buzzfeed--2020-07-17--“Flat-Out Unconstitutional”: Federal Officers In Unmarked Vans Are Snatching People Off The Streets

“Flat-Out Unconstitutional”: Federal Officers In Unmarked Vans Are Snatching People Off The Streets In Portland

Protesters in Portland , Oregon , say federal officers deployed by President Donald Trump are increasing tensions and violating civil rights by roaming the streets in unmarked vans and detaining people without probable cause .
Videos and witness accounts detail how armed officers outfitted in camouflage and lacking identifying information on their uniforms are snatching people off the street .
One viral video shared on July 15 shows two men in fatigues exiting an unmarked van , grabbing a person by their arms , and escorting them to a vehicle .
The officers remained silent as bystanders asked who they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The identity of the person detained in that video is unknown , but Portland resident Mark Pettibone told Oregon Public Broadcasting he was detained on July 15 by a group of federal officers .
He said they grabbed him off the street for no reason , placed him in an unmarked van , and used his hat to cover his eyes while he was transported to a federal courthouse .
“ I just happened to be wearing black on a sidewalk in downtown Portland at the time , ” Pettibone said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me.
” Juniper Simonis , a quantitative ecologist who volunteers as a medic at protests , told BuzzFeed News that federal officers forcibly took them into custody and separated them from their service dog for using chalk on the sidewalk in front of a federal building on July 10 .
Simonis said they were sprayed with OC gas , a form of pepper spray , at close range .
“ They jumped me and assaulted me without any legal or verbal communication to me about being under arrest , or telling me to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trans woman who uses `` they '' / '' them '' pronouns .
“ They 're snatching people and asking questions later.
” On Friday , the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Oregon sued the Department of Homeland Security and US Marshals Service in what it said was `` one `` many [ lawsuits ] the ACLU will be filing against federal authorities in Portland for their unconstitutional attacks on people protesting the police killing of George Floyd . ''
The ACLU added DHS and US Marshals Service to a lawsuit that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement agencies , where a federal judge had already issued an order blocking local officials from dispersing , arresting , or using force against reporters and legal observers until Oct. 30 .
`` What is happening in Portland is an unconstitutional nightmare , '' Vera Eidelman , staff attorney with the ACLU 's Speech , Privacy and Technology Project said in a statement .
`` The ACLU will not let the government respond to protests against police brutality with still more brutality . ''
The ACLU 's motion filed Friday looks to add @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order .
Although the motion specifically mentions federal agents ' actions against journalists and legal observers , and does not mention arrests of protesters , it is the first attempt to legally block federal agents ' actions on the ground in Portland .
Although the motion specifically mentions federal agents ' actions against journalists and legal observers , and does not mention arrests of protesters , it is the first attempt to legally block federal agents ' actions on the ground in Portland .
A task force — including officers from the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protection , Immigration and Customs Enforcement , and the US Marshals Service — was deployed to Portland in early July after Trump issued an executive order about protecting national landmarks .
But rather than remaining on federal property to protect statues and memorials , federal officers have at times engaged peaceful protesters and citizens with “ less lethal ” munitions and have been documented driving around and detaining people on city streets .
“ Usually when we see people in unmarked cars forcibly grab someone off the street we call it kidnapping , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the ACLU of Oregon , said in a statement .
“ The actions of the militarized federal officers are flat-out unconstitutional and will not go unanswered.
” Oregon Gov .
Kate Brown called the deployment of federal officers a “ blatant abuse of power.
” The use of federal officers has also been condemned by the mayor of Portland , both of Oregon ’ s US senators , the Portland Police Bureau , and the local sheriff .
Sens .
Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley , along with two other members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DHS Secretary Chad Wolf and Attorney General Bill Barr requesting information about the deployment and a July 11 incident when a member of the US Marshals Service hit a peaceful protester in the head with an impact munition , fracturing his skull and requiring surgery .
“ A peaceful protester in Portland was shot in the head by one of Donald Trump ’ s secret police , ” Wyden tweeted .
“ Now Trump and Chad Wolf are weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well with right-wing media.
” On Friday , the US attorney in Oregon called on the DHS 's Office of the Inspector General to look into reports that protesters were detained without probable cause .
Wolf arrived in Portland this week amid the criticism .
“ The city of Portland has been under siege for 47 straight days by a violent mob while local political leaders refuse to restore order to protect their city , ” he said in a DHS news release on Thursday .
“ Each night , lawless anarchists destroy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courthouse , and attack the brave law enforcement officers protecting it.
” DHS released a list of 90 examples of what it called “ lawless destruction and violence ” in Portland dating back to May 29 .
Roughly a quarter of the incidents listed involved vandalism , graffiti , or trespassing .
Eleven of the listed incidents resulted in arrests .
Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that federal officials have so far charged 13 people related to the protests .
In response to criticism that federal officers in Portland are not identifying themselves , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Customs and Border Protection , tweeted , “ You will not see names on their uniforms b/c these same violent criminals use this information to target them & their families , putting both at risk.
” Law enforcement officers are generally not required by law to identify themselves , according to Lawfare .
Benjamin Haas , the advocacy counsel at Human Rights First and a former Army intelligence officer , told BuzzFeed News the deployment of militarized federal officers in a US city is alarming .
“ These law enforcement officers look more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an Army intelligence officer in Afghanistan than civilian police who are supposed to serve and protect American communities , ” Haas said .
He added that the federal officers in Portland are “ blurring the line between the military and law enforcement , [ which ] is unhealthy for democracy and American communities.
” After being grabbed off the street and brought to a federal courthouse , Pettibone said , he was released without charges after he kept asking for a lawyer .
DHS has not commented publicly on Pettibone ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought to the Portland federal courthouse after being arrested in front of the Edith Green–Wendell Wyatt Federal Building .
After Simonis said they were detained for roughly eight hours and denied a phone call or access to a lawyer , they were released and issued two federal tickets for petty offenses .
DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the arrest of Simonis .
Simonis said it ’ s possible other people are being detained and kept for longer periods without the ability to contact a lawyer .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snatched off the streets , but we only know the stories of the people who have made it out , ” they said .

A task force — including officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the US Marshals Service — was deployed to Portland in early July after Trump issued an executive order about protecting national landmarks. But rather than remaining on federal property to protect statues and memorials, federal officers have at times engaged peaceful protesters and citizens with “less lethal” munitions and have been documented driving around and detaining people on city streets.
“Usually when we see people in unmarked cars forcibly grab someone off the street we call it kidnapping,” Jann Carson, interim executive director of the ACLU of Oregon, said in a statement. “The actions of the militarized federal officers are flat-out unconstitutional and will not go unanswered.”
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown called the deployment of federal officers a “blatant abuse of power.” The use of federal officers has also been condemned by the mayor of Portland, both of Oregon’s US senators, the Portland Police Bureau, and the local sheriff.
Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with two other members of Congress, sent a letter to acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolf and Attorney General Bill Barr requesting information about the deployment and a July 11 incident when a member of the US Marshals Service hit a peaceful protester in the head with an impact munition, fracturing his skull and requiring surgery.
“A peaceful protester in Portland was shot in the head by one of Donald Trump’s secret police,” Wyden tweeted. “Now Trump and Chad Wolf are weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of my hometown because they think it plays well with right-wing media.”
On Friday, the US attorney in Oregon called on the DHS's Office of the Inspector General to look into reports that protesters were detained without probable cause.
Wolf arrived in Portland this week amid the criticism.
“The city of Portland has been under siege for 47 straight days by a violent mob while local political leaders refuse to restore order to protect their city,” he said in a DHS news release on Thursday. “Each night, lawless anarchists destroy and desecrate property, including the federal courthouse, and attack the brave law enforcement officers protecting it.”
DHS released a list of 90 examples of what it called “lawless destruction and violence” in Portland dating back to May 29. Roughly a quarter of the incidents listed involved vandalism, graffiti, or trespassing. Eleven of the listed incidents resulted in arrests. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that federal officials have so far charged 13 people related to the protests.
In response to criticism that federal officers in Portland are not identifying themselves, Mark Morgan, the acting commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, tweeted, “You will not see names on their uniforms b/c these same violent criminals use this information to target them & their families, putting both at risk.” Law enforcement officers are generally not required by law to identify themselves, according to Lawfare.
Benjamin Haas, the advocacy counsel at Human Rights First and a former Army intelligence officer, told BuzzFeed News the deployment of militarized federal officers in a US city is alarming.
“These law enforcement officers look more like the special operations forces I supported as an Army intelligence officer in Afghanistan than civilian police who are supposed to serve and protect American communities,” Haas said.
He added that the federal officers in Portland are “blurring the line between the military and law enforcement, [which] is unhealthy for democracy and American communities.”
After being grabbed off the street and brought to a federal courthouse, Pettibone said he was released without charges after he kept asking for a lawyer. DHS has not commented publicly on Pettibone’s arrest.
Simonis said they were also brought to the Portland federal courthouse after being arrested in front of the Edith Green–Wendell Wyatt Federal Building. After Simonis said they were detained for roughly eight hours and denied a phone call or access to a lawyer, they were released and issued two federal tickets for petty offenses.
DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the arrest of Simonis.
Simonis said it’s possible other people are being detained and kept for longer periods without the ability to contact a lawyer.
“We know that there are people getting snatched off the streets, but we only know the stories of the people who have made it out,” they said.


buzzfeed--2020-07-17--A New Study Said Politicians Have Been Doomscrolling More Too

New research from Pew showed that lawmakers ' social media use has nearly doubled since 2016 .
The last four years have made doomscrolling monsters of all of us — and , despite yesterday 's Twitter hack , that 's true for members of Congress , too .
A new study from the Pew Research Center shows that social media use among congressional representatives has nearly doubled since 2016 on Twitter .
On Facebook members of Congress are posting 48 % more content than they were four years ago .
They ’ re also spending their social media time dragging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of the most effective posts mention political opponents .
For the Democrats , that means posting about Education Secretary Betsy DeVos , Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh , and , of course , President Donald Trump .
On the Republican side , mentions of Rep. Adam Schiff and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi drive likes , shares , and comments .
There seems to be a partisan divide between social media platforms , Adam Hughes , associate director of research of Pew 's Data Labs , told BuzzFeed News ; Democrats see higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more engagement on Facebook .
“ It may be the case that US Twitter users tend to be more Democratic-identifying than Facebook users , ” Hughes said .
While Democrats post more often — gaining more engagement overall — an average Republican post gets more likes , comments , shares , and retweets than the average Democratic one .
“ If you really just care about totals , Democrats get a lot more engaged , ” Hughes said .
“ But if you look at the typical experience , the median number , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more.
” In addition to measuring engagement numbers , Pew looked at what members of Congress were posting about — and saw big differences between the parties .
“ More than half of Democratic members mentioned the name ‘ Breonna Taylor ’ or terms like ‘ racial injustice , ’ but fewer than one in ten Republicans did , ” a Pew blog post wrote .
One marked difference is the conversation surrounding Black Lives Matter protests , as a secondary analysis of the data has shown .
Black members of Congress make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — but among the governing body , they publish a quarter of the posts about Black Lives Matter .
Democrats ' most distinctive terms were `` equal pay , '' `` gun safety , '' `` LGBT , '' and `` workers ’ rights . ''
By contrast , the most distinctive terms for Republicans were `` pro-growth , '' `` bureaucrats , '' `` unborn , '' and `` illegal immigrant . ''
Curiously , another unique phrase used by Republicans was “ enjoyed visiting , ” mentioned by nearly 75 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sits just above another Republican term : “ Christ .
”

The last four years have made doomscrolling monsters of all of us — and, despite yesterday's Twitter hack, that's true for members of Congress, too.
A new study from the Pew Research Center shows that social media use among congressional representatives has nearly doubled since 2016 on Twitter. On Facebook members of Congress are posting 48% more content than they were four years ago.
They’re also spending their social media time dragging one another. According to Pew, some of the most effective posts mention political opponents. For the Democrats, that means posting about Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and, of course, President Donald Trump. On the Republican side, mentions of Rep. Adam Schiff and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi drive likes, shares, and comments.


buzzfeed--2020-07-18--22 Low-Carb Snacks You Can Make On A Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb , high-fat diet that lets your body burn fat for energy .
💪 And @ @ @ @ @ it knows , finding easy Keto snacks is often the hardest part — especially ones @ @ @ @ @ home and take on-the-go .
Below , you 'll find tons of Keto-friendly recipes to @ @ @ @ @ , including Keto cheesecake fat bombs , low-carb crackers , and peanut butter cups .
@ @ @

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that lets your body burn fat for energy. 💪
And as anyone who's tried it knows, finding easy Keto snacks is often the hardest part — especially ones that you can make at home and take on-the-go.
Below, you'll find tons of Keto-friendly recipes to help satisfy your snack cravings, including Keto cheesecake fat bombs, low-carb crackers, and peanut butter cups. Happy snacking!


buzzfeed--2020-07-18--John Lewis, The Congressman And Civil Rights Icon, Has Died At 80

The Democrat participated in the Selma to Montgomery March of 1965 and spent his career working to advance civil rights .
Georgia Rep. John Lewis , a revered civil rights icon and longstanding Democratic member of the House , died Friday .
He was 80 .
His death was confirmed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi , who called him one of the greatest heroes of American history .
`` John Lewis was a titan of the civil rights movement whose goodness , faith and bravery transformed our nation , '' she said .
Lewis had represented the Atlanta , Georgia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1986 .
He was one of the highest-profile members of the House and the longest-serving member of the Congressional Black Caucus .
In a statement Friday night , the Congressional Black Caucus mourned the loss of Lewis : `` The world has lost a legend ; the civil rights movement has lost an icon , the City of Atlanta has lost one of its most fearless leaders . ''
Lewis had announced on Dec. 29 that he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer .
“ It is a challenge and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges before and been fighting all my life , ” Lewis told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on New Year ’ s Eve .
“ I am ready for the fight .
I will go through the treatment and face the day each day like it is a new day .
I will continue to be hopeful and optimistic.
” Lewis was a national figure well before he served in Congress .
In the 1960s , he was one of “ The Big Six ” leaders of the civil rights movement , along with Martin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the time , Lewis was in his 20s and was serving as the chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee .
In that role , Lewis was one of the leaders of the roughly 600 protesters who participated in the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March for full voting rights for black Americans .
Protesters only made it to the Edmund Pettus Bridge heading east out of Selma on March 7 before they encountered law enforcement who forced them to stop .
State troopers beat protesters using clubs and tear gas .
Lewis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be known as “ Bloody Sunday , ” and sustained a fractured skull among other injuries .
Later that month the protesters were granted the right to continue the 54-mile march to Alabama ’ s capital .
The violence during that march helped build support for legislative action , and the Voting Rights Act was signed by President Lyndon Johnson later that year .
Lewis was also an organizer and speaker at the 1963 March on Washington , where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “ I Have A Dream ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notes that he was arrested more than 40 times as he worked in the civil rights movement .
He participated in countless nonviolent demonstrations , protests , and sit-ins .
Lewis returned to Selma in March , 2018 , for the annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee , where he gave a speech about voting rights and the work left for the movement to do , before he joined others in walking across the Edmund Pettus Bridge , where he was injured 53 years prior .
In recent years , Lewis authored a trilogy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The series , entitled March , recounts his personal story as well as the story of the civil rights movement more broadly .
Former president Barack Obama awarded Lewis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom , the highest award given to civilians , in 2011 for his contributions in the civil rights era .
“ Generations from now , when parents teach their children what is meant by courage , the story of John Lewis will come to mind — an American who knew that change could not wait for some other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life is a lesson in the fierce urgency of now , ” Obama said during the ceremony .
Lewis ’ s involvement in the civil rights movement was intricately tied to his approach to being a lawmaker .
In Congress , he often discussed his former experiences and spoke of “ good trouble.
” Just 10 days ago , he tweeted about the anniversary of his arrest during the Freedom Rides .
Lewis was one of the leaders of the Democrats ’ sit-in on the House floor in the summer of 2016 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take up gun control legislation following the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting .
But the sit-in did draw national attention , and eventually prompted Republicans to shut off cameras while Democrats held the floor for a day , forcing the Democrats to livestream the hours they spent on the floor themselves .
In July 2018 , Lewis was hospitalized for a weekend after reportedly becoming ill on a flight but released with a “ clean bill of health ” a day later .
Shortly before he was inaugurated in 2017 , President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he did not view Trump as a “ legitimate ” president and protested Trump ’ s inauguration by not attending .

Georgia Rep. John Lewis, a revered civil rights icon and longstanding Democratic member of the House, died Friday. He was 80.
His death was confirmed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who called him one of the greatest heroes of American history.
"John Lewis was a titan of the civil rights movement whose goodness, faith and bravery transformed our nation," she said.
Lewis had represented the Atlanta area since he was elected to Congress in 1986. He was one of the highest-profile members of the House and the longest-serving member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
In a statement Friday night, the Congressional Black Caucus mourned the loss of Lewis: "The world has lost a legend; the civil rights movement has lost an icon, the City of Atlanta has lost one of its most fearless leaders."
Lewis had announced on Dec. 29 that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
“It is a challenge and a fight. But I have had challenges before and been fighting all my life,” Lewis told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on New Year’s Eve. “I am ready for the fight. I will go through the treatment and face the day each day like it is a new day. I will continue to be hopeful and optimistic.”


buzzfeed--2020-07-18--“Flat-Out Unconstitutional”: Federal Officers In Unmarked Vans Are Snatching People Off The Streets


buzzfeed--2020-07-19--23 Of The Most Delicious Things You Can Do To Zucchini

The classic zucchini-corn flavor combo is the star of this recipe , with a little help from some Parm .
@ @ @ @ @ Parmesan Zucchini and Corn

Not sure what to make with all that extra zucchini?
This list will help! The summer squash is healthy, tasty, quick to prepare, and works equally well as a main dish or a side dish. Whether you're looking for something sweet or savory, this roundup of zucchini recipes has it all.


buzzfeed--2020-07-19--A 23-Year-Old Hospitalized With The Coronavirus Is Using TikTok To Give People A Firsthand Look At H

A 23-Year-Old Hospitalized With The Coronavirus Is Using TikTok To Give People A Firsthand Look At His Experience

`` I decided to document this journey to spread awareness , as well as for everyone to see that this @ @ @ @ @ .
The only way to fight it is if we follow guidelines .
...
It @ @ @ @ @ person to spread it to a lot of other people , '' he said .

"I decided to document this journey to spread awareness, as well as for everyone to see that this virus is not a joke. The only way to fight it is if we follow guidelines. ... It really only takes one infected person to spread it to a lot of other people," he said.


buzzfeed--2020-07-19--My Friend Just Asked My Husband To Be Her Sperm Donor — What Should I Do?

And then there 's the contradictory way she speaks about your husband 's role in this .
On the one @ @ @ @ @ would be a `` sperm donor , '' which implies that once he hands over @ @ @ @ @ stuff , his job is done .
But then she suggests that you would raise @ @ @ @ @ . ''
It 's hard to see how that could happen without your husband inevitably @ @ @ @ @ for her kid .
Your friend needs to ask herself some serious questions about what @ @ @ @ @ looking for : Does she just want some sperm , no strings attached ?
Or @ @ @ @ @ ?

And then there's the contradictory way she speaks about your husband's role in this. On the one hand, she says he would be a "sperm donor," which implies that once he hands over that vial of the good stuff, his job is done. But then she suggests that you would raise your kids "like siblings." It's hard to see how that could happen without your husband inevitably taking on a father role for her kid. Your friend needs to ask herself some serious questions about what, exactly, she's looking for: Does she just want some sperm, no strings attached? Or does she want a co-parent?


buzzfeed--2020-07-20--A 23-Year-Old Hospitalized With The Coronavirus Is Using TikTok To Give People A Firsthand Look At H


buzzfeed--2020-07-20--My Friend Just Asked My Husband To Be Her Sperm Donor — WTF Should I Do?


buzzfeed--2020-07-19--Roger Stone Used A Racial Slur During An Interview With A Black Radio Host

In text messages to BuzzFeed News , Stone denied calling Morris O ’ Kelly a Negro and said that the word is “ far from a slur.
” Roger Stone , a longtime Donald Trump ally and adviser , called a Black radio host a racial slur during one of his first interviews since the president commuted his 40-month prison sentence earlier this month .
On Saturday , the 67-year-old Stone appeared on The Mo ’ Kelly Show , which is broadcast on weekends from KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles , to discuss the commutation of his sentence for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tampering with witnesses .
When the program ’ s host , Morris O ’ Kelly , questioned Stone about whether his friendship with Trump had played a role in his avoiding prison , Stone appeared to become frustrated and muttered a line with the racial slur “ negro.
” “ There are thousands of people treated unfairly daily .
How your number just happened to come up in the lottery , I ’ m guessing was more than just luck , Roger , right ?
” O ’ Kelly asked Stone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then appeared to mutter a line that included the words “ arguing with this Negro.
” The first few words of his sentence were muffled and hard to understand .
O ’ Kelly asked Stone to repeat what he said , but the line went silent for several seconds , during which a sigh could be heard .
O ’ Kelly then asked Stone if he wanted to continue the “ very spirited conversation , ” after which Stone responded , “ Uhh , you ’ re back ” and suggested that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Kelly confronted Stone about whether he used the word “ Negro , ” the political adviser became agitated and denied it , telling the host , “ You ’ re out of your mind.
” The interview then continued for another 17 minutes .
Stone denied using the racial slur in text messages to BuzzFeed News on Sunday , saying , “ Mr .
O ’ Kelly needs a good peroxide cleaning of the wax in his ears because at no time did I call him a negro.
” He also defended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it “ is far from a slur , ” and said that O ’ Kelly should “ spend a little more time studying black history and institutions.
” In his statement , Stone claimed that it was O ’ Kelly ’ s studio engineer who used “ the alleged epitaph '' and accused the engineer of cutting off his sound feed .
“ This is a smear designed to boost Mr. Kelly 's meager ratings at my expense , ” Stone wrote in the statement .
A producer for O ’ Kelly ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News ’ request for comment on Stone ’ s accusations .
Addressing the incident on his website , O ’ Kelly said that Stone denied saying the slur , but that “ the audio is what it is.
” “ He didn ’ t see me as a journalist , not as a professional , not a radio host…but a ‘ Negro ’ first and foremost , ” O ’ Kelly said .
“ Thirty years as an entertainment professional , twenty of them in radio .
‘ Negro ’ was the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the N-Word.
” In texts with BuzzFeed News on Sunday , Stone questioned why O ’ Kelly continued to interview him .
“ Why did he continue to kiss my ass for 45 minutes after I allegedly insulted him , ” Stone said in a text .
“ If you listen to the interview my campaign advice to the president was to take cannabis off the DEA schedule one list immediately .
That ’ s called the lede he buried the real story.
” “ I have hired the best technicians in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stone wrote .
On a Sunday episode of his program , O ’ Kelly said that despite the slur he kept Stone on the line for the benefit of his listeners .
“ The only thing I felt was true , honest , and sincere that Roger Stone said was in that moment that he thought I was not listening , ” O ’ Kelly said .
“ And all of my professional accolades — all my professional bona fides — went out the window because as far as he was concerned he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Negro.
’ ” This is not the first time that Stone has used the slur .
In 2016 , while serving as an adviser on Trump ’ s campaign , Stone was banned from appearing on CNN and MSNBC after tweets surfaced of him calling political commentators ethnic and misogynistic slurs .
`` I would have to admit that calling Roland Martin a 'fat Negro ' was a two-martini tweet , and I regret that , '' Stone said in an interview with WBUR at the time .
On July 10 , four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Federal Bureau of Prisons , Trump commuted Stone 's sentence after he had been found guilty by a jury of lying to the House Intelligence Committee about his contacts with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange .
WikiLeaks published emails obtained by Russian hackers from the servers of the Democratic National Committee and candidate Hillary Clinton ’ s campaign in the run-up to the 2016 US presidential election .
“ Roger Stone is a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media perpetuated for years in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement at the time of Stone ’ s commutation .

When O’Kelly confronted Stone about whether he used the word “Negro,” the political adviser became agitated and denied it, telling the host, “You’re out of your mind.” The interview then continued for another 17 minutes.
Stone denied using the racial slur in text messages to BuzzFeed News on Sunday, saying, “Mr. O’Kelly needs a good peroxide cleaning of the wax in his ears because at no time did I call him a negro.”
He also defended the use of the word, saying it “is far from a slur,” and said that O’Kelly should “spend a little more time studying black history and institutions.”
In his statement, Stone claimed that it was O’Kelly’s studio engineer who used “the alleged epitaph" and accused the engineer of cutting off his sound feed.
“This is a smear designed to boost Mr. Kelly's meager ratings at my expense,” Stone wrote in the statement.
A producer for O’Kelly’s show did not respond to BuzzFeed News’ request for comment on Stone’s accusations.
Addressing the incident on his website, O’Kelly said that Stone denied saying the slur, but that “the audio is what it is.”
“He didn’t see me as a journalist, not as a professional, not a radio host…but a ‘Negro’ first and foremost,” O’Kelly said. “Thirty years as an entertainment professional, twenty of them in radio. ‘Negro’ was the first pejorative uttered. The low-calorie version of the N-Word.”


buzzfeed--2020-07-21--If You Wear N95 Masks, You Can Clean Them In An Instant Pot

For the elevated surface , use the trivet that came with your Instant Pot .
If you need to boost @ @ @ @ @ trivet on top of binder clips or on a coiled base of aluminum foil .

For the latter, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security , there's an easy at-home method to clean and decontaminate N95s. And all you need is one thing...


buzzfeed--2020-07-21--19 Reasons Why There's Absolutely Zero Reason To Not Wear A Mask If You Can

These people yell about how it 's their `` right '' to not wear a mask in a store , @ @ @ @ @ it is to wear a mask , etc .
Just spouting off a bunch of @ @ @ @ @ pixelated Facebook post shared by a fake Ted Nugent account or a page called something @ @ @ @ @ — The People Deserve to Own Proximity Mines ! ''

These people yell about how it's their "right" to not wear a mask in a store, about how "dangerous" it is to wear a mask, etc. Just spouting off a bunch of nonsense they saw in a pixelated Facebook post shared by a fake Ted Nugent account or a page called something like "Tell Governor Whitmer — The People Deserve to Own Proximity Mines!"


buzzfeed--2020-07-21--New Early Coronavirus Vaccine Results Show Promising Signs Of Immunity

The monthlong trials in healthy volunteers both produced `` neutralizing '' antibodies — in 90 % of the Oxford participants and 85 % of the Wuhan ones — seen as a marker of an effective vaccine .
They also led to development of longer-lived T cells responding to the inoculations , a marker of a long-term immune system response to a virus .
`` Overall , the results of both trials are broadly similar and promising , '' wrote Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health vaccine experts Naor Bar-Zeev and William Moss , in a commentary accompanying the studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two important trials are reassuring . ''
The early results from 1,077 volunteers in an Oxford University study and 508 adults in the CanSino Biologics study conducted in Wuhan , China , are encouraging as both studies move to widespread testing of the vaccines in tens of thousands of volunteers , said experts .
Both vaccines rely on harmless viruses engineered to contain parts of spike proteins from SARS-CoV-2 to trigger an immune response after injection , a new approach to vaccination developed against influenza and Ebola in the last decade .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AstraZeneca , part of the Operation Warp Speed candidates , supported by more than $ 1 billion from the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority .
Tolerable fatigue , headache , and arm tenderness were the only side effects reported by the volunteers , similar to other vaccines , according to the studies .
In the Oxford trial , some participants were given a second booster shot , spurring the production of antibodies without any side effects or signs of a feared excessive immune response .
The CanSino trial tested both a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resulting in very similar immune responses , after an earlier small trial showed more side effects from high doses .
Less than a year into a global pandemic , key unanswered questions about a vaccine for the novel coronavirus remain , including to what extent the candidates will prevent people from getting infected or transmitting the virus , rather than merely limiting the severity of an infection .
Another question is whether vaccinations will be required every year .
Right now , three candidate coronavirus vaccines are in the final Phase 3 stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volunteers , according to the World Health Organization .
Those three are the University of Oxford candidate , one from a Chinese pharmaceutical company called Sinovac , and one from Moderna in the US .
The Sinovac candidate is an inoculation with dead virus particles used in vaccines for decades , while the Moderna one is a cutting-edge `` RNA vaccine '' that sends genes for virus antigens that prime the immune system to ward off an infection .
The Phase 3 candidates from Oxford and Siniovac have already started recruiting volunteers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to start before the end of July .
Experts hope that by the end of the year these trials will determine whether the vaccine candidates are safe and effective enough for widespread inoculation of millions of people .

Both vaccines rely on harmless viruses engineered to contain parts of spike proteins from SARS-CoV-2 to trigger an immune response after injection, a new approach to vaccination developed against influenza and Ebola in the last decade. The Oxford University vaccine is being developed with AstraZeneca, part of the Operation Warp Speed candidates, supported by more than $1 billion from the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.
Tolerable fatigue, headache, and arm tenderness were the only side effects reported by the volunteers, similar to other vaccines, according to the studies. In the Oxford trial, some participants were given a second booster shot, spurring the production of antibodies without any side effects or signs of a feared excessive immune response. The CanSino trial tested both a low dose and moderate dose inoculation, resulting in very similar immune responses, after an earlier small trial showed more side effects from high doses.
Less than a year into a global pandemic, key unanswered questions about a vaccine for the novel coronavirus remain, including to what extent the candidates will prevent people from getting infected or transmitting the virus, rather than merely limiting the severity of an infection. Another question is whether vaccinations will be required every year.
Right now, three candidate coronavirus vaccines are in the final Phase 3 stage of testing on tens of thousands of volunteers, according to the World Health Organization. Those three are the University of Oxford candidate, one from a Chinese pharmaceutical company called Sinovac, and one from Moderna in the US. The Sinovac candidate is an inoculation with dead virus particles used in vaccines for decades, while the Moderna one is a cutting-edge "RNA vaccine" that sends genes for virus antigens that prime the immune system to ward off an infection.
The Phase 3 candidates from Oxford and Siniovac have already started recruiting volunteers for the trials, while Moderna is expected to start before the end of July. Experts hope that by the end of the year these trials will determine whether the vaccine candidates are safe and effective enough for widespread inoculation of millions of people.


buzzfeed--2020-07-20--23 Of The Most Delicious Things You Can Do To Zucchini


buzzfeed--2020-07-20--Experts Are Calling For A Top Science Journal To Retract A Paper On Face Masks And COVID-19

“ The paper made extraordinary claims about routes of transmission , the effectiveness of mask-wearing , and by implication , the ineffectiveness of other non-pharmaceutical interventions .
While we agree that mask-wearing plays an important role in slowing the spread of COVID-19 , the claims in this study were based on easily falsifiable claims and methodological design flaws , ” the letter says .
“ Given the scope and severity of the issues we present , and the paper ’ s outsized and immediate public impact , we ask that the Editors of PNAS retract this paper immediately.
” On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientists with the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Research Compendium , an expert group formed at Johns Hopkins to provide assessments of new research on the virus , had reviewed the paper and agreed that it should be retracted .
Soon after the paper appeared online , other scientists started posting eviscerating critiques of its assumptions and methods on Twitter .
“ There were just so many errors and issues with the paper that it almost seemed hard to know where to start , ” Kate Grabowski , an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s retraction , told Buzzfeed News .
Neither of those conclusions is justified by the evidence , the paper ’ s critics say .
Still , the findings were shared widely on social media and covered uncritically by some news outlets including Forbes and the Los Angeles Times .
Molina ’ s PNAS paper went much further , however , claiming that airborne transmission through microscopic droplets is the “ dominant ” way in which the coronavirus spreads .
Molina ’ s team also estimated that rules requiring the wearing of masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City between April 17 and May 9 , and 78,000 infections in Italy between April 6 and May 9 .
As scientists have learned more about the role people without visible symptoms play in spreading the disease , health officials have recommended widespread use of face coverings .
And a systematic review of the available evidence published on June 1 in the Lancet concluded that wearing masks “ could result in a large reduction in risk of infection.
” Recently , mandates to wear face masks have become a flashpoint in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of COVID-19 .
The paper was published on June 11 in PNAS , the flagship journal of the prestigious National Academy of Sciences , by researchers including Mario Molina of the University of California , San Diego .
Molina is an atmospheric chemist who shared the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research showing how chemicals called CFCs , once widely used in aerosol sprays and as refrigerants , were destroying the ozone layer that protects us from the sun ’ s damaging ultraviolet rays .
“ One of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people will take this as rigorous science and base their actions on it , ” Noah Haber , a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University who helped organize the letter calling for the paper ’ s retraction , told BuzzFeed News .
The scientists , who sent a signed letter to the journal PNAS on Thursday , say that the paper is based on false statements and flawed statistical analysis and could encourage people to put themselves at risk by congregating in groups , believing that wearing a mask is enough to protect them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including leading epidemiologists studying COVID-19 , are calling on a top journal to retract a paper from a Nobel Prize–winning chemist that claimed that wearing face masks is the crucial factor in slowing the spread of the coronavirus — diminishing the role that social distancing measures play in protecting the public .
The biggest problem with the paper , according to Grabowski , is that its conclusions about the effectiveness of mask-wearing , compared to other measures to slow the spread of the virus , are based on false statements .
Molina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difference between New York City and the rest of the US in terms of regulatory measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 was a mandate that people should wear face coverings outside the home , introduced in New York City on April 17 .
The paper also stated : “ With social distancing , quarantine , and isolation in place worldwide and in the United States since the beginning of April , airborne transmission represents the only viable route for spreading the disease.
” Neither of those assumptions is true , Grabowski and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conclusion that mask-wearing is the crucial intervention just doesn ’ t hold up .
“ There was a patchwork of varying behaviors and rules with varying degrees of adoption , ” Daniel Larremore , a computational biologist at the University of Colorado at Boulder , who also signed the letter , told BuzzFeed News .
He is studying data on people ’ s movements provided by Facebook and other technology companies , and has found that some people continued to move around even when stay-at-home orders were in place .
What ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies that isolation and social distancing measures have slowed transmission of the coronavirus .
The letter requesting the paper ’ s retraction also slams the statistical methods used by Molina ’ s team .
The researchers fitted straight lines to curves showing the growing number of cases , noted the timing of any mandate to wear face masks , and then looked at how the slope of the curve became more shallow after that .
But this ignores the fact that case curves for infectious diseases tend to naturally level out after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s impossible to attribute the change to face masks alone .
Molina ’ s team also ignored the lag of one to two weeks , caused by the disease ’ s incubation period and delays in diagnosis , needed to see any noticeable effect on case numbers after a policy change .
Contacted by BuzzFeed News before the letter requesting retraction was sent to PNAS , Molina rejected criticisms of his paper .
“ We just looked at the data that is published and it ’ s surprisingly linear until something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Molina argued that epidemiologists have overlooked the importance of microscopic droplets containing the virus .
Specialists in air pollution , he argued , are used to thinking about the dangers of aerosols of tiny particles .
“ This is obvious to people who deal with air quality , ” he said .
“ The only thing new here is that we apply this to the coronavirus.
” Other authors of the paper include Renyi Zhang , a former student of Molina ’ s who is now a professor of atmospheric chemistry at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Station , and his daughter Annie Li Zhang , who was an undergraduate student in chemistry at the University of Texas at Austin .
Renyi Zhang declined to speak to BuzzFeed News .
“ This paper is a peer-reviewed scientific publication .
Its content can be debated in a legitimate , scientific fashion .
However , we prefer not to engage in scientific debates via social media platform , ” he told BuzzFeed News by email , referring to criticisms of the paper on Twitter .
Annie Li Zhang did not respond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the research .
The fight over the paper also exposes long-running concerns about a quirk of the journal PNAS that allows members of the academy , like Molina , to bypass the normal mechanism of peer review , by which journal editors select independent scientific experts to vet a paper for publication .
Under the journal ’ s “ contributed track , ” academy members can submit up to two papers a year for which they select the reviewers themselves .
Some scientists have criticized the practice as an anachronism that allows the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ image of the academy as an “ old boys ’ club.
” The letter requesting the retraction of the paper also calls on PNAS to “ reassess the Contributed Submission editorial process by which it was published.
” Academy members have so far been unwilling to give up this perk , but over the years the rules for the contributed track have been tightened , reducing how frequently it can be used .
Journal policies also demand that “ the subject matter must be within the member 's area of expertise.
” Yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s paper , and neither of the reviewers , are experts in infectious disease epidemiology .
Responding to queries from BuzzFeed News before the letter requesting retraction , PNAS Editor-in-Chief May Berenbaum , an evolutionary biologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , said by email that she was aware of the criticisms of the paper .
“ There are ongoing discussions about the paper among members of the journal leadership team , members of the Editorial Board , and other NAS members , ” she said , adding that she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the publication of the paper had complied with the rules for the contributed track .
Berenbaum did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the letter calling for the paper ’ s retraction .
This is not the first controversy surrounding research on COVID-19 , as scientists from many fields have rushed in to respond to the crisis .
In the early days of the pandemic , there was widespread concern that “ preprints ” of studies , posted online without peer review , were stoking misinformation and panic .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released as a preprint was criticized for its flawed methodology and undisclosed conflict of interest .
And earlier this month , high-profile papers published in the Lancet and the New England Journal of Medicine were retracted after Surgisphere , a small company that claimed to have provided health records collected from tens of thousands of patients , was unable to disclose the data behind the studies .

More than 40 scientists, including leading epidemiologists studying COVID-19, are calling on a top journal to retract a paper from a Nobel Prize–winning chemist that claimed that wearing face masks is the crucial factor in slowing the spread of the coronavirus — diminishing the role that social distancing measures play in protecting the public.
The scientists, who sent a signed letter to the journal PNAS on Thursday, say that the paper is based on false statements and flawed statistical analysis and could encourage people to put themselves at risk by congregating in groups, believing that wearing a mask is enough to protect them from infection.
“One of the things we really worry about is that people will take this as rigorous science and base their actions on it,” Noah Haber, a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University who helped organize the letter calling for the paper’s retraction, told BuzzFeed News.
The paper was published on June 11 in PNAS, the flagship journal of the prestigious National Academy of Sciences, by researchers including Mario Molina of the University of California, San Diego. Molina is an atmospheric chemist who shared the 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research showing how chemicals called CFCs, once widely used in aerosol sprays and as refrigerants, were destroying the ozone layer that protects us from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays.
Recently, mandates to wear face masks have become a flashpoint in the hyper-politicized debate over restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19.
As scientists have learned more about the role people without visible symptoms play in spreading the disease, health officials have recommended widespread use of face coverings. And a systematic review of the available evidence published on June 1 in the Lancet concluded that wearing masks “could result in a large reduction in risk of infection.”
Molina’s PNAS paper went much further, however, claiming that airborne transmission through microscopic droplets is the “dominant” way in which the coronavirus spreads. Molina’s team also estimated that rules requiring the wearing of masks prevented at least 66,000 coronavirus infections in New York City between April 17 and May 9, and 78,000 infections in Italy between April 6 and May 9.
Neither of those conclusions is justified by the evidence, the paper’s critics say. Still, the findings were shared widely on social media and covered uncritically by some news outlets including Forbes and the Los Angeles Times.
Soon after the paper appeared online, other scientists started posting eviscerating critiques of its assumptions and methods on Twitter. “There were just so many errors and issues with the paper that it almost seemed hard to know where to start,” Kate Grabowski, an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University who signed the letter calling for the study’s retraction, told Buzzfeed News.
On June 12, Grabowski posted that four scientists with the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Research Compendium, an expert group formed at Johns Hopkins to provide assessments of new research on the virus, had reviewed the paper and agreed that it should be retracted.
“The paper made extraordinary claims about routes of transmission, the effectiveness of mask-wearing, and by implication, the ineffectiveness of other non-pharmaceutical interventions. While we agree that mask-wearing plays an important role in slowing the spread of COVID-19, the claims in this study were based on easily falsifiable claims and methodological design flaws,” the letter says. “Given the scope and severity of the issues we present, and the paper’s outsized and immediate public impact, we ask that the Editors of PNAS retract this paper immediately.”


buzzfeed--2020-07-21--The $600 Unemployment Benefit Expires This Weekend, And Congress Still Doesn’t Have A Plan

WASHINGTON — A major lifeline for unemployed workers expires at the end of the month , and Congress is deeply divided over whether to extend it .
Currently , people drawing unemployment receive an extra $ 600 per week on top of state benefits as part of the CARES Act passed in March to respond to the coronavirus pandemic .
That support is supposed to end July 31 — right as temporary bans on evictions in some states across the country are also expiring — but because states pay out their unemployment benefits on the weekend , the last date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Saturday or Sunday .
More than 17 million people are currently drawing unemployment .
The Senate met on Monday for the first time after a two-week break , revealing there is still broad opposition among Republicans to extending the unemployment program .
They say the benefit is too generous and that people are refusing to return to work because they can make more money staying unemployed .
“ We can ’ t ignore what employers are telling us , that they ’ re having trouble bringing people back , ” said Sen. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ express openness to extending some kind of additional federal money if it could be tapered to an individual ’ s earnings .
Under this system , unemployment benefits would be capped at a person ’ s former salary or even lower .
The problem is that it ’ s far from clear whether that is even possible .
Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden , one of the key architects of the unemployment benefit , said Democrats initially proposed an income replacement system instead of a flat rate of $ 600 per week .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s own labor secretary , Eugene Scalia , that implementing income replacement across 50 states with differing and sometimes antiquated equipment would not be possible .
The $ 600 flat rate ended up passing instead for the simple reason that it was possible to enact .
Wyden said they have not heard any word from Scalia since then whether wage replacement was possible .
“ He ’ s never changed his mind , ” said Wyden .
The Department of Labor did not respond to a request for comment as of deadline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schumer are proposing another idea — varying the payment amount depending on the unemployment level in the state .
Republican Sen .
Rob Portman is proposing lowering the unemployment benefit but attaching a “ back to work ” bonus for people who return to the workforce .
This will be one of the major negotiation battles of the next coronavirus response bill .
Politicians in Congress have just three weeks to negotiate a bill before they are scheduled to break for the rest of August .
The two parties are starting off wildly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for state and local governments , which many Republicans oppose , and more money for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing , which the White House wants to kill .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has insisted liability immunity — which would prevent people from suing employers , businesses , and schools if they contract COVID-19 — must be included in the bill .
Democrats say that ’ s a nonstarter .
Despite these major hurdles , the real negotiating hasn ’ t even begun .
The Democrat-controlled House passed its own $ 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has ignored .
Republicans are now finalizing their own plan , which they expect to lay out on Tuesday .
This is all prelude .
Sen. John Cornyn said the real negotiating will be done between the White House and the top four congressional leaders , McConnell , Schumer , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy .
“ Then they ’ ll present it to the rest of us .
We ’ ll try to find where that consensus is , ” Cornyn said .
“ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
”

WASHINGTON — A major lifeline for unemployed workers expires at the end of the month, and Congress is deeply divided over whether to extend it.
Currently, people drawing unemployment receive an extra $600 per week on top of state benefits as part of the CARES Act passed in March to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. That support is supposed to end July 31 — right as temporary bans on evictions in some states across the country are also expiring — but because states pay out their unemployment benefits on the weekend, the last date people will get the extra $600 is Saturday or Sunday. More than 17 million people are currently drawing unemployment.
The Senate met on Monday for the first time after a two-week break, revealing there is still broad opposition among Republicans to extending the unemployment program. They say the benefit is too generous and that people are refusing to return to work because they can make more money staying unemployed.
“We can’t ignore what employers are telling us, that they’re having trouble bringing people back,” said Sen. Marco Rubio.
But several Republicans did express openness to extending some kind of additional federal money if it could be tapered to an individual’s earnings. Under this system, unemployment benefits would be capped at a person’s former salary or even lower.
The problem is that it’s far from clear whether that is even possible. Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, one of the key architects of the unemployment benefit, said Democrats initially proposed an income replacement system instead of a flat rate of $600 per week. But Wyden said they were told by Trump’s own labor secretary, Eugene Scalia, that implementing income replacement across 50 states with differing and sometimes antiquated equipment would not be possible.
The $600 flat rate ended up passing instead for the simple reason that it was possible to enact. Wyden said they have not heard any word from Scalia since then whether wage replacement was possible. “He’s never changed his mind,” said Wyden.
The Department of Labor did not respond to a request for comment as of deadline. Wyden and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer are proposing another idea — varying the payment amount depending on the unemployment level in the state.
Republican Sen. Rob Portman is proposing lowering the unemployment benefit but attaching a “back to work” bonus for people who return to the workforce.
This will be one of the major negotiation battles of the next coronavirus response bill. Politicians in Congress have just three weeks to negotiate a bill before they are scheduled to break for the rest of August.
The two parties are starting off wildly far apart. Democrats want more money for state and local governments, which many Republicans oppose, and more money for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, which the White House wants to kill.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has insisted liability immunity — which would prevent people from suing employers, businesses, and schools if they contract COVID-19 — must be included in the bill. Democrats say that’s a nonstarter.
Despite these major hurdles, the real negotiating hasn’t even begun. The Democrat-controlled House passed its own $3 trillion aid bill that the Republican-controlled Senate has ignored. Republicans are now finalizing their own plan, which they expect to lay out on Tuesday.
This is all prelude. Sen. John Cornyn said the real negotiating will be done between the White House and the top four congressional leaders, McConnell, Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
“Then they’ll present it to the rest of us. We’ll try to find where that consensus is,” Cornyn said. “We’ll get it done before we leave.”


buzzfeed--2020-07-20--Oklahoma's Governor Is The First In The US To Test Positive For COVID-19

BuzzFeed News has reporters around the world bringing you trustworthy stories about the impact of the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member .
Oklahoma Gov .
Kevin Stitt has tested positive for the coronavirus , he announced in a Zoom press conference on Wednesday , amid a continued surge of COVID-19 infections in his state .
Stitt , a Republican , said he felt fine with the exception of some aches , but tested positive Tuesday during one of his regularly scheduled COVID-19 tests .
`` I didn ’ t have a fever , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so I just did my regular testing and it came back positive , '' he said .
“ I ’ m probably getting tons of texts right now from other governors around the country , ” he added .
“ I was pretty shocked that I was the first governor to get it.
” Stitt said he is now isolating himself from his family and will be working from home .
He encouraged Oklahomans to get tested , even if they too do not appear to have severe symptoms .
`` I want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if you aren ’ t feeling well , we want you to get tested , '' he said .
Stitt 's positive diagnosis comes amid a sharp uptick in virus rates in Oklahoma .
The state has averaged more than 640 new cases of COVID-19 per day in the last week .
A top health official in Tulsa County last week said President Donald Trump 's rally in Tulsa last month and the protests associated with the event `` more than likely '' contributed to the surge in coronavirus cases there .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not wearing a mask , but he said based on the length of time since then he could not have contracted the virus there .
`` I do n't think there was any way it was at the president 's rally .
It was too long ago for it to be dormant , based on the science , '' he said , according to the Oklahoman .
Several people who also attended the rally previously announced they had since tested positive , including Kimberly Guilfoyle , the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Around 10,000 Oklahomans had already contracted the virus by the June 20 rally .
Since then , that number has more than doubled to more than 22,000 .
Despite his diagnosis , Stitt said he would not make wearing masks mandatory , as he has previously maintained .
“ We believe in freedoms .
I will not mandate masks in the state of Oklahoma , ” he said at a June press conference , KOCO 5 News reported .
His comments come the same day as Alabama Gov .
Kay Ivey issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worn when in public and social distancing is not possible .
`` We are going to need everyone ’ s help if we are going to slow the spread and turn these trends into a different direction , '' she said .

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has tested positive for the coronavirus, he announced in a Zoom press conference on Wednesday, amid a continued surge of COVID-19 infections in his state.
Stitt, a Republican, said he felt fine with the exception of some aches, but tested positive Tuesday during one of his regularly scheduled COVID-19 tests.
"I didn’t have a fever, but just felt a little achy, so I just did my regular testing and it came back positive," he said.
“I’m probably getting tons of texts right now from other governors around the country,” he added. “I was pretty shocked that I was the first governor to get it.”
Stitt said he is now isolating himself from his family and will be working from home.
He encouraged Oklahomans to get tested, even if they too do not appear to have severe symptoms.
"I want to use my story to remind Oklahomans that if you aren’t feeling well, we want you to get tested," he said.
Stitt's positive diagnosis comes amid a sharp uptick in virus rates in Oklahoma. The state has averaged more than 640 new cases of COVID-19 per day in the last week.
A top health official in Tulsa County last week said President Donald Trump's rally in Tulsa last month and the protests associated with the event "more than likely" contributed to the surge in coronavirus cases there.
Stitt attended the rally and was pictured not wearing a mask, but he said based on the length of time since then he could not have contracted the virus there.
"I don't think there was any way it was at the president's rally. It was too long ago for it to be dormant, based on the science," he said, according to the Oklahoman.
Several people who also attended the rally previously announced they had since tested positive, including Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr., and former Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain.
Around 10,000 Oklahomans had already contracted the virus by the June 20 rally. Since then, that number has more than doubled to more than 22,000.
Despite his diagnosis, Stitt said he would not make wearing masks mandatory, as he has previously maintained.
“We believe in freedoms. I will not mandate masks in the state of Oklahoma,” he said at a June press conference, KOCO 5 News reported.
His comments come the same day as Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statewide order mandating that masks be worn when in public and social distancing is not possible.
"We are going to need everyone’s help if we are going to slow the spread and turn these trends into a different direction," she said.


buzzfeed--2020-07-21--A 23-Year-Old Hospitalized With The Coronavirus Is Using TikTok To Give People A Firsthand Look At H


buzzfeed--2020-07-21--My Friend Just Asked My Husband To Be Her Sperm Donor — WTF Should I Do?


buzzfeed--2020-07-21--Halsey Posted A Statement About Mental Health In The Wake Of Kanye West's Viral Tweets, And It's So

Halsey Posted A Statement About Mental Health In The Wake Of Kanye West's Viral Tweets, And It's So Important

Yesterday , Kanye West fired off a series of concerning tweets , in which he claimed that his wife , @ @ @ @ @ to get him `` locked up '' and seemed to criticize her for her past @ @ @ @ @ cover .
He also said that Kim 's mom , Kris Jenner , was `` @ @ @ @ @ ] children . ''

Yesterday, Kanye West fired off a series of concerning tweets , in which he claimed that his wife, Kim Kardashian, was trying to get him "locked up" and seemed to criticize her for her past leaked sex tape and Playboy cover. He also said that Kim's mom, Kris Jenner, was "not allowed around [his] children."


buzzfeed--2020-07-22--This Woman On TikTok Got Pregnant Without Having Sexual Intercourse And Yes, It's Possible

She considered abortion , but ultimately decided to have the baby .
`` I was just nervous I would n't @ @ @ @ @ everything .
But he has it all and more , '' she said .
Samantha @ @ @ @ @ is now 5 .
She 's still with her boyfriend , Alex , and they @ @ @ @ @ named Theo who 's turning 1 next week .
And yes , Theo was conceived @ @ @ @ @ added .

She considered abortion, but ultimately decided to have the baby. "I was just nervous I wouldn't be able to give him everything. But he has it all and more," she said. Samantha's son, Bentley, is now 5. She's still with her boyfriend, Alex, and they also have a baby boy named Theo who's turning 1 next week. And yes, Theo was conceived the traditional way, Samantha added.


buzzfeed--2020-07-21--I Just Cleaned My Apartment After Months Of Quarantine; Here's What I Learned

IDK about you , but March felt three months long and I ca n't tell you a single thing I @ @ @ @ @ means that as summer rolled around and I gained a little more energy , I @ @ @ @ @ to notice the couch was covered in crumbs , the shower curtain had mildew , @ @ @ @ @ low-grade chaos behind a door .
It took some time ( and it 's still @ @ @ @ @ my partner and I have been slowly tidying up our place , room by room @ @ @ @ @ levels went down and it was worth the effort , but it took a little @ @ @ @ @ to tackle , well , everything .

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buzzfeed--2020-07-21--23 Of The Most Delicious Things You Can Do To Zucchini


buzzfeed--2020-07-22--“Disturbing And Demoralizing”: DHS Employees Are Worried The Portland Protest Response Is Destroying

“Disturbing And Demoralizing”: DHS Employees Are Worried The Portland Protest Response Is Destroying Their Agency’s Reputation

Federal officers launch tear gas and other crowd control munitions near the federal courthouse in Portland , July 20 .
“ Despite working at DHS , I watch and learn about every day ’ s new descent into lawlessness and authoritarianism just like the rest of the world , ” one employee said .
“ Being a part of this corrupt regime , even as I play no role in the decision-making process , leaves me disgusted by my employer and saddened for my country.
” But conversations with 17 DHS employees , all of whom requested anonymity because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the matter , reveal that many at the agency disagree with the show of force .
Some called for an investigation , while others said they feared the long-term consequences for the agency ’ s reputation .
The Trump administration and senior DHS officials have said the federal response in Portland — where officers from US Customs and Border Protection and ICE are deployed — is necessary to protect the federal courthouse from damage , and they have called some protesters violent criminals .
The situation in Portland , they ’ ve added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response due to local leaders ’ apparent unwillingness to help protect federal property .
In recent days , Oregon leaders , including the governor , have called on DHS officers to leave Portland as nightly protests have grown in size .
Videos captured by protesters and media have shown the consistent use of tear gas and other `` less than lethal '' weapons from officers guarding the Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse in downtown Portland amid a backdrop of federal officers outfitted in camouflage snatching people off the street in unmarked vehicles .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to anti–police brutality protests in Portland , Oregon , has disturbed and angered many employees , who called the deployment of the federal force an unusual maneuver that could do long-term damage to the agency ’ s reputation .
Moms with interlocking arms stand between protesters and a fence blocking access to the entrance of the federal courthouse in Portland , July 19 .
Many employees believe the deployment was directly connected to President Donald Trump ’ s reelection efforts and was politicizing the agency .
“ This administration ’ s utterly transparent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful protesters in Portland and Chicago has no purpose other than to support Trump ’ s reelection bid .
It is blatantly unconstitutional and an embarrassment to the agency and the career civil servants who work here , ” said one employee .
Another DHS employee said they ’ d never seen anything like what 's happening in Portland in their many years at the agency .
“ We have a lot of work ahead in terms of repairing the public ’ s trust , ” the employee said .
Another staffer called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Such actions appear to do less to restore law and order than they do to deepen the public ’ s distrust of DHS , ” they said .
The DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the internal concerns .
The Trump administration has sent members from DHS ’ s Special Response Team , as well as members of the Border Patrol Tactical Unit , to support officers guarding the federal courthouse in downtown Portland .
While senior officials have said the officers on the ground have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrests tied to alleged damage to the facility , others in the department said it was a mistake .
“ I did not sign up nor was I trained to be a street cop , ” said one DHS employee who had not been deployed but had reservations of others being sent there .
“ Civil societies have immigration laws that need to be enforced , but that does not mean we should be used as this delusional president ’ s personal attack dog just because we happen to be available.
” Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was going about the effort “ absolutely hurts the reputation of the agency .
Most people have no clue what we do , but now they will have this ham-fisted response in their mind as they think about CBP.
” On Friday , the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Oregon sued the DHS and US Marshals Service in hopes of blocking the agents from arresting , dispersing , or detaining legal observers and journalists .
Last week , the US attorney for Oregon called on the inspector general to investigate some elements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Portland raise serious questions concerning both the use of DHS law enforcement assets and their conduct , ” said one DHS employee .
“ The DHS OIG should immediately open an inspection and investigation because all accounts suggest the law enforcement surge strays from DHS ’ s mission and is potentially unlawful.
” Former agency officials also echoed the fears about the long-term impact of the federal response in Portland .
“ When the current administration and the leadership in DHS insert DHS in the middle of this — to protect statues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Portland — it is so damaging to the brands of the agencies .
It guts public safety , ” said John Sandweg , a former senior DHS official in the Obama administration .
“ It ’ s devastating what this administration has done .
”

Many employees believe the deployment was directly connected to President Donald Trump’s reelection efforts and was politicizing the agency.
“This administration’s utterly transparent fearmongering of sending federal officers out against peaceful protesters in Portland and Chicago has no purpose other than to support Trump’s reelection bid. It is blatantly unconstitutional and an embarrassment to the agency and the career civil servants who work here,” said one employee.
Another DHS employee said they’d never seen anything like what's happening in Portland in their many years at the agency.
“We have a lot of work ahead in terms of repairing the public’s trust,” the employee said.
Another staffer called the deployment “disturbing and demoralizing.”
“Such actions appear to do less to restore law and order than they do to deepen the public’s distrust of DHS,” they said.
The DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the internal concerns.
The Trump administration has sent members from DHS’s Special Response Team, as well as members of the Border Patrol Tactical Unit, to support officers guarding the federal courthouse in downtown Portland. While senior officials have said the officers on the ground have been trained and have the authority to make arrests tied to alleged damage to the facility, others in the department said it was a mistake.
“I did not sign up nor was I trained to be a street cop,” said one DHS employee who had not been deployed but had reservations of others being sent there. “Civil societies have immigration laws that need to be enforced, but that does not mean we should be used as this delusional president’s personal attack dog just because we happen to be available.”
Another DHS employee said the way the department was going about the effort “absolutely hurts the reputation of the agency. Most people have no clue what we do, but now they will have this ham-fisted response in their mind as they think about CBP.”
On Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Oregon sued the DHS and US Marshals Service in hopes of blocking the agents from arresting, dispersing, or detaining legal observers and journalists.
Last week, the US attorney for Oregon called on the inspector general to investigate some elements of the response.
“The events in Portland raise serious questions concerning both the use of DHS law enforcement assets and their conduct,” said one DHS employee. “The DHS OIG should immediately open an inspection and investigation because all accounts suggest the law enforcement surge strays from DHS’s mission and is potentially unlawful.”
Former agency officials also echoed the fears about the long-term impact of the federal response in Portland.
“When the current administration and the leadership in DHS insert DHS in the middle of this — to protect statues and to bring ‘order’ to Portland — it is so damaging to the brands of the agencies. It guts public safety,” said John Sandweg, a former senior DHS official in the Obama administration. “It’s devastating what this administration has done.”


buzzfeed--2020-07-21--Trump Wished Jeffrey Epstein's Ex-Girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell "Well" At His Coronavirus Briefing

“ I wish her well , whatever it is , ” the president said .
“ I do n't know the situation with Prince Andrew .
I just do n't know .
I 'm not aware of it.
” “ I don ’ t know .
I haven ’ t really been following it too much .
I just wish her well , frankly , ” Trump said .
The president went on to say he ’ s met her “ numerous times over the years ” when he lived in Palm Beach , Florida .
A reporter asked Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chances she would “ turn in powerful men ” like Prince Andrew , given that the president has criticized Bill Clinton ’ s behavior .
Trump responded that he hasn ’ t been following her case and wished her well .
“ I just wish her well , ” President Trump says of Ghislaine Maxwell .
Maxwell was arrested earlier this month and charged with helping Jeffrey Epstein sexually exploit and abuse several girls in the 1990s Maxwell was arrested earlier this month and charged with helping Epstein sexually abuse girls in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Office for the Southern District of New York alleged that she and Epstein “ exploited girls as young as 14 ” and that she “ played a critical role in the grooming and abuse of minor victims.
” Maxwell , who had been in a relationship with Epstein in the mid-1990s , has denied the charges .
Tuesday ’ s press briefing was billed as the return of the coronavirus briefings .
Trump did not speak long , but he advised people to wear masks when necessary and said young people should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indoor gatherings.
” Trump also said the government is considering lowering to 70 % the extended $ 600 unemployment insurance benefit , which is due to expire soon .
`` The amount would be the same , but doing it in a little bit smaller initial amounts so that people are gon na want to go back to work as opposed to making so much money that they really do n't have to , '' he said .
He also gave a grim outlook on the future of the pandemic , a rare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will probably , unfortunately , get worse before it gets better .
Something I don ’ t like saying about things , but that ’ s the way it is .
”

Maxwell was arrested earlier this month and charged with helping Epstein sexually abuse girls in the 1990s. The US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York alleged that she and Epstein “exploited girls as young as 14” and that she “played a critical role in the grooming and abuse of minor victims.”
Maxwell, who had been in a relationship with Epstein in the mid-1990s, has denied the charges.
Tuesday’s press briefing was billed as the return of the coronavirus briefings. Trump did not speak long, but he advised people to wear masks when necessary and said young people should avoid “packed bars and other crowded indoor gatherings.”
Trump also said the government is considering lowering to 70% the extended $600 unemployment insurance benefit, which is due to expire soon.
"The amount would be the same, but doing it in a little bit smaller initial amounts so that people are gonna want to go back to work as opposed to making so much money that they really don't have to," he said.
He also gave a grim outlook on the future of the pandemic, a rare instance for the president: “It will probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets better. Something I don’t like saying about things, but that’s the way it is.”


buzzfeed--2020-07-21--Joe Biden Says Donald Trump’s Use Of Federal Force In Portland Is "Egregious"

Joe Biden on Tuesday assailed President Donald Trump and his administration for “ brutally attacking peaceful protesters ” and using “ egregious tactics ” in response to recent demonstrations in Portland , Oregon .
`` We have a president who is determined to sow chaos and division , ” Biden , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee , said in a statement to BuzzFeed News .
“ To make matters worse instead of better.
” Biden ’ s first extensive comments on the matter come amid rising concern about the constitutionality of the Department of Homeland Security 's methods in Portland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have pulled protesters off the street under questionable pretenses .
“ We all remember the appalling scenes in front of the White House , when peaceful protesters were gassed to make way for a Trump photo op , ” Biden continued in the statement , referring to a surreal publicity stunt the president staged last month .
“ Now Homeland Security agents — without a clearly defined mandate or authority — are ranging far from federal property , stripped of badges and insignia and identifying markings , to detain people .
They are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Navy veteran.
” Trump has blamed Democratic leaders in Portland and other cities for what he and other Republicans have described as violent demonstrations targeting federal buildings .
Most anti-racism protests have remained peaceful , though , with some damage to property , including in Portland .
Trump nonetheless has defended the efforts from DHS , holding it up as an example and threatening to expand the initiative by sending federal agents to Chicago , New York , and Philadelphia .
Shootings have risen in recent weeks in some cities , including @ @ @ @ @

Joe Biden on Tuesday assailed President Donald Trump and his administration for “brutally attacking peaceful protesters” and using “egregious tactics” in response to recent demonstrations in Portland, Oregon.
"We have a president who is determined to sow chaos and division,” Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, said in a statement to BuzzFeed News. “To make matters worse instead of better.”
Biden’s first extensive comments on the matter come amid rising concern about the constitutionality of the Department of Homeland Security's methods in Portland, where federal officers in unmarked vans have pulled protesters off the street under questionable pretenses.
“We all remember the appalling scenes in front of the White House, when peaceful protesters were gassed to make way for a Trump photo op,” Biden continued in the statement, referring to a surreal publicity stunt the president staged last month. “Now Homeland Security agents — without a clearly defined mandate or authority — are ranging far from federal property, stripped of badges and insignia and identifying markings, to detain people. They are brutally attacking peaceful protesters, including a U.S. Navy veteran.”
Trump has blamed Democratic leaders in Portland and other cities for what he and other Republicans have described as violent demonstrations targeting federal buildings. Most anti-racism protests have remained peaceful, though, with some damage to property, including in Portland. Trump nonetheless has defended the efforts from DHS, holding it up as an example and threatening to expand the initiative by sending federal agents to Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia. Shootings have risen in recent weeks in some cities, including Chicago and New York.


buzzfeed--2020-07-22--Congress Agrees On Sending Out More Coronavirus Stimulus Checks This Summer

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on his way to a closed-door lunch with Republicans to discuss a new coronavirus aid package .
WASHINGTON — More direct cash payments will likely be coming to US residents this summer as both parties now support including them in the next federal coronavirus aid bill .
US residents with a Social Security number received up to $ 1,200 in March when Congress passed its last major coronavirus bill , the CARES Act .
Congress is starting to negotiate a new aid bill and is deeply divided on practically every issue .
But direct cash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree .
“ We do envision direct checks again , ” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday about the Republican plan currently being drafted behind closed doors .
He said the stimulus checks have “ fairly significant support ” in his caucus .
Democrats are already on board with a second round of checks .
Their starting proposal , the Heroes Act , includes $ 1,200 per US resident up to $ 6,000 per household .
The only debate now seems to be how big the checks will be .
McConnell did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the maximum of $ 1,200-per-person status quo or go with a new number .
Much more contentious is the $ 600-per-week federal unemployment benefit , which Congress also set up in March in response to the pandemic and is set to expire this weekend .
McConnell said his caucus “ overwhelmingly ” opposes extending the program as is because they see it as too generous and a disincentive to return to work .
But the party is debating extending the unemployment benefits at a lower rate , and possibly tacking on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the workforce .
Other major proposals are even more contentious .
Trump ’ s White House wants to cut payroll taxes — the deductions workers and employers pay to fund Social Security and Medicare — to stimulate the economy .
But Senate Republicans are pushing back and broadly prefer the direct payments route .
Party officials spent Tuesday negotiating their plan on Capitol Hill , which would in itself only be the starting point for bipartisan negotiations .
The talks turned publicly heated when Sen. Rand Paul stormed out of a meeting Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roughly $ 1 trillion aid package .
“ They ’ re talking about spending another trillion dollars .
It ’ s fiscally irresponsible and they should be ashamed of themselves , ” he said .
“ There should be a law that says they ’ re no longer allowed to say they care about the debt .
This is insane , we are ruining the country.
” The biggest sticking point of all could be liability protection for businesses .
McConnell has repeatedly vowed that he will not put any coronavirus aid bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provisions to shield businesses from being sued by workers or customers who contract COVID-19 .
Democrats remain steadfastly opposed to the idea , calling it a blank check for businesses to provide unsafe working conditions .
“ The bottom line is McConnell ’ s bill is extreme .
It ’ s been written by lobbyists and big shot corporate interests , ” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer .
Other major items being discussed include aid for state and local governments , aid for schools , and funding for coronavirus testing and contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bill by the end of July , that deadline will almost certainly not be met as bipartisan negotiations still have not begun .

WASHINGTON — More direct cash payments will likely be coming to US residents this summer as both parties now support including them in the next federal coronavirus aid bill.
US residents with a Social Security number received up to $1,200 in March when Congress passed its last major coronavirus bill, the CARES Act. Congress is starting to negotiate a new aid bill and is deeply divided on practically every issue. But direct cash payments are a rare case where they agree.
“We do envision direct checks again,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday about the Republican plan currently being drafted behind closed doors. He said the stimulus checks have “fairly significant support” in his caucus.
Democrats are already on board with a second round of checks. Their starting proposal, the Heroes Act, includes $1,200 per US resident up to $6,000 per household.
The only debate now seems to be how big the checks will be. McConnell did not say whether his proposal would stick with the maximum of $1,200-per-person status quo or go with a new number.
Much more contentious is the $600-per-week federal unemployment benefit, which Congress also set up in March in response to the pandemic and is set to expire this weekend. McConnell said his caucus “overwhelmingly” opposes extending the program as is because they see it as too generous and a disincentive to return to work.
But the party is debating extending the unemployment benefits at a lower rate, and possibly tacking on a bonus payment for people who return to the workforce.
Other major proposals are even more contentious. Trump’s White House wants to cut payroll taxes — the deductions workers and employers pay to fund Social Security and Medicare — to stimulate the economy. But Senate Republicans are pushing back and broadly prefer the direct payments route. Party officials spent Tuesday negotiating their plan on Capitol Hill, which would in itself only be the starting point for bipartisan negotiations.
The talks turned publicly heated when Sen. Rand Paul stormed out of a meeting Tuesday to blast his own party over its roughly $1 trillion aid package.
“They’re talking about spending another trillion dollars. It’s fiscally irresponsible and they should be ashamed of themselves,” he said. “There should be a law that says they’re no longer allowed to say they care about the debt. This is insane, we are ruining the country.”
The biggest sticking point of all could be liability protection for businesses. McConnell has repeatedly vowed that he will not put any coronavirus aid bill to the floor unless it includes broad provisions to shield businesses from being sued by workers or customers who contract COVID-19. Democrats remain steadfastly opposed to the idea, calling it a blank check for businesses to provide unsafe working conditions.
“The bottom line is McConnell’s bill is extreme. It’s been written by lobbyists and big shot corporate interests,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Other major items being discussed include aid for state and local governments, aid for schools, and funding for coronavirus testing and contact tracing. Despite early talk of passing a bill by the end of July, that deadline will almost certainly not be met as bipartisan negotiations still have not begun.