of a `` local network issue . ''
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they also were not able to operate as many voting machines as they had initially planned in order to maintain distance in between voters .
`` We have our locations maxed out and if we were n't in COVID-19 times we would have had a lot more machines in those facilities , '' Sorenson said .
`` We ’ re having x divided by 2 in a lot of cases . ''
Early voting also typically takes a bit longer than voting in-person on Election Day because voting locations are open to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that each site has to provide a larger number of ballot options to account for every voter 's local elections .
They also do n't have the benefit of downloading voter rolls in advance such as is done at precinct polling places because officials need to be able check in real time whether voters have already cast a ballot at another site .
`` It 's a more complex process from the election officials ' perspective but a much more convenient , '' process for voters , Becker said .
Cobb County Elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking longer for poll workers to verify voters ' registration in the state 's database due to a higher than normal volume of requests .
The state saw about 20 percent more users accessing the voter registration system Monday than it handles on a typical weekday , according to the Georgia Secretary of State 's office .
Eveler said they were also seeing a high number of voters who had originally requested absentee or mail-in ballots but showed up to vote in-person instead .
`` That slows things down because they have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-person so there 's more steps , '' she said .
Tommy Vickers , who waited five hours to vote at George Pierce Park in Gwinnett County , was one of those voters .
Because of pandemic , Vickers and his wife requested absentee ballots but in light of President Donald Trump 's attacks on voting by mail and concerns about the US Postal Service 's mail delivery delays , he decided to vote early in-person .
`` I anticipated that there would probably be some lines , '' Vickers told BuzzFeed News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be a five-hour line . ''
Vickers , 35 , of Sugar Hill , voted early at the same location in 2018 and was in and out within minutes , he said .
He expected to return home within an hour so that his wife , who had the day off and was watching their kids , could also go vote .
`` She ’ s going to wait probably until next week , '' he said .
Vickers said that once he got through the line , it took an extra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrender his absentee ballot because the worker who was checking him in had to get a manager to help her figure out how to cancel the mail ballot and issue him an in-person one .
`` I was exceptionally frustrated to have to wait that long , but I was happy to do so , '' Vickers said , adding that he would have liked more communication from the county about the wait times and the issues contributing to them .
Kathy C. said she and her husband also waited nearly five hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pierce Park site at 6:50 a.m. After the doors opened at 7 a.m. , she said it took another hour for the line to move again .

As early voting got underway in Georgia on Monday, energized voters turned out in droves across the state, resulting in long lines and wait times of up to eight hours in Gwinnett County. A record number of 128,590 ballots were cast over the course of the day — a more than 40% increase from the 90,688 ballots cast on the first day of early voting in 2016, according to the Georgia Secretary of State's office.
While many expressed frustration over having to stand in line for so long to make their voices heard, experts said the agonizing wait times, while unacceptable, were not necessarily evidence of voter suppression.
"I’d be concerned if I didn't see long lines," said David Becker, executive director and founder for the Center for Election Innovation & Research.
Rather, long lines at the beginning of early voting are a sign that voters are enthusiastic about participating in the election, Becker told BuzzFeed News, adding that every person that votes early is one less person who could be stuck in line on election night.
"We’re 22 days away from the election," he said. "Anyone who sees a long line and does not have the time to wait can come back tomorrow."
Still, in Georgia, which has a long history of voter suppression tactics that have disproportionately targeted Black voters, the long waits were a reminder of previous efforts to limit people's access to the polls.
"Some of this is voter enthusiasm. But this is just not acceptable in a modern day democracy," Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, wrote on Twitter. "We need restoration of the [Voting Rights Act] & officials who’ll provide more voting opportunities during a pandemic."
If past early voting trends hold true, experts and local officials said they expect to see a dip in turnout after Monday's surge before seeing numbers increase again closer to Election Day.
In addition to voter enthusiasm, the huge turnout may have been due in part to the first day of early voting falling on the Columbus Day holiday, experts and officials said, with many people possibly choosing to vote because they were off work.
"Today might be an anomaly because it's the first day of early voting and people are excited and it's a holiday," said Josh Douglas, an election law and voting rights professor at the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law.
Douglas warned voters not to "jump to conclusions about whether this is some sort of intentional effort at voter suppression."
"I don't think it is," he said. "I think it’s accurate to say both that no one should have to wait five hours and that ... we can't know for sure that every day of early voting in Georgia is going to have these same kind of waits."


buzzfeed--2020-10-13--Doctors Are Questioning Trump’s COVID-19 Test After His Physician Said He Tested Negative

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

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


buzzfeed--2020-10-13--A Flight Attendant On TikTok Revealed All The Things You Should Never Touch On An Airplane, And It's

A Flight Attendant On TikTok Revealed All The Things You Should Never Touch On An Airplane, And It's So Gross

Kat then warns viewers that sticking your hand into that seat pocket is effectively the same as sticking your hand @ @ @ @ @ `` Think of all the dirty tissues , barf bags , and garbage that has @ @ @ @ @ she says .

Kat then warns viewers that sticking your hand into that seat pocket is effectively the same as sticking your hand into a garbage bin: "Think of all the dirty tissues, barf bags, and garbage that has been in there," she says.


buzzfeed--2020-10-13--Which Books Have Changed How You View And Experience Sex?

So we want to know : which books or resources have changed your views on sex ?
Did you start @ @ @ @ @ answered all your sex questions ?

So we want to know: which books or resources have changed your views on sex? Did you start with a thorough guide that answered all your sex questions?


buzzfeed--2020-10-13--Gal Gadot Broke Her Silence On Her Controversial "Imagine" Video, Calling It "Not The Right Good Dee

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

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

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


buzzfeed--2020-10-14--Trump Tweeted About Releasing All "Russia Hoax'' Documents, But He Didn't Mean It Literally

Two tweets by President Donald Trump last week stating he had “ fully authorized the total declassification ” of all documents related to the Russia investigation should not be taken literally , the Justice Department said in court documents Tuesday .
Trump claimed in one tweet that he had ordered the declassification of the “ Russia Hoax Scandal ” information long ago .
But it seems the Justice Department never got the message .
The Justice Department was told by the White House counsel that Trump ’ s “ statements on Twitter were not self-executing declassification orders and do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The government ’ s position — and the White House ’ s — was given in court filings responding to three separate emergency motions that BuzzFeed News filed last week to compel the government to immediately release unredacted copies of Russia-related documents sought in its Freedom of Information Act lawsuits .
The documents at issue included an unredacted copy of former special counsel Robert Mueller ’ s report , unredacted copies of FBI interview summaries of witnesses who spoke to Mueller ’ s investigators , and thousands of other records that BuzzFeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hours after BuzzFeed News filed the motions , the federal judge presiding over two of those cases directed the Justice Department to “ confer with the White House ” and report back to the court the “ official position regarding the declassification and release to the public of information related to the Russia investigation.
” A different judge handling a separate lawsuit gave the department until Oct. 16 to respond but didn ’ t order that it consult with the White House .
On Tuesday , Bradley Weinsheimer , associate deputy attorney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court that after consulting with the White House counsel , the Justice Department was informed that Trump ’ s tweets “ do not require altering any redactions on any record ” cited in BuzzFeed News ’ lawsuits or any other public records case related to the Russia investigation .
Additionally , Weinsheimer noted that the actual meaning of Trump ’ s tweets was aimed at the ongoing review by Attorney General Bill Barr into the genesis of the Russia investigation .
In a motion seeking to dismiss the request from BuzzFeed News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further , stating Trump ’ s tweets are “ ambiguous ” and “ do not refer to any specific document and do not indicate that the President was exercising his Constitutional authority to declassify specific information .
They were not an order to declassify particular material.
” The president has broad authority to declassify documents without any formal process .
In his first tweet last week , Trump wrote : “ I have fully authorized the total Declassification of any & all documents pertaining to the single greatest political CRIME in American History @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Hillary Clinton Email Scandal .
No redactions !
” He later tweeted , “ All Russia Hoax Scandal information was Declassified by me long ago .
”

Two tweets by President Donald Trump last week stating he had “fully authorized the total declassification” of all documents related to the Russia investigation should not be taken literally, the Justice Department said in court documents Tuesday.
Trump claimed in one tweet that he had ordered the declassification of the “Russia Hoax Scandal” information long ago.
But it seems the Justice Department never got the message.
The Justice Department was told by the White House counsel that Trump’s “statements on Twitter were not self-executing declassification orders and do not require the declassification of any particular documents.”
The government’s official position — and the White House’s — was given in court filings responding to three separate emergency motions that BuzzFeed News filed last week to compel the government to immediately release unredacted copies of Russia-related documents sought in its Freedom of Information Act lawsuits. The documents at issue included an unredacted copy of former special counsel Robert Mueller’s report, unredacted copies of FBI interview summaries of witnesses who spoke to Mueller’s investigators, and thousands of other records that BuzzFeed News sued the government for last year.
Hours after BuzzFeed News filed the motions, the federal judge presiding over two of those cases directed the Justice Department to “confer with the White House” and report back to the court the “official position regarding the declassification and release to the public of information related to the Russia investigation.” A different judge handling a separate lawsuit gave the department until Oct. 16 to respond but didn’t order that it consult with the White House.
On Tuesday, Bradley Weinsheimer, associate deputy attorney general, said in a declaration for the court that after consulting with the White House counsel, the Justice Department was informed that Trump’s tweets “do not require altering any redactions on any record” cited in BuzzFeed News’ lawsuits.
Additionally, Weinsheimer noted that what Trump authorized for declassification was documents related to the ongoing review by Attorney General Bill Barr into the genesis of the Russia investigation.
In a motion seeking to dismiss the request from BuzzFeed News, another Justice Department attorney went even further, stating Trump’s tweets are “ambiguous” and “do not refer to any specific document and do not indicate that the President was exercising his Constitutional authority to declassify specific information. They were not an order to declassify particular material.”
The president has broad authority to declassify documents without any formal process.
In his first tweet last week, Trump wrote: “I have fully authorized the total Declassification of any & all documents pertaining to the single greatest political CRIME in American History, the Russia Hoax. Likewise, the Hillary Clinton Email Scandal. No redactions!”
He later tweeted, “All Russia Hoax Scandal information was Declassified by me long ago.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-14--Almost 12 Million Americans Have Already Voted In The Presidential Election

Wearing their `` Vote '' T-shirts , Jeannie Osbourne ( left ) and Judy Nader stand beside an official Orange County ballot drop-box in Santa Ana , California , on Tuesday .
With just 21 days to go until Election Day , almost 12 million Americans have already voted , according to data compiled by the US Elections Project as of Tuesday afternoon .
The figure , which includes both ballots cast in-person and absentee or mail-in ballots returned to local elections offices , comes as more states open early voting locations and the window for registering to vote closes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ballots cast across the country so far represents just 8.6 % of the 2016 total turnout , the number of people who have voted in Vermont so far — 95,885 — account for nearly 30 % of the state 's total turnout in the 2016 general election , according to the data from the University of Florida-run project .
In Wisconsin , Virginia , and South Dakota , that figure is at almost 25 % of 2016 levels .
In Georgia , where a record number of 128,590 ballots were cast on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — a more than 40 % increase from 2016 — the high turnout has led to long lines and hourslong waits for people to vote .
On Tuesday , Gwinnett County 's website listed a wait time of eight hours for the county elections office , one of nine early voting centers .
Joe Sorenson , a spokesperson for the county , told BuzzFeed News that was just an estimate and that the true wait peaked at six hours Tuesday at the location , citing continued slowdowns with the state 's voter registration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waiting in line before the office opened this morning .
As of 5 p.m. , when the site was set to close , a little over 100 people were still in line to vote , Sorensen estimated , adding that it would take about an hour to clear through .
On Monday , people were still voting there until a little after 9 p.m. , he said .
Elections experts have said that the hourslong waits voters experienced in Georgia on Monday were unacceptable , but that they did not necessarily indicate voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead , they said high voter enthusiasm may be a cause .
Tuesday was the first day of in-person early voting in Kentucky and Texas , where voters experienced long lines and opening day voting records were shattered early in the day .

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


buzzfeed--2020-10-13--The Supreme Court Is Allowing The Trump Administration To End The Census Count Early

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to stop the census count from continuing until the end of October .
On behalf of the court , Justice Elena Kagan granted a stay that suspended a lower court 's order requiring the once-a-decade data collection to continue .
The Department of Commerce had argued that it needed to end the field counting in order to begin processing the data for the Dec. 31 deadline , by which it is required to turn over the figures to the president .
But civil rights groups and local governments had sued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean a less accurate count of the census among communities that are difficult to count .
The census is used to divvy up seats in the House of Representatives ( a process known as apportionment ) , and it affects hundreds of billions of dollars of federal funding .
Justice Sonia Sotomayor was the only member of the court who wrote a dissent from the granting of the stay .
“ Moreover , meeting the deadline at the expense of the accuracy of the census is not a cost worth paying , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by rushing this year 's census count are irreparable .
And respondents will suffer their lasting impact for at least the next 10 years . ''

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Trump administration to stop the census count from continuing until the end of October.
On behalf of the court, Justice Elena Kagan granted a stay that suspended a lower court's order requiring the once-a-decade data collection to continue.
The Department of Commerce had argued that it needed to end the field counting in order to begin processing the data for the Dec. 31 deadline, by which it is required to turn over the figures to the president.
But civil rights groups and local governments had sued, saying that an earlier cutoff would mean a less accurate count of the census among communities that are difficult to count.
The census is used to divvy up seats in the House of Representatives (a process known as apportionment), and it affects hundreds of billions of dollars of federal funding.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor was the only member of the court who wrote a dissent from the granting of the stay.
“Moreover, meeting the deadline at the expense of the accuracy of the census is not a cost worth paying," she wrote. "The harms caused by rushing this year's census count are irreparable. And respondents will suffer their lasting impact for at least the next 10 years."


buzzfeed--2020-10-13--Tell Us The Wildest Conspiracy Theories You've Been Hearing At School

Conspiracy theories , like those that make up the QAnon mass delusion that alleges Trump is fighting against a deep @ @ @ @ @ , are mostly being shared by older folks on Facebook , but there are any @ @ @ @ @ people can latch on to .
And even though a lot of schools are largely @ @ @ @ @ and teenagers are still bringing conspiracy theories they 've read online or heard to school @ @ @ @ @ by memes ?
If you 're a teacher working in the US , we want @ @ @ @ @ Have you had students come to you with conspiracy theories — like those QAnon followers @ @ @ @ @ read online or were taught at home ?
What are the challenges in countering misinformation @ @ @ @ @ you 're a teacher with thoughts on this , you can fill out our survey @ @ @ @ @ directly at scaachi.koul @ buzzfeed.com .

Conspiracy theories, like those that make up the QAnon mass delusion that alleges Trump is fighting against a deep state cabal of child eaters, are mostly being shared by older folks on Facebook, but there are any number of them that young people can latch on to. And even though a lot of schools are largely virtual right now, kids and teenagers are still bringing conspiracy theories they've read online or heard to school. Have you been bombarded by memes?
If you're a teacher working in the US, we want to hear from you. Have you had students come to you with conspiracy theories — like those QAnon followers believe — that they've read online or were taught at home? What are the challenges in countering misinformation with your students?
If you're a teacher with thoughts on this, you can fill out our survey here, or email us directly at scaachi.koul@buzzfeed.com.


buzzfeed--2020-10-13--Two Major COVID Clinical Trials Were Paused Over Safety Concerns — Which Is Exactly How Trials Shoul

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

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

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


buzzfeed--2020-10-13--Department Of Homeland Security Employees Have Been Told To Report Colleagues Suspected Of Leaking I

Department Of Homeland Security Employees Have Been Told To Report Colleagues Suspected Of Leaking Information

Department of Homeland Security employees were told to report colleagues they suspected of sharing sensitive internal information , along with those who requested information that fell out of their day-to-day duties , according to an email obtained by BuzzFeed News .
Randolph D. `` Tex '' Alles , a senior DHS official , emailed all employees on Tuesday warning them to be careful handling “ all classified , controlled unclassified , and draft information ” and that unauthorized disclosures — whether deliberate or inadvertent — risked violating agency policy and potentially federal law .
Alles sent the email after “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared with “ external entities.
” Alles did not specify that the “ external entities ” were media outlets , but the Trump administration has repeatedly criticized leaks of internal documents and attempted to crack down on such disclosures .
“ This is another way to say to people : People are watching you .
It is not just us , but your fellow colleagues now have an eye on you , ” said Ur Jaddou , a former lead DHS official under the Obama administration .
In his email to staff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they suspect of “ providing classified , sensitive but unclassified , controlled unclassified information or draft information to unauthorized personnel.
” What ’ s more , Alles said employees should report when they receive a request for the same set of information that is outside the “ scope of responsibilities ” of the person asking for the document .
DHS officials have repeatedly warned employees not to leak information to the media .
Last year , US immigration officials , including asylum and refugee officers , were told that they would be fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to an email sent to staff and obtained by BuzzFeed News .
The then–acting director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services , Mark Koumans , sent the email to employees telling them that as they regularly handle sensitive information , they need to guard it closely .
“ We have the responsibility to protect the information that the agency and the public have entrusted to us and it is imperative that we not betray that trust through the unauthorized disclosure ( 'leaking ' ) of any such information , ” he wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sensitive , for official use only , and internal use only information by USCIS personnel to media outlets have brought this issue to the forefront.
” He added that staff would be reprimanded and potentially suspended for two weeks for a first offense , another two weeks for a second offense , and terminated or removed from their job for a third leak .
In early 2019 , a senior DHS official warned agency employees not to disclose “ nonpublic information ” or they would potentially face criminal , civil , or administrative @ @

Department of Homeland Security employees were told to report colleagues they suspected of sharing sensitive internal information, along with those who requested information that fell out of their day-to-day duties, according to an email obtained by BuzzFeed News.
Randolph D. "Tex" Alles, a senior DHS official, emailed all employees on Tuesday warning them to be careful handling “all classified, controlled unclassified, and draft information” and that unauthorized disclosures — whether deliberate or inadvertent — risked violating agency policy and potentially federal law. Alles sent the email after “sensitive but unclassified” information had been shared with “external entities.”
Alles did not specify that the “external entities” were media outlets, but the Trump administration has repeatedly criticized leaks of internal documents and attempted to crack down on such disclosures.
“This is another way to say to people: People are watching you. It is not just us, but your fellow colleagues now have an eye on you,” said Ur Jaddou, a former lead DHS official under the Obama administration.
In his email to staff, Alles told DHS employees to report those they suspect of “providing classified, sensitive but unclassified, controlled unclassified information or draft information to unauthorized personnel.” What’s more, Alles said employees should report when they receive a request for the same set of information that is outside the “scope of responsibilities” of the person asking for the document.
DHS officials have repeatedly warned employees not to leak information to the media.
Last year, US immigration officials, including asylum and refugee officers, were told that they would be fired for leaking information to the media, according to an email sent to staff and obtained by BuzzFeed News. The then–acting director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Mark Koumans, sent the email to employees telling them that as they regularly handle sensitive information, they need to guard it closely.
“We have the responsibility to protect the information that the agency and the public have entrusted to us and it is imperative that we not betray that trust through the unauthorized disclosure ('leaking') of any such information,” he wrote. “...recent unauthorized disclosures of sensitive, for official use only, and internal use only information by USCIS personnel to media outlets have brought this issue to the forefront.” He added that staff would be reprimanded and potentially suspended for two weeks for a first offense, another two weeks for a second offense, and terminated or removed from their job for a third leak.
In early 2019, a senior DHS official warned agency employees not to disclose “nonpublic information” or they would potentially face criminal, civil, or administrative consequences.