vox--2020-10-09--Gyms aren’t making it easy for people to cancel memberships

Fawnia Soo Hoo , who used to work out almost every day at her local franchise-owned Crunch gym , was happy when the gym froze her membership in mid-March .
Gyms across the country shut down abruptly once it became clear that the coronavirus was spreading through US communities , and Fawnia ( a friend of mine who lives in Brooklyn , New York City ) didn ’ t want to pay for something she couldn ’ t use .
Then , when gyms were allowed to open with restrictions in early September , the usual $ 49 charge appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emailing addresses she found on Crunch ’ s corporate site , but got a message back noting that “ our systems are frozen and our staff is minimal.
” When her gym outpost opened , she called directly to cancel but was told she had to visit in person to do so .
Frustrated , she did what many people do in situations like this — she angry-tweeted : After getting only automated responses to her various emails questioning this requirement , Fawnia finally went in .
She was given a form indicating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to freeze the membership .
Eventually she was told the fee would be waived , but at that point she just wanted to cancel , having been so frustrated by the “ bad customer service and inconsistent information.
” Ultimately , she was able to cancel without any sort of financial penalty .
( Crunch did not respond to requests for comment . )
As for when she might consider going back to a gym to work out ?
“ There has to be a viable vaccine , so I guess I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years , ” she says , adding that she loves group fitness classes and misses doing them in person .
“ It sucks.
” As gyms around the country started reopening in recent weeks , members have been questioning whether they feel safe going back .
Gyms , by their very nature , include people huffing and puffing in very close proximity .
There ’ s increasing evidence that aerosol transmission is an important factor in coronavirus infection , meaning that social distancing might not be enough in poorly ventilated areas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be uncomfortable to wear during hard cardio workouts , their efficacy decreases as they become wet and sweaty , and not every state requires them .
We ’ re in a golden age of at-home streaming workouts , and many gym buffs are opting for that instead , at least for the short term .
In the last few months , several gym chains have been slapped with lawsuits after members alleged they were still being charged while the gyms were closed .
Chains have also been declaring bankruptcy at an unprecedented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cancel isn ’ t uncommon , but hers is actually better than some .
Every state and municipality has different rules , making the process a free-for-all .
The pandemic has added a layer of frustration and hoop-jumping to a process that was already fraught and opaque and difficult for consumers even in the best of times .
It ’ s always been hard to cancel a gym membership There ’ s a Friends episode that features Chandler bemoaning how difficult it is to cancel his gym membership .
Ross offers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up joining the gym too .
Chandler says , “ We ’ re doomed .
They ’ re gon na take fifty bucks out of our accounts for the rest of our lives.
” Yep .
That ’ s the model , and it ’ s been that way for decades .
( The boutique fitness model , which allows people to pay per class or for packages , upended that a bit in recent years , but a contract is still the main way most gyms make money . )
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make a buck , you ’ ll see various reasons for why they might structure their contracts the way that they have ” In California , there ’ s a consumer protection law for gym members that dates back to the 1960s .
“ You ’ ll see decades-old history of how much flimflammery there has been historically in the provision of membership to gyms .
They decided this was the economic model they wanted , contracted as long as possible , ” says Ted Mermin , the interim executive director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Economic Justice and a former deputy attorney general in the state .
“ If you see gyms as folks who want to make a buck , you ’ ll see various reasons for why they might structure their contracts the way that they have.
” A lot of gyms require members wishing to cancel to show up in person or send a certified letter .
Contracts are often worded in such a way that they ’ re impossible to break , unless you move or have a serious medical condition .
Through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Equinox for “ unreasonable ” cancellation policies , Orangetheory for hidden cancellation fees , LA Fitness for misrepresenting its monthly-membership renewal policies , and Washington Sports Clubs for “ deceptive ” cancellation and billing policies .
The Better Business Bureau website is filled with lists of hundreds of complaints against gyms by people who claim they ’ re being blocked from canceling .
But what about when there ’ s the potential to contract a serious medical condition at the gym ?
Canceling a gym membership during a pandemic can be even harder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fawnia says of canceling her membership .
“ I ’ m sure Covid hitting was not great for them.
” The pandemic has been near catastrophic for gyms .
There are 40,000 to 50,000 gyms that serve about 73 million people in the US , according to a spokesperson for the International Health , Racquet & Sportsclub Association ( IHRSA ) , a trade association representing the industry .
The spokesperson noted that while gym attendance is limited to 25 to 50 percent capacity in many states , gyms are still required to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The IHRSA estimates that without financial relief , 25 percent could close by the end of the year .
So they need every penny right now .
Some chains — 24 Hour Fitness , Gold ’ s Gym , and Town Sports , which owns New York Sports Club and Boston Sports Club , among others — have already declared bankruptcy .
Then there are the pending lawsuits members have filed .
LA Fitness , 24 Hour Fitness , Town Sports , and Planet Fitness are all facing potential legal action from members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the gyms were closed .
Town Sports earmarked as much as a reported $ 850,000 to pay back members .
YogaWorks , a chain of yoga studios owned by private equity firm Great Hills Partners , has been attracting ire on social media , mostly from people who are being charged and can ’ t get through .
“ Due to the unprecedented nature of the Covid pandemic and the extremely rapid location closures and associated staff furloughs , there were large points of contact gaps where customers just didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studio location and associated point of contact went offline , ” CEO Brian Cooper wrote in an email to me when I reached out to ask about the complaints .
“ No student has been denied a refund or cancellation or purposely ignored , we are just dealing with a backlog issue and closing any communication gaps.
” How to get gyms ’ attention If you ’ ve been getting charged and your gym isn ’ t open , it ’ s fairly straightforward that , unless the contract is pretty draconian , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ credit you .
Many gyms are extending memberships to credit months they were closed .
But if you want to cancel , first figure out whether your gym is franchised — meaning it ’ s owned by an individual owner — or corporate-owned .
You should call or email any pertinent contacts you can find .
Sometimes the corporate office can help you find a more direct line of communication with the franchisee .
Once you do find a contact , it may be necessary to send a stronger message to gyms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ when you send your letter to the gym describing in detail what happened , CC those people whom the gym would really like not to hear the story , ” like a local attorney general , district attorney , department of consumer affairs , or even the FTC , the Federal Trade Commission .
( Although the FTC did not return a request for comment for this story , so maybe they ’ re too busy . )
He also recommends searching for company executives and the company ’ s general counsel via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the chain of command .
Mermin also recommends checking in with your local assembly person or state senator .
Those officials may have some guidance for residents or may already be aware of problems at local establishments and can assist .
Filing an official complaint at the Better Business Bureau will get the attention of companies , too .
Filing an official complaint at the Better Business Bureau will get the attention of companies too .
It ’ s a little muddier when gyms are technically open and start charging you but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like Fawnia ’ s situation .
I ’ m a member at Equinox , and I was shocked that after reopening , they cancelled with no questions asked when I requested it .
“ The most ethical will allow you out and they may also be the most clear-eyed , ” says Mermin , meaning that perhaps gyms realize that they don ’ t want to alienate anyone willing to pay luxury membership fees , because they ’ re going to be competing for those members once they feel safe to come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law differs in every state , according to New York State law , a member can cancel membership “ after the services are no longer available or substantially available as provided in the contract because of the seller ’ s permanent discontinuance of operation or substantial change in operation.
” Gyms in NYC aren ’ t allowed to have group classes , so that ’ s a potential argument that they aren ’ t providing full services .
In the worst case scenario , you may need to consult an attorney , depending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Finally , forums like Reddit are full of advice that you should cancel the charge with the bank that holds your credit card .
A representative for Mastercard said in an email that card holders and gyms enter into a contract , and there may not be recourse to cancel .
But the rep said to call your bank directly .
Canceling your entire credit card is the nuclear option , but then you may incur fees from your bank for doing that .
And if worse comes to worst , there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ em , ” says Mermin .
“ It ’ s a valuable tool.
” Help keep Vox free for all Millions turn to Vox each month to understand what ’ s happening in the news , from the coronavirus crisis to a racial reckoning to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment : to empower you through understanding .
But our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources .
Even when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work .
If you have already contributed , thank you .
If you haven ’ t , please consider helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world : Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

Fawnia Soo Hoo, who used to work out almost every day at her local franchise-owned Crunch gym, was happy when the gym froze her membership in mid-March. Gyms across the country shut down abruptly once it became clear that the coronavirus was spreading through US communities, and Fawnia (a friend of mine who lives in Brooklyn, New York City) didn’t want to pay for something she couldn’t use. Then, when gyms were allowed to open with restrictions in early September, the usual $49 charge appeared on her credit card.
She began emailing addresses she found on Crunch’s corporate site, but got a message back noting that “our systems are frozen and our staff is minimal.” When her gym outpost opened, she called directly to cancel but was told she had to visit in person to do so. Frustrated, she did what many people do in situations like this — she angry-tweeted:
Hey @CrunchGym, ironic that you're making me go in-person to freeze my membership, when the reason behind freezing my membership is because I'M TERRIFIED TO GO INSIDE A GYM and catch Covid-19. Why do you not have remote customer service to handle this? — Fawnia Soo Hoo (@fawnianewyork) September 2, 2020
After getting only automated responses to her various emails questioning this requirement, Fawnia finally went in. She was given a form indicating she would have to pay a fee to freeze the membership. Eventually she was told the fee would be waived, but at that point she just wanted to cancel, having been so frustrated by the “bad customer service and inconsistent information.” Ultimately, she was able to cancel without any sort of financial penalty. (Crunch did not respond to requests for comment.)
As for when she might consider going back to a gym to work out? “There has to be a viable vaccine, so I guess I’m probably not going back for like two years,” she says, adding that she loves group fitness classes and misses doing them in person. “It sucks.”
As gyms around the country started reopening in recent weeks, members have been questioning whether they feel safe going back. Gyms, by their very nature, include people huffing and puffing in very close proximity. There’s increasing evidence that aerosol transmission is an important factor in coronavirus infection, meaning that social distancing might not be enough in poorly ventilated areas. Although masks can theoretically help, they can be uncomfortable to wear during hard cardio workouts, their efficacy decreases as they become wet and sweaty, and not every state requires them. We’re in a golden age of at-home streaming workouts, and many gym buffs are opting for that instead, at least for the short term.
In the last few months, several gym chains have been slapped with lawsuits after members alleged they were still being charged while the gyms were closed. Chains have also been declaring bankruptcy at an unprecedented rate. Fawnia’s experience trying to cancel isn’t uncommon, but hers is actually better than some. Every state and municipality has different rules, making the process a free-for-all.
The pandemic has added a layer of frustration and hoop-jumping to a process that was already fraught and opaque and difficult for consumers even in the best of times.
It’s always been hard to cancel a gym membership
There’s a Friends episode that features Chandler bemoaning how difficult it is to cancel his gym membership. Ross offers to go with him for support but ends up joining the gym too. Chandler says, “We’re doomed. They’re gonna take fifty bucks out of our accounts for the rest of our lives.”
Yep. That’s the model, and it’s been that way for decades. (The boutique fitness model, which allows people to pay per class or for packages, upended that a bit in recent years, but a contract is still the main way most gyms make money.)
“If you see gyms as folks who want to make a buck, you’ll see various reasons for why they might structure their contracts the way that they have”
In California, there’s a consumer protection law for gym members that dates back to the 1960s. “You’ll see decades-old history of how much flimflammery there has been historically in the provision of membership to gyms. They decided this was the economic model they wanted, contracted as long as possible,” says Ted Mermin, the interim executive director of the Berkeley Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice and a former deputy attorney general in the state. “If you see gyms as folks who want to make a buck, you’ll see various reasons for why they might structure their contracts the way that they have.”
A lot of gyms require members wishing to cancel to show up in person or send a certified letter. Contracts are often worded in such a way that they’re impossible to break, unless you move or have a serious medical condition. Through the years, people have initiated lawsuits against Equinox for “unreasonable” cancellation policies, Orangetheory for hidden cancellation fees, LA Fitness for misrepresenting its monthly-membership renewal policies, and Washington Sports Clubs for “deceptive” cancellation and billing policies. The Better Business Bureau website is filled with lists of hundreds of complaints against gyms by people who claim they’re being blocked from canceling.
But what about when there’s the potential to contract a serious medical condition at the gym?
Canceling a gym membership during a pandemic can be even harder
“I do feel bad,” Fawnia says of canceling her membership. “I’m sure Covid hitting was not great for them.”
The pandemic has been near catastrophic for gyms. There are 40,000 to 50,000 gyms that serve about 73 million people in the US, according to a spokesperson for the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), a trade association representing the industry. The spokesperson noted that while gym attendance is limited to 25 to 50 percent capacity in many states, gyms are still required to pay 100 percent of their costs. The IHRSA estimates that without financial relief, 25 percent could close by the end of the year. So they need every penny right now.
Some chains — 24 Hour Fitness, Gold’s Gym, and Town Sports, which owns New York Sports Club and Boston Sports Club, among others — have already declared bankruptcy.
Then there are the pending lawsuits members have filed. LA Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, Town Sports, and Planet Fitness are all facing potential legal action from members who say they have been charged even while the gyms were closed. Town Sports earmarked as much as a reported $850,000 to pay back members.
YogaWorks, a chain of yoga studios owned by private equity firm Great Hills Partners, has been attracting ire on social media, mostly from people who are being charged and can’t get through.
“Due to the unprecedented nature of the Covid pandemic and the extremely rapid location closures and associated staff furloughs, there were large points of contact gaps where customers just didn’t know where to go because their normal studio location and associated point of contact went offline,” CEO Brian Cooper wrote in an email to me when I reached out to ask about the complaints. “No student has been denied a refund or cancellation or purposely ignored, we are just dealing with a backlog issue and closing any communication gaps.”
How to get gyms’ attention
If you’ve been getting charged and your gym isn’t open, it’s fairly straightforward that, unless the contract is pretty draconian, gyms probably need to reimburse you or credit you. Many gyms are extending memberships to credit months they were closed. But if you want to cancel, first figure out whether your gym is franchised — meaning it’s owned by an individual owner — or corporate-owned. You should call or email any pertinent contacts you can find. Sometimes the corporate office can help you find a more direct line of communication with the franchisee.
Once you do find a contact, it may be necessary to send a stronger message to gyms. Berkeley’s Mermin recommends that “when you send your letter to the gym describing in detail what happened, CC those people whom the gym would really like not to hear the story,” like a local attorney general, district attorney, department of consumer affairs, or even the FTC, the Federal Trade Commission. (Although the FTC did not return a request for comment for this story, so maybe they’re too busy.) He also recommends searching for company executives and the company’s general counsel via Google and LinkedIn and escalating your complaints up the chain of command.
Mermin also recommends checking in with your local assembly person or state senator. Those officials may have some guidance for residents or may already be aware of problems at local establishments and can assist. Filing an official complaint at the Better Business Bureau will get the attention of companies, too.
Filing an official complaint at the Better Business Bureau will get the attention of companies too.
It’s a little muddier when gyms are technically open and start charging you but you don’t want to go, like Fawnia’s situation. I’m a member at Equinox, and I was shocked that after reopening, they cancelled with no questions asked when I requested it.
“The most ethical will allow you out and they may also be the most clear-eyed,” says Mermin, meaning that perhaps gyms realize that they don’t want to alienate anyone willing to pay luxury membership fees, because they’re going to be competing for those members once they feel safe to come back to the gym.
While contract law differs in every state, according to New York State law, a member can cancel membership “after the services are no longer available or substantially available as provided in the contract because of the seller’s permanent discontinuance of operation or substantial change in operation.” Gyms in NYC aren’t allowed to have group classes, so that’s a potential argument that they aren’t providing full services. In the worst case scenario, you may need to consult an attorney, depending on your state’s laws.
Finally, forums like Reddit are full of advice that you should cancel the charge with the bank that holds your credit card. A representative for Mastercard said in an email that card holders and gyms enter into a contract, and there may not be recourse to cancel. But the rep said to call your bank directly. Canceling your entire credit card is the nuclear option, but then you may incur fees from your bank for doing that.
And if worse comes to worst, there’s always rage tweeting. “Shame ‘em,” says Mermin. “It’s a valuable tool.”
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vox--2020-10-09--The second debate between Trump and Biden is canceled

Following President Donald Trump ’ s recent Covid-19 diagnosis , the next debate has been canceled by the Commission for Presidential Debates , according to the Wall Street Journal and CNN .
On Thursday , Trump upended recently unveiled plans for a remote debate , saying on Fox Business , “ I ’ m not going to waste my time on a virtual debate.
” A back-and-forth ensued on Thursday and Friday , as the campaigns floated potential alternate arrangements .
Both campaigns are planning to hold separate events instead of the debate .
The second presidential debate , initially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be moderated by C-SPAN political editor Steve Scully .
However , much has changed since it was arranged — and since Trump and Biden first met onstage on September 29 .
Most importantly , Trump is in partial isolation in the White House after testing positive for Covid-19 on October 2 .
The president has been treated with a number of cutting-edge therapies for the airborne coronavirus , but Biden has said he is hesitant to appear onstage with Trump because he could still be contagious on the day of the debate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommends people who have Covid-19 stay away from others for at least 10 days following the appearance of symptoms , and notes that patients who — like Trump — were hospitalized and needed oxygen may be wise to self-isolate for at least 20 days .
The debate date would seem to fall after the 10-day window but before the 20-day mark , based on what is publicly known about the onset of the president ’ s symptoms .
On Tuesday , before the debate was made virtual , Biden told reporters he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it as planned .
“ I think if he still has Covid , we shouldn ’ t have a debate , ” he said after delivering a speech in Gettysburg , Pennsylvania , adding , “ Too many people have been infected .
It ’ s a very serious problem , so I will be guided by the guidelines of the Cleveland Clinic and what the docs say is the right thing to do.
” Until recently , Trump had seemed eager to debate despite still being treated for Covid-19 , tweeting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate on the evening of Thursday , October 15th in Miami .
It will be great !
” However , after the Commission for Presidential Debates announced the second debate would be held virtually , Trump said he no longer wanted to participate , arguing , “ That ’ s not what debating ’ s all about ; you sit behind a computer and do a debate , it ’ s ridiculous .
And then they cut you off whenever they want.
” In a statement released Thursday morning , Trump campaign manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and said that “ President Trump will have posted multiple negative tests prior to the debate , so there is no need for this unilateral declaration.
” The White House , however , still has not said when Trump ’ s last negative Covid-19 test was .
Stepien vowed to get his candidate back on the campaign trail in short order .
This promise could be difficult to deliver on , as Trump is still actively being treated for Covid-19 .
“ We ’ ll pass on this sad excuse to bail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead , ” Stepien said .
And given Trump ’ s refusal , Democratic nominee Joe Biden will also plan a solo event , his campaign said midday Thursday .
“ Joe Biden will find an appropriate place to take questions from voters directly on October 15th , as he has done on several occasions in recent weeks , ” Biden ’ s deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said in a statement .
“ Given the President ’ s refusal to participate on October 15th , we hope the Debate Commission will move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so that the President is not able to evade accountability.
” The ability of the Commission for Presidential Debates and the advising Cleveland Clinic to conduct debates safely was called into question during the first event , during which Trump ’ s family declined to wear face masks throughout the proceedings .
Wednesday night , some Pence supporters — including his wife , Karen Pence — failed to follow masking protocol .
And following the first debate , the city of Cleveland reported at least 11 people became infected ; city officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning and setup .
Covid-19 testing for Trump and Biden was up to the campaigns before the September 29 debate .
There ’ s still one more presidential debate scheduled The final presidential debate — on October 22 in Nashville , Tennessee — remains on the Commission for Presidential Debates ’ schedule .
NBC anchor Kristen Welker has been selected to moderate that event .
With just weeks to go before the November 3 election , Biden ’ s advantage in the polls has only increased since the first debate and Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average on FiveThirtyEight rose from 7 percentage points last week to 10 percentage points as of Friday , October 9 .
Biden is carrying a somewhat narrower lead in critical swing states , including Michigan , Pennsylvania , Nevada , and Arizona , according to RealClearPolitics averages .
Several polls after the first debate showed that voters did not like Trump ’ s constant interruptions of Biden during the first debate .
Polling also seems to suggest the first debate solidified two worrying trends for the president ; the movement of older voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward Biden .
A recent CNN poll showed Biden winning older voters by 22 percentage points , and a post-debate poll from NBC and the Wall Street Journal found the Democrat leading the president by 25 percentage points among suburban women .
Help keep Vox free for all Millions turn to Vox each month to understand what ’ s happening in the news , from the coronavirus crisis to a racial reckoning to what is , quite possibly , the most consequential presidential election of our lifetimes .
Our mission has never been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment : to empower you through understanding .
But our distinctive brand of explanatory journalism takes resources .
Even when the economy and the news advertising market recovers , your support will be a critical part of sustaining our resource-intensive work .
If you have already contributed , thank you .
If you haven ’ t , please consider helping everyone make sense of an increasingly chaotic world : Contribute today from as little as $ 3 .

Following President Donald Trump’s recent Covid-19 diagnosis, the next debate has been canceled by the Commission on Presidential Debates, according to the Wall Street Journal and CNN.
On Thursday, Trump upended recently unveiled plans for a remote debate, saying on Fox Business, “I’m not going to waste my time on a virtual debate.”
A back-and-forth ensued on Thursday and Friday, as the campaigns floated potential alternate arrangements. Both campaigns are planning to hold separate events instead of the debate.
The second presidential debate, initially set for October 15, was to be moderated by C-SPAN political editor Steve Scully. However, much has changed since it was arranged — and since Trump and Biden first met onstage on September 29. Most importantly, Trump is in partial isolation in the White House after testing positive for Covid-19 on October 2. The president has been treated with a number of cutting-edge therapies for the airborne coronavirus, but Biden has said he is hesitant to appear onstage with Trump because he could still be contagious on the day of the debate.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people who have Covid-19 stay away from others for at least 10 days following the appearance of symptoms, and notes that patients who — like Trump — were hospitalized and needed oxygen may be wise to self-isolate for at least 20 days. The debate date would seem to fall after the 10-day window but before the 20-day mark, based on what is publicly known about the onset of the president’s symptoms.
On Tuesday, before the debate was made virtual, Biden told reporters he was uncertain about the wisdom of participating in it as planned.
“I think if he still has Covid, we shouldn’t have a debate,” he said after delivering a speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, adding, “Too many people have been infected. It’s a very serious problem, so I will be guided by the guidelines of the Cleveland Clinic and what the docs say is the right thing to do.”
Until recently, Trump had seemed eager to debate despite still being treated for Covid-19, tweeting, “I am looking forward to the debate on the evening of Thursday, October 15th in Miami. It will be great!”
However, after the Commission on Presidential Debates announced the second debate would be held virtually, Trump said he no longer wanted to participate, arguing, “That’s not what debating’s all about; you sit behind a computer and do a debate, it’s ridiculous. And then they cut you off whenever they want.”
"I'm not going to waste my time on a virtual debate" -- Trump, on with Maria Bartiromo, begins his first post-coronavirus interview by saying he's pulling out of the second debate. (He sounds a little hoarse.) pic.twitter.com/R43JSszfll — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 8, 2020
In a statement released Thursday morning, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien reiterated Trump’s comments, and said that “President Trump will have posted multiple negative tests prior to the debate, so there is no need for this unilateral declaration.” The White House, however, still has not said when Trump’s last negative Covid-19 test was.
Stepien vowed to get his candidate back on the campaign trail in short order. This promise could be difficult to deliver on, as Trump is still actively being treated for Covid-19.
“We’ll pass on this sad excuse to bail out Joe Biden and do a rally instead,” Stepien said.
And given Trump’s refusal, Democratic nominee Joe Biden will also plan a solo event, his campaign said midday Thursday.
“Joe Biden will find an appropriate place to take questions from voters directly on October 15th, as he has done on several occasions in recent weeks,” Biden’s deputy campaign manager, Kate Bedingfield, said in a statement. “Given the President’s refusal to participate on October 15th, we hope the Debate Commission will move the Biden-Trump Town Hall to October 22nd, so that the President is not able to evade accountability.”
The ability of the Commission on Presidential Debates and the advising Cleveland Clinic to conduct debates safely was called into question during the first event, during which Trump’s family declined to wear face masks throughout the proceedings.
Wednesday night, some Pence supporters — including his wife, Karen Pence — failed to follow masking protocol. And following the first debate, the city of Cleveland reported at least 11 people became infected; city officials said the cases originated from the pre-debate planning and setup.
Covid-19 testing for Trump and Biden was up to the campaigns before the September 29 debate.
Vox is part of Vox Media. Find more coverage of the 2020 election across its other 13 networks: how to vote, in-depth analysis, and how policies will affect you, your state and the country over the next four years and beyond.
There’s still one more presidential debate scheduled
The final presidential debate — on October 22 in Nashville, Tennessee — remains on the Commission on Presidential Debates’ schedule. NBC anchor Kristen Welker has been selected to moderate that event.
With just weeks to go before the November 3 election, Biden’s advantage in the polls has only increased since the first debate and Trump’s Covid-19 diagnosis. His national polling average on FiveThirtyEight rose from a 7 percentage point lead on Trump last week, to a 10 percentage point lead as of Friday, October 9.
Biden is carrying a somewhat narrower lead in critical swing states, including Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Arizona, according to RealClearPolitics averages. Several polls after the first debate showed that voters did not like Trump’s constant interruptions of Biden during the first debate.
Polling also seems to suggest the first debate solidified two worrying trends for the president; the movement of older voters and suburban women away from Trump and toward Biden. A recent CNN poll showed Biden winning older voters by 22 percentage points, and a post-debate poll from NBC and the Wall Street Journal found the Democrat leading the president by 25 percentage points among suburban women.


vox--2020-10-09--The Trump-related coronavirus cases we’ll never hear about

Day in and day out at the White House , President Donald Trump is surrounded by valets , housekeepers , servers , Secret Service , advisers , and other staffers .
Covid-19 has been spreading among him and more than 20 people in his close orbit in recent weeks , and their carelessness with a lethal virus has left countless others exposed .
Helen Avalos was one of the housekeepers at Walter Reed medical center tasked with cleaning the president ’ s suite after he left the hospital on Monday .
“ Everyone who cleaned his suite was Hispanic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital , ” Avalos , who is from El Salvador , told me .
“ Trump hasn ’ t been a president who cares about people but instead is a president who cares about the well-being of his family and his wallet.
” In Minnesota , 13 workers at a restaurant that catered a Trump fundraiser have been put into quarantine .
In New Jersey , health officials have been tasked with tracking down more than 200 people who attended an event at the president ’ s Bedminster golf club the same day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including 19 workers .
“ I ’ m concerned about a lot of those people because they don ’ t have the power , they don ’ t have the money , some of those cases might just be lost , ” said Tara Smith , an epidemiologist at Kent State University .
It ’ s not known exactly when or how the coronavirus entered the White House — in part because the administration has declined to do serious contact tracing .
But many people point to the nomination ceremony held for Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rose Garden ( with an indoor reception afterward ) on September 26 as a likely starting point and possible superspreader event .
On Thursday , Washington , DC ’ s Department of Health released an open letter to White House staff and other attendees of the event , advising them to get a coronavirus test and contact their local health department for guidance .
If you try to trace out from there who the people in attendance may have come into contact with , it translates to at least 6,000 people across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a USA Today investigation .
“ I think the data speak for themselves , ” Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , said in an interview with CBS News Radio on Friday .
“ We had a superspreader event in the White House , and it was in a situation where people were crowded together , were not wearing masks.
” There ’ s a difference between the president — who can choose whether to hold a rally , gathering , or fundraiser — and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assist him because it is their job Essential workers have disproportionately taken on enormous amounts of risk throughout the pandemic .
When millions of people were in lockdown , they were the ones keeping the economy going .
And now , as economies reopen and life becomes more normal , they ’ re still the ones more exposed .
There ’ s a difference between the president — who can choose whether to hold a rally , gathering , or fundraiser — and the people who are there to serve and assist him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time the president decides to go out with an active coronavirus infection , a team of people is obligated to go along .
The president goes a lot of places , and he brings a lot of people with him In the days leading up to his Covid-19 diagnosis , the president had a busy schedule .
On Friday , September 25 , he campaigned in Florida , Georgia , and Virginia ; on Saturday , he attended the Coney Barrett events , and on Sunday , the White House hosted an event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House has reportedly told some veterans groups that they could have been exposed to the coronavirus . )
The president also golfed and prepped for debates , including with former New Jersey Gov .
Chris Christie , who remains hospitalized with the coronavirus .
And on Monday , he met auto workers at the White House .
Tuesday , he attended the first presidential debate , along with multiple members of his family and entourage who reportedly flouted mask requirements in Cleveland .
Wednesday , he did a rally and private fundraiser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcing his diagnosis , the president went to a fundraiser at his golf club in Bedminster , New Jersey .
Wherever the president goes , he is generally preceded by an advance team of multiple people who go to set up the area , who make sure everything is in place , and who accompany him around .
Many of those people fly commercial , and in Trump ’ s case have been bouncing from place to place and event to event .
For example , the advance press lead likely came into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McEnany , who has tested positive for Covid-19 .
“ It ’ s not uncommon for upwards of dozens of staff , military , and Secret Service support to be on the ground well ahead of the president ’ s arrival , ” said a person who has coordinated multiple events for the president and vice president in a prior administration , describing how a typical White House trip would work .
The person , who requested anonymity to speak freely about the matter , said that Trump has a much smaller group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means , on the one hand , fewer people exposed .
But it also means the same people are flipping from task to task ( and therefore place to place ) , and there isn ’ t really enough staff to switch people out to quarantine if need be .
“ Those who are close to him he likes to keep close , and it ’ s a very , very small bubble , ” he said .
After the debate in Cleveland , the city said that it traced 11 coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of which were out-of-state residents .
The potential web those people may have gone on to infect or put at risk is hard to know .
Members of Trump ’ s team are being tested for the coronavirus regularly , but a negative test does not necessarily mean someone isn ’ t infected , nor does it mean other precautions , such as social distancing and masks , shouldn ’ t be taken .
“ In a situation … where you ’ re at a single event and you ’ re relying on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s basically saying you know that you ’ re going to let in a certain number of people with guns , ” said Eleanor Murray , an epidemiologist at Boston University .
Every activity we do involves some level of risk , and there are some activities that an individual may feel are important for them to engage in — say , attend a crowed Supreme Court event and reception at the White House .
But ideally , once someone engages in that high-risk event , they try to limit contacts for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve contracted Covid-19 .
The White House did the opposite — high-risk event after high-risk event .
“ That ’ s the worst-case scenario , really , because if you get infected at one , you can transmit it to others , ” Murray said .
To take just one example of the president ’ s carelessness : Trump held a fundraiser at his Bedminster golf course the day he was diagnosed with Covid-19 .
According to an event invitation obtained by Vox , attendees gave up to $ 250,000 to attend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president .
Those in attendance said much of the event was outdoors — a less risky environment — and that the president spoke from a distance .
( There was , however , a buffet at the event . )
There was an indoor cocktail reception for some attendees , and the top donors got to have dinner with the president .
Dr. Rich Roberts , one of those top donors , told the Lakewood Scoop there were about 19 people at the dinner .
Rik Mehta , a Republican running for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jersey , told me he attended the outdoor portion of the event and masks were worn “ when appropriate.
” He doesn ’ t believe it was a public health risk .
Charlie Kolean , another attendee , said he felt safe attending the indoor VIP reception because he and the other attendees were tested at a drive-through testing site before being allowed into the event .
“ Everyone who was at the reception and already had a negative test result , you were allowed to take a photo [ with the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oddly enough , the guests who were perhaps most at risk — the people who had dinner with the president — were those who paid the most for the night , $ 250,000 .
The morning after the fundraiser , the Trump Victory Fund , a joint fundraising committee between the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee , emailed attendees notifying them of the president ’ s diagnosis and telling them to contact a doctor if they feel ill .
In the aftermath of the event , New Jersey health officials and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have scrambled to try to track down attendees and staff .
They were given names and emails of people to contact , but not addresses or phone numbers .
Democratic Gov .
Phil Murphy accused the president and his staff of being “ reckless ” in coming to the state , especially after knowing that they had come into contact with Hope Hicks , who had already tested positive for Covid-19 .
“ The actions leading up to and during this event have put lives at risk , ” he said .
Mehta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s complaints as an attempt to get a “ platform to attack Trump ” and says he doesn ’ t believe the fundraiser would be discussed at all if it weren ’ t for the president .
Beyond the attendees , 19 golf club staffers worked at the fundraiser , and it ’ s not clear if they are quarantining or are back at work , not to mention all of the workers and regular people attendees came into contact with before and after the event .
Kolean flew in from Texas — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who enter from to quarantine for 14 days .
CNBC noted that his Instagram also shows he and another attendee drove into New York City and took videos of themselves out and about in the city without masks .
People coming in from Texas are supposed to quarantine in New York , too .
Kolean said he had begun self-quarantining once he was back home in Texas .
When I asked about his activities in New Jersey beyond the fundraiser and noted the quarantine requirement , he said he didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk about what else he did .
Roberts , a retired pharmaceutical executive who had dinner with the president at Bedminster , told the Washington Post he assumed the rapid coronavirus test administered before the event was highly accurate and wouldn ’ t have attended the event if he knew it had a high false-negative rate .
He also told the Post it seems just too hard to track the movements of people who came into contact with the president .
“ This is not like a linear handoff of a baton , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is lots of batons flying in many directions for everyone.
” Lakewood , New Jersey , where Roberts resides , is one of the state ’ s Covid-19 hot spots .
The cases we ’ ll never hear about Trump , who has had access to the best care possible in the US , seems to be on the mend .
But that ’ s not the case for some in his orbit , and truth be told , we ’ ll probably never know how many people he and those around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with no meetings at all in the White House but maintaining a reasonable schedule , he would likely interact with about 10 valets , house staff , and Oval Office staff , and anywhere from five to 30 Secret Service members , situation room staff , and other staff , according to one person familiar with a typical White House ’ s inner workings .
By one estimate , there are some 300 essential workers in the White House .
Then you think of the trips and meetings and fundraisers , and all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network of possible spread explodes .
One White House staffer told the Atlantic that they found out about the president ’ s illness through news reports and that the fallout has been a “ huge mess.
” Andy T. Le , who worked for the Bush-Cheney White House and has done advance for multiple GOP politicians , emphasized that many people around the president don ’ t have any option but to follow his directions .
“ If he says , ‘ I want to do this , ’ [ advance and Secret @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
“ You never say no.
” The president , his donors , and his top aides have actively made things worse for the people around them , including workers .
They consistently choose not to wear masks , for example , and masks largely protect the infected from spreading the disease , not someone healthy from getting it .
In other words , an infected Trump or first lady not wearing a mask can get a healthy , mask-wearing worker sick .
If you look at pictures of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are wearing masks are workers .
“ They ’ re still exposed to any infection that might be coming at them from people in the government , Trump , etc.
, ” Murray said .
The White House has reaped what it has sown , but not just for itself .
“ The Trump White House is just stupid , everything they ’ re doing is just stupid , and it ’ s dangerous , ” Le said .
And it ’ s not just the White House that is at issue here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are many workers at risk every day and at the whim of the lawmakers and officials they work for in terms of what sorts of precautions they take .
According to Ashley Phelps , a Republican spokesperson for the House Administration Committee , at least 120 workers on Capitol Hill have contracted the coronavirus .
( Roll Call first reported the data . )
The Capitol Police ’ s Covid-19 hotline has received nearly 1,500 calls , and it has granted leave to 750 workers for coronavirus-related requests .
Capitol Hill has no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congressional office sort of decides how it wants to handle safety protocols — some are working entirely remotely , others entirely in person , some are requiring masks , others aren ’ t .
“ Most of the offices sending full staff in are Republican offices , ” one Democratic staffer told me .
“ There ’ s a wide range.
” “ Because we ’ re the cleaners , we ’ re the last to know anything and everything about the building ” Bonita Williams , 58 , is a cleaner at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it ’ s like to be an essential worker in a government office where not everyone takes the disease seriously .
Many of her coworkers have contracted Covid-19 , including one who is in her 80s and was hospitalized for weeks and recently returned to work .
As a cleaner , she is required to wear a mask , but the people whose offices she cleans often don ’ t .
“ It ’ s not that we get [ coronavirus ] from each other , it ’ s that we get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Williams , a member of the 32BJ SEIU local union , said .
“ You go in there , clean the office , they don ’ t have on masks , and they don ’ t tell us , because we ’ re the cleaners , we ’ re the last to know anything and everything about the building.
” After she and other cleaners asked people to put their trash outside of their offices so they wouldn ’ t have to go in , she recalls one man becoming very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bin himself .
She told one of her coworkers , “ Don ’ t worry about them getting mad .
You go in there , you could get Covid.
” The president ’ s coronavirus case may be the one that ’ s leading headlines right now , but it shouldn ’ t overshadow how many other cases he may have been responsible for and how many people his behavior puts at risk .
And it ’ s not just the workers he and his aides have endangered over the past couple of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too .
“ He should have done a better job in dealing with this virus , the coronavirus , and not only that , he should have done a better job in telling people to wear masks , ” Williams said .
The president could have stayed home when he realized he might be infected , and he can certainly continue to stay home now .
Millions of workers across the country don ’ t have that same choice .
“ If we don ’ t work , we don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The president is already gearing up for more rallies and is reportedly planning to hold an event at the White House over the weekend , setting himself up yet again to put people at risk .
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Day in and day out at the White House, President Donald Trump is surrounded by valets, housekeepers, servers, Secret Service, advisers, and other staffers. Covid-19 has been spreading among him and more than 20 people in his close orbit in recent weeks, and top officials’ carelessness with a lethal virus has left countless others exposed.
Helen Avalos was one of the housekeepers at Walter Reed Medical Center tasked with cleaning the president’s suite after he left the hospital on Monday. “Everyone who cleaned his suite was Hispanic, we’re the force of that hospital,” Avalos, who is from El Salvador, told me. “Trump hasn’t been a president who cares about people but instead is a president who cares about the well-being of his family and his wallet.”
In Minnesota, 13 workers at a restaurant that catered a Trump fundraiser have been put into quarantine. In New Jersey, health officials have been tasked with tracking down more than 200 people who attended an event at the president’s Bedminster golf club the same day he tested positive for the virus, including 19 workers.
“I’m concerned about a lot of those people because they don’t have the power, they don’t have the money, some of those cases might just be lost,” said Tara Smith, an epidemiologist at Kent State University.
Related Everyone in the White House cluster who has reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus
It’s not known exactly when or how the coronavirus entered the White House — in part because the administration has declined to do serious contact tracing. But many people point to the nomination ceremony held for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett at the Rose Garden (with an indoor reception afterward) on September 26 as a likely starting point and possible superspreader event. On Thursday, Washington, DC’s Department of Health released an open letter to White House staff and other attendees of the event, advising them to get a coronavirus test and contact their local health department for guidance.
More than 120 people came into especially close contact with the president and others with positive tests linked to the event within a week of the Barrett ceremony, and about 6,000 people across the country attended events with them, according to estimates from a USA Today investigation.
“I think the data speak for themselves,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in an interview with CBS News Radio on Friday. “We had a superspreader event in the White House, and it was in a situation where people were crowded together, were not wearing masks.”
There’s a difference between the president — who can choose whether to hold a rally, gathering, or fundraiser — and the people who are there to serve him
Essential workers have disproportionately taken on enormous amounts of risk throughout the pandemic. When millions of people were in lockdown, they were the ones keeping the economy going. And now, as economies reopen and life becomes more normal, they’re still the ones more exposed. There’s a difference between the president — who can choose whether to hold a rally, gathering, or fundraiser — and the people who are there to serve and assist him because it is their job.
Every time the president decides to go out with an active coronavirus infection, a team of people is obligated to go along.
The president goes a lot of places, and he brings a lot of people with him
In the days leading up to his Covid-19 diagnosis, the president had a busy schedule. On Friday, September 25, he campaigned in Florida, Georgia, and Virginia; on Saturday, he attended the Barrett events, and on Sunday, the White House hosted an event honoring Gold Star families. (The White House has reportedly told some veterans groups that they could have been exposed to the coronavirus.)
The president also golfed and prepped for debates, including with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who since announced he had tested positive, and spent several days hospitalized for Covid-19 before his release October 10.
And on that Monday, Trump met auto workers at the White House. Tuesday, he attended the first presidential debate, along with multiple members of his family and entourage who reportedly flouted mask requirements in Cleveland. Wednesday, he did a rally and private fundraiser in Minnesota, and Thursday, before announcing his diagnosis, the president went to a fundraiser at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
Wherever the president goes, he is generally preceded by an advance team of multiple people who go to set up the area, who make sure everything is in place, and who accompany him around. Many of those people fly commercial, and in Trump’s case have been bouncing from place to place and event to event. For example, the advance press lead likely came into contact with White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, who has tested positive for Covid-19.
“It’s not uncommon for upwards of dozens of staff, military, and Secret Service support to be on the ground well ahead of the president’s arrival,” said a person who has coordinated events for the president and vice president in a prior administration, describing how a typical White House trip would work.
The person, who requested anonymity to speak freely about the matter, said Trump has a much smaller group of staff than typical administrations, which means, on the one hand, fewer people exposed. But it also means the same people are flipping from task to task (and therefore place to place), and there isn’t really enough staff to switch people out to quarantine if need be. “Those who are close to him he likes to keep close, and it’s a very, very small bubble,” the person said.
After the debate in Cleveland, the city said it traced 11 coronavirus cases to pre-debate planning and setup, most of which were out-of-state residents. The potential web of contacts those people may have gone on to infect or put at risk is hard to know. Members of Trump’s team are being tested for the coronavirus regularly, but a negative test does not necessarily mean someone isn’t infected, nor does it mean other precautions, such as social distancing and masks, shouldn’t be taken.
“In a situation … where you’re at a single event and you’re relying on testing as your primary precaution, it’s basically saying you know that you’re going to let in a certain number of people with guns,” said Eleanor Murray, an epidemiologist at Boston University.
Every activity involves some level of risk, and there are some activities that an individual may feel are important for them to engage in — say, attend a crowded Supreme Court event and reception at the White House. But ideally, once someone engages in that high-risk event, they try to limit contacts for the next 14 days in case they’ve contracted Covid-19. The White House did the opposite — high-risk event after high-risk event.
“That’s the worst-case scenario, really, because if you get infected at one, you can transmit it to others,” Murray said.
A look at Bedminster
To take just one example of the president’s carelessness: Trump held a fundraiser at his Bedminster golf course the day he was diagnosed with Covid-19.
According to an event invitation obtained by Vox, attendees gave up to $250,000 to attend the fundraiser and gain access to the president. Those in attendance said much of the event was outdoors — a less risky environment — and that the president spoke from a distance. (There was, however, a buffet at the event.) There was an indoor cocktail reception for some attendees, and the top donors got to have dinner with the president. Rich Roberts, one of those top donors, told the Lakewood Scoop there were about 19 people at the dinner.
Rik Mehta, a Republican running for the Senate against incumbent Cory Booker in New Jersey, told me he attended the outdoor portion of the event and masks were worn “when appropriate.” He doesn’t believe it was a public health risk.
Charlie Kolean, another attendee, said he felt safe attending the indoor VIP reception because he and the other attendees were tested at a drive-through testing site before being allowed into the event. “Everyone who was at the reception and already had a negative test result, you were allowed to take a photo [with the president] one-on-one,” he said.
Oddly enough, the guests who were perhaps most at risk — the people who had dinner with the president — were those who paid the most for the night, $250,000 or more.
The morning after the fundraiser, the Trump Victory Fund, a joint fundraising committee between the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee, emailed attendees notifying them of the president’s diagnosis and telling them to contact a doctor if they feel ill.
In the aftermath of the event, New Jersey health officials and the governor’s office say they have scrambled to try to track down attendees and staff. They were given names and emails of people to contact, but not addresses or phone numbers. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy accused the president and his staff of being “reckless” in coming to the state, especially after knowing that they had come into contact with Hope Hicks, who had already tested positive for Covid-19. “The actions leading up to and during this event have put lives at risk,” he said.
Mehta told me he sees Murphy’s complaints as an attempt to get a “platform to attack Trump” and says he doesn’t believe the fundraiser would be discussed at all if it weren’t for the president.
Beyond the attendees, 19 golf club staffers worked at the fundraiser, and it’s not clear if they are quarantining or are back at work, not to mention all of the workers and regular people attendees came into contact with before and after the event.
Kolean flew in from Texas — one of 34 states New Jersey requires people who enter from to quarantine for 14 days. CNBC noted that his Instagram also shows he and another attendee drove into New York City and took videos of themselves out and about in the city without masks. People coming in from Texas are supposed to quarantine in New York, too. Kolean said he had begun self-quarantining once he was back home in Texas. When I asked about his activities in New Jersey beyond the fundraiser and noted the quarantine requirement, he said he didn’t know about the requirement and declined to talk about what else he did.
Roberts, a retired pharmaceutical executive who had dinner with the president at Bedminster, told the Washington Post he assumed the rapid coronavirus test administered before the event was highly accurate and wouldn’t have attended the event if he knew it had a high false-negative rate. He also told the Post it seems just too hard to track the movements of people who came into contact with the president.
“This is not like a linear handoff of a baton,” Roberts told the Post. “This is lots of batons flying in many directions for everyone.”
Lakewood, New Jersey, where Roberts resides, is one of the state’s Covid-19 hot spots.
The cases we’ll never hear about
Trump, who has had access to the best care possible in the US, seems to be on the mend. But that’s not the case for some in his orbit, and truth be told, we’ll probably never know how many people he and those around him have endangered.
On a day with no meetings at all in the White House but maintaining a reasonable schedule, he would likely interact with about 10 valets, house staff, and Oval Office staff, and anywhere from five to 30 Secret Service members, situation room staff, and other staff, according to one person familiar with a typical White House’s inner workings. By one estimate, there are some 300 essential workers in the White House. Then you think of the trips and meetings and fundraisers, and all of the people involved, and the network of possible spread explodes.
One White House staffer told the Atlantic that they found out about the president’s illness through news reports and that the fallout has been a “huge mess.” Andy T. Le, who worked for the Bush-Cheney White House and has done advance work for multiple GOP politicians, emphasized that many people around the president don’t have any option but to follow his directions. “If he says, ‘I want to do this,’ [advance and Secret Service] will make it happen,” he said. “You never say no.”
The president, his donors, and his top aides have actively made things worse for the people around them, including workers. They consistently choose not to wear masks, for example, and masks largely protect the infected from spreading the disease, not someone healthy from getting it. In other words, an infected Trump or first lady not wearing a mask can get a healthy, mask-wearing worker sick. If you look at pictures of the Barrett reception, the only people who are wearing masks are workers.
“They’re still exposed to any infection that might be coming at them from people in the government, Trump, etc.,” Murray said.
The White House has reaped what it has sown, but not just for itself. “The Trump White House is just stupid, everything they’re doing is just stupid, and it’s dangerous,” Le said.
And it’s not just the White House at issue here. Across the federal government, there are many workers at risk every day, and at the whim of the lawmakers and officials they work for in terms of what sorts of precautions they take. According to Ashley Phelps, a Republican spokesperson for the House Administration Committee, at least 120 workers on Capitol Hill have contracted the coronavirus this year. (Roll Call first reported the data.)
The Capitol Police’s Covid-19 hotline has received nearly 1,500 calls, and it has granted leave to 750 workers for coronavirus-related requests. Capitol Hill has no coherent testing regime for workers. Each congressional office sort of decides how it wants to handle safety protocols — some are working entirely remotely, others entirely in person, some are requiring masks, others aren’t.
“Most of the offices sending full staff in are Republican offices,” one Democratic staffer told me. “There’s a wide range.”
“Because we’re the cleaners, we’re the last to know anything and everything about the building”
Bonita Williams, 58, is a cleaner at the State Department and has experienced firsthand what it’s like to be an essential worker in a government office where not everyone takes the disease seriously. Many of her coworkers have contracted Covid-19, including one who is in her 80s and was hospitalized for weeks, and recently returned to work. As a cleaner, Williams is required to wear a mask, but the people whose offices she cleans often don’t.
“It’s not that we get [coronavirus] from each other, it’s that we get it from the people in the office,” Williams, a member of the 32BJ SEIU local union, said. “You go in there, clean the office, they don’t have on masks, and they don’t tell us, because we’re the cleaners, we’re the last to know anything and everything about the building.”
After she and other cleaners asked people to put their trash outside of their offices so they wouldn’t have to go in, she recalls one man becoming very upset at the idea of moving the bin himself. She told one of her coworkers, “Don’t worry about them getting mad. You go in there, you could get Covid.”
The president’s coronavirus case may be the one leading headlines right now, but it shouldn’t overshadow how many other cases he may have been responsible for and how many people his behavior puts at risk. And it’s not just the workers he and his aides have endangered over the past couple of weeks, it’s everyone else, too.
“He should have done a better job in dealing with this virus, the coronavirus, and not only that, he should have done a better job in telling people to wear masks,” Williams said. The president could have stayed home when he realized he might be infected, and he can certainly continue to stay home now. Millions of workers across the country don’t have that same choice. “If we don’t work, we don’t get paid,” Williams said.
But the president is already gearing up for more rallies and is reportedly planning to hold an event at the White House over the weekend, setting himself up yet again to put people at risk.


vox--2020-10-09--Kyrgyzstan’s political crisis, explained

Gunfire in the capital .
Deadly clashes between protesters and state security forces .
Annulled elections .
A nasty fight for political power .
And a president who ’ s effectively been missing in action through it all .
Over the past week , these scenes have gripped Kyrgyzstan as the Central Asian country faces its greatest political crisis in a decade — one that could see the third ouster of a president in just 15 years .
Many of Kyrgyzstan ’ s 6 million people are deeply dissatisfied with the government due to widespread corruption and mismanagement of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy is in tatters , and many have no life savings or struggle to find steady work to bolster themselves against the downturn .
So when voters headed to the polls for parliamentary elections on October 4 , most expected that the government-linked parties would be voted out .
But though past votes for Parliament in 2010 and 2015 were conducted freely and fairly by most accounts , the presidential election of 2017 saw current President Sooronbay Jeenbekov essentially installed by his predecessor .
That led some experts to worry that this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Those fears grew when the results came in : Parties allied with the president had won the largest share of the votes .
Only four of the 16 parties in the running passed the 7-percent threshold to win seats ; two of those four have links to the current administration , and each received about 24 percent support .
One of those two parties , Birimdik , featured the president ’ s brother as a candidate .
The other , Mekenim Kyrgyzstan , is backed by a former customs chief who ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition parties that didn ’ t win seats immediately cried foul , alleging the election was rigged .
Protests erupted in the streets of the capital , Bishkek , plunging the country into chaos .
And things just got worse from there .
Was the election rigged ?
Possibly not , but many are angry at the result .
There is some evidence that the victorious parties bought votes from cash-strapped citizens and placed undue pressure on local leaders to support them , perhaps at the direction of high-level government officials .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science at Stetson University and an expert on Kyrgyzstan ’ s politics , said that “ this election was probably less flawed than other ones in the country.
” Though no exit polls have been released yet , he noted that the high returns for the parties that got into Parliament indicate they perhaps have more support than certain polls suggest .
Further , Huskey said the few surveys released before the election didn ’ t capture many of the changes that came later , like some parties folding or candidates switching allegiances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Huskey told me .
Still , dissatisfaction with the result drove thousands to Bishkek ’ s Ala-Too Square on October 5 .
Some went because they wanted to protest what they deemed to be an unfair election , reports show , while others joined because the party they liked — but that didn ’ t get enough votes to win seats — pushed them to rally against the result .
In fact , nearly all opposition parties pushed for a rally .
The demonstration throughout the day was peaceful .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brutally attacked the protesters with tear gas and rubber bullets , killing one person and injuring at least 600 more per the nation ’ s health ministry .
Jeenbekov denies ordering the assault , though experts like National Defense University ’ s Erica Marat suspects the decision to push back on demonstrators was his alone to make .
“ He miscalculated the mood , ” she told me .
“ He likely felt that if he dispersed the crowd , the whole thing would go away.
” But it didn ’ t , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ That was a major turning point , ” Columbia University ’ s Colleen Wood told me .
A mix of people angry at the assault and provocateurs looking to stir trouble stormed the White House , the main government complex featuring the president ’ s offices and legislature .
They seized the building , named changes to top government posts , demanded a new vote , and even freed political prisoners , including the current president ’ s predecessor and one-time ally , Almazbek Atambaev .
The following morning , the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s results to “ prevent tension.
” The problem is the decision only increased it .
Amid popular pressure , the prime minister of Kyrgyzstan — who is less powerful than the president but still provides some checks on his authority — offered his resignation on Tuesday ( and finally had it accepted on Friday ) .
Since then , a messy political fight has broken out to replace him , that ’ s roughly contested between a pro-government camp and a pro-reform camp .
First , the pro-government side : On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former government official who was in prison before protesters released him the night before , met with a group of 35 parliamentarians at the three-star Dostuk Hotel in Bishkek .
But there are some problems with that , experts say .
Thirty-five legislators doesn ’ t make an official quorum , for example , so the appointment is mostly meaningless as a legal matter .
It ’ s also unclear he ’ ll garner much popular support due to his ties to government figures and is a criminal himself .
In October 2013 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with taking a provincial governor hostage .
He was charged and then fled the country , only to be arrested upon returning to the country in March 2017 .
Experts don ’ t believe , though , that Japarov somehow planned a coup while in prison — events moved quickly and his connections to some in the legislature helped him gain some support .
As for the pro-reform side — a loose connection of more democratic-minded parties and supporters — Omurbek Babanov , who lost the controversial 2017 presidential election , has enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fled the country after that race for fear he ’ d be charged with crimes by the current president , only to come back this year to campaign for his old party which didn ’ t meet the 7 percent threshold .
That , in part , is why some experts fear he may not garner enough support for the job .
Plus , they say Babanov may not be as pro-reform as he claims since one of his backers is Atambayev , the former president who rigged the 2017 election against him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more people and semi-official commissions pushing others to take the prime minister spot , those two have become the main figures tussling for control .
And tussle they have : “ The power vacuum has turned violent , ” said Columbia ’ s Wood .
Fist fights broke out in Bishkek between the two factions on Friday , culminating in gun shots heard throughout the capital .
Some shots were fired at Atambayev ’ s car , and while he wasn ’ t harmed , it ’ s unclear if the bullets were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As a result of the violence , President Jeenbekov declared a state of emergency that will last until October 21 and be enforced by the nation ’ s military .
Among other restrictions , movement in and out the capital will be heavily controlled .
That ’ s a rare move , said NDU ’ s Marat , as post-Soviet nations in Central Asia typically deploy their armed forces only for external matters .
“ The military doesn ’ t really involve itself in pacifying protests , ” she said , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really be .
He ’ s apparently so worried , in fact , that he hasn ’ t been seen in days , and may even be hiding on purpose .
Jeenbekov — who has yet to be seen in public since the protests began — promised to resign as president once a new prime minister and Parliament is in place , a new Cabinet sworn in , and rule of law restored .
Experts aren ’ t sure if he ’ s just saying that to minimize anger toward him , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Either way , he ’ s still the president , and the future of his country depends on what he does next , Wood told me .
It ’ s quite tricky for him , she said , because if he intervenes and supports either Japarov or Babanov , then it ’ ll look like the government once again aims to influence an election .
But if he stays silent , the uncertainty and lack of leadership might invite more chaos .
But his time is running out .
The country ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision on when to hold a new vote in November , and it ’ s possible they will ban the pro-government parties that may have actually won the election this week .
If that happens , “ I can see this spinning out into even more conflict , ” said Stetson ’ s Huskey , assuming violence doesn ’ t continue and worsen in the days to come .
Russia , which has immense influence in the country , is also watching events closely .
“ The situation looks like a mess and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told reporters on Thursday , alluding to a treaty between the two countries that aims to avoid a breakdown of governance in Kyrgyzstan .
He didn ’ t say what actions Russia might take , but the signal was clear : Russia might intervene .
The good news , experts said , is that parts of the country are trying to calm the situation down .
Posts on social media , they say , overwhelmingly call for both sides to stop fighting .
There are even groups protecting homes and businesses from looters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep warm .
“ They ’ re trying to stabilize the situation from bottom up , ” said NDU ’ s Marat .
That ’ s all well and good , but the person in charge of stabilizing the situation from the top down — the president — is still missing in action .
Which means Kyrgyzstan ’ s political turmoil is likely to last for a few more days — perhaps even longer .
If that ’ s the case , the country may host its third major political revolution since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s ready .
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Gunfire in the capital. Deadly clashes between protesters and state security forces. Annulled elections. A nasty fight for political power. And a president who’s effectively been missing in action through it all.
Over the past week, these scenes have gripped Kyrgyzstan as the Central Asian country faces its greatest political crisis in a decade — one that could see the third ouster of a president in just 15 years.
Many of Kyrgyzstan’s 6 million people are deeply dissatisfied with the government due to widespread corruption and mismanagement of the Covid-19 pandemic. The country’s economy is in tatters, and many have no life savings or struggle to find steady work to bolster themselves against the downturn.
So when voters headed to the polls for parliamentary elections on October 4, most expected that the government-linked parties would be voted out.
But though past votes for Parliament in 2010 and 2015 were conducted freely and fairly by most accounts, the presidential election of 2017 saw current President Sooronbay Jeenbekov essentially installed by his predecessor. That led some experts to worry that this year’s election might be flawed.
Those fears grew when the results came in: Parties allied with the president had won the largest share of the votes.
Only four of the 16 parties in the running passed the 7-percent threshold to win seats; two of those four have links to the current administration, and each received about 24 percent support. One of those two parties, Birimdik, featured the president’s brother as a candidate. The other, Mekenim Kyrgyzstan, is backed by a former customs chief who’s reportedly a crime boss.
All the opposition parties that didn’t win seats immediately cried foul, alleging the election was rigged. Protests erupted in the streets of the capital, Bishkek, plunging the country into chaos.
And things just got worse from there.
Was the election rigged? Possibly not, but many are angry at the result.
There is some evidence that the victorious parties bought votes from cash-strapped citizens and placed undue pressure on local leaders to support them, perhaps at the direction of high-level government officials.
But Eugene Huskey, a professor of political science at Stetson University and an expert on Kyrgyzstan’s politics, said that “this election was probably less flawed than other ones in the country.” Though no exit polls have been released yet, he noted that the high returns for the parties that got into Parliament indicate they perhaps have more support than certain polls suggest.
Further, Huskey said the few surveys released before the election didn’t capture many of the changes that came later, like some parties folding or candidates switching allegiances.
Still, dissatisfaction with the result drove thousands to Bishkek’s Ala-Too Square on October 5. Some went because they wanted to protest what they deemed to be an unfair election, reports show, while others joined because the party they liked — but that didn’t get enough votes to win seats — pushed them to rally against the result. In fact, nearly all opposition parties pushed for a rally.
The demonstration throughout the day was peaceful. But as night fell, state security services brutally attacked the protesters with tear gas and rubber bullets, killing one person and injuring at least 600 more per the nation’s health ministry.
Jeenbekov denies ordering the assault, though experts like National Defense University’s Erica Marat suspects the decision to push back on demonstrators was his alone to make. “He miscalculated the mood,” she told me. “He likely felt that if he dispersed the crowd, the whole thing would go away.”
But it didn’t, and instead it made things worse. “That was a major turning point,” Columbia University’s Colleen Wood told me.
A mix of people angry at the assault and provocateurs looking to stir trouble stormed the White House, the main government complex featuring the president’s offices and legislature. They seized the building, named changes to top government posts, demanded a new vote, and even freed political prisoners, including the current president’s predecessor and one-time ally, Almazbek Atambaev.
The past couple of days in Kyrgyzstan: political chaos, government buildings being stormed by protesters, a former president being sprung from jail during the night of October 5-6 -- and, by morning, the annulment of the election results. pic.twitter.com/iHeOGaAuyZ — Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (@RFERL) October 7, 2020
The following morning, the country’s election commission annulled October 4’s results to “prevent tension.” The problem is the decision only increased it.
“The power vacuum has turned violent”
Amid popular pressure, the prime minister of Kyrgyzstan — who is less powerful than the president but still provides some checks on his authority — offered his resignation on Tuesday (and finally had it accepted on Friday).
Since then, a messy political fight has broken out to replace him, that’s roughly contested between a pro-government camp and a pro-reform camp.
First, the pro-government side: On October 6, Sadyr Japarov, a former government official who was in prison before protesters released him the night before, met with a group of 35 parliamentarians at the three-star Dostuk Hotel in Bishkek.
But there are some problems with that, experts say. Thirty-five legislators doesn’t make an official quorum, for example, so the appointment is mostly meaningless as a legal matter.
It’s also unclear he’ll garner much popular support due to his ties to government figures and is a criminal himself. In October 2013, he led a protest that ended with taking a provincial governor hostage. He was charged and then fled the country, only to be arrested upon returning to the country in March 2017.
Experts don’t believe, though, that Japarov somehow planned a coup while in prison — events moved quickly and his connections to some in the legislature helped him gain some support.
As for the pro-reform side — a loose connection of more democratic-minded parties and supporters — Omurbek Babanov, who lost the controversial 2017 presidential election, has enough backing to make a challenge. He fled the country after that race for fear he’d be charged with crimes by the current president, only to come back this year to campaign for his old party which didn’t meet the 7 percent threshold.
That, in part, is why some experts fear he may not garner enough support for the job. Plus, they say Babanov may not be as pro-reform as he claims since one of his backers is Atambayev, the former president who rigged the 2017 election against him and still faces corruption charges.
Despite more people and semi-official commissions pushing others to take the prime minister spot, those two have become the main figures tussling for control. And tussle they have: “The power vacuum has turned violent,” said Columbia’s Wood.
Fist fights broke out in Bishkek between the two factions on Friday, culminating in gun shots heard throughout the capital. Some shots were fired at Atambayev’s car, and while he wasn’t harmed, it’s unclear if the bullets were errant or intended to kill him.
As a result of the violence, President Jeenbekov declared a state of emergency that will last until October 21 and be enforced by the nation’s military. Among other restrictions, movement in and out the capital will be heavily controlled.
That’s a rare move, said NDU’s Marat, as post-Soviet nations in Central Asia typically deploy their armed forces only for external matters. “The military doesn’t really involve itself in pacifying protests,” she said, but it goes to show how worried Jeenbekov must really be.
He’s apparently so worried, in fact, that he hasn’t been seen in days, and may even be hiding on purpose.
A lot rides on an absent president
Jeenbekov — who has yet to be seen in public since the protests began — promised to resign as president once a new prime minister and Parliament is in place, a new Cabinet sworn in, and rule of law restored. Experts aren’t sure if he’s just saying that to minimize anger toward him, or if it’s a serious offer.
Either way, he’s still the president, and the future of his country depends on what he does next, Wood told me. It’s quite tricky for him, she said, because if he intervenes and supports either Japarov or Babanov, then it’ll look like the government once again aims to influence an election. But if he stays silent, the uncertainty and lack of leadership might invite more chaos.
But his time is running out. The country’s election authorities plan to make a decision on when to hold a new vote in November, and it’s possible they will ban the pro-government parties that may have actually won the election this week. If that happens, “I can see this spinning out into even more conflict,” said Stetson’s Huskey, assuming violence doesn’t continue and worsen in the days to come.
Russia, which has immense influence in the country, is also watching events closely. “The situation looks like a mess and chaos,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday, alluding to a treaty between the two countries that aims to avoid a breakdown of governance in Kyrgyzstan. He didn’t say what actions Russia might take, but the signal was clear: Russia might intervene.
The good news, experts said, is that parts of the country are trying to calm the situation down. Posts on social media, they say, overwhelmingly call for both sides to stop fighting. There are even groups protecting homes and businesses from looters, with other bringing those volunteers drinks to keep warm. “They’re trying to stabilize the situation from bottom up,” said NDU’s Marat.
That’s all well and good, but the person in charge of stabilizing the situation from the top down — the president — is still missing in action.
Which means Kyrgyzstan’s political turmoil is likely to last for a few more days — perhaps even longer. If that’s the case, the country may host its third major political revolution since 2005, possibly forcing out Jeenbekov before he’s ready.