buzzfeed--2020-10-12--These Countries Have The Highest COVID-19 Case Counts. This Is What The US Has In Common With Them.

“ The US is no longer an example for other countries to follow.
” The pandemic has put the United States in unusual and humbling global company .
Once viewed as a beacon of government competence and a model for public health , the US has fumbled the response to the coronavirus pandemic even more than countries known for widespread corruption , poor healthcare , and ubiquitous poverty — to the shock of many around the world .
By many measures , the US is now faring worse than Mexico , Brazil , India , and Russia .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many of whom are watching the situation unfold in the US with shock and bewilderment .
Roxana Sánchez , an economist in Mexico City , has always resented her country ’ s corrupt presidents and looked longingly at the seemingly upright politics of the US .
But these days , as she watches President Donald Trump musing on television about drinking disinfectant , she sees in the US an even more dangerous kind of leader : an ignorant one .
Alexey Raksha , an independent demographer in Moscow , grew distressed this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months of lockdown and promptly begin partying , going to restaurants , and generally ignoring recommendations from public health experts .
Coronavirus cases in the country surged .
When he turned on the TV , he was shocked to see similar scenes playing out in the US .
It looked to him like Russia ’ s impoverished , remote regions “ had a lot in common with states like Florida , Texas , and Georgia , where cases are currently spiking.
” Nondita D ’ Souza , principal of a school in western @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in her area threw temper tantrums when schools closed because of the pandemic ; she then experienced a jolt of disappointment and recognition as the same kinds of debates playing out in the US .
While these countries seem so different , the response to the pandemic in each place has underscored all the other things they have in common : populist or authoritarian-leaning leaders , officials who have flouted the advice of their top scientists while pushing absurd remedies to fight the virus , and enormous swaths of the population with no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
“ The US is no longer an example for other countries to follow , ” said Sánchez , the Mexico City economist .
Instead , she said , it has become an example of something else : “ In the countries where the death toll is the highest , there is no real leadership.
” In all these countries — and others that have emerged as hot spots — top officials initially downplayed the severity of the crisis , fumbled lockdowns , and sometimes even seemed to embrace magical thinking to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said he carries palm-sized amulets as protective shields against the coronavirus .
In Russia , where President Vladimir Putin was largely absent from the country ’ s response , homemade recipes spread widely , including one for a “ miracle drink ” of lemon and baking soda to cleanse the body .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India proposed banging pots and pans ; his followers were quick to circulate videos over WhatsApp suggesting the sound ’ s “ cumulative vibration , ” similar to temple bells , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Modi also repeatedly extolled the virtue of yoga as a “ protective shield ” against the virus .
Last week , he and several Hindu priests ignored social distancing rules to gather and lay down the foundation stone of a Hindu temple .
( Subsequently , a priest who shared the stage with the Modi tested positive for the virus . )
In the wake of such messaging , people in these countries have often failed to take the virus seriously themselves .
Leaders had waved off the advice of their top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone else ?
Especially since , as in the US , many people were told they had to choose between public health and the economy , between catching an illness their leaders have pooh-poohed and putting food on the table .
By April , as the number of cases was multiplying rapidly in Brazil , President Jair Bolsonaro , who called the disease caused by the coronavirus a “ little flu , ” fired his widely beloved health minister , Luiz Henrique Mandetta .
While Mandetta had been urging social distancing , Bolsonaro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia , Putin initially ordered a nationwide paid holiday in late March , when there were less than 1,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases , but he quickly sloughed much of the power and responsibility to regional governors .
Some of them imposed restrictions on public transport and public gatherings , and citywide lockdowns for those hardest hit ; in Moscow , residents were required to download a digital pass to leave home .
But caught off guard , many regional governments were not up to the challenge , and their responses were confusing or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russians went about their daily lives , flouting or ignoring public health recommendations , such as wearing face masks .
News reports described restaurants and bars in Moscow and St. Petersburg as being near full capacity while infections surged ; owners complained about the financial hit long-term closures would cause .
Most of the measures were gradually lifted starting in May , when Putin said the country should reopen and people should get back to work .
The daily case counts surged .
Nevertheless , much of the country continued to behave as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Times story published at the beginning of August quoted young Russians who are out partying again at bars without masks because they “ want to have a life.
” In Mexico , Hugo López-Gatell Ramírez , the deputy health minister in charge of the government ’ s coronavirus response , told people to keep their distance , stay home , and wear masks .
López Obrador flouted each of these suggestions , continuing to hug people , travel , and go maskless , even in crowded rooms .
One of the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask in public was when he went to meet Trump , who himself has stoked the raging debate over mask use in the US .
In Acapulco , a major tourist port city on Mexico ’ s Pacific coast , people continued attending weddings and hosting quinceañeras .
And it wasn ’ t just locals — skeptical people from Mexico City who drove to Acapulco to ride out the pandemic in their luxury condominiums have also been throwing parties .
The government , despite its lackadaisical and conflicted stance , eventually deployed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It has been a challenge to make people understand that the coronavirus is , for starters , real , ” Adela Román Ocampo , the mayor of Acapulco , told BuzzFeed News .
At the same time , when many of these places did finally lock down , they did so without a plan to boost the social safety net .
In India , Modi imposed one of the harshest lockdowns in the world in late March .
Some people were confined to their homes for weeks , but the lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unable to make rent , or feed their families and also unable to leave the cities for their hometowns .
This , according to Supriya Sharma , an editor at the Indian news website Scroll.in , is when the trouble began .
“ Rural migrants were forcibly held back in cities for two months as infections rose .
When they were finally allowed to go home , they took the virus from urban hotspots to rural areas across the country , ” Sharma told BuzzFeed News over email .
“ Now , cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region of the country — even Bihar and Odisha where the health infrastructure is extremely poor .
Frontline workers are fatigued , hospitals are overwhelmed , and the economic crisis means there ’ s little scope for any more lockdowns.
” There are echoes of all this in what has happened in the US .
In April , Trump famously spoke on national television about the possibility of shining a powerful beam of light or disinfectant inside patients to kill the coronavirus .
He also repeatedly called for the economy , and later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what many experts said was a real plan to do so safely .
His administration has undercut his own public health experts , as when his aides provided campaign-style opposition research on Dr. Anthony Fauci .
What these leaders have in common “ is the inability to navigate ambiguity and the need for certainty , even when it ’ s baseless ” Michael S. Roth , president of Wesleyan University , told BuzzFeed News .
“ And in a pandemic , that becomes a deadly combination.
” Even before the pandemic , public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many hospitals suffered from crumbling infrastructure , medicine shortages , and ill-prepared staffers .
In Mexico , López Obrador implemented steep budget cuts shortly after his inauguration in 2018 .
Doctors , nurses , and patients complained of empty medicine cabinets and delayed surgeries .
When the coronavirus hit the country of 126 million , many people stayed away from hospitals , which are perceived as inefficient and even dangerous .
Blanca Imelda , a nurse in a clinic in Culiacán in Sinaloa state , became infected with the virus in late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children : “ If I get very ill , I ’ d rather die at home than over there , ” referring to the local hospital .
Imelda , 58 , said doctors didn ’ t have the resources to give patients optimal care .
When her son became infected , a doctor told her by telephone to administer hydroxychloroquine .
Her son had a bad reaction ; Imelda was unable to care for him at home , and she rushed him to the hospital .
Staffers told her that he was no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As Imelda hooked him up to an IV at home , she prayed , asking God to spare him .
He survived .
In Russia , the healthcare system has been underfunded and in abysmal shape for decades .
With the exception of some hospitals in Moscow and St. Petersburg , the country ’ s two most populated cities , most healthcare facilities are dilapidated and suffer severe shortages of doctors , nurses , equipment , and medication .
Moreover , medical staffers work long hours ( sometimes 48-hour shifts with just 24 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money , according to news reports and experts who spoke to BuzzFeed News .
Then came the pandemic , inundating already overburdened hospitals and doctors with far more patients than they were used to seeing .
On top of crumbling public health systems and the “ magical thinking ” approach , these countries have also been plagued by spotty testing ; plus , in many cases , faulty or manipulated statistics have made it difficult or impossible for public health officials and epidemiologists to get a handle on the spread .
This has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic ’ s early days , beginning when errors at the CDC led to a severe shortage of tests .
Since then , Trump has repeatedly promoted a specious claim that case numbers are high due to the country ’ s high testing volume , and has even called for slowing down testing .
In recent weeks , testing has declined sharply in hot spot states , which has epidemiologists worried that cases are being missed .
In India , the health ministry has wheeled out statistics to boost public confidence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is dangerously low : While more than 2 million tests have been administered , India is still only testing around 4,100 people per million .
( The global average is 29,000 tests per million . )
Sulakshana Nandi , director of People 's Health Movement , a rural health advocacy group , told BuzzFeed News that “ huge number of cases are being missed , mainly due to grossly inadequate testing.
” Even the one thing Modi has congratulated himself for — that India has the lowest fatality rate among the worst-affected countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are missing COVID-19 deaths in the same way that we are missing cases due to less testing , ” Nandi said .
“ In India , death-reporting by the government has always been a problem .
There is a long-standing practice of underreporting specific disease mortality .
We have seen that with regards to malaria , tuberculosis , dengue , and many others.
” In Russia , health experts and a former government statistician told BuzzFeed News that the number of coronavirus cases and related deaths are being drastically undercounted .
Alexey Raksha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rosstat , the Russian federal statistics agency , before being forced out early this year for speaking out about flaws in its recording system .
He has studied mortality rates throughout the county since the early days of the pandemic and compared them with official death counts .
He quickly found inconsistencies , he said .
For instance , the number of deaths recorded in Moscow in April , 11,846 , was almost 20 % higher than that of the same month last year , and in May the number was 15,713 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , Raksha said .
Yet in April this year , just 658 deaths were attributed to COVID-19 , and in May the figure was just 2,757 .
Reports from the city of St. Petersburg and across the country were similar , Raksha said .
That suggests that officials were missing or undercounting deaths .
Russia ’ s Ministry of Health had reported 932,493 cases and 15,872 deaths as of Wednesday .
But based on Raksha ’ s calculations , the actual number of coronavirus cases in the country “ could probably be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” with the true number of deaths closer to 40,000 .
Seryogin , the paramedic in Oryol , said he also doubts the official coronavirus statistics , based on what he has seen .
“ In my opinion , the number of cases and deaths may be underestimated in order to calm the population , ” he said .
He added that limited testing is partly to blame for the alleged inaccuracies .
He said people are currently only tested for COVID-19 at hospitals when they are diagnosed with pneumonia and that authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ related to COVID-19 if the person had a preexisting condition .
For the government ’ s part , Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova lauded the country ’ s testing capacity in April .
As of Wednesday , it had conducted a total of 17,803,955 tests , according to the Ministry of Health .
Moreover , Putin boasted this month of approving the world ’ s first coronavirus vaccine , although there is skepticism over its efficacy and safety .
And in Mexico , officials admitted that there were 71,314 excess deaths in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 and June 27 — the official COVID-19 death count is just 59,106 .
The government came under fire in May , after the news media reported that the death toll in Mexico City was more than three times what the official figures claimed .
By July , half the tests in Mexico were coming back positive , a sign that only those who present serious symptoms are getting tested .
According to the World Health Organization , countries should not reopen their economies until they get test positivity rates at 5 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having the highest percentage of positive tests in the world , restaurants in many parts of the country boast full tables , stores are trying to lure people back with deep discounts , and subway platforms are packed .
Mriga Kapadiya , co-owner and cofounder of the NorBlack NorWhite apparel line , is a Canadian citizen of Indian origin who found herself locked down in south India when travel restrictions first hit the country .
Over the last few months , Kapadiya said , she has regularly checked on friends in Toronto , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The differences were stark .
In Toronto , her friends had “ solid government welfare support , ” she said , and “ a stable income to at least pay rent and create some time and space to think about next steps.
” But in New York , “ the lack of government support , physical space , major job cuts coupled with the uprising and political climate , it seems to be extremely difficult on every single level.
” She sees in New York the same thing as in India : People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government will keep them safe , fed , or housed .
They are on their own to protect themselves from the virus , and to figure out how to make a living as it rages around them .
Emilio Reyes , an antiques vendor in Mexico City , said he can ’ t rely on his government .
When the pandemic first reached Mexico , Reyes said , he underestimated its potential .
And as he watched López Obrador zigzag the country — hugging and kissing people during political events in April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in lockdown — Reyes became convinced the virus was nothing to worry about .
But then a relative died .
Neighbors and close friends soon followed .
“ Mexico doesn ’ t give a fuck , ” he said .
“ The thing about the government helping people ?
That ’ s a show.
” ●

In the wake of such messaging, people in these countries have often failed to take the virus seriously themselves. Leaders had waved off the advice of their top scientists, so why shouldn’t everyone else? Especially since, as in the US, many people were told they had to choose between public health and the economy, between catching an illness their leaders have pooh-poohed and putting food on the table.
By April, as the number of cases was multiplying rapidly in Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro, who called the disease caused by the coronavirus a “little flu,” fired his widely beloved health minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta. While Mandetta had been urging social distancing, Bolsonaro demanded people return to work.
In Russia, Putin initially ordered a nationwide paid holiday in late March, when there were less than 1,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, but he quickly sloughed much of the power and responsibility to regional governors. Some of them imposed restrictions on public transport and public gatherings, and citywide lockdowns for those hardest hit; in Moscow, residents were required to download a digital pass to leave home.
But caught off guard, many regional governments were not up to the challenge, and their responses were confusing or lackluster. As a result, many Russians went about their daily lives, flouting or ignoring public health recommendations, such as wearing face masks. News reports described restaurants and bars in Moscow and St. Petersburg as being near full capacity while infections surged; owners complained about the financial hit long-term closures would cause.
Most of the measures were gradually lifted starting in May, when Putin said the country should reopen and people should get back to work. The daily case counts surged. Nevertheless, much of the country continued to behave as if everything was fine. A New York Times story published at the beginning of August quoted young Russians who are out partying again at bars without masks because they “want to have a life.”
In Mexico, Hugo López-Gatell Ramírez, the deputy health minister in charge of the government’s coronavirus response, told people to keep their distance, stay home, and wear masks. López Obrador flouted each of these suggestions, continuing to hug people, travel, and go maskless, even in crowded rooms.
One of the only times that López Obrador has worn a mask in public was when he went to meet Trump, who himself has stoked the raging debate over mask use in the US.
In Acapulco, a major tourist port city on Mexico’s Pacific coast, people continued attending weddings and hosting quinceañeras. And it wasn’t just locals — skeptical people from Mexico City who drove to Acapulco to ride out the pandemic in their luxury condominiums have also been throwing parties. The government, despite its lackadaisical and conflicted stance, eventually deployed the Mexican National Guard to break them up.
“It has been a challenge to make people understand that the coronavirus is, for starters, real,” Adela Román Ocampo, the mayor of Acapulco, told BuzzFeed News.
At the same time, when many of these places did finally lock down, they did so without a plan to boost the social safety net.
In India, Modi imposed one of the harshest lockdowns in the world in late March. Some people were confined to their homes for weeks, but the lockdown also left millions stranded without work, unable to make rent, or feed their families and also unable to leave the cities for their hometowns.
This, according to Supriya Sharma, an editor at the Indian news website Scroll.in, is when the trouble began. “Rural migrants were forcibly held back in cities for two months as infections rose. When they were finally allowed to go home, they took the virus from urban hotspots to rural areas across the country,” Sharma told BuzzFeed News over email. “Now, cases are rising in every state, every region of the country — even Bihar and Odisha where the health infrastructure is extremely poor. Frontline workers are fatigued, hospitals are overwhelmed, and the economic crisis means there’s little scope for any more lockdowns.”
There are echoes of all this in what has happened in the US. In April, Trump famously spoke on national television about the possibility of shining a powerful beam of light or disinfectant inside patients to kill the coronavirus. He also repeatedly called for the economy, and later schools, to be reopened, absent what many experts said was a real plan to do so safely. His administration has undercut his own public health experts, as when his aides provided campaign-style opposition research on Dr. Anthony Fauci.
What these leaders have in common “is the inability to navigate ambiguity and the need for certainty, even when it’s baseless” Michael S. Roth, president of Wesleyan University, told BuzzFeed News. “And in a pandemic, that becomes a deadly combination.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-13--Doctors Have Questions About The Test Used To Get Trump’s Negative COVID-19 Result

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 , some 10 days after Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .
The CDC recommends the 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 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 “ is no longer considered a transmission risk to others.
” But other doctors noted that the CDC does not recommend using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 or not , whereas PCR tests can evaluate the levels of the virus .
Overall , antigen tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in terms of picking up small traces of 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negative status , ” and that the president 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 their 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 needed to pick up on it .
Conley ’ s memo did not specify what Trump ’ s “ cycle threshold measurements ” were .
Even if the number was low , “ a smaller amount of 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 ?
”

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--California Republicans Have Put Out "Unauthorized" Boxes To Collect Mail-In Ballots

Republican Party officials have not said how many ballots were collected or how they were handled .
California 's Republican Party placed `` unauthorized '' ballot collection boxes at churches , local party offices , and candidate headquarters throughout the state , officials said Monday .
Republican officials have not said how many boxes were placed , how many ballots were collected , or what they did with the ballots , as state officials said they are reviewing their legal actions to remove them .
`` We are here to announce without equivocation that these drop boxes are not part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process , '' state Attorney General Xavier Becerra said at a news conference Monday .
`` I hope the message goes out loud and clear to anyone who is trying to improperly solicit , obtain , and manage a citizen 's vote that they are subject to prosecution for engaging in activities that are against the law . ''
Becerra sent cease-and-desist letters to GOP officials in Los Angeles , Fresno , and Orange counties on Monday , one day after California 's secretary of state issued a letter stating the Republican-placed boxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-official vote-by-mail ballot drop boxes is prohibited by state law , '' the letter states .
`` County elections officials alone have the authority to designate the location , hours of operation , and number of drop boxes in the county , and have the responsibility for ensuring compliance with all applicable statutes and regulations that guarantee security and chain of custody of vote-by-mail ballots deposited . ''
In a statement , the California Republican Party admitted the party owned the boxes but attacked Democrats , saying it was their party who authorized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` In California , where you can have convicted felons and individuals with a criminal history go door to door and collect ballots from voters , Democrats are now upset because organizations , individuals and groups are offering an opportunity for their friends , family , and patrons to drop off their ballot with someone they know and trust , '' Hector Barajas , spokesperson for the state 's Republican Party , said in a statement .
`` California Republicans would be happy to do away with ballot harvesting . ''
Asked if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general 's order to remove the boxes , Barajas told BuzzFeed News in an email : `` No . ''
California law allows for voters to designate someone else to turn in their ballots and , in an email , Barajas described the unauthorized boxes as a container being used to return the ballots .
`` Where in the law is any particular type of 'container ' prohibited from being used by someone collecting ballots pursuant to 3017 ? ''
Barajas wrote .
`` Can they use a bag ?
Crate ?
Cardboard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Any security riles what-so-ever ?
Can I use my Santa bag ? ''
State officials said the boxes placed by GOP officials have misidentified themselves as `` official '' drop-off locations , and warned that anyone participating in placing the boxes , or hosting them , could face legal consequences .
`` Please do n't rely on the representations made by people who may be telling you you 're engaging activity that this is lawful , or convince you or persuade you this activity falls within the law , '' Becerra said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities you are knowingly engaging in an activity that is against the law . ''
In Santa Clarita on Sunday , pastor Jerry Cook of Freedom 's Way Baptist Church took time from his sermon to tell his congregation about one of the boxes outside the building .
`` They are suggesting that something nefarious is happening with the ballots here , that perhaps the pastor of the church is counting the ballots and looking through and saying , 'Oh , that 's a Biden voter ; we 're going to throw that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to go ahead with the Trump votes , '' Cook told his congregation .
`` That is n't the case .
Not only are we a safe and secure place , but we are also an honest place . ''
He also assured worshippers that `` everything was on the up and up . ''
The Orange County Register first reported the existence of the boxes after a regional field director for the California Republican Party , Jordan Tygh , posted a picture of a ballot in front of one of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general 's memo , officials noted the unauthorized boxes did not meet state 's requirements for ballot collection , which mandates that the person who is given the ballot to sign the return envelope .
One of the boxes was placed inside the Svensk Butik Gift Shop in Kingsburg , where the owner told BuzzFeed News that the chair of the Fresno County Republican Party , Fred Vanderhoof , stopped by to collect the box on Monday .
The box was placed about a week ago , June Olsson Hess added .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she said .
She also said she trusted Vanderhoof , whom she knows personally , and that the ballots that were placed in the box , including hers , would be counted .
`` He takes it to the election center , or whatever it 's called , '' she said .
Barajas did not respond to questions about how many boxes were placed throughout the state , how many ballots have been collected , and if they had been delivered to be counted in the upcoming election .
News of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump continues to sow distrust in the election process as states rely on mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic .
Speaking to his congregation , Cook tried to reassure worshippers that their ballots would be safe .
`` I 'm not really worried about who you 're going to vote for , '' he said .
`` You just need to vote right , and biblically , and you need to vote American and biblical values . ''

"In California, where you can have convicted felons and individuals with a criminal history go door to door and collect ballots from voters, Democrats are now upset because organizations, individuals and groups are offering an opportunity for their friends, family, and patrons to drop off their ballot with someone they know and trust," Hector Barajas, spokesperson for the state's Republican Party, said in a statement. "California Republicans would be happy to do away with ballot harvesting."
Asked if party officials would adhere by the attorney general's order to remove the boxes, Barajas told BuzzFeed News in an email: "No."
California law allows for voters to designate someone else to turn in their ballots and, in an email, Barajas described the unauthorized boxes as a container being used to return the ballots.
"Where in the law is any particular type of 'container' prohibited from being used by someone collecting ballots pursuant to 3017?" Barajas wrote. "Can they use a bag? Crate? Cardboard box? Must it have a lid? Any security riles what-so-ever? Can I use my Santa bag?"
State officials said the boxes placed by GOP officials have misidentified themselves as "official" drop-off locations, and warned that anyone participating in placing the boxes, or hosting them, could face legal consequences.
"Please don't rely on the representations made by people who may be telling you you're engaging activity that this is lawful, or convince you or persuade you this activity falls within the law," Becerra said. "If you participate in those activities you are knowingly engaging in an activity that is against the law."
In Santa Clarita on Sunday, Rev. Jerry Cook of Freedom's Way Baptist Church took time from his sermon to tell his congregation about one of the boxes outside the building.
"They are suggesting that something nefarious is happening with the ballots here, that perhaps the pastor of the church is counting the ballots and looking through and saying, 'Oh, that's a Biden voter; we're going to throw that away,' and then we're going to go ahead with the Trump votes," Cook told his congregation. "That isn't the case. Not only are we a safe and secure place, but we are also an honest place."


buzzfeed--2020-10-12--The First Day Of Judge Amy Coney Barrett's Supreme Court Hearing Wasn't Really About Her At All

WASHINGTON — Day one of the confirmation hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett , President Donald Trump ’ s third nominee for the US Supreme Court , gave Republicans and Democrats a national stage for a preelection airing of grievances — about the Trump presidency , Joe Biden ’ s presidential run , the coronavirus pandemic , the future of the Affordable Care Act , the failed Supreme Court nomination of Judge Merrick Garland , and the successful one of Justice Brett Kavanaugh .
Barrett ’ s rulings as a federal appeals judge , work as a law professor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely took a backseat ; she ’ ll face questions from Senate Judiciary Committee members beginning on Tuesday .
But for the bulk of Monday ’ s hearing , she listened silently as members delivered opening statements focused less on her and more on old political spats , the pandemic , and the political maelstrom surrounding her nomination .
Democrats spent significant time highlighting the fact that Trump and Senate Republicans were moving to confirm Barrett for the late justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s seat , just in time for Nov. 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Affordable Care Act .
Democrats shared stories about constituents with serious medical conditions who had benefited from the ACA , pointing to large photographs displayed behind them on the dais .
As a professor at Notre Dame Law School , Barrett wrote an article that criticized Chief Justice John Roberts ’ s vote in favor of upholding the ACA in 2012 .
She is expected to face questions about that from Democrats , as well as about Roe v. Wade , the Supreme Court decision establishing the national right to abortion .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ’ s refusal to hold a hearing on Garland ’ s nomination in 2016 .
They blasted Republicans for trying to confirm a nominee less than a month before Election Day and after millions of Americans had already started voting by mail .
Sen. Amy Klobuchar called the hearing a “ sham ” and framed her opposition to Barrett ’ s nomination as a broader rejection of Trump , bringing up his refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power after the election or to condemn white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials and senior law enforcement officials , and reports about him disparaging members of the military .
Sen. Patrick Leahy criticized the White House for holding a Rose Garden ceremony ( likely a superspreader event ) announcing Barrett ’ s nomination before Ginsburg had been buried .
“ From that moment , this process has been nothing but shameful , ” Leahy said .
Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin invoked Garland ’ s failed Supreme Court nomination , calling the push to confirm Barrett now “ shameless.
” Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s confirmation proceedings were a “ mad , slapdash rush.
” “ When they blocked Merrick Garland , we heard nonstop about the importance , before an election , of the American people weighing in at the ballot box — nonstop — that you shouldn ’ t have a nominee appointed to the court after the primary season had begun , ” Whitehouse said .
Republicans defended going ahead with Barrett ’ s nomination after refusing to act on Garland , saying the difference was that the same political party now controlled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Lindsey Graham argued that holding a hearing 16 days after a nomination announcement was in keeping with historical practice .
The last time a nominee took such a short amount of time to get before the Senate after being announced by a president was 1975 , and the timelines for Supreme Court nominations have consistently been much longer over the last four decades .
On Monday morning , shortly before the hearing began , Trump tweeted what appeared to be a pitch to skip the hearing : “ The Republicans are giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is not mandated , to make their self serving statements relative to our great new future Supreme Court Justice .
Personally , I would pull back , approve , and go for STIMULUS for the people !
!
!
” Graham acknowledged that the hearing was not about one party persuading the other — “ all Republicans will vote yes and all Democrats will vote no , ” he predicted .
But he said it was still important to give both sides a chance to dig into Barrett ’ s record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls from other conservatives to “ ram it through.
” Sen. Kamala Harris , the Democratic vice presidential nominee , appeared by video and criticized Graham , the committee chair , for holding the hearing during the pandemic .
She noted that the rest of the Senate 's business had been paused for two weeks after three members — Republican Sens .
Mike Lee and Thom Tillis , both members of the Judiciary Committee , and Ron Johnson — tested positive for the coronavirus .
“ This hearing has brought together more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closed-door room for hours while our nation faces a deadly airborne virus , ” Harris said .
“ The decision to hold this hearing now is reckless and places facilities workers , janitorial staff , and congressional aides and Capitol Police at risk.
” Lee appeared in person for the hearing and shared a letter from the office of the congressional physician saying that he had satisfied the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s guidance for ending his self-isolation after his positive diagnosis .
He , like most of the senators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was speaking Monday .
Tillis appeared by video .
Barrett wore a face mask throughout the hearing except to sip water and when she delivered her opening statement at the end .
The first day of Supreme Court confirmation hearings are a test of a nominee ’ s ability to listen to both attacks and praise without visibly reacting , a task made simpler by the fact that most of Barrett ’ s face was covered — committee members and the public could occasionally see her brow furrow .
Just as Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Republicans drew on the controversy around Kavanaugh ’ s nomination in 2018 , when he was accused of sexual assault as a high school student , which temporarily brought his confirmation proceedings to a grinding halt .
Texas Sen. John Cornyn called Democrats ’ handling of the allegations against Kavanaugh , which the judge denied , an “ absolute disgrace.
” Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy called the Kavanaugh confirmation process a “ freak show.
” Republican members brought up Biden ’ s refusal to comment on the campaign trail about whether he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a proposal backed by some liberal groups to add seats to the Supreme Court if Barrett is confirmed — and whom he would consider nominating for the court if another vacancy opened up .
Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse lashed out at proposals not only to expand the size of the Supreme Court but also to get rid of the filibuster for legislation ( a key tool for the minority party to block bills in the Senate ) , calling it “ a partisan suicide bombing.
” No Democrat criticized Barrett ’ s Catholic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preemptive counterattacks , accusing Democrats and liberal advocacy groups of trying to make her religion an issue .
Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley accused Delaware Sen. Chris Coons of going after Barrett ’ s faith by bringing up Griswold v. Connecticut , a 1965 Supreme Court decision that struck down a state ban on contraceptives , as an example of a precedent that could be in jeopardy with a stronger conservative majority ; Coons , a Presbyterian , reportedly attends a Catholic church in Delaware .
“ This is an attempt to broach a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standard .
Actually , it ’ s an attempt to bring back an old standard that the Constitution of the United States explicitly forbids .
I ’ m talking about a religious test for office , ” Hawley said .
As for Democrats ’ focus on the Affordable Care Act and other issues that liberals fear the Supreme Court will revisit with a deeper conservative majority , especially abortion rights , Republicans accused their colleagues of improperly trying to force Barrett to commit to policy positions .
“ Democratic senators view the court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body , as a body that will decree outcomes to the American people , ” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said .
In her opening statement , Barrett echoed some of the comments from Republican members about the role of the courts .
She said she was shaped by the judicial philosophy of the late justice Antonin Scalia , whom Barrett clerked for .
Scalia ’ s “ judicial philosophy was straightforward : A judge must apply the law as it is written , not as she wishes it were , ” Barrett said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Courts have a vital responsibility to the rule of law , which is critical to a free society .
But courts are not designed to solve every problem or right every wrong in our public life .
The policy decisions and value judgments of government must be made by the political branches elected by and accountable to the people .
The public should not expect courts to do so , and courts should not try .
”

WASHINGTON — Day one of the confirmation hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump’s third nominee for the US Supreme Court, gave Republicans and Democrats a national stage for a preelection airing of grievances — about the Trump presidency, Joe Biden’s presidential run, the coronavirus pandemic, the future of the Affordable Care Act, the failed Supreme Court nomination of Judge Merrick Garland, and the successful one of Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Barrett’s rulings as a federal appeals judge, work as a law professor, and qualifications for the US Supreme Court largely took a backseat; she’ll face questions from Senate Judiciary Committee members beginning on Tuesday. But for the bulk of Monday’s hearing, she listened silently as members delivered opening statements focused less on her and more on old political spats, the pandemic, and the political maelstrom surrounding her nomination.
Democrats spent significant time highlighting the fact that Trump and Senate Republicans were moving to confirm Barrett for the late justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat, just in time for Nov. 10 arguments in the latest legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act. Democrats shared stories about constituents with serious medical conditions who had benefited from the ACA, pointing to large photographs displayed behind them on the dais.
As a professor at Notre Dame Law School, Barrett wrote an article that criticized Chief Justice John Roberts’s vote in favor of upholding the ACA in 2012. She is expected to face questions about that from Democrats, as well as about Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision establishing the national right to abortion.
Democrats repeatedly called Republicans hypocrites, given Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s refusal to hold a hearing on Garland’s nomination in 2016. They blasted Republicans for trying to confirm a nominee less than a month before Election Day and after millions of Americans had already started voting by mail. Sen. Amy Klobuchar called the hearing a “sham” and framed her opposition to Barrett’s nomination as a broader rejection of Trump, bringing up his refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power after the election or to condemn white supremacists, his firing of government watchdog officials and senior law enforcement officials, and reports about him disparaging members of the military.
Sen. Patrick Leahy criticized the White House for holding a Rose Garden ceremony (likely a superspreader event) announcing Barrett’s nomination before Ginsburg had been buried.
“From that moment, this process has been nothing but shameful,” Leahy said.
Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin invoked Garland’s failed Supreme Court nomination, calling the push to confirm Barrett now “shameless.” Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse brought up Garland as well and said Barrett’s confirmation proceedings were a “mad, slapdash rush.”
“When they blocked Merrick Garland, we heard nonstop about the importance, before an election, of the American people weighing in at the ballot box — nonstop — that you shouldn’t have a nominee appointed to the court after the primary season had begun,” Whitehouse said.
Republicans defended going ahead with Barrett’s nomination after refusing to act on Garland, saying the difference was that the same political party now controlled the Senate and the White House. Sen. Lindsey Graham argued that holding a hearing 16 days after a nomination announcement was in keeping with historical practice. The last time a nominee took such a short amount of time to get before the Senate after being announced by a president was 1975, and the timelines for Supreme Court nominations have consistently been much longer over the last four decades.
On Monday morning, shortly before the hearing began, Trump tweeted what appeared to be a pitch to skip the hearing: “The Republicans are giving the Democrats a great deal of time, which is not mandated, to make their self serving statements relative to our great new future Supreme Court Justice. Personally, I would pull back, approve, and go for STIMULUS for the people!!!”
Graham acknowledged that the hearing was not about one party persuading the other — “all Republicans will vote yes and all Democrats will vote no,” he predicted. But he said it was still important to give both sides a chance to dig into Barrett’s record, and rebuffed what he described as calls from other conservatives to “ram it through.”
Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, appeared by video and criticized Graham, the committee chair, for holding the hearing during the pandemic. She noted that the rest of the Senate's business had been paused for two weeks after three members — Republican Sens. Mike Lee and Thom Tillis, both members of the Judiciary Committee, and Ron Johnson — tested positive for the coronavirus.
“This hearing has brought together more than 50 people to sit inside of a closed-door room for hours while our nation faces a deadly airborne virus,” Harris said. “The decision to hold this hearing now is reckless and places facilities workers, janitorial staff, and congressional aides and Capitol Police at risk.”
Lee appeared in person for the hearing and shared a letter from the office of the congressional physician saying that he had satisfied the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance for ending his self-isolation after his positive diagnosis. He, like most of the senators present, took his mask off while he was speaking Monday. Tillis appeared by video.
Barrett wore a face mask throughout the hearing except to sip water and when she delivered her opening statement at the end. The first day of Supreme Court confirmation hearings are a test of a nominee’s ability to listen to both attacks and praise without visibly reacting, a task made simpler by the fact that most of Barrett’s face was covered — committee members and the public could occasionally see her brow furrow.
Just as Democrats invoked Garland’s treatment in 2016, Republicans drew on the controversy around Kavanaugh’s nomination in 2018, when he was accused of sexual assault as a high school student, which temporarily brought his confirmation proceedings to a grinding halt. Texas Sen. John Cornyn called Democrats’ handling of the allegations against Kavanaugh, which the judge denied, an “absolute disgrace.” Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy called the Kavanaugh confirmation process a “freak show.”
Republican members brought up Biden’s refusal to comment on the campaign trail about whether he’d support “court-packing” — a proposal backed by some liberal groups to add seats to the Supreme Court if Barrett is confirmed — and whom he would consider nominating for the court if another vacancy opened up. Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse lashed out at proposals not only to expand the size of the Supreme Court but also to get rid of the filibuster for legislation (a key tool for the minority party to block bills in the Senate), calling it “a partisan suicide bombing.”
No Democrat criticized Barrett’s Catholic faith on Monday, but Republicans made preemptive counterattacks, accusing Democrats and liberal advocacy groups of trying to make her religion an issue. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley accused Delaware Sen. Chris Coons of going after Barrett’s faith by bringing up Griswold v. Connecticut, a 1965 Supreme Court decision that struck down a state ban on contraceptives, as an example of a precedent that could be in jeopardy with a stronger conservative majority; Coons, a Presbyterian, reportedly attends a Catholic church in Delaware.
“This is an attempt to broach a new frontier, to set a new standard. Actually, it’s an attempt to bring back an old standard that the Constitution of the United States explicitly forbids. I’m talking about a religious test for office,” Hawley said.
As for Democrats’ focus on the Affordable Care Act and other issues that liberals fear the Supreme Court will revisit with a deeper conservative majority, especially abortion rights, Republicans accused their colleagues of improperly trying to force Barrett to commit to policy positions.
“Democratic senators view the court as a super-legislature, as a policymaking body, as a body that will decree outcomes to the American people,” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said.
In her opening statement, Barrett echoed some of the comments from Republican members about the role of the courts. She said she was shaped by the judicial philosophy of the late justice Antonin Scalia, whom Barrett clerked for.
Scalia’s “judicial philosophy was straightforward: A judge must apply the law as it is written, not as she wishes it were,” Barrett said.
She continued later in her remarks: “Courts have a vital responsibility to the rule of law, which is critical to a free society. But courts are not designed to solve every problem or right every wrong in our public life. The policy decisions and value judgments of government must be made by the political branches elected by and accountable to the people. The public should not expect courts to do so, and courts should not try.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-12--Judges Aren’t Buying Trump’s Claims Of Widespread Voter Fraud

WASHINGTON — On the campaign trail and online , President Donald Trump is pushing debunked and unsupported claims that mail-in voting leads to widespread fraud .
But in court , far from the bluster of his rallies and Twitter rants , a growing number of judges have examined the evidence he ’ s presented to back those claims and found it unconvincing .
On Saturday , US District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan in Pittsburgh tossed a lawsuit filed by Trump ’ s campaign and the Republican National Committee that challenged some of Pennsylvania ’ s plans to make it easier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic .
Specifically , Trump and the RNC argued the state shouldn ’ t be able to set up drop boxes where voters can return ballots — as opposed to sending them back by mail — and count ballots if the voter ’ s signature doesn ’ t match the one that election officials have on file .
Ranjan wrote that , at most , the campaign and the RNC presented a “ chain of theoretical events ” to show how Pennsylvania ’ s election policies could lead to voter fraud .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring a lawsuit , they have to show some kind of harm , and without more than speculation about what might happen in the future , Trump ’ s lawsuit couldn ’ t clear that bar , the judge concluded .
“ While Plaintiffs may not need to prove actual voter fraud , they must at least prove that such fraud is ‘ certainly impending.
’ They haven ’ t met that burden .
At most , they have pieced together a sequence of uncertain assumptions , ” wrote Ranjan , who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and confirmed in July 2019 .
Federal judges in Montana , Nevada , and New Jersey reached similar conclusions in rulings over the past month that rebuffed Trump campaign lawsuits against states that adopted new rules and practices to expand mail-in voting during the pandemic .
The campaign hasn ’ t pursued appeals in those other cases so far , but Matthew Morgan , the campaign ’ s general counsel , released a statement on Saturday saying they planned to take the Pennsylvania case to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Circuit .
“ Clearly , we disagree with the Western District ’ s decision on unsecure drop boxes , and President Trump ’ s team will immediately file an appeal to the Third Circuit to continue our fight to protect every Pennsylvania voter .
We look forward to a swift Third Circuit decision that will further protect Pennsylvania voters from the Democrats ’ radical voting system , ” Morgan said .
A spokesperson for Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar ’ s office did not immediately return a request for comment .
Boockvar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidance to county election officials that allowed for ballot drop boxes and directing officials to count ballots even if the voter ’ s signature didn ’ t match what was on file .
The Trump campaign and Republicans have notched wins in some cases filed against state and local election officials who have tried to make it easier for people to vote by mail .
In Iowa , for instance , state judges in four cases blocked county officials from sending out ballot request forms to voters with information already filled in from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Woodbury County gave weight to Republicans ’ fraud theory , writing that there was a reasonable chance that sending out pre-filled applications would make it easier for potential fraudsters to request ballots that they weren ’ t legally entitled to get .
“ While the Defendants claim that voter fraud with absentee ballots is almost nonexistent , it is also the type of fraud that is almost impossible to detect , ” Judge Patrick Tott wrote in an Aug. 28 ruling .
But in the federal court cases brought by Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting in Montana , Nevada , New Jersey , and Pennsylvania , judges have found Republicans ’ claims of widespread fraud too speculative to justify blocking those plans altogether .
In the latest case in Pennsylvania , the Trump campaign and the RNC argued that voter fraud — for instance , one person casting more than one ballot — would dilute the power of other , lawful votes .
They claimed fraudsters would take advantage of unmanned drop boxes and the state ’ s decision to effectively lift the signature match requirement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ exhaustive overview of the evidence submitted by both sides ; the parties filed more than 300 exhibits with the court .
He found that the evidence that Trump and the RNC submitted — which included a New York Post article claiming to describe the firsthand anonymous account of someone who committed voting fraud ; officials in Philadelphia accidentally allowing 40 people to vote twice in this year ’ s primary election ; and photographs that appeared to show people putting multiple ballots in a mailbox — was “ speculative ” and “ scant.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the RNC were right that stationing guards at drop boxes , increasing poll watchers , and checking ballot signatures would help prevent voter fraud , it wasn ’ t the court ’ s job to “ contradict the reasoned judgment of democratically elected officials.
” “ [ T ] he Court finds that the election regulations put in place by the General Assembly and implemented by Defendants do not significantly burden any right to vote .
They are rational .
They further important state interests .
They align with the Commonwealth ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not run afoul of the United States Constitution .
They will not otherwise be second-guessed by this Court , ” the judge wrote .
In Montana , US District Judge Dana Christensen dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Trump campaign , RNC , and state Republicans challenging Gov .
Steve Bullock ’ s decision to allow counties to carry out the November election by mail-in ballots .
Christensen noted that at a hearing in the case , lawyers for the campaign and Republican challengers “ were compelled to concede that they can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud in Montana in any election during the last 20 years.
” “ In many respects , this case requires the Court to separate fact from fiction , ” Christensen wrote in the Sept. 30 order .
“ Central to some of the Plaintiffs ’ claims is the contention that the upcoming election , both nationally and in Montana , will fall prey to widespread voter fraud .
The evidence suggests , however , that this allegation , specifically in Montana , is a fiction.
” In New Jersey , state lawmakers approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registered voters a mail-in ballot and adopted other measures aimed at supporting the expansion of mail-in voting .
The Trump campaign sued and asked for an injunction blocking provisions that would allow election officials to begin counting mailed ballots 10 days before Election Day and to accept ballots without a clear postmark up to two days after Nov. 3 .
On Oct. 6 , US District Judge Michael Shipp denied the campaign ’ s request .
Shipp noted that there were , in fact , real allegations of voter fraud in New Jersey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone had stolen ballots from mailboxes and that ballots were bundled and sent from a single location .
But the judge pointed out in a footnote that the evidence of past voter fraud presented by Trump ’ s campaign didn ’ t relate to issues with ballots received without a postmark , or mail-in ballots counted before Election Day .
“ Plaintiffs offer no instances of voter fraud resulting from ballots cast after Election Day , or any reason to suspect that a fraudulent ballot or a ballot cast after Election Day is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Shipp wrote .
In Nevada , the Trump campaign , RNC , and state Republican Party sued over a law the state legislature adopted this year directing local election officials to send ballots to all active registered voters .
On Sept. 18 , US District Judge James Mahan dismissed the case , finding that the claims that the state ’ s plan would lead to voter fraud were not only speculative , but also not specific to the Republican challengers .
Trump ’ s campaign and the RNC submitted news articles detailing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting this year , as well as evidence that Nevada had to contend with a large number of ballots deemed undeliverable during the June primary election .
But he wrote that the Republican challengers failed to show that even if there was a risk of vote dilution , that their members specifically would be affected and not all voters .
“ Not only have plaintiffs failed to allege a substantial risk of voter fraud , the State of Nevada has its own mechanisms for deterring and prosecuting voter fraud , ” Mahan wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allege that those mechanisms would fail and that they would need to divert resources accordingly .
”

WASHINGTON — On the campaign trail and online, President Donald Trump is pushing debunked and unsupported claims that mail-in voting leads to widespread fraud. But in court, far from the bluster of his rallies and Twitter rants, a growing number of judges have examined the evidence he’s presented to back those claims and found it unconvincing.
On Saturday, US District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan in Pittsburgh tossed a lawsuit filed by Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee that challenged some of Pennsylvania’s plans to make it easier for residents to vote remotely during the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, Trump and the RNC argued the state shouldn’t be able to set up drop boxes where voters can return ballots — as opposed to sending them back by mail — and count ballots if the voter’s signature doesn’t match the one that election officials have on file.
Ranjan wrote that, at most, the campaign and the RNC presented a “chain of theoretical events” to show how Pennsylvania’s election policies could lead to voter fraud. For a plaintiff to have standing to bring a lawsuit, they have to show some kind of harm, and without more than speculation about what might happen in the future, Trump’s lawsuit couldn’t clear that bar, the judge concluded.
“While Plaintiffs may not need to prove actual voter fraud, they must at least prove that such fraud is ‘certainly impending.’ They haven’t met that burden. At most, they have pieced together a sequence of uncertain assumptions,” wrote Ranjan, who was nominated by Trump to the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and confirmed in July 2019.
Federal judges in Montana, Nevada, and New Jersey reached similar conclusions in rulings over the past month that rebuffed Trump campaign lawsuits against states that adopted new rules and practices to expand mail-in voting during the pandemic. The campaign hasn’t pursued appeals in those other cases so far, but Matthew Morgan, the campaign’s general counsel, released a statement on Saturday saying they planned to take the Pennsylvania case to the US Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.
“Clearly, we disagree with the Western District’s decision on unsecure drop boxes, and President Trump’s team will immediately file an appeal to the Third Circuit to continue our fight to protect every Pennsylvania voter. We look forward to a swift Third Circuit decision that will further protect Pennsylvania voters from the Democrats’ radical voting system,” Morgan said.
A spokesperson for Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar’s office did not immediately return a request for comment. Boockvar’s office was responsible for crafting guidance to county election officials that allowed for ballot drop boxes and directing officials to count ballots even if the voter’s signature didn’t match what was on file.
The Trump campaign and Republicans have notched wins in some cases filed against state and local election officials who have tried to make it easier for people to vote by mail. In Iowa, for instance, state judges in four cases blocked county officials from sending out ballot request forms to voters with information already filled in from registration records on file. A judge in Woodbury County gave weight to Republicans’ fraud theory, writing that there was a reasonable chance that sending out pre-filled applications would make it easier for potential fraudsters to request ballots that they weren’t legally entitled to get.
“While the Defendants claim that voter fraud with absentee ballots is almost nonexistent, it is also the type of fraud that is almost impossible to detect,” Judge Patrick Tott wrote in an Aug. 28 ruling.
But in the federal court cases brought by Trump’s campaign challenging statewide policies around mail-in voting in Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, judges have found Republicans’ claims of widespread fraud too speculative to justify blocking those plans altogether.
In the latest case in Pennsylvania, the Trump campaign and the RNC argued that voter fraud — for instance, one person casting more than one ballot — would dilute the power of other, lawful votes. They claimed fraudsters would take advantage of unmanned drop boxes and the state’s decision to effectively lift the signature match requirement.
Ranjan’s 138-page opinion includes an exhaustive overview of the evidence submitted by both sides; the parties filed more than 300 exhibits with the court. He found that the evidence that Trump and the RNC submitted — which included a New York Post article claiming to describe the firsthand anonymous account of someone who committed voting fraud; officials in Philadelphia accidentally allowing 40 people to vote twice in this year’s primary election; and photographs that appeared to show people putting multiple ballots in a mailbox — was “speculative” and “scant.”
Ranjan wrote that even if Trump and the RNC were right that stationing guards at drop boxes, increasing poll watchers, and checking ballot signatures would help prevent voter fraud, it wasn’t the court’s job to “contradict the reasoned judgment of democratically elected officials.”
“[T]he Court finds that the election regulations put in place by the General Assembly and implemented by Defendants do not significantly burden any right to vote. They are rational. They further important state interests. They align with the Commonwealth’s elaborate election-security measures. They do not run afoul of the United States Constitution. They will not otherwise be second-guessed by this Court,” the judge wrote.
In Montana, US District Judge Dana Christensen dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Trump campaign, RNC, and state Republicans challenging Gov. Steve Bullock’s decision to allow counties to carry out the November election by mail-in ballots. Christensen noted that at a hearing in the case, lawyers for the campaign and Republican challengers “were compelled to concede that they cannot point to a single instance of voter fraud in Montana in any election during the last 20 years.”
“In many respects, this case requires the Court to separate fact from fiction,” Christensen wrote in the Sept. 30 order. “Central to some of the Plaintiffs’ claims is the contention that the upcoming election, both nationally and in Montana, will fall prey to widespread voter fraud. The evidence suggests, however, that this allegation, specifically in Montana, is a fiction.”
In New Jersey, state lawmakers approved a plan this year to send all registered voters a mail-in ballot and adopted other measures aimed at supporting the expansion of mail-in voting. The Trump campaign sued and asked for an injunction blocking provisions that would allow election officials to begin counting mailed ballots 10 days before Election Day and to accept ballots without a clear postmark up to two days after Nov. 3.
On Oct. 6, US District Judge Michael Shipp denied the campaign’s request. Shipp noted that there were, in fact, real allegations of voter fraud in New Jersey during the May primary, including that someone had stolen ballots from mailboxes and that ballots were bundled and sent from a single location. But the judge pointed out in a footnote that the evidence of past voter fraud presented by Trump’s campaign didn’t relate to issues with ballots received without a postmark, or mail-in ballots counted before Election Day.
“Plaintiffs offer no instances of voter fraud resulting from ballots cast after Election Day, or any reason to suspect that a fraudulent ballot or a ballot cast after Election Day is more likely to lack a postmark,” Shipp wrote.
In Nevada, the Trump campaign, RNC, and state Republican Party sued over a law the state legislature adopted this year directing local election officials to send ballots to all active registered voters. On Sept. 18, US District Judge James Mahan dismissed the case, finding that the claims that the state’s plan would lead to voter fraud were not only speculative, but also not specific to the Republican challengers.
Trump’s campaign and the RNC submitted news articles detailing issues other states faced in expanding mail-in voting this year, as well as evidence that Nevada had to contend with a large number of ballots deemed undeliverable during the June primary election. But he wrote that the Republican challengers failed to show that even if there was a risk of vote dilution, that their members specifically would be affected and not all voters.
“Not only have plaintiffs failed to allege a substantial risk of voter fraud, the State of Nevada has its own mechanisms for deterring and prosecuting voter fraud,” Mahan wrote. “Here, plaintiffs do not allege that those mechanisms would fail and that they would need to divert resources accordingly.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-12--Is There MAGA Without Donald Trump? His Family Is Finding Out.

The Trump campaign has launched Operation MAGA in Florida , while the president recovers from COVID-19 .
It doesn ’ t quite have the same feel .
TAMPA , Florida — The president ’ s coronavirus infection has brought the early arrival of a question vital to the future of the Republican Party : Can the MAGA movement exist without Donald Trump ?
The answer for the party is : Maybe .
At least if the president ’ s family is involved .
With Trump confined to the White House this past week after becoming sick with COVID-19 , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smaller vignettes , including one held with his eldest son in a tow truck yard .
The event was just one of a half-dozen as the campaign tries to regain its foothold in Florida , which polling shows is a tight race with Joe Biden in the lead .
Trump ’ s campaign is being explicit about the state ’ s importance for the president ’ s reelection chances : Trump announced he ’ ll make his first campaign stop since contracting COVID-19 in Sanford , Florida , on Monday .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eric Trump , Vice President Mike Pence , Karen Pence , and surrogates are making appearances across Florida over the next three days .
The president ’ s eldest son , Donald Trump Jr. , is going all out in the state with his father ailing , including with a particularly on-brand bus tour featuring celebrities from the world of ultimate fighting .
The Trump campaign announced “ Operation MAGA ” while the president was being treated at Walter Reed Hospital .
It ’ s a new trail strategy meant to push the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The lineup looks different .
It ’ s filled with made-for-TV characters all hoping to turn the president ’ s polling around , with speeches peppered with clichés about the need for Republicans to “ hold the line just like the 300 did , '' referring to the Spartans made popular by a 2006 Zack Snyder movie .
Even the venues are different , as evidenced by the 20-by-36-foot American and “ thin blue line ” flags that met attendees who filed into the tow truck yard in Tampa to see Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president ’ s son would be excellent for me , ” John Amato who attended the event told BuzzFeed News .
“ I mean , I ’ m a big supporter of the president , wholeheartedly , and just hope and pray he can pull it through this year.
” Since the fallout from the June rally in Tulsa — an event where the campaign shirked local social distancing guidelines by holding an indoor event for thousands of people — the campaign ’ s rallies have mostly moved outdoors .
But missing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the moment when Air Force One creeks into an airport hangar while eager supporters try to capture the moment the president deplanes to the song “ God Bless the USA.
” Instead , Trump Jr. climbed a few wooden steps Thursday night onto a flatbed meant to act as the stage for the evening .
Rather than Air Force One — a government plane the president has been using as a backdrop for his rallies during the pandemic — Trump Jr. stood in front of a large red and white truck where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side-by-side with a Trump 2020 sign .
Trump Jr. ’ s walkout song ?
Ted Nugent ’ s “ Stranglehold.
” And the tune began seconds after his girlfriend and former Fox News personality Kimberly Guilfoyle repeated her now-famous rally cry : “ The best is yet to come.
” Trump Jr. mostly denounced Trump ’ s presidential opponent Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden .
One attendee described it as “ kind of a comic relief.
” And then there were the attacks on Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris called Biden a racist .
In between all of it , the president ’ s son assailed the media while enlisting Rogan O ’ Handley , a MAGA social media influencer who goes by @ DC_Draino and who also spoke at the rally , to chime in .
There was little mention of the coronavirus , except to say Florida Gov .
Ron DeSantis , a close family ally , has “ done a significantly better job ” than the country ’ s other governors , even though Florida has the third-largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I don ’ t personally like him , ” Randy Walters told BuzzFeed News of Trump Jr. before he spoke .
“ I like his sister — she ’ s got brains .
He and his brother are just like angry birds.
” Others weren ’ t as offended by Trump Jr. ’ s showboat persona .
“ I thought it was entertaining , ” Wade Williams told BuzzFeed News .
“ I thought it was comical .
I also thought he brought all the facts.
” Trump Jr. made several incorrect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40 minutes .
Members of the Trump family have always sold their father as part of a package deal .
Last month at an indoor event in Georgia , Eric Trump spoke about his father making the crucial decision to run for office .
“ I remember that like it was yesterday , ” he began .
“ He goes , You know , kids , you know , let 's do this .
I ’ m going to give this thing a chance .
Let 's do it .
Let ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 've ever done , we ’ ve done as a family .
Whether it was business , whether it was a little crazy show called The Apprentice.
” Ahead of the Republican National Convention , where all of the Trump children had key primetime speaking slots , Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York told BuzzFeed News he wasn ’ t surprised by how visible they were through the program .
`` I would have been much more surprised if that was n't happening , '' said Zeldin .
`` The president has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immediate family , especially his children .
They are very active and passionate and have a lot to say in their own right . ''
Priti Shukla , who travels the country for Trump events , had planned to see Trump before the campaign canceled several events after he ’ d contracted the coronavirus .
In Tampa Thursday , she said she was “ heartbroken ” when she learned the president tested positive for COVID-19 .
“ I was so looking forward to seeing him in Sanford and then I got the tweet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lady , ” Shukla said .
Most people just came to support the president by way of his surrogates .
There was big support for law enforcement .
About 60 pro-police bikers showed up , many of them wearing all black with a T-shirt that read “ BLUE THUNDER , BACK THE BLUE.
” “ The only reason we ’ re here and behind Trump is he ’ s behind law enforcement , ” said Eric Harris , president of the Blue Thunder Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club .
“ And the alternative right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing up for them.
” For Josephine Sullivan-Smith , it was important to hear what ’ s ahead for the next four years , and she ’ s “ praying ” for Trump “ to get better.
” “ I understand the situation being what it is , ” she said .
“ I mean , it would have been nice , ” she added .
“ I would love to see the president , ” said Bailey Phillips of Tampa .
“ Yeah , I ’ m disappointed , but I still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the night , supporters , most of them maskless , swarmed Trump Jr. for selfies .
Smiling , the president ’ s son obliged , also maskless .

TAMPA, Florida — The president’s coronavirus infection has brought the early arrival of a question vital to the future of the Republican Party: Can the MAGA movement exist without Donald Trump?
The answer for the party is: Maybe. At least if the president’s family is involved.
With Trump confined to the White House this past week after becoming sick with COVID-19, the mega MAGA rallies have been reduced to smaller vignettes, including one held with his eldest son in a tow truck yard.
The event was just one of a half-dozen as the campaign tries to regain its foothold in Florida, which polling shows is a tight race with Joe Biden in the lead. Trump’s campaign is being explicit about the state’s importance for the president’s reelection chances: Trump announced he’ll make his first campaign stop since contracting COVID-19 in Sanford, Florida, on Monday.
In the president’s absence, however, Eric Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Karen Pence, and surrogates are making appearances across Florida over the next three days. The president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., is going all out in the state with his father ailing, including with a particularly on-brand bus tour featuring celebrities from the world of ultimate fighting.
The Trump campaign announced “Operation MAGA” while the president was being treated at Walter Reed Hospital. It’s a new trail strategy meant to push the campaign forward while the president recovers. The lineup looks different. It’s filled with made-for-TV characters all hoping to turn the president’s polling around, with speeches peppered with clichés about the need for Republicans to “hold the line just like the 300 did," referring to the Spartans made popular by a 2006 Zack Snyder movie. Even the venues are different, as evidenced by the 20-by-36-foot American and “thin blue line” flags that met attendees who filed into the tow truck yard in Tampa to see Donald Trump Jr.
“Just to come and see the president’s son would be excellent for me,” John Amato who attended the event told BuzzFeed News. “I mean, I’m a big supporter of the president, wholeheartedly, and just hope and pray he can pull it through this year.”