courthousenews--2020-09-02--LA County Prosecutors Probing Possible Officer Misconduct During Protests

LOS ANGELES ( CN ) — Los Angeles County prosecutors are reviewing residents ’ complaints of police violence and misconduct during recent protests against fatal police shootings of Black people , a law enforcement official said Tuesday .
Protests have swept LA County for months amid an ongoing nationwide reckoning over police violence and the spending of public funds on law enforcement agencies that repeatedly harm and kill Black people .
Thousands marched in LA demanding racial justice after Minneapolis police murdered George Floyd , a Black man , on Memorial Day and demonstrations were reignited with recent fatal police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California , and Jacob Blake in Wisconsin .
During the demonstrations , officers from both the LA Police Department and LA County Sheriff ’ s Department fired rubber bullets and other less-lethal munitions at protesters and hauled them away on crowded buses to be processed .
In June , the University of California , Los Angeles , was forced to scrap an agreement allowing the LAPD to use a campus stadium as a field jail and processing site for demonstrators who were often held without face coverings .
LA Police Michel Moore told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internal affairs investigators are probing unlawful force complaints lodged against at least 110 of its officers after recent protests .
Now at least one allegation of police violence has been referred to the LA County District Attorney ’ s office for potential criminal charges , LAPD Deputy Chief Robert Marino told an oversight board Tuesday .
Speaking at an LA Police Commission meeting , Marino said his team of investigators is reviewing hundreds of complaints of police violence at demonstrations , including 55 claims lodged against officers who used “ excessive force ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours of video from squad car cameras and officer-worn devices and interviewed at least 71 LAPD personnel as part of the probe .
Commissioner Dale Bonner asked LAPD officials if they had issues obtaining body-camera video and whether officers are required to turn devices on during protests .
“ Sometimes they ’ re turned on and other times they ’ re not , ” said Marino .
“ Officers may have been out on that skirmish line for multiple hours where their body-worn camera is no longer holding that charge or being activated.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been tied to incidents described in residents ’ complaints , said Marino , adding that his team ’ s full report will be completed by November .
LA County District Attorney Jackie Lacey ’ s office is also reviewing four complaints tied to a June 1 incident in Van Nuys where LAPD officers surrounded a vehicle and smashed its windows as protests occurred that evening after curfew , according to the LA Times .
A separate probe of police misconduct at protests will be conducted by the National Police Foundation , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commission executive director Richard Tefank said Tuesday .
The referrals to county prosecutors mark one of the department ’ s first serious efforts at officer accountability since residents demanded that officials criminally charge police that attacked peaceful protesters .
The LA County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to direct the county ’ s chief medical examiner to conduct an inquest into the fatal police shooting of 18-year old Andres Guardado in June .
LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva blocked the immediate release of County Coroner Jonathan Lucas ’ examination of Guardado , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by officers .
Villanueva said at the time he wanted to protect the integrity of his department ’ s investigation , which police accountability groups have described as being tainted by a police gang called the Executioners that is operating within the department .
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas , who authored the motion , said Tuesday the county ’ s probe will help ensure that future investigations into fatal shootings by LASD officers are transparent .
Ridley-Thomas , who is Black , said an opaque cloud already surrounds LASD ’ s investigation of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kizzee , a 29-year-old Black man , in South LA .
“ This has a deeper meaning today , knowing that another young man , another African-American man is dead at the hands of a law enforcement entity in this county , ” Ridley-Thomas said .
“ The lack of transparency in LASD is particularly troubling and raises questions about its oversight.
” Supervisor Kathryn Barger said Villanueva ’ s actions have further eroded the public ’ s trust in law enforcement and undermined the board ’ s mission of ensuring officers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not above the law , ” Barger said of Villanueva .
“ Guardado ’ s family deserves answers.
” Ridley-Thomas ’ motion also directs county counsel to determine whether the board should bring a lawsuit over the sheriff ’ s lack of transparency in the case .
An LASD spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the board ’ s action .
Supervisors also approved a motion supporting California Senate Bill 731 , which would create a process for decertifying law enforcement officers who commit crimes or act unlawfully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state Senator Steven Bradford , D-Gardena , was not called for a vote in this year ’ s legislative session .

Los Angeles County prosecutors are reviewing residents’ complaints of police violence and misconduct during recent protests against fatal police shootings of Black people, a law enforcement official said Tuesday.
LOS ANGELES (CN) — Los Angeles County prosecutors are reviewing residents’ complaints of police violence and misconduct during recent protests against fatal police shootings of Black people, a law enforcement official said Tuesday.
Protests have swept LA County for months amid an ongoing nationwide reckoning over police violence and the spending of public funds on law enforcement agencies that repeatedly harm and kill Black people.
Thousands marched in LA demanding racial justice after Minneapolis police murdered George Floyd, a Black man, on Memorial Day and demonstrations were reignited with recent fatal police shootings of Anthony McClain in Pasadena, California, and Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.
During the demonstrations, officers from both the LA Police Department and LA County Sheriff’s Department fired rubber bullets and other less-lethal munitions at protesters and hauled them away on crowded buses to be processed.
In June, the University of California, Los Angeles, was forced to scrap an agreement allowing the LAPD to use a campus stadium as a field jail and processing site for demonstrators who were often held without face coverings.
LA Police Michel Moore told reporters last week the department’s internal affairs investigators are probing unlawful force complaints lodged against at least 110 of its officers after recent protests.
Now at least one allegation of police violence has been referred to the LA County District Attorney’s office for potential criminal charges, LAPD Deputy Chief Robert Marino told an oversight board Tuesday.
Speaking at an LA Police Commission meeting, Marino said his team of investigators is reviewing hundreds of complaints of police violence at demonstrations, including 55 claims lodged against officers who used “excessive force” against protesters.
Investigators reviewed thousands of hours of video from squad car cameras and officer-worn devices and interviewed at least 71 LAPD personnel as part of the probe.
Commissioner Dale Bonner asked LAPD officials if they had issues obtaining body-camera video and whether officers are required to turn devices on during protests.
“Sometimes they’re turned on and other times they’re not,” said Marino. “Officers may have been out on that skirmish line for multiple hours where their body-worn camera is no longer holding that charge or being activated.”
As many as 252 LAPD officers have been tied to incidents described in residents’ complaints, said Marino, adding that his team’s full report will be completed by November.
LA County District Attorney Jackie Lacey’s office is also reviewing four complaints tied to a June 1 incident in Van Nuys where LAPD officers surrounded a vehicle and smashed its windows as protests occurred that evening after curfew, according to the LA Times.
A separate probe of police misconduct at protests will be conducted by the National Police Foundation, a nonpartisan police reform organization, LA Police Commission executive director Richard Tefank said Tuesday.
The referrals to county prosecutors mark one of the department’s first serious efforts at officer accountability since residents demanded that officials criminally charge police that attacked peaceful protesters.
LA County leaders also targeted police misconduct in measures approved Tuesday.
The LA County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to direct the county’s chief medical examiner to conduct an inquest into the fatal police shooting of 18-year old Andres Guardado in June.
LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva blocked the immediate release of County Coroner Jonathan Lucas’ examination of Guardado, who was shot five times in the back by officers.
Villanueva said at the time he wanted to protect the integrity of his department’s investigation, which police accountability groups have described as being tainted by a police gang called the Executioners that is operating within the department.
Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, who authored the motion, said Tuesday the county’s probe will help ensure that future investigations into fatal shootings by LASD officers are transparent.
Ridley-Thomas, who is Black, said an opaque cloud already surrounds LASD’s investigation of its officers’ fatal shooting Monday of Dijon Kizzee, a 29-year-old Black man, in South LA.
“This has a deeper meaning today, knowing that another young man, another African-American man is dead at the hands of a law enforcement entity in this county,” Ridley-Thomas said. “The lack of transparency in LASD is particularly troubling and raises questions about its oversight.”
Supervisor Kathryn Barger said Villanueva’s actions have further eroded the public’s trust in law enforcement and undermined the board’s mission of ensuring officers are held accountable.
“He’s not above the law,” Barger said of Villanueva. “Guardado’s family deserves answers.”
Ridley-Thomas’ motion also directs county counsel to determine whether the board should bring a lawsuit over the sheriff’s lack of transparency in the case.
Guardado’s parents, Elisa and Cristobal Guardado, filed a wrongful death lawsuit Monday against the department, claiming unreasonable and excessive force and a failure to stamp out a secret officer gang called the Executioners.
Miguel Vega and Chris Hernandez, the officers involved in the shooting, have possible ties to the Executioners or another police gang called the 3,000 Boys, according to the complaint filed in LA County Superior Court.
Guardado family attorney Nicholas Yoka said in a statement the lawsuit will help expose the full account of the department’s failure to prevent the fatal shooting.
“By filing this lawsuit, we are not only committing to expose the truth surrounding the unjustified shooting of Andres Guardado, but seeking to prevent this type of tragedy from happening again to anyone in our communities,” said Yoka.
Villanueva has said video of the Guardado shooting is not available since officers didn’t wear body-cameras and LASD squad cars were not equipped with recording devices.
The issue has further inflamed tensions between Villanueva and county leaders, with the sheriff saying the Board of Supervisors failed to fund the department-wide roll out of body cameras and the board accusing Villanueva of stalling full implementation despite having funds available.
On Tuesday, supervisors voted to approve $25 million to fund the first year of the officer-worn camera program.
The first phase begins Oct. 1 and will equip officers at five stations: Lynwood/Century, Lakewood, Lancaster, West Hollywood, and Industry.
Through its contract with Axon, the department said it expects to deploy 5,248 body cameras department-wide in the next year and a half.
Supervisors also approved a motion supporting California Senate Bill 731, which would create a process for decertifying law enforcement officers who commit crimes or act unlawfully while on duty.
The bill by state Senator Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, was not called for a vote in this year’s legislative session.


courthousenews--2020-09-02--First Circuit Lifts Block of ICE Arrests at Massachusetts Courthouses

BOSTON ( CN ) — U.S. immigration authorities can once again arrest undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts courthouses , the First Circuit ruled Tuesday in overturning a preliminary injunction barring the arrests .
Courthouse arrests have been a hot-button issue ever since the Trump administration issued an order in early 2017 authorizing them , overturning a contrary policy of the Obama administration .
The suit brought by two state district attorneys says the order made their jobs harder because it deterred crime victims and witnesses from coming to court and testifying .
“ Women have accepted near-fatal domestic abuse rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” argued the plaintiffs ’ lawyer , David Zimmer of Goodwin Procter in Boston .
But the government responded that courthouse arrests protect the public because immigrants pass through a metal detector when they enter a courthouse and thus there is no likelihood that they will resist arrest with a weapon .
Tuesday ’ s ruling doesn ’ t end the dispute .
It merely allows the arrests to continue pending further litigation .
“ It is not for us to say whether ICE ’ s strategy is sound public policy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Selya , a Ronald Reagan appointee , in the unanimous three-judge opinion .
“ That question lies within the domain of the politically accountable branches of the federal and state governments.
” But one of the judges , fellow Reagan appointee Juan Torruella , said during oral argument that he had a “ dislike for this whole procedure.
” The case applies only to civil arrests for immigration infractions .
There is no question that federal authorities can make criminal arrests if an undocumented person commits some other offense .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ICE to conduct civil arrests implicitly incorporated a centuries-old common-law rule against civil arrests in courthouses .
In June 2019 , U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani , a Barack Obama appointee , agreed with this argument and issued a preliminary injunction .
But the Justice Department claimed that the common-law rule was “ dead ” by 1952 because it was intended for service of process — a procedure that hadn ’ t been conducted by means of civil arrest since the 1940s .
The First Circuit picked up on this point and noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence that the common-law rule applied to arrests by the government as opposed to private parties .
“ The plaintiffs do not identify a single treatise or article directly stating that the common-law privilege extended to civil arrests on behalf of the sovereign , ” Selya wrote for the panel .
Selya said the plaintiffs ’ argument amounted to “ attenuated analogies and speculative inferences ” and added that the law “ does not give courts carte blanche to read a grab bag of common-law rules into federal statutes simply to effectuate what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The plaintiffs also argued that the 1952 statute didn ’ t authorize courthouse arrests if they violated state law .
But Selya said Massachusetts law is unclear on this issue and Talwani ’ s opinion didn ’ t address it .
So the panel sent the case back to Talwani to develop this point .
In November 2017 , the Massachusetts Trial Court adopted a policy in which court officials were instructed neither to help nor to hinder ICE in making courthouse arrests , which the government said was evidence that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But at oral argument , Zimmer claimed the Trial Court had adopted the policy under duress and that , like many other states , Massachusetts would bar the arrests if it could .
“ ICE has literally broken down the doors of New York courthouses to make arrests , ” he stated .
U.S .
Circuit Judge William Kayatta , an Obama appointee , rounded out the panel .

U.S. immigration authorities can once again arrest undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts courthouses, the First Circuit ruled Tuesday in overturning a preliminary injunction barring the arrests.
BOSTON (CN) — U.S. immigration authorities can once again arrest undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts courthouses, the First Circuit ruled Tuesday in overturning a preliminary injunction barring the arrests.
Courthouse arrests have been a hot-button issue ever since the Trump administration issued an order in early 2017 authorizing them, overturning a contrary policy of the Obama administration.
The suit brought by two state district attorneys says the order made their jobs harder because it deterred crime victims and witnesses from coming to court and testifying.
“Women have accepted near-fatal domestic abuse rather than going to court and risking civil arrest,” argued the plaintiffs’ lawyer, David Zimmer of Goodwin Procter in Boston.
But the government responded that courthouse arrests protect the public because immigrants pass through a metal detector when they enter a courthouse and thus there is no likelihood that they will resist arrest with a weapon.
Tuesday’s ruling doesn’t end the dispute. It merely allows the arrests to continue pending further litigation.
“It is not for us to say whether ICE's strategy is sound public policy,” noted U.S. Circuit Judge Bruce Selya, a Ronald Reagan appointee, in the unanimous three-judge opinion. “That question lies within the domain of the politically accountable branches of the federal and state governments.”
But one of the judges, fellow Reagan appointee Juan Torruella, said during oral argument that he had a “dislike for this whole procedure.”
The case applies only to civil arrests for immigration infractions. There is no question that federal authorities can make criminal arrests if an undocumented person commits some other offense.
According to the district attorneys, the 1952 law authorizing ICE to conduct civil arrests implicitly incorporated a centuries-old common-law rule against civil arrests in courthouses.
In June 2019, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, a Barack Obama appointee, agreed with this argument and issued a preliminary injunction.
But the Justice Department claimed that the common-law rule was “dead” by 1952 because it was intended for service of process — a procedure that hadn’t been conducted by means of civil arrest since the 1940s.
The First Circuit picked up on this point and noted in particular that there was very little evidence that the common-law rule applied to arrests by the government as opposed to private parties.
“The plaintiffs do not identify a single treatise or article directly stating that the common-law privilege extended to civil arrests on behalf of the sovereign,” Selya wrote for the panel.
Selya said the plaintiffs’ argument amounted to “attenuated analogies and speculative inferences” and added that the law “does not give courts carte blanche to read a grab bag of common-law rules into federal statutes simply to effectuate what those courts may perceive as good policy.”
The plaintiffs also argued that the 1952 statute didn’t authorize courthouse arrests if they violated state law. But Selya said Massachusetts law is unclear on this issue and Talwani’s opinion didn’t address it. So the panel sent the case back to Talwani to develop this point.
In November 2017, the Massachusetts Trial Court adopted a policy in which court officials were instructed neither to help nor to hinder ICE in making courthouse arrests, which the government said was evidence that the arrests are acceptable under Massachusetts law.
But at oral argument, Zimmer claimed the Trial Court had adopted the policy under duress and that, like many other states, Massachusetts would bar the arrests if it could.
“ICE has literally broken down the doors of New York courthouses to make arrests,” he stated.
U.S. Circuit Judge William Kayatta, an Obama appointee, rounded out the panel.


courthousenews--2020-09-01--Virginians Say They Were Duped Into Supporting Kanye West’s Presidential Bid

RICHMOND , VA. ( CN ) — Two Virginians claim they were misled into supporting rapper Kanye West ’ s effort to get on their state ’ s presidential ballot this November according to a new lawsuit .
While the complaint obtained by Courthouse News Service is not yet visible in the state ’ s record system , a version of the document was posted online and appears to be filed by the same legal team , including Aria Branch with the DC-based Perkins Coie , who were behind a since-failed effort to block GOP candidates around the state who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ballot .
Plaintiff Matthan Wilson of Suffolk says he was riding his bike when he was approached by a representative of the West campaign who asked him to sign a petition for a chance to become an “ elector for the state.
” The representative told him he would “ be entered into a pool to be individually picked to be part of the Electoral College.
” “ Wilson was not told that he was committing to vote for West or any other candidate , ” Wilson says in the complaint .
Wilson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week in which he said he was flabbergasted to discover his name on the list of one of Kanye ’ s state electors who swore to vote for the candidate .
The lawsuit comes just days after the West campaign announced it had collected the 5,000 signatures necessary to get on the ballot , with 200 from each district as well as 11 electors .
But if what Wilson claims in his lawsuit is true , it could throw a wrench in the rapper ’ s presidential bid : his application would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent candidates which require “ one elector residing in each congressional district.
” According to ballot signature documents obtained by Courthouse News , Wilson was supposed to be the 3rd District elector while co-plaintiff Bryan Wright was an “ at-large ” elector .
The suit names the Virginia Department of Elections , Brink and other members of the state board as defendants .
Wilson and Wright seek an injunction disqualifying West from the ballot , but that too might be a problem .
In a another suit filed last week which challenges the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring told the Supreme Court of Virginia such ballot changes would be nearly impossible as some districts had already started printing ballots in anticipation of a coronavirus-inspired flood of mail-in ballots .
“ Any changes that are made to the form of the ballot now will mean that these localities will be unable to mail ballots to voters 45 days before the election , as required by state and federal law , ” Herring told the court .
West has boasted of having presidential dreams for years , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he releases new music .
But 2020 appears to be his first effort , with his name set to appear as an option in a handful of states including Oklahoma and the swing state of Minnesota .
His effort , first announced on Twitter on July 4 , hasn ’ t been all successful however ; he abandoned plans to get on the New Jersey ballot in August .
Still , beyond his own stardom Kanye ’ s campaign has attracted attention because of his relationship with President Donald Trump .
After meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and being seen wearing a red MAGA hat , some , like fellow celebrity Nick Cannon , are asking if the bid is more of a scam then a genuine effort .
“ People keep on saying ‘ I think that you and Republicans are in cahoots ’ , ” Kanye said during Cannon ’ s podcast in August , defending himself from comments that his run is an attempt to spoil a win for Democrat Joe Biden .
“ Nobody paid me , I got more money than Trump.
” He added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for president , I ’ m walking.
” West ’ s campaign , according to several rallies he ’ s since held around the country ahead of ballot filing deadlines , include opposition to abortion and the death penalty alongside support for the legalization of marijuana .
Attempts to reach West , Herring and the state ’ s board of elections for comment were not returned by press time .

Two Virginians claim they were misled into supporting rapper Kanye West’s effort to get on their state’s presidential ballot this November according to a new lawsuit.
RICHMOND, VA. (CN) — Two Virginians claim they were misled into supporting rapper Kanye West’s effort to get on their state’s presidential ballot this November according to a new lawsuit.
While the complaint obtained by Courthouse News Service is not yet visible in the state’s record system, a version of the document was posted online and appears to be filed by the same legal team, including Aria Branch with the DC-based Perkins Coie, who were behind a since-failed effort to block GOP candidates around the state who missed filing deadlines from getting on the ballot.
Plaintiff Matthan Wilson of Suffolk says he was riding his bike when he was approached by a representative of the West campaign who asked him to sign a petition for a chance to become an “elector for the state.” The representative told him he would “be entered into a pool to be individually picked to be part of the Electoral College.”
“Wilson was not told that he was committing to vote for West or any other candidate,” Wilson says in the complaint.
Wilson's story mirrors an affidavit submitted last week in which he said he was flabbergasted to discover his name on the list of one of Kanye’s state electors who swore to vote for the candidate.
The lawsuit comes just days after the West campaign announced it had collected the 5,000 signatures necessary to get on the ballot, with 200 from each district as well as 11 electors.
But if what Wilson claims in his lawsuit is true, it could throw a wrench in the rapper’s presidential bid: his application would run afoul of the state law governing independent candidates which require “one elector residing in each congressional district.”
According to ballot signature documents obtained by Courthouse News, Wilson was supposed to be the 3rd District elector while co-plaintiff Bryan Wright was an “at-large” elector.
The suit names the Virginia Department of Elections, Brink and other members of the state board as defendants. Wilson and Wright seek an injunction disqualifying West from the ballot, but that too might be a problem.
In a another suit filed last week which challenges the language of a proposed redistricting amendment, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring told the Supreme Court of Virginia such ballot changes would be nearly impossible as some districts had already started printing ballots in anticipation of a coronavirus-inspired flood of mail-in ballots.
“Any changes that are made to the form of the ballot now will mean that these localities will be unable to mail ballots to voters 45 days before the election, as required by state and federal law,” Herring told the court.
West has boasted of having presidential dreams for years, and they often resurface around the same time he releases new music. But 2020 appears to be his first effort, with his name set to appear as an option in a handful of states including Oklahoma and the swing state of Minnesota.
His effort, first announced on Twitter on July 4, hasn’t been all successful however; he abandoned plans to get on the New Jersey ballot in August.
Still, beyond his own stardom Kanye's campaign has attracted attention because of his relationship with President Donald Trump. After meeting with the president in the Oval Office and being seen wearing a red MAGA hat, some, like fellow celebrity Nick Cannon, are asking if the bid is more of a scam then a genuine effort.
“People keep on saying ‘I think that you and Republicans are in cahoots’,” Kanye said during Cannon’s podcast in August, defending himself from comments that his run is an attempt to spoil a win for Democrat Joe Biden. “Nobody paid me, I got more money than Trump.”
He added: “I’m not running for president, I’m walking.”
West’s campaign, according to several rallies he’s since held around the country ahead of ballot filing deadlines, include opposition to abortion and the death penalty alongside support for the legalization of marijuana.
Attempts to reach West, Herring and the state’s board of elections for comment were not returned by press time.


Seaside Project

MONTEREY , Calif. — The Monterey County city of Seaside must set aside its approval of a 122-acre housing and @ @ @ @ @ at air the quality impacts , energy issues and wildfire protections for the project was @ @ @ @ @ environmental group ’ s petition filed Tuesday .

The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.


Protest Arrests

MILWAUKEE — A class of Wisconsinites filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the city and county of Kenosha , claiming @ @ @ @ @ a single pro-police demonstrator in the past nine days but have arrested dozens of peaceful @ @ @ @ @ .


courthousenews--2020-09-01--Florida Governor Lifts Ban on Visits to Nursing Homes

JACKSONVILLE , Fla. ( CN ) — At times holding back tears , Governor Ron DeSantis announced a lift of Florida ’ s ban on visitors to nursing homes and assisted living facilities on Tuesday , as the state inches toward normalcy six months into the coronavirus pandemic .
“ We knew that what we were doing to protect long-term care facilities , while necessary , was creating a lot of angst , a lot of loneliness , a lot of pain for a lot of families , ” DeSantis said during a roundtable meeting in Jacksonville .
In mid-March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order prohibiting visitors in long-term care facilities and requiring workers to wear protective gear .
Following a series of high-profile outbreaks in nursing homes across the Sunshine State , he also prohibited hospitals from releasing coronavirus patients back into nursing homes .
But in many of his press conferences over the summer , DeSantis lamented the plight of nursing home residents isolated from friends and family .
“ It was a very difficult thing to do , ” DeSantis said of his March executive order .
“ Part of having a healthy society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … people understand they have loved ones who are in the last stage of their life .
They are not demanding a medical miracle .
They are not having unrealistic expectations .
They would just like to be able to say goodbye or to hug somebody.
” The governor paused and looked down for several seconds attempting to regain his composure .
“ To think some of our actions… , ” DeSantis began to say before motioning to another panelist to speak .
Three weeks ago , the governor convened a task force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family members and caregivers into long-term care facilities .
Nearly 139,000 Floridians reside in long term care facilities , according to the state ’ s Department of Health .
DeSantis is expected to release an executive order Tuesday evening outlining the new rules , which take effect Wednesday .
The guidelines include requiring visitors to first make an appointment before arriving and mandating protective gear such as face masks .
They must also undergo a screening , including temperature checks .
Visitors will be limited to two at a time and exclude children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be allowed at facilities that have not had a positive case of coronavirus in staff or residents for at least two weeks .
Mary Mayhew , secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration , who led the task force , said 60 % of long-term care facilities fit that requirement .
“ That first hug , that first conversation , rubbing their back and holding their hand will take away the pain we ’ ve all been suffering the last 175 days , ” said Mary Daniel , another member of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appointed Daniel after hearing she took a job as a dishwasher in a long-term care facility just to spend time with her husband , who suffers from Alzheimer ’ s disease .
“ We are going to see some cases , I know that , but I also want to be with my husband , ” Daniel said , adding she is putting in her two weeks ’ notice .
The Florida Department of Health ’ s latest update reported 7,651 new coronavirus cases statewide on Monday .
Nearly half of those came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 75,000 test results dating back to April .
The DOH will cut ties with the lab , Quest Diagnostics , over the dump of data on Tuesday , officials said .
Without the test results from Quest , DOH reported 3,773 new cases .
Coronavirus cases have steadily dropped over the last few weeks and deaths are the lowest since June .
According to state records , 11,187 Floridians have died from Covid-19 , the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
More than 624,000 have contracted it .

At times holding back tears, Governor Ron DeSantis announced a lift of Florida’s ban on visitors to nursing homes and assisted living facilities on Tuesday, as the state inches toward normalcy six months into the coronavirus pandemic.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (CN) — At times holding back tears, Governor Ron DeSantis announced a lift of Florida’s ban on visitors to nursing homes and assisted living facilities on Tuesday, as the state inches toward normalcy six months into the coronavirus pandemic.
“We knew that what we were doing to protect long-term care facilities, while necessary, was creating a lot of angst, a lot of loneliness, a lot of pain for a lot of families,” DeSantis said during a roundtable meeting in Jacksonville.
In mid-March, the Republican governor issued an executive order prohibiting visitors in long-term care facilities and requiring workers to wear protective gear. Following a series of high-profile outbreaks in nursing homes across the Sunshine State, he also prohibited hospitals from releasing coronavirus patients back into nursing homes.
But in many of his press conferences over the summer, DeSantis lamented the plight of nursing home residents isolated from friends and family.
“It was a very difficult thing to do,” DeSantis said of his March executive order. “Part of having a healthy society is understanding that human beings seek affection … people understand they have loved ones who are in the last stage of their life. They are not demanding a medical miracle. They are not having unrealistic expectations. They would just like to be able to say goodbye or to hug somebody.”
The governor paused and looked down for several seconds attempting to regain his composure.
“To think some of our actions…,” DeSantis began to say before motioning to another panelist to speak.
Three weeks ago, the governor convened a task force to figure out how to safely allow family members and caregivers into long-term care facilities. Nearly 139,000 Floridians reside in long term care facilities, according to the state’s Department of Health.
DeSantis is expected to release an executive order Tuesday evening outlining the new rules, which take effect Wednesday. The guidelines include requiring visitors to first make an appointment before arriving and mandating protective gear such as face masks. They must also undergo a screening, including temperature checks. Visitors will be limited to two at a time and exclude children.
In addition, visitors will only be allowed at facilities that have not had a positive case of coronavirus in staff or residents for at least two weeks.
Mary Mayhew, secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration, who led the task force, said 60% of long-term care facilities fit that requirement.
“That first hug, that first conversation, rubbing their back and holding their hand will take away the pain we’ve all been suffering the last 175 days,” said Mary Daniel, another member of the governor’s task force.
DeSantis appointed Daniel after hearing she took a job as a dishwasher in a long-term care facility just to spend time with her husband, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.
“We are going to see some cases, I know that, but I also want to be with my husband,” Daniel said, adding she is putting in her two weeks’ notice.
The Florida Department of Health’s latest update reported 7,651 new coronavirus cases statewide on Monday. Nearly half of those came from a private lab that released about 75,000 test results dating back to April.
The DOH will cut ties with the lab, Quest Diagnostics, over the dump of data on Tuesday, officials said. Without the test results from Quest, DOH reported 3,773 new cases.
Coronavirus cases have steadily dropped over the last few weeks and deaths are the lowest since June.
According to state records, 11,187 Floridians have died from Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus. More than 624,000 have contracted it.


courthousenews--2020-09-01--San Francisco Bans Discrimination of Workers With Covid-19

SAN FRANCISCO ( CN ) — Plugging a gap in state and federal laws that could deter workers from getting tested for Covid-19 , San Francisco officials passed an ordinance Tuesday that prevents employers from firing or discriminating against workers who have or had the novel coronavirus .
The emergency ordinance temporarily bars employers from taking adverse action against employees and job applicants who tested positive for Covid-19 or who are or were isolating due to Covid-19 symptoms or exposure .
Violators could face fines of $ 1,000 for the first offense , $ 5,000 for the second offense and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the ordinance with no discussion or debate Tuesday .
The law will take effect immediately once signed by the mayor and will expire after 61 days unless reenacted by the board .
District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen , who introduced the ordinance , has argued the emergency law is necessary to protect public health .
Many low-wage and essential workers may be reluctant to get tested for Covid-19 if they think a positive diagnosis will jeopardize their ability to keep or get a job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and her legislative aides wrote in the amended text of the ordinance .
Ronen represents the Mission District , a largely Latino neighborhood that has been ground zero for Covid-19 outbreaks in San Francisco with 1,276 confirmed cases , more than any other city neighborhood as of Sept. 1 .
A recent health study by the University of California , San Francisco , of nearly 3,000 Mission District residents found 95 % of those who tested positive for Covid-19 were Hispanic or Latino .
Only 10 % were able to work from home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the pandemic .
Current state and federal laws might protect workers from Covid-related retaliation , but the laws do not clearly prohibit discrimination based on an employee contracting an illness or disease , explained UC Berkeley law professor Catherine Fisk .
If the effects of Covid-19 are not particularly severe or long-lasting for an employee , it might not qualify as a disability covered under state and federal laws that forbid disability discrimination , she said .
“ What the San Francisco ordinance would do is eliminate that confusion or uncertainty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make it clear that if the firing is just an irrational fear without any basis in public health , such as to order somebody to self-isolate to prevent transmission , then the firing is illegal.
” This is not the first time concerns have been raised about employers discriminating against workers for contracting a communicable disease .
A similar pattern of discrimination was directed at workers infected with HIV/AIDS before accurate information about the disease became more widely known .
“ When people misunderstood how the disease was transmitted and they simply fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it was necessary in law to restrict those firings to prevent irrational or biased fears from influencing personnel decisions , ” Fisk said of HIV discrimination .
Today , an HIV diagnosis is covered under disability discrimination laws because it is considered a long-term disease , Fisk explained .
Federal lawmakers also recognized the need to eliminate barriers that might discourage workers from get tested for Covid-19 or isolating when Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act in March .
The law provides up to two weeks of paid sick leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caring for a family member with Covid-19 , along with 10 weeks of expanded family leave for those caring for children for whom child care is not available due to the pandemic .
Also on Tuesday , San Francisco reopened outdoor hair and nail salons , outdoor massage services , outdoor pools and indoor malls with limited capacity for the first time since March .
The city plans to reopen outdoor fitness centers on Sept. 9 .
“ Since March , people have been struggling financially , mentally , and emotionally , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of businesses and activities will help to ease some of that burden , ” San Francisco Mayor London Breed said in a statement Tuesday .
“ We remain committed to making decisions based on data and our local conditions with Covid-19 , and our next steps take a balanced and thoughtful approach to reopening.
” Hotels , tour buses and boats , indoor museums , and classrooms for transitional kindergarten through sixth grade are slated to reopen with certain restrictions by mid-September .
San Francisco intends to open indoor hair and nail salons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with limited capacity by the end of September .
Middle schools are slated to reopen on a rolling basis in October , and high schools would open in November if the city continues to meet benchmarks for keeping the virus contained .
“ Our priority has always been to protect the health and safety of the people of San Francisco , ” Breed said .

Plugging a gap in state and federal laws that could deter workers from getting tested for Covid-19, San Francisco officials passed an ordinance Tuesday that prevents employers from firing or discriminating against workers who have or had the novel coronavirus.
SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — Plugging a gap in state and federal laws that could deter workers from getting tested for Covid-19, San Francisco officials passed an ordinance Tuesday that prevents employers from firing or discriminating against workers who have or had the novel coronavirus.
The emergency ordinance temporarily bars employers from taking adverse action against employees and job applicants who tested positive for Covid-19 or who are or were isolating due to Covid-19 symptoms or exposure.
Violators could face fines of $1,000 for the first offense, $5,000 for the second offense and $10,000 for third and subsequent violations.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the ordinance with no discussion or debate Tuesday. The law will take effect immediately once signed by the mayor and will expire after 61 days unless reenacted by the board.
District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who introduced the ordinance, has argued the emergency law is necessary to protect public health. Many low-wage and essential workers may be reluctant to get tested for Covid-19 if they think a positive diagnosis will jeopardize their ability to keep or get a job and provide for their families, she and her legislative aides wrote in the amended text of the ordinance.
Ronen represents the Mission District, a largely Latino neighborhood that has been ground zero for Covid-19 outbreaks in San Francisco with 1,276 confirmed cases, more than any other city neighborhood as of Sept. 1.
A recent health study by the University of California, San Francisco, of nearly 3,000 Mission District residents found 95% of those who tested positive for Covid-19 were Hispanic or Latino. Only 10% were able to work from home and 85% reported being financially affected by the pandemic.
Current state and federal laws might protect workers from Covid-related retaliation, but the laws do not clearly prohibit discrimination based on an employee contracting an illness or disease, explained UC Berkeley law professor Catherine Fisk.
If the effects of Covid-19 are not particularly severe or long-lasting for an employee, it might not qualify as a disability covered under state and federal laws that forbid disability discrimination, she said.
“What the San Francisco ordinance would do is eliminate that confusion or uncertainty,” Fisk said. “It would make it clear that if the firing is just an irrational fear without any basis in public health, such as to order somebody to self-isolate to prevent transmission, then the firing is illegal.”
This is not the first time concerns have been raised about employers discriminating against workers for contracting a communicable disease. A similar pattern of discrimination was directed at workers infected with HIV/AIDS before accurate information about the disease became more widely known.
“When people misunderstood how the disease was transmitted and they simply fired workers who they thought might be infected, it was necessary in law to restrict those firings to prevent irrational or biased fears from influencing personnel decisions,” Fisk said of HIV discrimination.
Today, an HIV diagnosis is covered under disability discrimination laws because it is considered a long-term disease, Fisk explained.
Federal lawmakers also recognized the need to eliminate barriers that might discourage workers from get tested for Covid-19 or isolating when Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act in March. The law provides up to two weeks of paid sick leave for most workers diagnosed with Covid-19 or caring for a family member with Covid-19, along with 10 weeks of expanded family leave for those caring for children for whom child care is not available due to the pandemic.
Also on Tuesday, San Francisco reopened outdoor hair and nail salons, outdoor massage services, outdoor pools and indoor malls with limited capacity for the first time since March. The city plans to reopen outdoor fitness centers on Sept. 9.
“Since March, people have been struggling financially, mentally, and emotionally, and being able to continue our gradual reopening of businesses and activities will help to ease some of that burden,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed said in a statement Tuesday. “We remain committed to making decisions based on data and our local conditions with Covid-19, and our next steps take a balanced and thoughtful approach to reopening.”
Hotels, tour buses and boats, indoor museums, and classrooms for transitional kindergarten through sixth grade are slated to reopen with certain restrictions by mid-September.
San Francisco intends to open indoor hair and nail salons, massage parlors and houses of worship with limited capacity by the end of September. Middle schools are slated to reopen on a rolling basis in October, and high schools would open in November if the city continues to meet benchmarks for keeping the virus contained.
“Our priority has always been to protect the health and safety of the people of San Francisco,” Breed said.


courthousenews--2020-09-01--With Covid Relief Talks Stalled, Mnuchin Calls for Bipartisan Deal

WASHINGTON ( CN ) — Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin urged lawmakers on Tuesday to quickly strike a bipartisan deal on sweeping relief for Americans hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic , the same day the Trump administration rolled out a temporary order halting evictions and foreclosures through the end of this year .
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis met to hear with testimony from Mnuchin on the White House ’ s response to the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 crisis that has throttled the U.S. for seven months .
As of Tuesday , the respiratory disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 183,000 Americans and infected more than 6 million .
It was Mnuchin ’ s fifth appearance before Congress since the pandemic began .
His comments were at times eager and ambitious , given the vast array of highly contentious disagreements between Democrats and Republicans on what the cost should be for the next round of relief .
Congresswoman Maxine Waters , a California Democrat , elicited a vow from Mnuchin to reignite talks with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi while pressing him on whether he fully understood the urgency felt by millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act .
“ Can I tell her that you suggested I call her right after the hearing ?
” Mnuchin asked .
After talks between Democratic leaders – Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer – and Republican negotiators – Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows – fell apart in late July , President Donald Trump issued a series of executive orders meant to serve as a stopgap .
One of the orders boosted unemployment benefits , albeit temporarily and to the tune of just $ 300 , half of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insurance .
Those funds are drawn out of the Federal Emergency Management Agency .
So far , over two dozen states have signed up for the program but less than 10 have been able to collect and disperse the funds .
FEMA did not immediately return request for comment Tuesday .
A phone call between Mnuchin , Meadows and Pelosi last week ended with a compromise from Democrats to drop their proposed $ 3.4 trillion price tag in the House-passed Heroes Act relief package down to $ 2.2 trillion .
Republicans in late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ package with a proposed $ 1.1 trillion “ skinny relief ” deal , much to Democrats ’ chagrin .
A major sticking point has been a raging dispute over funding for the U.S .
Postal Service .
While Senate Republicans offered $ 10 billion for the Postal Service in their deal , Democrats called for twice that amount .
Proposed operational shakeups and cutbacks by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy only solidified Democrats ’ calls for a $ 25 billion infusion to the agency ahead of this year ’ s presidential election , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mail-in ballots because of the pandemic .
Though the House passed a standalone bill approving $ 25 billion for the Postal Service late last month , that legislation was dead on arrival .
But other standalone legislation may help dealmakers , Mnuchin said Tuesday .
In particular , he called for Congress to draft legislation that would repurpose $ 130 billion still remaining in the Paycheck Protection Program created for cash-strapped business owners .
Appearing to signal willingness from Republicans to negotiate , Mnuchin said of the possible repurposing : “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support in the Senate and I would encourage the House to move forward with it.
” The Treasury secretary also celebrated a three-month gain of 9 million jobs , suggesting that 41 % of the jobs that were lost due to the pandemic have already been recovered .
While his confidence was palpable , a Morning Consult poll published Tuesday depicted less optimism from America ’ s labor force .
Despite more people returning to work , those still unemployed are cynical – 50 % said they do not anticipate being able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Further , 21 % of working adults said they expect to see a loss in their income in the next four weeks .
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , unemployment at the end of July hovered at 10.2 % .
“ Some jobs lost at the beginning of the pandemic have returned and certain businesses have reopened .
That ’ s a good thing , ” said Committee Chairman Jim Clyburn , a South Carolina Democrat .
“ This administration claims this partial rebound means we are guaranteed a V-shaped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strength quickly , but the evidence doesn ’ t bear that out.
” One million Americans have filed new unemployment claims every week , meaning the economy is in “ serious trouble , ” Clyburn added , noting that “ only the wealthy are bouncing back to prosperity while lower income families continue to suffer.
” Some families soon may get a little relief from the threat of impending evictions or foreclosures .
On the heels of Mnuchin ’ s appearance before the coronavirus committee , the White House announced a directive establishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dec. 31 , 2020 .
The CARES Act covered only federally backed rental units but the new order – announced in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health and Human Services Department – covers “ any rental unit in the United States so long as the tenant or homeowner meets the requirement , ” an official from the CDC said in a phone call Tuesday .
According to the order , a “ landlord , owner or other person with legal right to pursue eviction shall not evict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the remainder of 2020 for failure to pay rent.
” Critically , the definition of a “ covered person ” includes any “ persons that receive or would have been eligible for an economic impact payment or based on 2020 income , those with $ 99,000 in income or less or couples filing jointly of $ 198,000 or less.
” Further , a senior HHS official said on a call Tuesday that “ all persons seeking eviction protection must show they have taken best efforts possible to seek government assistance to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who can not pay his or her full rent should pay an amount that is not unduly burdensome .
It ’ s not an invitation to stop paying rent , ” the senior official said .
Applicants must also demonstrate that they will become homeless or forced to move into congregant housing settings if were to be evicted .
And anyone who benefits from this assistance is still obligated to pay accrued rent in accordance with their lease or contract , allowing landlords with noncompliant tenants to retain their right to pursue evictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief and is still evicted in the meantime , however , how their personal record and credit report will reflect the eviction was a question officials were unprepared to answer Tuesday .
An eviction on a person ’ s record can make renting or obtaining a mortgage exponentially more difficult .
Another senior administration official said that under the order , any landlord who refuses to honor it may be held criminally liable .

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin urged lawmakers on Tuesday to quickly strike a bipartisan deal on sweeping relief for Americans hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, the same day the Trump administration rolled out a temporary order halting evictions and foreclosures through the end of this year.
WASHINGTON (CN) — Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin urged lawmakers on Tuesday to quickly strike a bipartisan deal on sweeping relief for Americans hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, the same day the Trump administration rolled out a temporary order halting evictions and foreclosures through the end of this year.
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis met to hear with testimony from Mnuchin on the White House’s response to the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 crisis that has throttled the U.S. for seven months. As of Tuesday, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus has killed over 183,000 Americans and infected more than 6 million.
It was Mnuchin’s fifth appearance before Congress since the pandemic began. His comments were at times eager and ambitious, given the vast array of highly contentious disagreements between Democrats and Republicans on what the cost should be for the next round of relief.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters, a California Democrat, elicited a vow from Mnuchin to reignite talks with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi while pressing him on whether he fully understood the urgency felt by millions of unemployed Americans left waiting on Congress to act.
“Can I tell her that you suggested I call her right after the hearing?” Mnuchin asked.
Waters agreed.
“Done,” Mnuchin said.
After talks between Democratic leaders – Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer – and Republican negotiators – Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows – fell apart in late July, President Donald Trump issued a series of executive orders meant to serve as a stopgap. One of the orders boosted unemployment benefits, albeit temporarily and to the tune of just $300, half of what Democrats proposed for extra weekly unemployment insurance.
Those funds are drawn out of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. So far, over two dozen states have signed up for the program but less than 10 have been able to collect and disperse the funds. FEMA did not immediately return request for comment Tuesday.
A phone call between Mnuchin, Meadows and Pelosi last week ended with a compromise from Democrats to drop their proposed $3.4 trillion price tag in the House-passed Heroes Act relief package down to $2.2 trillion.
Republicans in late July opened their negotiations for a new package with a proposed $1.1 trillion “skinny relief” deal, much to Democrats’ chagrin. A major sticking point has been a raging dispute over funding for the U.S. Postal Service. While Senate Republicans offered $10 billion for the Postal Service in their deal, Democrats called for twice that amount.
Proposed operational shakeups and cutbacks by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy only solidified Democrats’ calls for a $25 billion infusion to the agency ahead of this year’s presidential election, when it is expected to handle huge numbers of mail-in ballots because of the pandemic.
Though the House passed a standalone bill approving $25 billion for the Postal Service late last month, that legislation was dead on arrival.
But other standalone legislation may help dealmakers, Mnuchin said Tuesday. In particular, he called for Congress to draft legislation that would repurpose $130 billion still remaining in the Paycheck Protection Program created for cash-strapped business owners.
Appearing to signal willingness from Republicans to negotiate, Mnuchin said of the possible repurposing: “I believe this legislation would pass with overwhelming support in the Senate and I would encourage the House to move forward with it.”
The Treasury secretary also celebrated a three-month gain of 9 million jobs, suggesting that 41% of the jobs that were lost due to the pandemic have already been recovered. While his confidence was palpable, a Morning Consult poll published Tuesday depicted less optimism from America’s labor force.
More Americans are returning to work amid the Covid-19 pandemic but cynicism is high, with nearly a quarter of working adults saying they expect to see further losses to their income in the next four weeks. (Graphic courtesy of Morning Consult)
Despite more people returning to work, those still unemployed are cynical – 50% said they do not anticipate being able to cover basic expenses with unemployment insurance alone. Further, 21% of working adults said they expect to see a loss in their income in the next four weeks.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment at the end of July hovered at 10.2%.
“Some jobs lost at the beginning of the pandemic have returned and certain businesses have reopened. That’s a good thing,” said Committee Chairman Jim Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat. “This administration claims this partial rebound means we are guaranteed a V-shaped recovery where we go back to full strength quickly, but the evidence doesn’t bear that out.”
One million Americans have filed new unemployment claims every week, meaning the economy is in “serious trouble,” Clyburn added, noting that “only the wealthy are bouncing back to prosperity while lower income families continue to suffer.”
Some families soon may get a little relief from the threat of impending evictions or foreclosures. On the heels of Mnuchin’s appearance before the coronavirus committee, the White House announced a directive establishing a temporary halt on such removals through Dec. 31, 2020.
The CARES Act covered only federally backed rental units but the new order – announced in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health and Human Services Department – covers “any rental unit in the United States so long as the tenant or homeowner meets the requirement,” an official from the CDC said in a phone call Tuesday.
According to the order, a “landlord, owner or other person with legal right to pursue eviction shall not evict any covered person from any residential property for the remainder of 2020 for failure to pay rent.”
Critically, the definition of a “covered person” includes any “persons that receive or would have been eligible for an economic impact payment or based on 2020 income, those with $99,000 in income or less or couples filing jointly of $198,000 or less.”
Further, a senior HHS official said on a call Tuesday that “all persons seeking eviction protection must show they have taken best efforts possible to seek government assistance to make their rental payments.”
“A renter who cannot pay his or her full rent should pay an amount that is not unduly burdensome. It’s not an invitation to stop paying rent,” the senior official said.
Applicants must also demonstrate that they will become homeless or forced to move into congregant housing settings if were to be evicted. And anyone who benefits from this assistance is still obligated to pay accrued rent in accordance with their lease or contract, allowing landlords with noncompliant tenants to retain their right to pursue evictions later.
If a person files for relief and is still evicted in the meantime, however, how their personal record and credit report will reflect the eviction was a question officials were unprepared to answer Tuesday. An eviction on a person’s record can make renting or obtaining a mortgage exponentially more difficult.
Another senior administration official said that under the order, any landlord who refuses to honor it may be held criminally liable.


courthousenews--2020-09-01--California Courts Covid Update

California Courts Covid Update

Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window )


Flavored Tobacco

ST. PAUL , Minn. — A federal court in Minnesota dismissed a group of tobacco companies ’ suit against the @ @ @ @ @ a recently adopted ordinance banning the sale of flavored tobacco products .


Clean Water Act

SACRAMENTO , Calif. — A federal court in California ruled that a man who operates a duck hunting club and @ @ @ @ @ island in the San Francisco Bay Delta estuary violated the Clean Water Act with his @ @ @ @ @ and additions of pollutants .


Prison Mail

DENVER — The Human Rights Defense Center claims the Adams County Detention Facility in Colorado is unconstitutionally preventing it from @ @ @ @ @ prisoners .


courthousenews--2020-09-02--California Asks Ninth Circuit to Make Trucking Companies Comply With AB 5 Employment Law

( CN ) — Claiming California ’ s historic labor law Assembly Bill 5 is not preempted by federal laws governing the trucking industry , the state asked a Ninth Circuit panel Tuesday to require motor carrier compliance with the 2019 employment law .
California ’ s AB 5 , which codified the three-prong “ ABC ” test for determining if a worker is an employee — entitled to employment protections and benefits — or an independent contractor , has been fought by industries across the state including rideshare companies , news companies and freelance journalists .
Earlier this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having to comply with the law by U.S. District Judge Robert Benitez , a George W. Bush appointee , who issued a preliminary injunction preventing enforcement of AB 5 against property-carrying trucks as their case challenging the law makes its way through court .
The motor carrier industry typically contracts with independent owner-operators who own their own rigs and perform trucking services for various companies engaged in interstate commerce .
They claim AB 5 upends their business model of using independent contractors .
Benitez found the California Trucking Association was likely to succeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act , which prohibits states from passing laws “ related to a price , route , or service of any motor carrier.
” But the state thinks Benitez is wrong .
In its brief , it argued the Ninth Circuit has previously found the act does not preempt “ generally applicable state labor laws that protect employees.
” Benitez made no finding as to whether AB 5 influenced the prices , routes and services of motor carriers protected by the act , undermining his finding that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its preemption claim , according to Attorney General Xavier Becerra .
In a virtual hearing Tuesday , Deputy Attorney General Jose Zelidon-Zepeda reiterated the state believes AB 5 is not preempted by what lawyers on both sides referred to as “ F Quad A.
” He was interrupted by U.S .
Circuit Judge Mark J. Bennett — a Donald Trump appointee — and asked to explain how the “ ABC ” test to determine if a worker is an employee or independent contractor isn ’ t an “ all-or-nothing ” test .
Zelidon-Zepeda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to make based on the case , as the AB 5 challenge was brought by a trade association rather than an individual business , which could directly point to their operations being impacted by AB 5 .
Andrew Kushner , Zelidon-Zepeda ’ s co-counsel representing the International Brotherhood of Teamsters , argued the question the panel should focus on was not whether the “ ABC ” test was an all-or-nothing test but whether the business-to-business exemption to AB 5 could permit the motor carriers to continue operating business-as-usual .
“ The application @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determined by the courts ; it ’ s not the state ’ s call of whether or not that would apply , ” Kushner said .
“ Plaintiff must demonstrate the business-to-business exemption is foreclosed for motor carriers and they haven ’ t made that showing , ” he added .
Kushner said there is no evidence the motor carriers are precluded from contracting with owner-operators and the trucking association itself made a “ concession ” in the case record it continues to contract with owner-operators while AB 5 is in effect .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Ronald Reagan appointee sitting with distinction from the District of Massachusetts — took issue with Kushner ’ s characterization of the legal dispute .
“ We still have no evidence of how this actually works – if it is difficult for owner-operators to function in this context , ” Woodlock said .
Andrew Tauber , with Mayer Brown , represents the California Trucking Association and argued AB 5 could be preempted by federal law because , in his view , it is not a labor law on general applicability , as evidenced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for certain industries .
Tauber pointed to comments made by the bill ’ s author — Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez — who specifically referenced what she called the trucking industry ’ s “ outdated model ” as what the law was crafted to correct .
When pressed by U.S .
Circuit Judge Sandra S. Ikuta — a George W. Bush appointee — about how this case was “ different ” from similar cases where the Ninth Circuit found state labor laws were not preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act , Tauber said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drivers who were unquestionably employees.
” AB 5 — according to Tauber — is “ a sea shift of major proportions , ” which will force motor carriers to hire employees , purchase , store and maintain vehicles and hire human resources personnel , among other changes to their current business model .
But Woodlock pointed out that Benitez “ didn ’ t really make a factual determination ” regarding the impact of AB 5 on motor carriers when he granted preliminary injunction to CTA , calling his ruling “ conclusory.
” Zelidon-Zepeda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not “ point to evidence ” and “ basically made its own determination based on what it thought the impact of the law would be based on the claims of plaintiff.
” The matter was taken under submission .

Claiming California’s historic labor law Assembly Bill 5 is not preempted by federal laws governing the trucking industry, the state asked the Ninth Circuit Tuesday to require motor carrier compliance with the 2019 employment law.
(CN) — Claiming California’s historic labor law Assembly Bill 5 is not preempted by federal laws governing the trucking industry, the state asked a Ninth Circuit panel Tuesday to require motor carrier compliance with the 2019 employment law.
California’s AB 5, which codified the three-prong “ABC” test for determining if a worker is an employee — entitled to employment protections and benefits — or an independent contractor, has been fought by industries across the state including rideshare companies, news companies and freelance journalists.
Earlier this year, trucking companies got a reprieve from having to comply with the law by U.S. District Judge Robert Benitez, a George W. Bush appointee, who issued a preliminary injunction preventing enforcement of AB 5 against property-carrying trucks as their case challenging the law makes its way through court.
The motor carrier industry typically contracts with independent owner-operators who own their own rigs and perform trucking services for various companies engaged in interstate commerce. They claim AB 5 upends their business model of using independent contractors.
Benitez found the California Trucking Association was likely to succeed on its claim AB 5 is preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act, which prohibits states from passing laws “related to a price, route, or service of any motor carrier.”
But the state thinks Benitez is wrong.
In its brief, it argued the Ninth Circuit has previously found the act does not preempt “generally applicable state labor laws that protect employees.”
Benitez made no finding as to whether AB 5 influenced the prices, routes and services of motor carriers protected by the act, undermining his finding that the California Trucking Association would likely prevail on its preemption claim, according to Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
In a virtual hearing Tuesday, Deputy Attorney General Jose Zelidon-Zepeda reiterated the state believes AB 5 is not preempted by what lawyers on both sides referred to as “F Quad A.” He was interrupted by U.S. Circuit Judge Mark J. Bennett — a Donald Trump appointee — and asked to explain how the “ABC” test to determine if a worker is an employee or independent contractor isn’t an “all-or-nothing” test.
Zelidon-Zepeda said it was a “difficult determination” to make based on the case, as the AB 5 challenge was brought by a trade association rather than an individual business, which could directly point to their operations being impacted by AB 5.
Andrew Kushner, Zelidon-Zepeda’s co-counsel representing the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, argued the question the panel should focus on was not whether the “ABC” test was an all-or-nothing test but whether the business-to-business exemption to AB 5 could permit the motor carriers to continue operating business-as-usual.
“The application of that portion of AB 5 is determined by the courts; it’s not the state’s call of whether or not that would apply,” Kushner said.
“Plaintiff must demonstrate the business-to-business exemption is foreclosed for motor carriers and they haven’t made that showing,” he added.
Kushner said there is no evidence the motor carriers are precluded from contracting with owner-operators and the trucking association itself made a “concession” in the case record it continues to contract with owner-operators while AB 5 is in effect.
U.S. District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock — a Ronald Reagan appointee sitting with distinction from the District of Massachusetts — took issue with Kushner’s characterization of the legal dispute.
“We still have no evidence of how this actually works – if it is difficult for owner-operators to function in this context,” Woodlock said.
Andrew Tauber, with Mayer Brown, represents the California Trucking Association and argued AB 5 could be preempted by federal law because, in his view, it is not a labor law on general applicability, as evidenced by the numerous exemptions and carve-outs made for certain industries.
Tauber pointed to comments made by the bill’s author — Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez — who specifically referenced what she called the trucking industry’s “outdated model” as what the law was crafted to correct.
When pressed by U.S. Circuit Judge Sandra S. Ikuta — a George W. Bush appointee — about how this case was “different” from similar cases where the Ninth Circuit found state labor laws were not preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act, Tauber said the other cases were “dealing with drivers who were unquestionably employees.”
AB 5 — according to Tauber — is “a sea shift of major proportions,” which will force motor carriers to hire employees, purchase, store and maintain vehicles and hire human resources personnel, among other changes to their current business model.
But Woodlock pointed out that Benitez “didn’t really make a factual determination” regarding the impact of AB 5 on motor carriers when he granted preliminary injunction to CTA, calling his ruling “conclusory.”
Zelidon-Zepeda agreed, saying the district court did not “point to evidence” and “basically made its own determination based on what it thought the impact of the law would be based on the claims of plaintiff.”
“F Quad A was not intended to immunize motor carriers from all state laws,” Zepeda said.
“The sky is not the limit and preemption has to run its course at some point.”
The matter was taken under submission.


courthousenews--2020-09-02--Reef Manta Rays Found to Frequent Marine Protected Areas

( CN ) — Scientists announced Wednesday they had tracked the movements of reef manta rays between two UNESCO World Heritage areas along Australia ’ s west coast using satellites and a set of decades-old photographs , giving them unique insights into their little-known behaviors .
Researchers tracked a group of 22 rays across the western coast of Australia , a notoriously difficult feat , according to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science .
The authors attached satellite tracking tags to the rays and compared their movements with data gleaned from a photo database to gain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visitation patterns and use of space .
Reef manta rays , among the largest ray species on Earth , are an integral part of Australia ’ s swim-with-megafauna tourism industry and bring in thousands of visitors annually hoping to catch a glimpse of these sleek sea creatures in the wild .
They ’ re also listed as a vulnerable species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature ’ s Red List .
Despite their importance , little was previously known about their movements , migratory patterns or behavior .
Scientists found the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 15-year timespan , including two UNESCO World Heritage areas .
The rays seemed to prefer coastal shelf waters , mostly remaining in relatively shallow depths of less than 60 feet .
They tended to venture between the Ningaloo and Shark Bay World Heritage areas , two ecologically protected areas that could provide authorities a fortunate opportunity to safeguard the species .
“ This is a great discovery for the reef manta rays on this coastline , because these protected areas provide the legislative framework needed to underpin further management action , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the new paper and a doctoral student in biomedical sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia , in a statement .
Researchers found reef manta rays can travel vast distances when their local habitat is contentious , covering around 430 miles , yet exhibit a remarkable long-term affinity for their favored locations .
Protecting such a far-ranging species is especially challenging , as it ’ s often impractical to establish safe areas over such a vast distance .
That makes understanding their movements and behavior even more critical to their continued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to track the animals only collect location data when the rays come to the surface , so they store depth , temperature and light-level readings as the rays move through their environment .
The authors then used sophisticated models to extrapolate their locations over time .
“ Satellite tags allow us a short peek into the secret lives of these animals to understand where else they frequent outside of key tourism locations , while photographic identification helps us track visitation over longer periods , ” Armstrong said .
The underside of reef manta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that researchers used to identify and track individuals .
They compared these unique patterns with a database of photos dating back to the early 2000s taken by local tourism operators and citizen scientists .
These images allowed the researchers to identify more than 1,100 individuals out of 5,000 sightings .
Reef manta rays are the second largest recognized species of ray on the planet ( an unrecognized species from the Caribbean also appears to be larger ) .
They can live to be 50 years old , reproduce slowly and measure 11 feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grow to a maximum size of 18 feet .
They were only confirmed to be a distinct species back in 2009 , and lack the spiked tail found on some of their more notorious cousins .
“ Unfortunately for manta rays , a slow growth rate and few offspring means that populations can take a long time to recover from disturbance , ” Armstrong said .
Manta ray populations have been steadily declining over the past 20 years due to the international trade in manta ray body parts driven by their popularity in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rays ’ gill plates are highly prized by practitioners .
The species prefers the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific .
In addition to Australia , they can also be found swimming off the shores of Hawaii , Fiji , French Polynesia , Micronesia , Bali , Mozambique and the Philippines .
They ’ re relatively sedentary animals , and this research confirms they prefer to stay around their favored locations once they ’ ve found them .
“ Further investigation into population size and trends is an urgent research priority to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and resilient in the face of future change , ” Armstrong said .

Scientists announced Wednesday they had tracked the movements of reef manta rays between two UNESCO World Heritage areas along Australia’s west coast using satellites and a set of decades-old photographs, giving them unique insights into their little-known behaviors.
(CN) — Scientists announced Wednesday they had tracked the movements of reef manta rays between two UNESCO World Heritage areas along Australia’s west coast using satellites and a set of decades-old photographs, giving them unique insights into their little-known behaviors.
Researchers tracked a group of 22 rays across the western coast of Australia, a notoriously difficult feat, according to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.
The authors attached satellite tracking tags to the rays and compared their movements with data gleaned from a photo database to gain a better understanding of the species’ visitation patterns and use of space.
Reef manta rays, among the largest ray species on Earth, are an integral part of Australia’s swim-with-megafauna tourism industry and bring in thousands of visitors annually hoping to catch a glimpse of these sleek sea creatures in the wild.
They’re also listed as a vulnerable species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. Despite their importance, little was previously known about their movements, migratory patterns or behavior.
Scientists found the rays revisited several the same locations over a 15-year timespan, including two UNESCO World Heritage areas. The rays seemed to prefer coastal shelf waters, mostly remaining in relatively shallow depths of less than 60 feet.
They tended to venture between the Ningaloo and Shark Bay World Heritage areas, two ecologically protected areas that could provide authorities a fortunate opportunity to safeguard the species.
"This is a great discovery for the reef manta rays on this coastline, because these protected areas provide the legislative framework needed to underpin further management action," said Amelia J. Armstrong, lead author of the new paper and a doctoral student in biomedical sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia, in a statement.
Researchers found reef manta rays can travel vast distances when their local habitat is contentious, covering around 430 miles, yet exhibit a remarkable long-term affinity for their favored locations.
Protecting such a far-ranging species is especially challenging, as it’s often impractical to establish safe areas over such a vast distance. That makes understanding their movements and behavior even more critical to their continued survival.
The tags used by researchers to track the animals only collect location data when the rays come to the surface, so they store depth, temperature and light-level readings as the rays move through their environment. The authors then used sophisticated models to extrapolate their locations over time.
"Satellite tags allow us a short peek into the secret lives of these animals to understand where else they frequent outside of key tourism locations, while photographic identification helps us track visitation over longer periods," Armstrong said.
The underside of reef manta rays displays a Rorschach-like pattern of spots that researchers used to identify and track individuals. They compared these unique patterns with a database of photos dating back to the early 2000s taken by local tourism operators and citizen scientists.
These images allowed the researchers to identify more than 1,100 individuals out of 5,000 sightings.
Reef manta rays are the second largest recognized species of ray on the planet (an unrecognized species from the Caribbean also appears to be larger). They can live to be 50 years old, reproduce slowly and measure 11 feet in width on average, but can grow to a maximum size of 18 feet.
They were only confirmed to be a distinct species back in 2009, and lack the spiked tail found on some of their more notorious cousins.
"Unfortunately for manta rays, a slow growth rate and few offspring means that populations can take a long time to recover from disturbance," Armstrong said.
Manta ray populations have been steadily declining over the past 20 years due to the international trade in manta ray body parts driven by their popularity in traditional Chinese medicine. Specifically, the rays’ gill plates are highly prized by practitioners.
The species prefers the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific. In addition to Australia, they can also be found swimming off the shores of Hawaii, Fiji, French Polynesia, Micronesia, Bali, Mozambique and the Philippines. They’re relatively sedentary animals, and this research confirms they prefer to stay around their favored locations once they’ve found them.
"Further investigation into population size and trends is an urgent research priority to ensure this manta ray population is robust and resilient in the face of future change," Armstrong said.


courthousenews--2020-09-02--Study Finds Bus Drivers More Likely to Let White People Ride for Free

( CN ) — The scenario seems simple enough : a bus passenger is short on the fare and the bus driver has the opportunity to give them a free ride .
On its face , the decision is made within a window of a few seconds , but researchers in a study published Wednesday say bus drivers were twice as likely to give white riders a free ride over Black passengers who were in the same situation , illustrating a white privilege afforded to lighter-skinned passengers .
The study ’ s findings are based on over 1,500 riders , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a free ride from bus drivers in Queensland , Australia .
Each rider tried to use a bus card with no money .
Despite official policies by bus companies requiring payment from all riders , drivers gave free rides to two-thirds of the observed test riders according to the study published in The Economic Journal .
Broken down , casually dressed white testers rode free over casually dressed Black testers , 72 % vs. 36 % of the time .
Indian testers got free rides 51 % of the time versus Asian testers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testers and got a free ride 73 % of the time .
“ Even though no money exchanges hands , there is still the possibility of bus drivers using racial appearance to make inferences about expected profitability , ” the study authors wrote .
“ The driver may believe that some customer groups will pay the full fare if he or she insists , and therefore could make a calculation of this happening based on the customer ’ s skin color.
” Bus drivers surveyed said they were aware of customers ’ honesty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trouble , ” according to researchers .
The rate at which white customers are more likely to be accepted than Black customers is greater than the “ white privilege documented in other markets and public services where disparate treatment is already illegal , ” according to the study authors .
“ Our observed racial gap is also notably wider than the 16 % advantage that white citizens realize over Blacks in less regulated parts of the modern economy where , for example , smaller landlords such as Airbnb hosts are unlikely to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study states .
Other variables against Black riders still were present even when considering a bus driver ’ s age , gender and race and there was no evidence of own-group bias , meaning bus drivers were just as likely to give a free ride to customers from other races as they were to customers of their own race .
“ As a society , we need to think about ways to eliminate such bias in daily interactions , especially given the large economic and social costs that accrue to discriminated minorities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ refuse any such gifts in future transactions , ” study author and assistant professor Redzo Mujcic from the University of Warwick said in a statement .
The researchers did not immediately respond to follow up questions via email on the study ’ s results .

Study Finds Bus Drivers More Likely to Let White People Ride for Free
(CN) — The scenario seems simple enough: a bus passenger is short on the fare and the bus driver has the opportunity to give them a free ride.
On its face, the decision is made within a window of a few seconds, but researchers in a study published Wednesday say bus drivers were twice as likely to give white riders a free ride over Black passengers who were in the same situation, illustrating a white privilege afforded to lighter-skinned passengers.
The study's findings are based on over 1,500 riders, paid test customers who attempted to get a free ride from bus drivers in Queensland, Australia.
Each rider tried to use a bus card with no money.
Despite official policies by bus companies requiring payment from all riders, drivers gave free rides to two-thirds of the observed test riders according to the study published in The Economic Journal.
Broken down, casually dressed white testers rode free over casually dressed Black testers, 72% vs. 36% of the time. Indian testers got free rides 51% of the time versus Asian testers, who were treated similarly to white testers and got a free ride 73% of the time.
"Even though no money exchanges hands, there is still the possibility of bus drivers using racial appearance to make inferences about expected profitability," the study authors wrote. "The driver may believe that some customer groups will pay the full fare if he or she insists, and therefore could make a calculation of this happening based on the customer’s skin color."
Bus drivers surveyed said they were aware of customers’ honesty, worthiness and “propensity to cause trouble,” according to researchers.
The rate at which white customers are more likely to be accepted than Black customers is greater than the “white privilege documented in other markets and public services where disparate treatment is already illegal,” according to the study authors.
“Our observed racial gap is also notably wider than the 16% advantage that white citizens realize over Blacks in less regulated parts of the modern economy where, for example, smaller landlords such as Airbnb hosts are unlikely to be reached by anti-discrimination laws,” the study states.
Other variables against Black riders still were present even when considering a bus driver’s age, gender and race and there was no evidence of own-group bias, meaning bus drivers were just as likely to give a free ride to customers from other races as they were to customers of their own race.
“As a society, we need to think about ways to eliminate such bias in daily interactions, especially given the large economic and social costs that accrue to discriminated minorities. For example, white citizens can simply refuse any such gifts in future transactions,” study author and assistant professor Redzo Mujcic from the University of Warwick said in a statement.
In an email, Mujcic said it would be important to carry out a similar study in another country, like the United States.
“We seem to find that perceived trust or honesty plays a strong role in the observed decisions; so that the studied decision makers (bus drivers) tend to view minority customers as being less honest compared to majority whites,” says Mujcic. “I would not be surprised if similar findings on white privilege (or racial gaps) were found in other countries.”
An important takeaway from the study is while people from a lower socioeconomic background might less likely to be offered free services, it’s a symptom of a much larger problem.
“Such a disadvantage or inequality can have large economic and psychological costs to minorities, which are usually ignored. However, improving one's socio-economic appearance (such as dressing up in business attire) does lead to better outcomes for minorities,” Mujcic said. “Again, proving that discrimination hurts minorities and that such inequalities need to be eliminated by policy makers. Such privileges are hard to remove.”


courthousenews--2020-09-02--Facebook Shuts Down Accounts Linked to Russian Disinformation Campaign

( CN ) — Facebook and Twitter on Tuesday announced a takedown of pages and accounts linked to a Russian disinformation operation .
Facebook says that last month it removed a small network of 13 accounts and two pages linked to individuals who were associated with past activity by the Russian Internet Research Agency ( IRA ) .
Russian operatives connected to the Internet Research Agency in 2016 ran widespread disinformation campaigns on Facebook , Twitter and other platforms in order to fuel division among U.S. citizens before the election .
Facebook said on Tuesday that the IRA-linked campaign it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on its platform , ” but , while posing as a global news source , it had “ tricked unwitting freelance journalists into writing stories on its behalf.
” The Russian operatives used phony accounts to direct people to a fake news site called Peace Data , according to the social media giant .
Peace Data , one of the websites used by the IRA , said its goal was “ to shed light on the global issues and raise awareness about corruption , environmental crisis , abuse of power , armed conflicts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The agents targeted progressive and left-wing audiences , according to Graphika , which is a network analysis firm based in New York .
Facebook gave Graphika the network information before the takedown for independent research purposes .
The firm says the Russian agents used avatars generated by artificial intelligence that had a presence across social media platforms in order to make them more believable .
These AI avatars shared Peace Data ’ s 500 articles that were written in English , the firm says , and were aimed to steer left-leaning Democrats away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the low-level impact in this case , governments around the world must stop these practices .
They ’ re antidemocratic .
Attempts to manipulate our service to undermine democracy — by both foreign and domestic actors — will be met with strict enforcement of our policies , ” Twitter said in a statement .
Twitter says it has suspended five accounts connected to the PeaceData website .
The operation focused primarily on the U.S. , UK , Algeria and Egypt , in addition to other English-speaking countries and countries in the Middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook .
“ We began this investigation based on information about this network ’ s off-platform activity from the FBI .
Our internal investigation revealed the full scope of this network on Facebook , ” the company said .
Facebook ’ s “ Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior ” report for August says that the company ’ s internal investigation was sparked by a tip from the Federal Bureau of Investigation about this network ’ s off-platform activity .
“ As part of our work to find , study and remove influence operations from Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multiple technology platforms and seek to use traditional media to amplify their narratives , ” the company said .
“ We ’ ve seen a number of campaigns , including the two we removed in August , create Pages purporting to be news entities to appear more credible.
” Facebook says it shared the findings with law enforcement , policymakers and industry partners .
In addition , writers who have been contacted by the network will be notified .
“ We expect to see more attempts like this from threat actors globally , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ remain vigilant and work with other technology companies , law enforcement , and independent researchers to find and remove influence operations .
”

Facebook and Twitter on Tuesday announced a takedown of pages and accounts linked to a Russian disinformation operation.
(CN) — Facebook and Twitter on Tuesday announced a takedown of pages and accounts linked to a Russian disinformation operation.
Facebook says that last month it removed a small network of 13 accounts and two pages linked to individuals who were associated with past activity by the Russian Internet Research Agency (IRA).
Russian operatives connected to the Internet Research Agency in 2016 ran widespread disinformation campaigns on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms in order to fuel division among U.S. citizens before the election.
Facebook said on Tuesday that the IRA-linked campaign it removed last month was “largely unsuccessful on its platform,” but, while posing as a global news source, it had “tricked unwitting freelance journalists into writing stories on its behalf.”
The Russian operatives used phony accounts to direct people to a fake news site called Peace Data, according to the social media giant.
Peace Data, one of the websites used by the IRA, said its goal was “to shed light on the global issues and raise awareness about corruption, environmental crisis, abuse of power, armed conflicts, activism, and human rights.”
The agents targeted progressive and left-wing audiences, according to Graphika, which is a network analysis firm based in New York.
Facebook gave Graphika the network information before the takedown for independent research purposes.
The firm says the Russian agents used avatars generated by artificial intelligence that had a presence across social media platforms in order to make them more believable.
These AI avatars shared Peace Data’s 500 articles that were written in English, the firm says, and were aimed to steer left-leaning Democrats away from the Biden-Harris ticket.
"Regardless of the low-level impact in this case, governments around the world must stop these practices. They're antidemocratic. Attempts to manipulate our service to undermine democracy — by both foreign and domestic actors — will be met with strict enforcement of our policies," Twitter said in a statement.
Twitter says it has suspended five accounts connected to the PeaceData website.
The operation focused primarily on the U.S., UK, Algeria and Egypt, in addition to other English-speaking countries and countries in the Middle East and North Africa, according to Facebook.
“We began this investigation based on information about this network’s off-platform activity from the FBI. Our internal investigation revealed the full scope of this network on Facebook,” the company said.
Facebook’s “Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior” report for August says that the company’s internal investigation was sparked by a tip from the Federal Bureau of Investigation about this network’s off-platform activity.
“As part of our work to find, study and remove influence operations from Facebook, we’ve seen them target multiple technology platforms and seek to use traditional media to amplify their narratives,” the company said. “We’ve seen a number of campaigns, including the two we removed in August, create Pages purporting to be news entities to appear more credible.”
Facebook says it shared the findings with law enforcement, policymakers and industry partners. In addition, writers who have been contacted by the network will be notified.
“We expect to see more attempts like this from threat actors globally,” the company said and promised to “remain vigilant and work with other technology companies, law enforcement, and independent researchers to find and remove influence operations.”