buzzfeed--2020-10-06--Facebook Has Banned QAnon

Facebook Has Banned QAnon

Facebook is banning all pages , groups , and accounts associated with QAnon , the company announced on Tuesday , in the most significant action taken against the mass delusion that has seeped into the highest level of American politics .
“ Starting today , we will remove Facebook Pages , Groups and Instagram accounts representing QAnon , ” the company said in a press release .
“ We ’ re starting to enforce this updated policy today and are removing content accordingly , but this work will take time and will continue in the coming days and weeks.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced in August that it would attempt to disrupt the ability of QAnon and other militarized movements to organize on Facebook and Instagram .
That enforcement action led to the removal of 1,500 QAnon pages and groups , though individual accounts tied to the collective delusion remained on the network .
As of Tuesday , however , Facebook said it would remove any pages , groups , and Instagram accounts representing Qanon , even if they had no association with violent content .
QAnon is a set of outlandish beliefs that first came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board .
It was an outgrowth of another conspiracy theory , Pizzagate , which falsely claimed that prominent Democratic politicians were running a child trafficking operation in the basement of a DC pizzeria .
( The pizzeria didn ’ t have a basement . )
QAnon followers believe a cabal of satanic elites rules the world .
They ’ re also largely — though not wholly — supporters of President Donald Trump and believe he is fighting against the so-called deep state .
Trump has praised QAnon , which the FBI called a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t know much about the movement other than I understand that they like me very much , which I appreciate.
” He went on to say they were “ people who love our country ” and claimed they ’ re “ saving people from the radical left.
” Since its emergence , QAnon has been promoted by other high-profile political figures and commentators .
Current frontrunners in congressional races have also pushed the delusion , with one posting a picture on Facebook of a gun alongside members of the `` Squad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to condemn the mass delusion last week .
In that vote , 17 Republicans voted against the resolution , while one voted “ present.
” QAnon supporters have perpetrated violence in the past .
Most recently a member of Congress has faced death threats after believers falsely accused him of protecting sexual predators .
Experts have said that their attempts to prevent child trafficking have actually had the opposite effect , hindering investigations and work on the matter .
Facebook ’ s action against QAnon came the same day the company was under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subcommittee investigating antitrust in the technology sector , and after months of criticism that the company was not acting quickly enough to counter the mass delusion .
At weekly all-hands meetings in recent months , employees , on more than one occasion , asked CEO Mark Zuckerberg what the company would do to prevent the spread of misinformation and discord associated with QAnon .
The company did not signal the change in its policy to employees before it was announced to the public .
Previously , Facebook banned some QAnon groups and said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were not allowed .
After those bans were announced , leaders of the movement tried to rebrand and use different key terms to skirt platform rules .
“ We expect renewed attempts to evade our detection , both in behavior and content shared on our platform , so we will continue to study the impact of our efforts and be ready to update our policy and enforcement as necessary , ” Facebook said in its press release .
The company said it would rely on its Dangerous Organizations Operations team to actively find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just relying on reports from Facebook users .

Facebook is banning all pages, groups, and accounts associated with QAnon, the company announced on Tuesday, in the most significant action taken against the mass delusion that has seeped into the highest level of American politics.
“Starting today, we will remove Facebook Pages, Groups and Instagram accounts representing QAnon,” the company said in a press release. “We’re starting to enforce this updated policy today and are removing content accordingly, but this work will take time and will continue in the coming days and weeks.”
The move comes after the social network announced in August that it would attempt to disrupt the ability of QAnon and other militarized movements to organize on Facebook and Instagram. That enforcement action led to the removal of 1,500 QAnon pages and groups, though individual accounts tied to the collective delusion remained on the network.
As of Tuesday, however, Facebook said it would remove any pages, groups, and Instagram accounts representing Qanon, even if they had no association with violent content.
QAnon is a set of outlandish beliefs that first came together in 2017 on an anonymous message board. It was an outgrowth of another conspiracy theory, Pizzagate, which falsely claimed that prominent Democratic politicians were running a child trafficking operation in the basement of a DC pizzeria. (The pizzeria didn’t have a basement.)
QAnon followers believe a cabal of satanic elites rules the world. They’re also largely — though not wholly — supporters of President Donald Trump and believe he is fighting against the so-called deep state.
Trump has praised QAnon, which the FBI called a domestic threat, saying, “I don’t know much about the movement other than I understand that they like me very much, which I appreciate.” He went on to say they were “people who love our country” and claimed they’re “saving people from the radical left.”
Since its emergence, QAnon has been promoted by other high-profile political figures and commentators. Current frontrunners in congressional races have also pushed the delusion, with one posting a picture on Facebook of a gun alongside members of the "Squad." The House of Representatives voted to condemn the mass delusion last week. In that vote, 17 Republicans voted against the resolution, while one voted “present.”
QAnon supporters have perpetrated violence in the past. Most recently a member of Congress has faced death threats after believers falsely accused him of protecting sexual predators. Experts have said that their attempts to prevent child trafficking have actually had the opposite effect, hindering investigations and work on the matter.
Facebook’s action against QAnon came the same day the company was under fire in a report by a House subcommittee investigating antitrust in the technology sector, and after months of criticism that the company was not acting quickly enough to counter the mass delusion. At weekly all-hands meetings in recent months, employees, on more than one occasion, asked CEO Mark Zuckerberg what the company would do to prevent the spread of misinformation and discord associated with QAnon.
The company did not signal the change in its policy to employees before it was announced to the public.
Previously, Facebook banned some QAnon groups and said advertisements from them or from militia organizations were not allowed. After those bans were announced, leaders of the movement tried to rebrand and use different key terms to skirt platform rules.
“We expect renewed attempts to evade our detection, both in behavior and content shared on our platform, so we will continue to study the impact of our efforts and be ready to update our policy and enforcement as necessary,” Facebook said in its press release. The company said it would rely on its Dangerous Organizations Operations team to actively find QAnon accounts and content as opposed to just relying on reports from Facebook users.


buzzfeed--2020-10-06--Federal Officials Now Say That Transferring Detainees Between Jails Holding Immigrants Contributed T

Federal Officials Now Say That Transferring Detainees Between Jails Holding Immigrants Contributed To Coronavirus Outbreaks

Department of Homeland Security officials have acknowledged that transfers of detainees between facilities holding immigrants for ICE had “ contributed to outbreaks ” of COVID-19 and that poor information sharing made tracking and preventing the spread of the virus more difficult , according to a draft report obtained by BuzzFeed News .
The document also acknowledges that the inability for adequate social distancing within the ICE detention centers had contributed to the spread of the disease .
The internal recognition of the risks posed by transfers of detainees between facilities — a regular occurrence before and during the pandemic — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts , advocates , and politicians over the consequences of shuttling people across the country .
The report also indicates that ICE ’ s inability to track health records in certain facilities led to difficulties in monitoring the spread of the disease in jails .
ICE officials have long moved immigrants between facilities for various reasons , including proximity to immigration court hearings .
The draft report , titled “ DHS COVID-19 After Action Report , ” details the agency ’ s response to the pandemic and areas for improvement .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which also hold non-immigrant detainees , the report documents how there were “ gaps in information ” due to different medical record systems and that officials “ frequently transferred detainees between facilities , which contributed to outbreaks and made tracking and preventing the spread of COVID-19 difficult.
” The report offers “ opportunities , ” an apparent reference to areas for potential improvement : “ Non-dedicated facilities ’ frequent detainee transfers and stove-piped disease surveillance systems have made it difficult to prevent and track outbreaks.
” A DHS spokesperson said the agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documents . ''

Department of Homeland Security officials have acknowledged that transfers of detainees between facilities holding immigrants for ICE had “contributed to outbreaks” of COVID-19 and that poor information sharing made tracking and preventing the spread of the virus more difficult, according to a draft report obtained by BuzzFeed News.
The document also acknowledges that the inability for adequate social distancing within the ICE detention centers had contributed to the spread of the disease.
The internal recognition of the risks posed by transfers of detainees between facilities — a regular occurrence before and during the pandemic — comes after months of warnings from medical experts, advocates, and politicians over the consequences of shuttling people across the country. The report also indicates that ICE’s inability to track health records in certain facilities led to difficulties in monitoring the spread of the disease in jails.
ICE officials have long moved immigrants between facilities for various reasons, including proximity to immigration court hearings.
The draft report, titled “DHS COVID-19 After Action Report,” details the agency’s response to the pandemic and areas for improvement. In a section focused on “non-dedicated” facilities, which also hold non-immigrant detainees, the report documents how there were “gaps in information” due to different medical record systems and that officials “frequently transferred detainees between facilities, which contributed to outbreaks and made tracking and preventing the spread of COVID-19 difficult.”
The report offers “opportunities,” an apparent reference to areas for potential improvement: “Non-dedicated facilities’ frequent detainee transfers and stove-piped disease surveillance systems have made it difficult to prevent and track outbreaks.”
A DHS spokesperson said the agency does not comment on "alleged leaked documents."


buzzfeed--2020-10-06--Trump Has Killed Negotiations Over New Coronavirus Checks And Unemployment Insurance

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday that he is ending negotiations on a coronavirus relief bill until after he wins the election .
The last major coronavirus aid bill expired two months ago , at the end of July , ending federal unemployment benefits that millions of Americans had relied on during the pandemic .
Talks between the White House and House Democrats have been stalled since then but seemed to pick up momentum in recent days .
Trump torpedoed that momentum by saying he is directing his staff to cease negotiations .
“ I am rejecting [ Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the future of our Country .
I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when , immediately after I win , we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business , ” Trump tweeted .
He said the Senate will instead focus on confirming Amy Coney Barrett , his nominee to the Supreme Court .
Trump ’ s tweets caused a stock market dive within moments , as the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 240 points .
As recently as yesterday Trump was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his reelection campaign .
Three days ago , while in hospital , Trump had tweeted “ OUR GREAT USA WANTS & NEEDS STIMULUS .
WORK TOGETHER AND GET IT DONE .
Thank you !
” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin had been scheduled to meet for negotiations later Tuesday .
Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said that when the two spoke by phone at the planned time they had only a brief discussion in which Mnuchin confirmed that Trump has walked away from talks .
The biggest sticking point has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in particular the amount of aid given to state and local governments .
On Twitter , Trump accused Democrats of “ asking for $ 2.4 Trillion Dollars to bailout poorly run , high crime , Democrat States.
” The aid package being negotiated would also have included another round of $ 1,200 direct cash payments to individuals , enhanced unemployment benefits , billions of dollars in assistance for small businesses , aid for the airline industry , and money for coronavirus testing .
None of those measures now seem likely to pass before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusing Trump of showing contempt for science and for workers .
“ Today , once again , President Trump showed his true colors : putting himself first at the expense of the country , with the full complicity of the GOP Members of Congress , ” she said .
On Tuesday morning , just hours before Trump ’ s tweets , Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned of the “ tragic ” consequences if the White House and Congress do not pass a robust stimulus package to ward off a spike in bankruptcies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support would lead to a weak recovery , creating unnecessary hardship for households and businesses , ” Powell said .
Trump also dealt a blow to Republicans in tight election races .
Republicans had been attempting to blame Democrats for not agreeing to a new stimulus package , a message Trump dramatically undercut with his tweets Tuesday .
Democrats quickly seized on Trump ’ s announcement .
“ Remember this tweet when you do n't have another stimulus check in your mailbox this fall , ” tweeted Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bill after the election , he has a long history of not delivering on such promises .
Since he entered politics , Trump has frequently promised to replace Obamacare with a new system that would provide better health care to more people for less cost .
He never unveiled any such plan .
The White House recently unveiled Trump 's `` health care vision for America . ''
It does n't actually do anything .
This is a developing story .
Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday that he is ending negotiations on a coronavirus relief bill until after he wins the election.
The last major coronavirus aid bill expired two months ago, at the end of July, ending federal unemployment benefits that millions of Americans had relied on during the pandemic. Talks between the White House and House Democrats have been stalled since then but seemed to pick up momentum in recent days. Trump torpedoed that momentum by saying he is directing his staff to cease negotiations.
“I am rejecting [Democrats’] request, and looking to the future of our Country. I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business,” Trump tweeted. He said the Senate will instead focus on confirming Amy Coney Barrett, his nominee to the Supreme Court.
Trump’s tweets caused a stock market dive within moments, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 240 points. As recently as yesterday Trump was touting the markets as a key to his reelection campaign. Three days ago, while in hospital, Trump had tweeted “OUR GREAT USA WANTS & NEEDS STIMULUS. WORK TOGETHER AND GET IT DONE. Thank you!”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin had been scheduled to meet for negotiations later Tuesday. Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said that when the two spoke by phone at the planned time they had only a brief discussion in which Mnuchin confirmed that Trump has walked away from talks.
The biggest sticking point has been the size of the package, in particular the amount of aid given to state and local governments. On Twitter, Trump accused Democrats of “asking for $2.4 Trillion Dollars to bailout poorly run, high crime, Democrat States.”
The aid package being negotiated would also have included another round of $1,200 direct cash payments to individuals, enhanced unemployment benefits, billions of dollars in assistance for small businesses, aid for the airline industry, and money for coronavirus testing. None of those measures now seem likely to pass before the election.
Pelosi released a statement accusing Trump of showing contempt for science and for workers.
“Today, once again, President Trump showed his true colors: putting himself first at the expense of the country, with the full complicity of the GOP Members of Congress,” she said.
On Tuesday morning, just hours before Trump’s tweets, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned of the “tragic” consequences if the White House and Congress do not pass a robust stimulus package to ward off a spike in bankruptcies and business closures.
“Too little support would lead to a weak recovery, creating unnecessary hardship for households and businesses,” Powell said.
Trump also dealt a blow to Republicans in tight election races. Republicans had been attempting to blame Democrats for not agreeing to a new stimulus package, a message Trump dramatically undercut with his tweets Tuesday.
Democrats quickly seized on Trump’s announcement. “Remember this tweet when you don't have another stimulus check in your mailbox this fall,” tweeted Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly.
While Trump said he would pass a relief bill after the election, he has a long history of not delivering on such promises. Since he entered politics, Trump has frequently promised to replace Obamacare with a new system that would provide better health care to more people for less cost. He never unveiled any such plan. The White House recently unveiled Trump's "health care vision for America." It doesn't actually do anything.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.


buzzfeed--2020-10-07--"That's A Dictator": Foreign Election Experts Say Trump Is Engaging In Voter Suppression And Intimid

"That's A Dictator": Foreign Election Experts Say Trump Is Engaging In Voter Suppression And Intimidation

“ I ’ ve never thought in my eight years of working in this industry , that I would be worried about election violence in the US in this day and age , ” one former election observer said , “ but now I wouldn ’ t put it past us.
” In recent years , international election observers have monitored tumultuous votes in countries like Afghanistan , Ukraine , and Russia .
This year , they 're turning their attention back again to the US , a place not normally considered a democracy in danger but looking increasingly chaotic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Cooperation in Europe ( OSCE ) began flying into Washington , DC , last week to prepare for Election Day .
But just hours after roughly a dozen OSCE experts officially began working on Sept. 29 , the US witnessed one of the ugliest debates in its history — peppered with claims from the sitting president that the election results will be fraudulent unless he wins .
That was even before the president was rushed to hospital on Friday , having contracted a deadly virus , and details of his health were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the uncertainty heading into the contentious vote .
Over the course of 90 minutes during last week ’ s debate , President Donald Trump heckled and lied with abandon .
He declined to denounce white supremacists .
He mocked the drug addiction of the living son of opponent Joe Biden as the former vice president discussed his dead son .
He framed the death of a suspected shooter in Portland , Oregon , as an extrajudicial killing , boasting he had sent in US Marshals who “ took care of business.
” And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faith in the integrity of the election by falsely claiming there ’ s “ going to be a fraud like you ’ ve never seen.
” “ I ’ m urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully , because that ’ s what has to happen , ” Trump said , declining once again to commit to a peaceful transfer of power .
Such language is “ usually something that ’ s criticized by election observers around the world , ” said Susan Hyde , a University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who studies election observers and who previously worked as one in seven countries .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s a stretch to say that would have caught their attention.
” “ That ’ s a dictator , ” said one American who previously monitored elections across three continents but who asked not to be named because she didn ’ t want to be seen to be speaking for her current employer .
“ That ’ s what we see in African countries consistently , ” she said , going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I ’ ve never thought in my eight years of working in this industry , that I would be worried about election violence in the US in this day and age , ” she added , “ but now I wouldn ’ t put it past us.
” Katya Andrusz , a spokesperson for the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights , declined to comment on the current US election , stressing that the organization ’ s observers , who have been monitoring US elections for 20 years , always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more broadly , though , she underscored the importance of public confidence in the vote .
`` In any country , trust in the process is absolutely vital and if there is anything that ’ s undermining trust , it ’ s not healthy for a democracy , ” Andrusz said .
“ A big part of democratic elections is the trust in them , that the system works , that your vote counts .
“ If people don ’ t believe that ’ s the case , it can weaken public confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Duke Sanford dean , said it is possible that some Trump supporters may see his comments as a call to arms , given the presence over the summer of armed , right-wing , self-described militias at political demonstrations .
This included the Proud Boys group , whom Trump told at the debate to “ stand by ” and whose members have been charged with violent offenses at such protests .
Trump ’ s illness and hospitalization for COVID-19 was also seen by Trump supporters who believe in the QAnon mass delusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was being sequestered in a safe place so that masses of Democratic politicians , beginning with Hillary Clinton , could be arrested , and that they should prepare for a battle against his political opponents .
Amnesty International USA on Tuesday put out what they said was unprecedented advisory , warning of the threat of gun violence and armed voter intimidation at the polls .
Georgetown Law School experts have even prepared 50 fact sheets — one for each state — “ explaining the laws barring unauthorized private militia groups and what to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near a polling place or voter registration drive.
” Even if those self-described militias don ’ t actually materialize on Election Day , if many voters fear that they could , that is a form of voter suppression , Kelley said .
“ You may have voters saying , ‘ I don ’ t feel safe going to the polls .
I don ’ t know who is going to be there.
’ And that ’ s classic voter intimidation , ” Kelley said .
“ And he ’ s indirectly urging his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct and that ’ s worrisome.
” Robert Lloyd , the dean of Palm Beach Atlantic University ’ s school of arts and sciences and who worked as an elections observer in Nigeria , Libera , and Mozambique in the 1990s and 2000s , urged caution .
He said any individual incidents of intimidation at polling places should be taken seriously but also had to be put into perspective nationally .
“ In terms of [ supporters ] yelling and screaming at people , that would not be considered appropriate .
Can you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million people ?
Probably not , ” he said .
“ That ’ s not to dismiss it , but you have to look at the overall picture.
” Still , Lloyd said , his work monitoring heated elections in Africa had taught him leaders should be careful not to use inflammatory language , because ” others may interpret it in ways they don ’ t mean.
” In another sign of just how unprecedented this election is , the Carter Center , the nongovernmental organization founded by former president Jimmy Carter that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the first time in its 30-year history turning its attention to the US .
The nonpartisan group announced in August that they were preparing an initiative , which may yet include some election observation , because they feared US democracy was “ backsliding.
” “ We ’ ve often thought about this and knew the US could improve or benefit from observation , ” Carter Center Director of Democracy David Carroll told BuzzFeed News , “ but we never really thought seriously we ’ d be asked in a serious way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would need observation.
” Carroll said the last five years have seen a marked increase in political polarization and doubts about the credibility of the electoral process in the US .
“ The sense that people think the election might be stolen , that ’ s not something that was a widespread concern 20 years ago in the US , ” he said .
“ It ’ s much more like countries where we work internationally.
” The unnamed former elections observer who spoke with BuzzFeed News cited Trump ’ s refusal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power as a particularly worrying sign for US democracy and one that would tarnish America abroad .
“ If America uses the same formula that we use overseas to see what countries are backsliding in their democracy , ” she said , “ then we are backsliding fast.
” In a report prepared ahead of their visit , the OSCE group mentioned their “ concerns over potential use of intolerant rhetoric during the campaign , including inflammatory speech targeting ethnic and racial minorities coming from high level officials.
” It comes two years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote a report on the 2018 US midterm elections , in which they found that rhetoric used in that campaign to be “ often divisive , confrontational and intolerant , with much of it emanating from the national level.
” They recommended that all candidates and supporters refrain from language that incites hostility , discrimination , or violence .
On Wednesday last week , the morning after watching the debate , the president ’ s performance had done little to reassure Kelley , the Duke Sanford dean , that Trump ’ s confrontational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re all getting tired of the word ‘ unprecedented , ’ ” she said .
“ You can only use it so many times before it ’ s no longer unprecedented .
”

Of course, the events of the last few days surrounding the coronavirus outbreak inside the White House have thrown yet another spanner into a tumultuous election season. With doctors warning Trump may still experience severe symptoms of COVID-19 in the days to come, there remains speculation of what might happen if he should die or become too ill to continue in the election — chatter Trump sought to squash on Monday night with a publicized return to the White House from his hospital bed designed to show him as every bit the Strongman leader.
In a stunt that Atlantic writer and democracy historian Anne Applebaum compared to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, Trump stood on the balcony of the White House while still infected, removed his mask, and saluted for the cameras. A White House video of the event, set to booming orchestral music befitting an action film, was released within the hour.
“Anyone hailing from an authoritarian country is horrified by that Trump video, as should be anyone who values democracy over demagoguery,” said Garry Kasparov — the Russian chess grandmaster, chairman of the Human Rights Foundation and Renew Democracy Initiative — on Twitter. “The staging, boasting, the disregard for people’s lives. He won’t change and he must go.”
Interest in the US election around the world remains feverish, with international broadcasters airing last week’s debate live (causing translators to struggle) and foreign news sites often leading with the latest political developments.
While international attention is high, global opinions of the US are falling to low levels. A September Pew Research Center survey of 13 nations found that in several countries, the number of people with a positive view of the US was lower than at any point in their almost two decades of polling. The decline is driven in part by perceptions of the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, but also by views of Trump himself. Fewer than 1 in 10 Belgians, for example, have confidence that the US president will do the right thing.
As the president continues to upend democratic norms and undermine public faith in the integrity of the election, experts told BuzzFeed News they fear not only for the US image abroad, but for the US itself.
“Especially from a country that has been promoting election observation, promoting democracy, been a beacon of democracy around the world and thought it was in a position to send observers to other countries to instruct them in the right ways to run elections, it’s discouraging,” said Judith Kelley, the dean of the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy, who has studied such observers extensively. “It’s very, very discouraging.”
Kelly said Trump’s comments at the debate would likely alarm election observers, who would see his attempts to undermine public confidence in the election as a form of voter suppression.
“I also think that Trump was indirectly urging his supporters to engage in voter intimidation and he was indirectly himself engaging in voter suppression by simply discouraging people from believing that this election would matter, that their ballot would be counted,” she said. “Why show up if you think your vote wouldn’t count?”
The president’s debate comments came less than a week after the Trump campaign released a video in which his son Donald Trump Jr. called for supporters to volunteer as partisan election observers, which are permitted under the law. Except Trump Jr. framed his callout in highly militaristic terms. “We need every able-bodied man and woman to join Army for Trump’s election security operation,” he said, calling for people to “defend” their ballots and “enlist.”
“President Trump is going to win. Don’t let them steal it,” Trump Jr. said.
A week before that, supporters of the president disrupted early voting at a site in Virginia, chanting slogans. Some voters and election workers felt intimidated by the group and had to be provided escorts, according to officials.
“You can have voter intimidation without guns,” said John Campbell, who lives in nearby Alexandria and who, as US ambassador to Nigeria, oversaw the team of American diplomats who monitored that country’s 2007 election.
Campbell noted that in Nigeria it is not uncommon for gangs of political supporters to try to intimidate one another. “It’s one of the reasons why elections are very often so violent,” he said, “particularly in the run-up.”
Eric Bjornlund— the board chair of the Election Reformers Network and president of Democracy International, which consults internationally on issues of governance and politics — told BuzzFeed News that “armed politically affiliated gangs” were a feature in some South Asian countries, such as Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.
“There’s a huge tradition of these armed thugs that are affiliated with parties that go around and try to prevent people from voting,” he said. “They would say they’re providing security.”
Bjornlund said he now fears their emergence in the US political arena.
"It’s pretty likely that in another country, if people who are not official police or security forces or rather militia or self-appointed election monitors that are armed and going to polling places, it’s pretty clear we would have a problem with that as the international community and we would call it out,” he said.


buzzfeed--2020-10-06--As Trump Cuts Refugee Admissions, US Officers Wonder: “Is This Who We Are?”

One veteran refugee officer said that for years the task of evaluating the claims of refugees seeking to come to the US had been traumatic .
“ You can ’ t have human beings tell you the worst things that have ever happened to them — unimaginable things — and go away unchanged , ” the officer said .
“ It seems like Americans at large are just unable to comprehend the policy changes across all humanitarian programs that have all but stopped our programs , ” said one refugee officer .
“ Even those who may care have fatigue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatigue , so I ’ m sure everyday Americans certainly would.
” US refugee officers who spoke to BuzzFeed News said the Trump administration ’ s efforts at cutting the refugee program down to its very core was not only personally difficult for them to witness , but that it would have a lasting impact .
The four officers , who spoke on the condition of anonymity , wondered whether Americans had simply been too overwhelmed by the news to recognize the significance of the administration ’ s efforts .
The drastic cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series of moves by the Trump administration that have decimated the country ’ s refugee program , which is designed to take in people fleeing dangerous conditions , and forced US organizations that help welcome refugees to lay off staffers and close offices .
That evening , the Trump administration announced the latest step in its gutting of the refugee system : a proposed cap for the maximum number of refugees that can enter the US in the next year to 15,000 , the fewest since the government began the program in 1980 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week , President Donald Trump railed against former vice president Joe Biden , declaring that the Democratic candidate would “ inundate ” the state with a “ flood ” of refugees .
Trump said Biden would allow refugees to come in “ from the most dangerous places of the world ” and that he would turn the state into a “ refugee camp.
” Hundreds of immigrants and allies in New York City protest outside the JPMorgan Chase offices , calling out its complicity in Trump 's anti-immigrant agenda , Aug. 2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like they were following the law and protecting those who were vulnerable by offering them a shot at safety in the US .
“ Now I ’ m not sure anymore .
I look at the systematic dismantling of the refugee program in America and I have to ask myself : Is this , what ’ s happening now , who we really are ?
” the officer said .
“ People who are fearful and shut the door on others in desperate need ?
Was I wrong this whole time ?
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not .
But now I just don ’ t know.
” In 2018 , the Trump administration capped the number of refugees at 30,000 ; in 2019 , it set the figure at 18,000 — far fewer than the 110,000 allowed in the final year of the Obama administration .
The cap does not necessarily mean immigration officials will actually admit that many refugees , and it instead acts as a ceiling .
The official determination for refugees will be submitted by the administration after a consultation period with Congress .
The Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years that it has been involved in protecting refugees in various ways , including funding efforts to provide assistance to people as close to their homes as possible before they are able to go back , noting that the US had given “ more than $ 9 billion in humanitarian assistance in Fiscal Year 2019 and nearly $ 70 billion in humanitarian assistance over the past decade.
” The United Nations reported in June that nearly 80 million people were displaced at the end of last year .
The State Department noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in part to “ prioritize the safety and well-being of Americans , especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
” Refugee admissions had been on hold earlier in the year due to the pandemic before restarting in the summer .
The proposed refugee cap includes special slots for Iraqis who helped the US government , refugees from Central America , and others from Hong Kong , Cuba , and Venezuela .
US officers assess the eligibility of refugees abroad to enter the country , a process that includes security checks and interviews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears the program would be scrapped altogether by the Trump administration .
“ We have gotten so used to baseless attacks on the refugee program that many of us are grateful that at least we can offer refuge to up to 15,000 rather than zero , ” the officer said .
“ But it ’ s sad .
Under previous administrations , 15,000 would have been a fraction of the number of refugees resettled.
” Even as the refugee program has shrunk , certain groups are feeling the impact more than others .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Muslim admissions through the refugee program had dropped 87 % from 2016 to last year .
Trump had called for a ban on all Muslims to enter the US when he was a candidate for office in 2015 .
One refugee officer said they actively hope they don ’ t get assigned cases of individuals seeking protection who are from the Middle East .
“ It ’ s heartbreaking to be asked what ’ s next for my case , when will I have an answer , and I know that people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to approval , ” the officer said .
“ I think Americans are missing that this is a part of our history and who we are and speaks to our values .
”

But the officer felt like they were following the law and protecting those who were vulnerable by offering them a shot at safety in the US.
“Now I’m not sure anymore. I look at the systematic dismantling of the refugee program in America and I have to ask myself: Is this, what’s happening now, who we really are?” the officer said. “People who are fearful and shut the door on others in desperate need? Was I wrong this whole time? I don’t know. I hope not. But now I just don’t know.”
In 2018, the Trump administration capped the number of refugees at 30,000; in 2019, it set the figure at 18,000 — far fewer than the 110,000 allowed in the final year of the Obama administration. The cap does not necessarily mean immigration officials will actually admit that many refugees, and it instead acts as a ceiling. The official determination for refugees will be submitted by the administration after a consultation period with Congress.
The Trump administration has argued over the last several years that it has been involved in protecting refugees in various ways, including funding efforts to provide assistance to people as close to their homes as possible before they are able to go back, noting that the US had given “more than $9 billion in humanitarian assistance in Fiscal Year 2019 and nearly $70 billion in humanitarian assistance over the past decade.”
The United Nations reported in June that nearly 80 million people were displaced at the end of last year.
The State Department noted that the decision on the cap was made in part to “prioritize the safety and well-being of Americans, especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.” Refugee admissions had been on hold earlier in the year due to the pandemic before restarting in the summer. The proposed refugee cap includes special slots for Iraqis who helped the US government, refugees from Central America, and others from Hong Kong, Cuba, and Venezuela.
US officers assess the eligibility of refugees abroad to enter the country, a process that includes security checks and interviews. One refugee officer said there were fears the program would be scrapped altogether by the Trump administration.
“We have gotten so used to baseless attacks on the refugee program that many of us are grateful that at least we can offer refuge to up to 15,000 rather than zero,” the officer said. “But it’s sad. Under previous administrations, 15,000 would have been a fraction of the number of refugees resettled.”
Even as the refugee program has shrunk, certain groups are feeling the impact more than others. Researchers at the Migration Policy Institute found that Muslim admissions through the refugee program had dropped 87% from 2016 to last year. Trump had called for a ban on all Muslims to enter the US when he was a candidate for office in 2015.
One refugee officer said they actively hope they don’t get assigned cases of individuals seeking protection who are from the Middle East.
“It’s heartbreaking to be asked what’s next for my case, when will I have an answer, and I know that people I interviewed in 2018 are no nearer to approval,” the officer said. “I think Americans are missing that this is a part of our history and who we are and speaks to our values.”


buzzfeed--2020-10-06--Florida Voters Now Have Until 7 P.M. Tonight To Register After The Website Crashed

Supporters of President Donald Trump and former vice president Joe Biden wave flags prior to Biden 's arrival for an @ @ @ @ @ on Monday .
People living in Florida , one of the most hotly contested states @ @ @ @ @ election , now have a few more hours to register to vote .
The Monday @ @ @ @ @ officials to Tuesday at 7 p.m. local time after the state government 's voter registration @ @ @ @ @ final hours approaching the Monday deadline , there was an `` unprecedented '' amount of @ @ @ @ @ 1.1 million requests to access the page per hour were recorded on Monday night , @ @ @ @ @ State Laurel Lee .
Officials are now investigating whether the traffic was the result of @ @ @ @ @ due to something more nefarious , such as a denial-of-service attack , where cybercriminals overwhelm @ @ @ @ @ access it .
`` We will work with our state and federal law enforcement partners @ @ @ @ @ a deliberate act against the voting process , '' Lee said .

People living in Florida, one of the most hotly contested states in this year's presidential election, now have a few more hours to register to vote.
The Monday evening deadline was extended by officials to Tuesday at 7 p.m. local time after the state government's voter registration website crashed.
In the final hours approaching the Monday deadline, there was an "unprecedented" amount of traffic to RegisterToVoteFlorida.gov. Some 1.1 million requests to access the page per hour were recorded on Monday night, according to Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee.
Officials are now investigating whether the traffic was the result of interest from unregistered voters or due to something more nefarious, such as a denial-of-service attack, where cybercriminals overwhelm websites with superfluous requests to access it.
"We will work with our state and federal law enforcement partners to ensure this was not a deliberate act against the voting process," Lee said.


buzzfeed--2020-10-06--The Supreme Court Warned Against Changing Voting Rules Near Election Day And Then Did It Anyway

WASHINGTON — The US Supreme Court on Monday night issued an order warning lower courts against making big changes to state voting practices so close to Election Day — and , in the process , it did exactly that .
In a two-paragraph order , the court reinstated a South Carolina law that requires an absentee voter to have someone witness them signing their ballot and to prove it by having the witness sign the ballot , too .
On Sept. 18 , a federal district judge had blocked the state from enforcing the rule for the Nov. 3 election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that the witness requirement would force more in-person contact .
South Carolina is home to one of the election contests that could decide which party controls the Senate next year .
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham , a Trump ally , is facing a surprisingly close reelection race against Democrat Jaime Harrison .
Recent polling has shown the race is tied .
The Supreme Court ’ s decision represents the final word on the South Carolina witness requirement through Election Day , but other legal fights over mail-in voting are pending across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make more last-minute calls with less than a month until the election , and after mail-in voting is underway .
By the time the court issued its order on Monday night , absentee voting had already started in South Carolina .
That left the justices in the awkward position of having to acknowledge that their decision could affect ballots that voters had already put in the mail .
Their solution ?
They decided South Carolina would have to count ballots received in the next two days that lacked a witness signature , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and reject ballots without a witness after that .
State election officials quickly posted an announcement about the change on the state ’ s voter information website and tweeted about it on Tuesday .
Just over a week earlier , the state ’ s election commission tweeted that there was no witness requirement due to court orders , but cautioned that could change .
The Supreme Court didn ’ t issue an opinion explaining its decision on Monday .
The order didn ’ t include a breakdown of how each justice voted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order did note that Justices Clarence Thomas , Samuel Alito Jr. , and Neil Gorsuch voted in favor of rejecting all ballots missing a witness signature , even those that were mailed before the court ruled .
Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote a short concurring opinion to explain why he sided with South Carolina in reviving the witness requirement .
He wrote that judges shouldn ’ t second-guess how state legislatures were handling the election during the pandemic , and that “ federal courts ordinarily should not alter state election rules in the period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Purcell v. Gonzalez , a 2006 Supreme Court decision where the justices cautioned against court-ordered changes to election procedures near an election .
In the South Carolina case , the lower court judges who sided with the challengers wrote that they believed they were following Purcell ’ s guidance in blocking the rule .
On Sept. 18 , US District Judge J. Michelle Childs issued the order blocking the state from enforcing the witness requirement for the November election .
It wasn ’ t the first time Childs had considered whether the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic ; she previously blocked the rule for the June primary .
In her opinion , Childs wrote that she was mindful of the fact that the Supreme Court had halted court orders in other states that extended the deadline for election officials to accept absentee ballots that arrived after Election Day .
She denied a motion to extend the time frame in South Carolina by six days , writing that it would make it harder for state officials to meet other deadlines to certify the votes , consider protests to the result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any other issues .
“ At this point , an injunction changing election rules to effectively delay proceedings by six days could impact the state ’ s ability to efficiently administer the November 2020 General Election , ” Childs wrote .
But blocking the witness requirement didn ’ t trigger the same concerns as extending Election Day deadlines , the judge wrote , because she ’ d already blocked the rule for the primary in June .
No one appealed that order , and the judge concluded her original order had set a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as long as there was still a pandemic .
She noted that the state legislature had lifted the requirement that voters provide a reason for requesting an absentee ballot , which it had done for the June primary .
“ Just as in the last election , voters will likely expect the same restrictions to be suspended for the November 2020 General Election , including the Witness Requirement , ” Childs wrote .
State officials in South Carolina took the case to the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit , asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on hold .
On Sept. 30 , the court voted 9–5 to let the injunction stand .
Judge Robert King wrote a concurring opinion that echoed Childs ’ point that by blocking the witness requirement for the November election after already blocking it for the June primary , the court was preserving the status quo , not changing it .
“ Put simply , the decision of the district court is measured , compelling , and soundly supported both factually and legally .
It protects countless lawful voters who otherwise would have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadly virus and exercising their fundamental right to vote , ” King wrote .
Judges J. Harvie Wilkinson and G. Steven Agee , meanwhile , wrote a dissent claiming that their colleagues ’ “ disregard for the Supreme Court is palpable ” and arguing that Childs ’ order represented “ stark interference with South Carolina ’ s electoral process right in the middle of the election season.
” At the end of the dissent , they urged South Carolina officials to petition the Supreme Court to step in .
Kavanaugh cited Wilkinson and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opinion on Monday , writing that Childs had “ defied ” Supreme Court precedent .
“ [ F ] or many years , this Court has repeatedly emphasized that federal courts ordinarily should not alter state election rules in the period close to an election , ” Kavanaugh wrote .

WASHINGTON — The US Supreme Court on Monday night issued an order warning lower courts against making big changes to state voting practices so close to Election Day — and, in the process, it did exactly that.
In a two-paragraph order, the court reinstated a South Carolina law that requires an absentee voter to have someone witness them signing their ballot and to prove it by having the witness sign the ballot, too. On Sept. 18, a federal district judge had blocked the state from enforcing the rule for the Nov. 3 election, citing the coronavirus pandemic and the fact that the witness requirement would force more in-person contact.
South Carolina is home to one of the election contests that could decide which party controls the Senate next year. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, is facing a surprisingly close reelection race against Democrat Jaime Harrison. Recent polling has shown the race is tied.
The Supreme Court’s decision represents the final word on the South Carolina witness requirement through Election Day, but other legal fights over mail-in voting are pending across the country. The Supreme Court is poised to make more last-minute calls with less than a month until the election, and after mail-in voting is underway.
By the time the court issued its order on Monday night, absentee voting had already started in South Carolina. That left the justices in the awkward position of having to acknowledge that their decision could affect ballots that voters had already put in the mail. Their solution? They decided South Carolina would have to count ballots received in the next two days that lacked a witness signature, but the state could enforce the rule and reject ballots without a witness after that.
State election officials quickly posted an announcement about the change on the state’s voter information website and tweeted about it on Tuesday. Just over a week earlier, the state’s election commission tweeted that there was no witness requirement due to court orders, but cautioned that could change.
The Supreme Court didn’t issue an opinion explaining its decision on Monday. The order didn’t include a breakdown of how each justice voted, but there were no dissents. The order did note that Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito Jr., and Neil Gorsuch voted in favor of rejecting all ballots missing a witness signature, even those that were mailed before the court ruled.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote a short concurring opinion to explain why he sided with South Carolina in reviving the witness requirement. He wrote that judges shouldn’t second-guess how state legislatures were handling the election during the pandemic, and that “federal courts ordinarily should not alter state election rules in the period close to an election.”
Kavanaugh cited Purcell v. Gonzalez, a 2006 Supreme Court decision where the justices cautioned against court-ordered changes to election procedures near an election.
In the South Carolina case, the lower court judges who sided with the challengers wrote that they believed they were following Purcell’s guidance in blocking the rule.
On Sept. 18, US District Judge J. Michelle Childs issued the order blocking the state from enforcing the witness requirement for the November election. It wasn’t the first time Childs had considered whether the state could enforce its witness requirement during a pandemic; she previously blocked the rule for the June primary.
In her opinion, Childs wrote that she was mindful of the fact that the Supreme Court had halted court orders in other states that extended the deadline for election officials to accept absentee ballots that arrived after Election Day. She denied a motion to extend the time frame in South Carolina by six days, writing that it would make it harder for state officials to meet other deadlines to certify the votes, consider protests to the result, handle any recounts, and resolve any other issues.
“At this point, an injunction changing election rules to effectively delay proceedings by six days could impact the state’s ability to efficiently administer the November 2020 General Election,” Childs wrote.
But blocking the witness requirement didn’t trigger the same concerns as extending Election Day deadlines, the judge wrote, because she’d already blocked the rule for the primary in June. No one appealed that order, and the judge concluded her original order had set a new status quo for South Carolina voters as long as there was still a pandemic. She noted that the state legislature had lifted the requirement that voters provide a reason for requesting an absentee ballot, which it had done for the June primary.
“Just as in the last election, voters will likely expect the same restrictions to be suspended for the November 2020 General Election, including the Witness Requirement,” Childs wrote.
State officials in South Carolina took the case to the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, asking that court to put Childs’ decision on hold. On Sept. 30, the court voted 9–5 to let the injunction stand. Judge Robert King wrote a concurring opinion that echoed Childs’ point that by blocking the witness requirement for the November election after already blocking it for the June primary, the court was preserving the status quo, not changing it.
“Put simply, the decision of the district court is measured, compelling, and soundly supported both factually and legally. It protects countless lawful voters who otherwise would have to choose between avoiding needless exposure to a deadly virus and exercising their fundamental right to vote,” King wrote.
Judges J. Harvie Wilkinson and G. Steven Agee, meanwhile, wrote a dissent claiming that their colleagues’ “disregard for the Supreme Court is palpable” and arguing that Childs’ order represented “stark interference with South Carolina’s electoral process right in the middle of the election season.” At the end of the dissent, they urged South Carolina officials to petition the Supreme Court to step in.
Kavanaugh cited Wilkinson and Agee’s dissent in his concurring opinion on Monday, writing that Childs had “defied” Supreme Court precedent.
“[F]or many years, this Court has repeatedly emphasized that federal courts ordinarily should not alter state election rules in the period close to an election,” Kavanaugh wrote.


buzzfeed--2020-10-06--Facebook Took Down A Trump Post That Compared COVID-19 To The Flu And Said That We Should Just Learn

Facebook Took Down A Trump Post That Compared COVID-19 To The Flu And Said That We Should Just Learn To Live With It

Facebook took down a post from President Donald Trump on Tuesday that compared the coronavirus to the flu and argued that the United States should learn to live with both illnesses .
“ Flu season is coming up !
Many people every year , sometimes over 100,000 , and despite the Vaccine , die from the Flu , ” the president wrote on his Facebook page .
“ Are we going to close down our Country ?
No , we have learned to live with it , just like we are learning to live with Covid , in most populations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook ’ s COVID-19 misinformation policies , introduced in March , state that the company will remove misinformation about the coronavirus when it could contribute to imminent physical harm .
“ We remove incorrect information about the severity of COVID-19 , and have now removed this post , ” Facebook spokesperson Liz Bourgeois said in a statement .
She noted that Facebook took action because the president equated the coronavirus to the flu .
As the US heads toward the presidential election , Facebook ’ s takedown is the latest attempt to stem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the most powerful person in the world .
It ’ s the second time the company has taken down content from Trump ’ s account for misleading information about COVID-19 following an incident in August , in which the president shared a video clip where he said that children were “ almost immune ” to the coronavirus .
In Tuesday ’ s post , the president said more than 100,000 people die from the flu every year , a claim contradicted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
The CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US from influenza in the 2017–18 flu season , the highest annual total of the last decade .
It ’ s unclear what the president was referring to when suggesting “ in most population far less lethal !
!
!
” The novel coronavirus has killed more than 210,000 people in the US and infected more than 7 million , including the president , even as most Americans have embraced social distancing and mask wearing .
Following Facebook ’ s takedown , Twitter placed a warning label on the same message on its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Trump ’ s post violated rules “ about spreading misleading and potentially harmful information related to COVID-19 , ” but it allowed it to stay up because it “ may be in the public ’ s interest.
” A Twitter spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Facebook ’ s move comes after critics and the company ’ s employees flagged a post from Trump on Monday that said , “ Don ’ t be afraid of Covid .
Don ’ t let it dominate your life.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Facebook ’ s internal message boards , according to information shared with BuzzFeed News , noting that it was in possible violation of the company ’ s rules around coronavirus misinformation and could lead to more harm .

Facebook took down a post from President Donald Trump on Tuesday that compared the coronavirus to the flu and argued that the United States should learn to live with both illnesses.
“Flu season is coming up! Many people every year, sometimes over 100,000, and despite the Vaccine, die from the Flu,” the president wrote on his Facebook page. “Are we going to close down our Country? No, we have learned to live with it, just like we are learning to live with Covid, in most populations far less lethal!!!”
Facebook’s COVID-19 misinformation policies, introduced in March, state that the company will remove misinformation about the coronavirus when it could contribute to imminent physical harm.
“We remove incorrect information about the severity of COVID-19, and have now removed this post,” Facebook spokesperson Liz Bourgeois said in a statement. She noted that Facebook took action because the president equated the coronavirus to the flu.
As the US heads toward the presidential election, Facebook’s takedown is the latest attempt to stem the misinformation that spews from the account of the most powerful person in the world. It’s the second time the company has taken down content from Trump’s account for misleading information about COVID-19 following an incident in August, in which the president shared a video clip where he said that children were “almost immune” to the coronavirus.
In Tuesday’s post, the president said more than 100,000 people die from the flu every year, a claim contradicted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC estimates that 61,000 people died in the US from influenza in the 2017–18 flu season, the highest annual total of the last decade.
It’s unclear what the president was referring to when suggesting “in most population far less lethal!!!” The novel coronavirus has killed more than 210,000 people in the US and infected more than 7 million, including the president, even as most Americans have embraced social distancing and mask wearing.
Following Facebook’s takedown, Twitter placed a warning label on the same message on its platform. In its label, Twitter said Trump’s post violated rules “about spreading misleading and potentially harmful information related to COVID-19,” but it allowed it to stay up because it “may be in the public’s interest.”
A Twitter spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Facebook’s move comes after critics and the company’s employees flagged a post from Trump on Monday that said, “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.” At least two employees flagged the post on Facebook’s internal message boards, according to information shared with BuzzFeed News, noting that it was in possible violation of the company’s rules around coronavirus misinformation and could lead to more harm.


buzzfeed--2020-10-06--You Won’t Hear Kamala Harris Saying "Shut Up, Man" In The VP Debate

He called the president a “ fool.
” He complained that no one could hear over “ this clown , ” before dryly correcting himself : “ Excuse me , this person.
” And finally , without hesitation , Joe Biden shouted across the room , “ Will you shut up , man ?
” It only took a few hours , on the night of last week ’ s presidential debate in Cleveland , for the Biden campaign to stamp the phrase on T-shirts .
Aides know that when Sen. Kamala Harris takes the debate stage Wednesday opposite Vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not work for a Black woman .
As they prep her in Salt Lake City , Harris ’ s team has shaped a strategy in part around the reality that she is likely to be perceived differently than the white male candidate standing opposite her .
Aides have reviewed studies — including those by the Barbara Lee Family Foundation — about how women candidates pay a high price for negativity and can be harshly punished by voters over issues of honesty , a Biden aide said .
For that reason , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t take on the role of fact-checking Pence , or try to confront him frequently over falsehoods .
Harris and her team are weighing , too , the question of how to deal onstage with stereotypes that paint women , and especially Black women , as angry and overly emotional .
They are especially aware of how that dynamic could play out with Pence , who is so even-tempered that , in his first vice presidential debate in 2016 , he made the mild Sen. Tim Kaine look aggressive .
When Christina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women ’ s group EMILY ’ s List , heard Biden say those five words on TV last Wednesday — “ will you shut up , man ?
” — the first thought that popped into her head was “ Hillary Clinton couldn ’ t have said that.
” The second was : “ I ’ m not positive Barack Obama could have either.
” Biden took some flak for his tone in Cleveland — “ I should have said this is a ‘ clownish undertaking ’ instead of calling him a clown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lester Holt at a town hall on Monday night — but the moment was widely celebrated by his own campaign .
“ There ’ s a certain leeway we give to the candidates we are used to , ” said Reynolds , who served as Clinton ’ s deputy communications director in 2016 .
“ There are things that Mike Pence , Donald Trump , and Joe Biden can do that Kamala Harris can ’ t .
It ’ s hard to imagine that she would say ‘ will you shut up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rallying point.
” The single vice presidential debate is usually nothing more than a footnote to the presidential race , dwarfed in importance by three presidential contests .
But with President Donald Trump infected with the coronavirus , the dynamic has shifted — thrusting Pence , especially , into the spotlight .
It is unclear whether there will be any more presidential debates .
The expectations on Wednesday are high .
In her primary campaign , Democratic voters often said they dreamed of seeing Harris on a debate stage opposite Trump , citing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she grilled Trump administration officials .
Sen. Cory Booker , speaking by phone between Zoom meetings on Monday , said he has watched his colleague hone a careful tonal mix in Senate Judiciary Committee hearings : “ She is very respectful and professional , but at the same time hard-hitting .
And she does it in a way that does n't break the formality or the decorum of a moment.
” “ But I 've sat next to her before , where , you know , I 've winced !
” Booker laughed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard.
” Her single most memorable moment of the Democratic primary came in a debate , when she confronted Biden over his record on busing and desegregation — causing her fundraising to skyrocket and her poll numbers to shoot up overnight .
But people close to Harris have sought to manage expectations around the debate , talking about Pence ’ s history of strong debate performances .
So has Harris herself .
“ He ’ s a good debater .
So I ’ m so concerned — like I can only disappoint , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September .

He called the president a “fool.” He complained that no one could hear over “this clown,” before dryly correcting himself: “Excuse me, this person.” And finally, without hesitation, Joe Biden shouted across the room, “Will you shut up, man?”
It only took a few hours, on the night of last week’s presidential debate in Cleveland, for the Biden campaign to stamp the phrase on T-shirts.
Aides know that when Sen. Kamala Harris takes the debate stage Wednesday opposite Vice President Mike Pence, the same strategy will not work for a Black woman.
As they prep her in Salt Lake City, Harris’s team has shaped a strategy in part around the reality that she is likely to be perceived differently than the white male candidate standing opposite her. Aides have reviewed studies — including those by the Barbara Lee Family Foundation — about how women candidates pay a high price for negativity and can be harshly punished by voters over issues of honesty, a Biden aide said. For that reason, a campaign aide said, Harris likely won’t take on the role of fact-checking Pence, or try to confront him frequently over falsehoods.
Harris and her team are weighing, too, the question of how to deal onstage with stereotypes that paint women, and especially Black women, as angry and overly emotional. They are especially aware of how that dynamic could play out with Pence, who is so even-tempered that, in his first vice presidential debate in 2016, he made the mild Sen. Tim Kaine look aggressive.
When Christina Reynolds, a senior official with the women’s group EMILY’s List, heard Biden say those five words on TV last Wednesday — “will you shut up, man?” — the first thought that popped into her head was “Hillary Clinton couldn’t have said that.” The second was: “I’m not positive Barack Obama could have either.”
Biden took some flak for his tone in Cleveland — “I should have said this is a ‘clownish undertaking’ instead of calling him a clown,” he told NBC’s Lester Holt at a town hall on Monday night — but the moment was widely celebrated by his own campaign.
“There’s a certain leeway we give to the candidates we are used to,” said Reynolds, who served as Clinton’s deputy communications director in 2016. “There are things that Mike Pence, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden can do that Kamala Harris can’t. It’s hard to imagine that she would say ‘will you shut up, man’ and it would become a rallying point.”
The single vice presidential debate is usually nothing more than a footnote to the presidential race, dwarfed in importance by three presidential contests. But with President Donald Trump infected with the coronavirus, the dynamic has shifted — thrusting Pence, especially, into the spotlight. It is unclear whether there will be any more presidential debates.
The expectations on Wednesday are high. In her primary campaign, Democratic voters often said they dreamed of seeing Harris on a debate stage opposite Trump, citing her performance in Senate hearings, where she grilled Trump administration officials.
Sen. Cory Booker, speaking by phone between Zoom meetings on Monday, said he has watched his colleague hone a careful tonal mix in Senate Judiciary Committee hearings: “She is very respectful and professional, but at the same time hard-hitting. And she does it in a way that doesn't break the formality or the decorum of a moment.”
“But I've sat next to her before, where, you know, I've winced!” Booker laughed. “Because she's hit so hard.”
Her single most memorable moment of the Democratic primary came in a debate, when she confronted Biden over his record on busing and desegregation — causing her fundraising to skyrocket and her poll numbers to shoot up overnight.
But people close to Harris have sought to manage expectations around the debate, talking about Pence’s history of strong debate performances. So has Harris herself.
“He’s a good debater. So I’m so concerned — like I can only disappoint,” she joked at a fundraiser in September.


buzzfeed--2020-10-06--Biden Said He's Not Surprised That Trump Got The Coronavirus

Former vice president Joe Biden said Monday that he `` was n't surprised '' that President Donald Trump has gotten the coronavirus and referenced how Trump defied basic medical guidance as the pandemic spread across the country and killed more than 210,000 Americans .
`` The idea that COVID does not spread in proximity when you do n't have a mask on , when you 're not socially distancing , when there 's large groups of people , when you 're inside , particularly , but even when you 're outside — that 's not surprising , '' Biden told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night town hall in Miami , his first primetime event after Trump announced he 'd tested positive .
Biden was also asked if he was worried about contracting COVID-19 after learning that Trump was diagnosed on Friday morning — just days after they stood near each other on stage during the first presidential debate last Tuesday .
Biden said that he was n't worried because he 'd been `` fastidious '' about social distancing inside the debate venue and about wearing a mask in general when social distancing isn ’ t possible .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jill , and his campaign 's debate guests after seeing that a large number of the Trump campaign 's debate guests were n't wearing masks .
`` It was a little disconcerting to look out and see that his whole section , no one had masks on , '' Biden said , `` while my wife was sitting further down and had a mask on and the people with us had masks on .
I did n't quite get that . ''
Biden 's answers come hours after Trump returned to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reed Medical Center for less than 72 hours .
During his time in the hospital , the president 's doctors dodged questions about his health multiple times .
Holt ended the segment by asking Biden if he believed the president bared responsibility for being infected with the coronavirus .
`` Anybody who contracts the virus by essentially saying 'masks do n't matter , social distancing does n't matter ' is responsible for what happens to them , '' Biden said .
Trump spent months downplaying the severity of the virus to Americans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ignoring his own CDC 's guidelines , and making fun of Americans ( including Biden ) for wearing masks .

Former vice president Joe Biden said Monday that he "wasn't surprised" that President Donald Trump has gotten the coronavirus and referenced how Trump defied basic medical guidance as the pandemic spread across the country and killed more than 210,000 Americans.
"The idea that COVID does not spread in proximity when you don't have a mask on, when you're not socially distancing, when there's large groups of people, when you're inside, particularly, but even when you're outside — that's not surprising," Biden told MSNBC's Lester Holt during a Monday night town hall in Miami, his first primetime event after Trump announced he'd tested positive.
Biden was also asked if he was worried about contracting COVID-19 after learning that Trump was diagnosed on Friday morning — just days after they stood near each other on stage during the first presidential debate last Tuesday.
Biden said that he wasn't worried because he'd been "fastidious" about social distancing inside the debate venue and about wearing a mask in general when social distancing isn’t possible.
Biden said he worried about his wife, Jill, and his campaign's debate guests after seeing that a large number of the Trump campaign's debate guests weren't wearing masks.
"It was a little disconcerting to look out and see that his whole section, no one had masks on," Biden said, "while my wife was sitting further down and had a mask on and the people with us had masks on. I didn't quite get that."
Biden's answers come hours after Trump returned to the White House after being hospitalized at Walter Reed Medical Center for less than 72 hours. During his time in the hospital, the president's doctors dodged questions about his health multiple times.
Holt ended the segment by asking Biden if he believed the president bared responsibility for being infected with the coronavirus.
"Anybody who contracts the virus by essentially saying 'masks don't matter, social distancing doesn't matter' is responsible for what happens to them," Biden said.
Trump spent months downplaying the severity of the virus to Americans, hosting events where people largely went unmasked, ignoring his own CDC's guidelines, and making fun of Americans (including Biden) for wearing masks.


buzzfeed--2020-10-06--A Senator Wrote An Impassioned Letter To Her Colleagues About Her IVF Treatment And Trump’s Supreme

A Senator Wrote An Impassioned Letter To Her Colleagues About Her IVF Treatment And Trump’s Supreme Court Nominee

Following reports that Amy Coney Barrett , President Donald Trump ’ s Supreme Court nominee , supported an anti-abortion group that opposes in vitro fertilization , Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois wrote an impassioned letter to her colleagues Friday , citing her own experience with IVF and the conception of her 2-year-old daughter , Maile .
“ I write to each of you today , and especially to my Republican colleagues who cooed and cuddled Maile when she first visited the Capitol , in the hope that you will fully consider the very real impact your vote on this unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to start families of their own , ” Duckworth wrote .
“ I urge you to fully consider the message a vote in favor of a Supreme Court nominee who appears to believe that my daughters shouldn ’ t even exist sends not only to me as a mother and as your colleague , but to parents-to-be around this country struggling with infertility and whose dreams may only be achieved through IVF or other technologies.
” The letter , which was obtained by BuzzFeed News , is in reaction to a report from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when Barrett was a law professor at Notre Dame , she publicly signed an advertisement in support of an anti-abortion organization that believes life begins at fertilization and that the IVF process amounts to abortion and should be criminalized .
The group — then called the St. Joseph County Right to Life but now named Right to Life Michiana — took out a two-page advertisement in the South Bend Tribune , a local paper for the Michiana region of Indiana .
The ad reads , “ We , the following citizens of Michiana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right to life from fertilization to natural death .
Please continue to pray to end abortion.
” Barrett signed this letter along with her husband Jesse , and hundreds of other supporters of the group , the Guardian reported .
While the advertisement itself did not explicitly address IVF , the group is openly opposed to the procedure .
“ We support the criminalization of the doctors who perform abortions .
At this point we are not supportive of criminalizing the women , ” Jackie Appleman , the group ’ s executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Guardian .
“ We would be supportive of criminalizing the discarding of frozen embryos or selective reduction through the IVF process.
” Barrett has repeatedly indicated that she does not support abortion , both in the personal views she expressed while a law professor at Notre Dame , and in her rulings on the issue .
When asked if Barrett signing on to the ad was reflective of her views and if she believes IVF should be criminalized , White House spokesperson Judd Deere provided BuzzFeed News with a quote from Barrett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nomination : “ A judge must apply the law as written .
Judges are not policymakers , and they must be resolute in setting aside any policy views they might hold , ” Barrett said .
In 2018 , Duckworth made history by becoming the first senator to give birth while in office , and she spurred on a change in Senate rules to allow senators to bring their children onto the Senate floor for a vote , which she , adorably , did .
She has two daughters and has been very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ While my two beautiful little girls are unique , my story of struggling with fertility is not , ” Duckworth wrote to colleagues Friday .
“ Assisted reproductive technology ( ART ) , including IVF treatment , has enabled thousands of Americans to safely start families in red and blue states alike.
” “ I fear that , if confirmed to the nation ’ s highest court , Judge Barrett would be unable to resist the temptation of overturning decades of judicial precedent in an effort to force every American family to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Duckworth continued .
“ I fear that if a case involving ART were to be brought before the bench , families like mine would not be able to trust that her opinions would be based on facts , laws , and the Constitution rather than swayed by her personal beliefs.
” The opposition to , and especially the criminalization of , IVF is a controversial opinion , even by anti-abortion standards .
When Alabama passed a near-total ban on abortion in 2019 ( which has since been blocked in court ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Barrett ’ s views on abortion have quickly become a flashpoint for Democrats since her nomination was announced .
The second page of the ad Barrett signed explicitly addressed Roe , though the signatures were only on the first page .
“ It ’ s time to put an end to the barbaric legacy of Roe v. Wade and restore laws that protect the lives of unborn children , ” the ad read .
Deere pointed BuzzFeed News toward several other quotes and rulings from Barrett in which she reiterated that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not their personal beliefs , including one from a 1998 law review article about whether Catholic judges like herself should recuse themselves from cases involving the death penalty , which the Catholic church is opposed to .
In that article , Barrett wrote , “ It is never appropriate for a judge to impose that judge ’ s personal convictions , whether they derive from faith or anywhere else , on the law , ” Deere pointed out .
However , in the article ’ s conclusion , she also wrote , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try to — align our legal system with the Church 's moral teaching whenever the two diverge .
They should , however , conform their own behavior to the Church 's standard .
Perhaps their good example will have some effect . ''

Following reports that Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, supported an anti-abortion group that opposes in vitro fertilization, Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois wrote an impassioned letter to her colleagues Friday, citing her own experience with IVF and the conception of her 2-year-old daughter, Maile.
“I write to each of you today, and especially to my Republican colleagues who cooed and cuddled Maile when she first visited the Capitol, in the hope that you will fully consider the very real impact your vote on this unprecedented nomination could have on those Americans hoping to start families of their own,” Duckworth wrote.
“I urge you to fully consider the message a vote in favor of a Supreme Court nominee who appears to believe that my daughters shouldn’t even exist sends not only to me as a mother and as your colleague, but to parents-to-be around this country struggling with infertility and whose dreams may only be achieved through IVF or other technologies.”
The letter, which was obtained by BuzzFeed News, is in reaction to a report from the Guardian revealing that in 2006, when Barrett was a law professor at Notre Dame, she publicly signed an advertisement in support of an anti-abortion organization that believes life begins at fertilization and that the IVF process amounts to abortion and should be criminalized.
The group — then called the St. Joseph County Right to Life but now named Right to Life Michiana — took out a two-page advertisement in the South Bend Tribune, a local paper for the Michiana region of Indiana. The ad reads, “We, the following citizens of Michiana, oppose abortion on demand and defend the right to life from fertilization to natural death. Please continue to pray to end abortion.”
Barrett signed this letter along with her husband Jesse, and hundreds of other supporters of the group, the Guardian reported. While the advertisement itself did not explicitly address IVF, the group is openly opposed to the procedure.
“We support the criminalization of the doctors who perform abortions. At this point we are not supportive of criminalizing the women,” Jackie Appleman, the group’s executive director, said in an interview with the Guardian. “We would be supportive of criminalizing the discarding of frozen embryos or selective reduction through the IVF process.”
Barrett has repeatedly indicated that she does not support abortion, both in the personal views she expressed while a law professor at Notre Dame, and in her rulings on the issue. When asked if Barrett signing on to the ad was reflective of her views and if she believes IVF should be criminalized, White House spokesperson Judd Deere provided BuzzFeed News with a quote from Barrett herself, from the day of her nomination:
“A judge must apply the law as written. Judges are not policymakers, and they must be resolute in setting aside any policy views they might hold,” Barrett said.
In 2018, Duckworth made history by becoming the first senator to give birth while in office, and she spurred on a change in Senate rules to allow senators to bring their children onto the Senate floor for a vote, which she, adorably, did. She has two daughters and has been very open about her conception through IVF.
“While my two beautiful little girls are unique, my story of struggling with fertility is not,” Duckworth wrote to colleagues Friday. “Assisted reproductive technology (ART), including IVF treatment, has enabled thousands of Americans to safely start families in red and blue states alike.”
“I fear that, if confirmed to the nation’s highest court, Judge Barrett would be unable to resist the temptation of overturning decades of judicial precedent in an effort to force every American family to adhere to her individual moral code,” Duckworth continued. “I fear that if a case involving ART were to be brought before the bench, families like mine would not be able to trust that her opinions would be based on facts, laws, and the Constitution rather than swayed by her personal beliefs.”
The opposition to, and especially the criminalization of, IVF is a controversial opinion, even by anti-abortion standards. When Alabama passed a near-total ban on abortion in 2019 (which has since been blocked in court), the legislators inserted an exception for IVF. Barrett’s views on abortion have quickly become a flashpoint for Democrats since her nomination was announced.
The second page of the ad Barrett signed explicitly addressed Roe, though the signatures were only on the first page. “It’s time to put an end to the barbaric legacy of Roe v. Wade and restore laws that protect the lives of unborn children,” the ad read.
Deere pointed BuzzFeed News toward several other quotes and rulings from Barrett in which she reiterated that a judge should rely on the law, not their personal beliefs, including one from a 1998 law review article about whether Catholic judges like herself should recuse themselves from cases involving the death penalty, which the Catholic church is opposed to.
In that article, Barrett wrote, “It is never appropriate for a judge to impose that judge’s personal convictions, whether they derive from faith or anywhere else, on the law,” Deere pointed out.
However, in the article’s conclusion, she also wrote, “Judges cannot — nor should they try to — align our legal system with the Church's moral teaching whenever the two diverge. They should, however, conform their own behavior to the Church's standard. Perhaps their good example will have some effect."


buzzfeed--2020-10-07--Here's How "Saturday Night Live" Is Handling Having A Live Audience During The Pandemic

For the first time in its history , SNL is paying audience members to attend , thanks to the new @ @ @ @ @ the state of New York .
With these new rules , shows have to pay @ @ @ @ @ other employee .

For the first time in its history, SNL is paying audience members to attend, thanks to the new post-pandemic guidelines for filming in the state of New York. With these new rules, shows have to pay audience members just like any other employee.


buzzfeed--2020-10-07--Donald Trump Told His Followers "Don't Be Afraid Of COVID" — And Amanda Kloots Had A Gut-Wrenching R

Donald Trump Told His Followers "Don't Be Afraid Of COVID" — And Amanda Kloots Had A Gut-Wrenching Response

She continued : `` To act like this disease is nothing and you got right over it ?
I 'm @ @ @ @ @ .
Thank god you did .
But guess what ?
There are a lot of @ @ @ @ @ And now , instead of bragging about how wonderful you did , why do n't @ @ @ @ @ now that I 've had this disease , I now can understand a little bit @ @ @ @ @ affected our country and these people .
And what can we do — what can @ @ @ @ @ I have that knowledge ? '
''

She continued: "To act like this disease is nothing and you got right over it? I'm so happy that you did. Thank god you did. But guess what? There are a lot of people who didn't. And now, instead of bragging about how wonderful you did, why don't you say, 'Wow, now that I've had this disease, I now can understand a little bit better how it could have affected our country and these people. And what can we do — what can I do — now that I have that knowledge?'"


buzzfeed--2020-10-07--Donald Trump Told His Followers Not To Be Afraid Of COVID, And Chris Evans Had A Scathing Response

His own chief of staff , Mark Meadows , told press that his COVID symptoms were `` very concerning .
@ @ @ @ @ — after initially dodging the issue in a press conference — admitted yesterday that the @ @ @ @ @ on oxygen .
His doctor also revealed that Trump has been given dexamethasone , which @ @ @ @ @ Health Organization , is recommended for patients “ with severe and critical COVID-19 . ''

His own chief of staff, Mark Meadows, told press that his COVID symptoms were "very concerning." And Trump's doctor — after initially dodging the issue in a press conference — admitted yesterday that the POTUS needed to be put on oxygen. His doctor also revealed that Trump has been given dexamethasone, which, according to the World Health Organization, is recommended for patients “with severe and critical COVID-19."