democracynow--2020-06-26--The End of Asylum? Supreme Court Sides with Trump Administration on Fast-Tracking Deportations

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : In a major victory for the Trump administration , the Supreme Court ruled Thursday the U.S. government can fast-track deportations of asylum seekers without first allowing them to fight for their case in front of a judge .
The 7-to-2 ruling affects the thousands of asylum seekers whose initial credible fear claims are denied by immigration officers in bare-bone proceedings without a lawyer present .
The American Civil Liberties Union said the Supreme Court ’ s ruling , quote , “ fails @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s bedrock principle that everyone gets their day in court.
” For more , we ’ re joined by Lee Gelernt , deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants ’ Rights Project , attorney for the Sri Lanka asylum seeker who was at the center of the case before the Supreme Court .
We welcome you back , Lee Gelernt , to Democracy Now !
First , explain his case , and then what you argued before the Supreme Court and the significance of its ruling .
LEE GELERNT : Yeah .
So , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Sri Lankan asylum seeker .
He was — he is Tamil , an ethnic minority in Sri Lanka , historically persecuted .
He was abducted by men , blindfolded , brought in a van and beaten senseless .
He finally escaped Sri Lanka , got to the U.S. and had what ’ s called these fast-track or expedited hearings , without an attorney , a very short hearing , where he explained his story .
And the asylum officer believed him but said , “ I ’ m not still going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t think you ’ re legally entitled to it.
” And that was notwithstanding him — and the reason the asylum officer said , “ I ’ m not going to grant you asylum , ” is , “ Well , how can I be sure that it was government forces who beat you ?
” And that ’ s what it takes to get asylum .
But yet , he had told them he thought he was arrested — used the word “ arrested ” — which , of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He didn ’ t know exactly who beat him , of course , and he doesn ’ t have an attorney and didn ’ t investigate .
But the other thing he pointed out is that he was abducted in a van .
And every report you look at about Sri Lanka shows this thing called the white van phenomena , where Tamils are abducted in a white van by government officials .
So it was a well-known phenomena .
And the asylum officer was charged by law with knowing what happens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard that this man was abducted in a van , he should have understood that was a prima facie case of asylum .
Nonetheless , he said , “ I ’ m not going to grant you asylum.
” So we did what most people would do in that situation , and try and get a judge , a neutral judge , because the asylum officer ultimately is part of the executive branch , to say , “ Let me review this.
” The administration said , “ No , you can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” based on a law that was passed , unfortunately , in 1996 .
We believe the law was unconstitutional , and everyone is supposed have their day in court by virtue of what ’ s called habeas corpus , which simply means you have your day in court where your liberty is going to be taken away .
We prevailed in the court of appeals .
We went to the Supreme Court , and we argued that the denial of your day in court where your liberty is at stake is unconstitutional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted a judicial check on the executive branch and on Congress where someone ’ s liberty was at stake .
Unfortunately , the Supreme Court ruled against us and for the government .
As a practical matter , it ’ s a very serious decision and will adversely affect many , many asylum seekers , particularly now .
I mean , judicial review is always important , but particularly now , where the Trump administration has eviscerated so many of the protections and the asylum hearing itself , that it ’ s that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a federal court .
AMY GOODMAN : Lee Gelernt , can you talk about the significance of the justices who voted either way , the 7-to-2 ruling ?
Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor voted against .
Ruth Bader Ginsburg voted with the majority .
LEE GELERNT : Yeah , Ruth Bader Ginsburg , Justice Ginsburg , and Justice Breyer concurred , but on extremely narrow grounds , and said , taking all the specifics of this case , they would — they joined the majority .
The majority ’ s opinion was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be seen is how broadly the Trump administration will try and interpret it .
The way we read the opinion , even the majority opinion , is it applies only to people right at the border who have asylum claims .
And we ’ ll have to see if the Trump administration tries to expand it .
Right now the Trump administration had already been trying to do fast-track deportations for people living in the country for up to two years anywhere in the country , in the interior of the country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for is a fight with the Trump administration about whether this opinion signals it ’ s OK to use fast-track deportations without judicial review in the interior of the country .
We believe it does not , and that would raise distinct issues , but I suspect we ’ re in for a fight about that .
AMY GOODMAN : And very quickly , this issue of expedited removal was actually not very frequent until the dramatic increase in Central American asylum seekers arriving at the border .
So , more specifically , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them ?
AMY GOODMAN : And even , of course , though your client was Tamil from Sri Lanka .
LEE GELERNT : Right .
And so , I think there is going to be a sort of double whammy here , because judicial review was always going to be important for those cases that failed at the initial stage , but I think what we ’ re likely to see are more people failing at the initial stage , because as truncated as the hearings were to begin with , the administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take away procedural rights , and even in that initial hearing with the asylum officer , and making it more difficult to get asylum based on things like gender discrimination .
And so , we ’ re likely to see more people fail their hearings , and now they don ’ t have a backstop in the federal courts .
So I think we ’ re likely to see many more people in fast-track deportations removed .
But I think , even before that , we ’ re fighting another fight , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using the pretext of COVID to bypass the whole asylum system altogether and deport people within days without any hearing whatsoever .
And so , we are in the district court in D.C. now fighting that case about whether the government can bypass the whole asylum system .
If ultimately they ’ re allowed to bypass the whole asylum system , then all the tinkering in the asylum system will be largely meaningless .
AMY GOODMAN : Can you also comment quickly on the ACLU lawsuit that you recently brought against the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restricts immigration at the border based on the unprecedented invocation of the Public Health Services Act ?
You filed on behalf of a 16-year-old Honduran boy ?
LEE GELERNT : Yes .
And so , that ’ s the test case .
And that ’ s what I meant by bypassing the whole asylum system .
The administration now , for the first time in history , is trying to use the public health laws to expel people on the pretext of COVID .
Those laws have been in place since 1893 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has ever tried use the public health laws to expel people .
The administration admitted , in a hearing on Wednesday that I argued , that they thought that public health laws even allow them to expel U.S. citizens .
Fortunately , the judge said that we were likely to prevail on our claim that public health laws can not be a parallel deportation system , and if the government wants to deport people , it has to give them the protections , including asylum protections , in the immigration laws .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this case , because if that expulsion order stands and the president is reelected , I suspect that he ’ s going to end asylum for the whole second term , based on the pretext that it ’ s too dangerous to allow children asylum seekers in the country .
AMY GOODMAN : And finally , Lee , we often had you on talking about separated children , and I was just wondering if you can give us an update .
AMY GOODMAN : In the midst of this horrific pandemic , how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separated from their families in the United States ?
LEE GELERNT : So , that ’ s a great question .
And unfortunately , the government had only given us part of the names in the beginning .
They gave us another 1,500 children late , and only because it was exposed by internal government reports .
We are unfortunately still looking for the bulk of those children .
And we were going door to door in Central America with our partners looking for those children .
And now because of COVID , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So we still do not know how many children are separated .
We have yet to find hundreds of those children , many of them under 5 years old .
AMY GOODMAN : And finally , the fate of asylum law in the United States under almost four years of President Trump ?
LEE GELERNT : I think it hangs in the balance .
I think we are really at that turning point where if our legal challenges don ’ t succeed and the president is elected , there really won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think everyone — you know , the border is sort of out of sight , out of mind .
People need to look back on history , think about what happened with their ancestors .
A lot of people in this country benefited from the United States ’ commitment to provide protection after World War II .
This would be an unfortunate thing in the United States if all of a sudden we turned our back on the group that needs asylum now , because , sooner or later , different groups need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asylum .
But that ’ s what ’ s happening if the Trump administration gets its way .
AMY GOODMAN : Lee Gelernt , we want to thank you for being with us , deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants ’ Rights Project .
Next up , we look at the growing controversy over the police use of facial recognition technology , as a man in Michigan reveals he was falsely arrested thanks to the flawed technology .
Stay with us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: In a major victory for the Trump administration, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday the U.S. government can fast-track deportations of asylum seekers without first allowing them to fight for their case in front of a judge. The 7-to-2 ruling affects the thousands of asylum seekers whose initial credible fear claims are denied by immigration officers in bare-bone proceedings without a lawyer present. The American Civil Liberties Union said the Supreme Court’s ruling, quote, “fails to live up to the Constitution’s bedrock principle that everyone gets their day in court.”
For more, we’re joined by Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project, attorney for the Sri Lanka asylum seeker who was at the center of the case before the Supreme Court.
We welcome you back, Lee Gelernt, to Democracy Now! First, explain his case, and then what you argued before the Supreme Court and the significance of its ruling.
LEE GELERNT: Yeah. So, he is, as you said, a Sri Lankan asylum seeker. He was — he is Tamil, an ethnic minority in Sri Lanka, historically persecuted. He was abducted by men, blindfolded, brought in a van and beaten senseless. He finally escaped Sri Lanka, got to the U.S. and had what’s called these fast-track or expedited hearings, without an attorney, a very short hearing, where he explained his story.
And the asylum officer believed him but said, “I’m not still going to grant you asylum, because I don’t think you’re legally entitled to it.” And that was notwithstanding him — and the reason the asylum officer said, “I’m not going to grant you asylum,” is, “Well, how can I be sure that it was government forces who beat you?” And that’s what it takes to get asylum. But yet, he had told them he thought he was arrested — used the word “arrested” — which, of course, implies that it’s government officials. He didn’t know exactly who beat him, of course, and he doesn’t have an attorney and didn’t investigate.
But the other thing he pointed out is that he was abducted in a van. And every report you look at about Sri Lanka shows this thing called the white van phenomena, where Tamils are abducted in a white van by government officials. So it was a well-known phenomena. And the asylum officer was charged by law with knowing what happens in each country. And once he heard that this man was abducted in a van, he should have understood that was a prima facie case of asylum. Nonetheless, he said, “I’m not going to grant you asylum.”
So we did what most people would do in that situation, and try and get a judge, a neutral judge, because the asylum officer ultimately is part of the executive branch, to say, “Let me review this.” The administration said, “No, you can’t go to a federal court,” based on a law that was passed, unfortunately, in 1996. We believe the law was unconstitutional, and everyone is supposed have their day in court by virtue of what’s called habeas corpus, which simply means you have your day in court where your liberty is going to be taken away. We prevailed in the court of appeals.
We went to the Supreme Court, and we argued that the denial of your day in court where your liberty is at stake is unconstitutional, and the framers of the Constitution wanted a judicial check on the executive branch and on Congress where someone’s liberty was at stake. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court ruled against us and for the government.
As a practical matter, it’s a very serious decision and will adversely affect many, many asylum seekers, particularly now. I mean, judicial review is always important, but particularly now, where the Trump administration has eviscerated so many of the protections and the asylum hearing itself, that it’s that much more critical to have a backstop of a federal court.
AMY GOODMAN: Lee Gelernt, can you talk about the significance of the justices who voted either way, the 7-to-2 ruling? Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor voted against. Ruth Bader Ginsburg voted with the majority.
LEE GELERNT: Yeah, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Justice Ginsburg, and Justice Breyer concurred, but on extremely narrow grounds, and said, taking all the specifics of this case, they would — they joined the majority. The majority’s opinion was unfortunately broader.
And what remains to be seen is how broadly the Trump administration will try and interpret it. The way we read the opinion, even the majority opinion, is it applies only to people right at the border who have asylum claims. And we’ll have to see if the Trump administration tries to expand it. Right now the Trump administration had already been trying to do fast-track deportations for people living in the country for up to two years anywhere in the country, in the interior of the country. I think what we’re in for is a fight with the Trump administration about whether this opinion signals it’s OK to use fast-track deportations without judicial review in the interior of the country. We believe it does not, and that would raise distinct issues, but I suspect we’re in for a fight about that.
AMY GOODMAN: And very quickly, this issue of expedited removal was actually not very frequent until the dramatic increase in Central American asylum seekers arriving at the border. So, more specifically, how you are fearing it will affect them?
LEE GELERNT: So, I think —
AMY GOODMAN: And even, of course, though your client was Tamil from Sri Lanka.
LEE GELERNT: Right. And so, I think there is going to be a sort of double whammy here, because judicial review was always going to be important for those cases that failed at the initial stage, but I think what we’re likely to see are more people failing at the initial stage, because as truncated as the hearings were to begin with, the administration has now for three-and-a-half years been trying to take away procedural rights, and even in that initial hearing with the asylum officer, and making it more difficult to get asylum based on things like gender discrimination. And so, we’re likely to see more people fail their hearings, and now they don’t have a backstop in the federal courts. So I think we’re likely to see many more people in fast-track deportations removed.
But I think, even before that, we’re fighting another fight, which is that the administration is now using the pretext of COVID to bypass the whole asylum system altogether and deport people within days without any hearing whatsoever. And so, we are in the district court in D.C. now fighting that case about whether the government can bypass the whole asylum system. If ultimately they’re allowed to bypass the whole asylum system, then all the tinkering in the asylum system will be largely meaningless.
AMY GOODMAN: Can you also comment quickly on the ACLU lawsuit that you recently brought against the Trump administration ordering — against their order that restricts immigration at the border based on the unprecedented invocation of the Public Health Services Act? You filed on behalf of a 16-year-old Honduran boy?
LEE GELERNT: Yes. And so, that’s the test case. And that’s what I meant by bypassing the whole asylum system. The administration now, for the first time in history, is trying to use the public health laws to expel people on the pretext of COVID. Those laws have been in place since 1893. No administration, Democratic or Republican, has ever tried use the public health laws to expel people. The administration admitted, in a hearing on Wednesday that I argued, that they thought that public health laws even allow them to expel U.S. citizens. Fortunately, the judge said that we were likely to prevail on our claim that public health laws cannot be a parallel deportation system, and if the government wants to deport people, it has to give them the protections, including asylum protections, in the immigration laws.
So I think the stakes are enormous in this case, because if that expulsion order stands and the president is reelected, I suspect that he’s going to end asylum for the whole second term, based on the pretext that it’s too dangerous to allow children asylum seekers in the country.
AMY GOODMAN: And finally, Lee, we often had you on talking about separated children, and I was just wondering if you can give us an update.
LEE GELERNT: Yeah.
AMY GOODMAN: In the midst of this horrific pandemic, how many children do you still believe are separated from their families in the United States?
LEE GELERNT: So, that’s a great question. And unfortunately, the government had only given us part of the names in the beginning. They gave us another 1,500 children late, and only because it was exposed by internal government reports. We are unfortunately still looking for the bulk of those children. And we were going door to door in Central America with our partners looking for those children. And now because of COVID, we can’t do that. So we still do not know how many children are separated. We have yet to find hundreds of those children, many of them under 5 years old.
AMY GOODMAN: And finally, the fate of asylum law in the United States under almost four years of President Trump?
LEE GELERNT: I think it hangs in the balance. I think we are really at that turning point where if our legal challenges don’t succeed and the president is elected, there really won’t be asylum next term. And I think everyone — you know, the border is sort of out of sight, out of mind. People need to look back on history, think about what happened with their ancestors. A lot of people in this country benefited from the United States’ commitment to provide protection after World War II. This would be an unfortunate thing in the United States if all of a sudden we turned our back on the group that needs asylum now, because, sooner or later, different groups need asylum. We really cannot end asylum. But that’s what’s happening if the Trump administration gets its way.
AMY GOODMAN: Lee Gelernt, we want to thank you for being with us, deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project.
Next up, we look at the growing controversy over the police use of facial recognition technology, as a man in Michigan reveals he was falsely arrested thanks to the flawed technology. Stay with us.


democracynow--2020-06-26--Headlines for June 26, 2020

Headlines for June 26, 2020

Daily U.S. coronavirus cases surged to their highest level since the start of the pandemic for the second straight day Thursday and showed no signs of slowing down , wiping out gains made after hundreds of millions of U.S. residents spent weeks under lockdown .
Thirty-one states are now reporting daily increases in COVID-19 cases of 5 % or more .
The U.S. has confirmed more than 2.4 million cases — the highest number in the world by far — though on Thursday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said antibody testing shows the true rate of coronavirus infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arizona , Republican Governor Doug Ducey called Thursday for state residents to wear masks in public , reversing his past opposition to requiring facial coverings .
At the Texas Medical Center in Houston — Texas ’ s largest hospital — 100 % of ICU beds are full , and public health officials are worried the virus could soon overwhelm the city ’ s healthcare system .
This is Dr. Peter Hotez of the Baylor College of Medicine .
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered elective surgeries canceled in several counties .
On Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ massive outbreak ” of COVID-19 , but said he was pausing — and not rolling back — the reopening of Texas ’ s economy .
Gov .
Greg Abbott : “ If you do not need to go out and go to work or have to go to the store or engage in some other activity , the best thing that you can do is to just stay at home.
” In Florida , a record surge in COVID-19 cases has brought the official death toll to over 3,400 .
Alabama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highs Thursday , while Mississippi ’ s top public health official said he was “ terrified we will overwhelm the healthcare system.
” The White House coronavirus task force will be holding a public briefing Friday for the first time in nearly two months .

Daily U.S. coronavirus cases surged to their highest level since the start of the pandemic for the second straight day Thursday and showed no signs of slowing down, wiping out gains made after hundreds of millions of U.S. residents spent weeks under lockdown. Thirty-one states are now reporting daily increases in COVID-19 cases of 5% or more. The U.S. has confirmed more than 2.4 million cases — the highest number in the world by far — though on Thursday the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said antibody testing shows the true rate of coronavirus infection is likely 10 times higher.
In Arizona, Republican Governor Doug Ducey called Thursday for state residents to wear masks in public, reversing his past opposition to requiring facial coverings.
Gov. Doug Ducey: ”COVID-19 is widespread in Arizona. It’s in all 15 of our counties. It’s growing, and it’s growing fast, across all age groups and demographics.”
At the Texas Medical Center in Houston — Texas’s largest hospital — 100% of ICU beds are full, and public health officials are worried the virus could soon overwhelm the city’s healthcare system. This is Dr. Peter Hotez of the Baylor College of Medicine.
Dr. Peter Hotez: “I believe if the numbers continue to rise at this pace, Houston is on track to become the worst-affected city in the United States.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered elective surgeries canceled in several counties. On Thursday, he conceded his state is facing a “massive outbreak” of COVID-19, but said he was pausing — and not rolling back — the reopening of Texas’s economy.
Gov. Greg Abbott: “If you do not need to go out and go to work or have to go to the store or engage in some other activity, the best thing that you can do is to just stay at home.”
In Florida, a record surge in COVID-19 cases has brought the official death toll to over 3,400. Alabama, Missouri and Nevada also saw record highs Thursday, while Mississippi’s top public health official said he was “terrified we will overwhelm the healthcare system.”
The White House coronavirus task force will be holding a public briefing Friday for the first time in nearly two months.


democracynow--2020-07-01--Jamaal Bowman on NY Primary Upset, Rent Strikes, Police Brutality & Opposing West Bank Annexation

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
, democracynow.org , The Quarantine Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman in New York City , with my co-host Juan González joining from his home in New Brunswick , New Jersey .
Hi , Juan .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : Hi , Amy .
And welcome to all of our listeners and viewers across the country and around the world .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , as voters went to the polls Tuesday in Colorado , Utah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday ’ s primary race in Kentucky came in , and former Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath has been declared the winner over progressive state Representative Charles Booker .
McGrath outspent Booker by a margin of nearly 10 to 1 .
Booker ’ s popularity soared in recent weeks as he took part in Black Lives Matter protests and campaigned with the slogan “ From the hood to the holler.
” He took a brief lead in votes last week , but McGrath ’ s campaign pulled ahead Tuesday after the final mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a surge of victories for progressive candidates of color in congressional primaries , including here in New York , where Mondaire Jones and Ritchie Torres are poised to become the first two openly gay Black men in Congress , replacing lawmakers who are retiring after decades in Washington .
And in what would be a major upset , Jamaal Bowman has claimed victory over New York Congressmember Eliot Engel , the Foreign Affairs Committee chair who ’ s served in Congress for more than 30 years .
Bowman is currently leading by 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still being counted .
Bowman ran on a Green New Deal , Medicare for All platform and recently joined protests demanding an end to racism and police brutality .
He ’ s a former Bronx middle school principal who was endorsed by Senators Elizabeth Warren , Bernie Sanders , Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and The New York Times .
In a minute , he ’ ll join us , but first , this is part of his address to supporters last Tuesday night .
AMY GOODMAN : That ’ s Jamaal Bowman addressing supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his apparent victory to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ’ s stunning defeat of Democrat Joe Crowley just two years ago .
Progressive political strategist Karthik Ganapathy said , quote , “ A middle school principal with no prior political experience defeating a 20-year incumbent — that is an AOC-level upset.
” Well , Jamaal Bowman joins us now from his home in Yonkers , New York .
Welcome back to Democracy Now !
, Jamaal Bowman .
Thank you so much for being with us .
And if you could continue to respond , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — well , the final results are not in , but it looks like you have such a major lead right now .
What do you think did it ?
JAMAAL BOWMAN : We connected with the people very early on in this campaign — all people , not just a small segment of the district .
We went to Co-op City , We went to Edenwald Projects , Gun Hill Projects .
We connected with those who have been — who had been mostly disenfranchised and ignored by Congressman Engel in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to connect with them first .
We didn ’ t just target those who consistently vote in primaries .
We targeted everyone .
Those who are registered Democrats but have become disengaged from the system , we wanted to let them know that their voices mattered , that they were important , and we needed their brilliance and experience to help us craft the policy that we ’ re going to be fighting for in Washington .
And we had an amazing team and an amazing field program to help us get that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I wanted to delve into how your experience as a public school teacher and an assistant principal helped frame your view of progressive politics when it comes to education .
We just heard about the Supreme Court decision that is going to make it easier for religious schools to be able to access scholarships through tax credits , and we know how the education secretary , Betsy DeVos , wants to increasingly provide federal assistance to private education and to religious schools .
And in the Bronx , you had to deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are semi-private , like Success Academy and the KIPP Academy and others .
Can you talk about this whole issue of education , privatization , and how this has shaped your view of progressive politics in America ?
JAMAAL BOWMAN : Absolutely .
You know , I had a front-row seat to the attack on public schools , attack on teachers ’ unions , and the privatization of our schools and the taking of resources from public schools and investments in charter schools .
I had a front-row seat to that throughout my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 years as a middle school principal .
And outside of serving as a principal , I also worked on education organizing , with organizations like AQE , CEJ , NYSAPE , pushing back against charter schools , calling for a national moratorium on charter schools , and pushing back against the overuse of standardized testing , because it ’ s been used , as you know , as a weapon to call schools and kids and teachers failing , so they can ultimately be closed and reopened as for-profit charter entities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve been fighting for and against throughout my career , but particularly over the last 10 years .
But that privatization is not just happening in public schools .
It ’ s happening in housing .
It ’ s happening in healthcare .
It ’ s happening when you look at utilities and when you look at the impact of fossil fuels on our environments and how we continue to support fossil fuels and not move towards clean , renewable energy .
So , the corporatization , the privatization and the wealthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institutions .
And it ’ s our time .
It ’ s our job right now to fight against that .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And you ’ ve also been on record as supporting a reconstruction platform , of supporting of defunding the police .
What ’ s your reaction to the latest results in City Council , where there ’ s supposedly a $ 1 billion reduction in the police budget that Mayor de Blasio and the council have supported , but critics are saying this is basically playing with numbers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not really affecting the size of the police department , except for one academy class that will not be — will not take place this summer ?
JAMAAL BOWMAN : Yes , I agree with the critics .
We need a hiring freeze with the NYPD .
We need to truly cut $ 1 billion in NYPD spending , not just shifting that money to the Department of Education , for example , to maintain school safety agents who will act in the same capacity and conduct the same functions that they did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requires leadership , and this requires a reimagining of public safety and a restructuring of the way our schools and our NYPD currently conduct themselves .
We need investment , true investment , in school counselors , school psychologists , social workers , additional teachers , especially now as we respond or come back from COVID-19 .
You know , the learning gap that was there before is now growing .
And if we don ’ t invest in more teachers and more infrastructure to make sure we can lower class size and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supports , our kids will continue to suffer .
So we need a true defunding and a true reinvestment in public health .
AMY GOODMAN : Last month , Eliot Engel was caught on a News 12 mic asking the Bronx Borough president , Rubén Díaz Jr. , if he could speak at a rally , after a night of protests against police violence .
He then told Díaz that , quote , “ If I didn ’ t have a primary , I wouldn ’ t care.
” Listen closely .
AMY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn to Eliot Engel reacting to AOC ’ s endorsement of your campaign on a candidate forum .
AMY GOODMAN : Jamaal Bowman , you got endorsed by AOC , by Senators Sanders and Warren .
And Eliot Engel , who is the former chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee , was endorsed by Nancy Pelosi , as well as Hillary Clinton .
If you can delineate , starting with the Green New Deal , your differences and how you think you ’ ll challenge even the Democratic leadership in Congress , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think they need to be going in that ’ s different right now ?
JAMAAL BOWMAN : Well , number one , I don ’ t take any corporate PAC money .
We are completely supported by grassroots organizations and individuals who support our campaign financially , so we take no corporate PAC money at all .
We ’ re accountable to the people ; we ’ re not accountable to corporations .
Number two , my background as an educator has prepared me and trained me to , first and foremost , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , while I ’ ll also be in Washington fighting for the right policy and resources and pushing a racial justice agenda , I ’ m also going to be here serving the people and providing exemplary constituent services — something that Congressman Engel was criticized for throughout his campaign .
And then , the third piece — I ’ ll reiterate , you know , what I said before — racial justice and institutional racism is something that we have to fight very directly , very urgently , and it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institution .
So part of our reconstruction agenda involves putting together a truth and reconciliation committee to look at the history of racism and slavery , and its impact on us today .
We see it in police brutality and mass incarceration , but it ’ s also in housing and miseducation and health outcomes , as we ’ ve seen from the COVID-19 epidemic .
That ’ s something that Congressman Engel had not done .
He had not been a leader on any of those issues throughout his time in Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people have resoundingly voted us in at this point in this race .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : Jamaal Bowman , I ’ d like to ask you about the — in terms of housing , you ’ ve been in support of the “ Cancel the Rent ” movement as a result of the economic dislocation that the country is going through from the COVID-19 pandemic .
Critics say that that ’ s not realistic , that landlords also have bills , and especially small landlords , but yet there are over 800,000 rent-stabilized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them suffering because they can ’ t pay the rent .
Talk about the “ Cancel the Rent ” movement .
JAMAAL BOWMAN : Yeah .
If people don ’ t have jobs and they can ’ t pay their rent , how are we going to hold them accountable by taking them to eviction ?
And in terms of the small landlords , we support , you know , a moratorium on mortgages regarding small landlords , because they are small and they do have their struggles .
But we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the real estate lobby that has been dictating how we do housing policy in New York state for decades .
We need a cancellation of rent .
We need a cancellation of small mortgages .
We need a cancellation of utilities .
We need to end evictions .
We need a blockade on evictions , as that runs out today in New York state and across the country .
We need to invest in the people , the working-class people of our city , state and country .
It was very easy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — write a $ 1.5 trillion check for Wall Street , very easy for us to bail out the airline industry and the cruise industry .
We need to bail out the working-class people of this country .
And that ’ s what the cancellation of rent is all about .
Let ’ s focus on the people .
Let ’ s invest in the people .
And let ’ s uplift the people .
AMY GOODMAN : So , Jamaal Bowman , do you think Governor Cuomo didn ’ t go far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yesterday to prevent tenants from being evicted for nonpayment of rent during this period of the coronavirus .
But , of course , they will have to pay that full rent soon .
JAMAAL BOWMAN : It needs to be canceled .
As we deal with this coronavirus and we get a handle on it and people endure what ’ s happening in their lives , it needs to be canceled outright , not a moratorium , because they ’ re going to be held accountable for that on the backend , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AMY GOODMAN : I want to ask you about a challenge you got about a week before the primary election by Rabbi Avi Weiss in your district , when he wrote an open letter in the Riverdale Press condemning what he called your anti-Israel views .
You replied to him in your own open letter .
I want to read a part of it .
You wrote , “ The uprising across the country against police violence also makes me empathize with the everyday experience and fear that comes with living under occupation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an intimidating force in so many black communities , I can connect to what it feels like for Palestinians to feel the presence of the military in their daily lives in the West Bank .
I can also understand the crushing poverty and deprivation in the Gaza strip .
I believe Palestinians have the same rights to freedom and dignity as my Jewish brothers and sisters .
I will fight for their liberation just as hard as I will fight for yours , ” you wrote .
I was wondering if you could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu ’ s plans to annex the occupied West Bank , parts of the occupied West Bank — he has put it off for today — and the letter that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote , that was supported by Senator Sanders and others , saying that if he moves forward , the U.S. should cut military aid to Israel .
JAMAAL BOWMAN : Yes .
So , first of all , I ’ m a Black man in America , and I know what it feels like to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your skin or because of who you are , and to feel like you ’ re constantly under attack because of your race .
I understand the history of this country completely , and I know what my ancestors have gone through in this country .
In that understanding , you know , I can connect with Palestinian suffering , not just in Israel-Palestine , but across the world , and I can connect with Jewish suffering in terms of their safety and security in their history .
What I ’ ve talked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign is our common trauma and our common humanity .
And that ’ s something — that ’ s what I ’ m trying to bridge — that ’ s how I ’ m trying to bridge these gaps and open doors to new understanding and new conversation amongst the Black community , the Jewish community , the Palestinian community and all communities , and everyone who ’ s felt oppressed in this country or throughout the world .
In terms of the annexation , it ’ s something we ’ ve been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the annexation , the occupation and the detaining of Palestinian children .
Palestinian people have the right to self-determination , to safety and security , and to their own country , which is why we support a two-state solution .
And the annexation undermines us getting to a two-state solution , which is why we ’ ve been critical of it throughout our campaign .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Jamaal Bowman , I ’ d like to ask you about the presidential race .
You ’ ve obviously been very critical of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely be facing Joe Biden as the Democratic candidate for president .
Your sense , because Joe Biden is not part of the wing of the Democratic Party that you belong to — do you support Vice President Biden ?
And what are your concerns about how this race will work out over the next few months ?
JAMAAL BOWMAN : I do support Vice President Biden .
I ’ m going to do everything in my power to help him get elected , and work with him and hold him accountable towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that I stand for and that the people of this district and throughout the country stand for .
This is the time for bold leadership and a bold vision toward Medicare for All , a Green New Deal , and using those policy platforms to get people back to work and deal with issues of environmental injustice and institutional racism in all its forms .
So , I ’ m going to fight for Joe Biden to win , because we have to defeat Donald Trump .
And I look forward to working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move the country in the direction that everyone is demanding right now .
AMY GOODMAN : And , Jamaal Bowman , when do you expect the final results to be in , in your primary race , though you are many points ahead ?
JAMAAL BOWMAN : We ’ ve heard next Wednesday or Thursday , so hopefully we ’ ll get the results then .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , I want to thank you so much for being with us .
Jamaal Bowman claimed victory last week in the Democratic Party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ District in Westchester County and the Bronx over 16-term Congressmember Eliot Engel , who is the head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee .
Jamaal Bowman has been endorsed by Senators Warren and Sanders , Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and The New York Times .
Former Bronx middle school principal .
This is Democracy Now !
When we come back , the man who predicted the pandemic two years ago , Atlantic writer Ed Yong .
Stay with us .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The Quarantine Report. I’m Amy Goodman in New York City, with my co-host Juan González joining from his home in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Hi, Juan.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Hi, Amy. And welcome to all of our listeners and viewers across the country and around the world.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, as voters went to the polls Tuesday in Colorado, Utah and Oklahoma, the results from last Tuesday’s primary race in Kentucky came in, and former Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath has been declared the winner over progressive state Representative Charles Booker. McGrath outspent Booker by a margin of nearly 10 to 1. Booker’s popularity soared in recent weeks as he took part in Black Lives Matter protests and campaigned with the slogan “From the hood to the holler.” He took a brief lead in votes last week, but McGrath’s campaign pulled ahead Tuesday after the final mail-in ballots were counted.
This comes amidst a surge of victories for progressive candidates of color in congressional primaries, including here in New York, where Mondaire Jones and Ritchie Torres are poised to become the first two openly gay Black men in Congress, replacing lawmakers who are retiring after decades in Washington.
And in what would be a major upset, Jamaal Bowman has claimed victory over New York Congressmember Eliot Engel, the Foreign Affairs Committee chair who’s served in Congress for more than 30 years. Bowman is currently leading by 25 percentage points, but absentee ballots are still being counted. Bowman ran on a Green New Deal, Medicare for All platform and recently joined protests demanding an end to racism and police brutality. He’s a former Bronx middle school principal who was endorsed by Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and The New York Times. In a minute, he’ll join us, but first, this is part of his address to supporters last Tuesday night.
JAMAAL BOWMAN: The impact of poverty on our children, and dealing with issues of institutional racism and sexism and classism and xenophobia and everything that keeps the majority of us oppressed, is what we designed this campaign to fight against. So, tonight, as we celebrate, we don’t just celebrate me as an individual. We celebrate this movement, a movement designed to push back against a system that’s literally killing us. It’s killing Black and Brown bodies disproportionately, but it’s killing all of us. …
Eliot Engel — and I’ll say his name once — used to say that he was a thorn in the side of Donald Trump. But you know what Donald Trump is more afraid of than anything else? A Black man with power. That is what Donald Trump is afraid of.
AMY GOODMAN: That’s Jamaal Bowman addressing supporters on election night. Many have compared his apparent victory to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s stunning defeat of Democrat Joe Crowley just two years ago. Progressive political strategist Karthik Ganapathy said, quote, “A middle school principal with no prior political experience defeating a 20-year incumbent — that is an AOC-level upset.”
Well, Jamaal Bowman joins us now from his home in Yonkers, New York.
Welcome back to Democracy Now!, Jamaal Bowman. Thank you so much for being with us. And if you could continue to respond, as you did on primary night, this — well, the final results are not in, but it looks like you have such a major lead right now. What do you think did it?
JAMAAL BOWMAN: We connected with the people very early on in this campaign — all people, not just a small segment of the district. We went to Co-op City, We went to Edenwald Projects, Gun Hill Projects. We connected with those who have been — who had been mostly disenfranchised and ignored by Congressman Engel in our political system for decades. We wanted to connect with them first. We didn’t just target those who consistently vote in primaries. We targeted everyone. Those who are registered Democrats but have become disengaged from the system, we wanted to let them know that their voices mattered, that they were important, and we needed their brilliance and experience to help us craft the policy that we’re going to be fighting for in Washington. And we had an amazing team and an amazing field program to help us get that done.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Jamaal Bowman, I wanted to delve into how your experience as a public school teacher and an assistant principal helped frame your view of progressive politics when it comes to education. We just heard about the Supreme Court decision that is going to make it easier for religious schools to be able to access scholarships through tax credits, and we know how the education secretary, Betsy DeVos, wants to increasingly provide federal assistance to private education and to religious schools. And in the Bronx, you had to deal with growing charter school chains, which are semi-private, like Success Academy and the KIPP Academy and others. Can you talk about this whole issue of education, privatization, and how this has shaped your view of progressive politics in America?
JAMAAL BOWMAN: Absolutely. You know, I had a front-row seat to the attack on public schools, attack on teachers’ unions, and the privatization of our schools and the taking of resources from public schools and investments in charter schools. I had a front-row seat to that throughout my 20-year career, and particularly throughout my 10 years as a middle school principal. And outside of serving as a principal, I also worked on education organizing, with organizations like AQE, CEJ, NYSAPE, pushing back against charter schools, calling for a national moratorium on charter schools, and pushing back against the overuse of standardized testing, because it’s been used, as you know, as a weapon to call schools and kids and teachers failing, so they can ultimately be closed and reopened as for-profit charter entities. So, it’s something I’ve been fighting for and against throughout my career, but particularly over the last 10 years.
But that privatization is not just happening in public schools. It’s happening in housing. It’s happening in healthcare. It’s happening when you look at utilities and when you look at the impact of fossil fuels on our environments and how we continue to support fossil fuels and not move towards clean, renewable energy. So, the corporatization, the privatization and the wealthy elite are attacking all of our public institutions. And it’s our time. It’s our job right now to fight against that.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And you’ve also been on record as supporting a reconstruction platform, of supporting of defunding the police. What’s your reaction to the latest results in City Council, where there’s supposedly a $1 billion reduction in the police budget that Mayor de Blasio and the council have supported, but critics are saying this is basically playing with numbers, shifting some services to other agencies but not really affecting the size of the police department, except for one academy class that will not be — will not take place this summer?
JAMAAL BOWMAN: Yes, I agree with the critics. We need a hiring freeze with the NYPD. We need to truly cut $1 billion in NYPD spending, not just shifting that money to the Department of Education, for example, to maintain school safety agents who will act in the same capacity and conduct the same functions that they did prior to the so-called cut.
This requires leadership, and this requires a reimagining of public safety and a restructuring of the way our schools and our NYPD currently conduct themselves. We need investment, true investment, in school counselors, school psychologists, social workers, additional teachers, especially now as we respond or come back from COVID-19. You know, the learning gap that was there before is now growing. And if we don’t invest in more teachers and more infrastructure to make sure we can lower class size and focus on one-on-one instruction and mental health supports, our kids will continue to suffer. So we need a true defunding and a true reinvestment in public health.
AMY GOODMAN: Last month, Eliot Engel was caught on a News 12 mic asking the Bronx Borough president, Rubén Díaz Jr., if he could speak at a rally, after a night of protests against police violence. He then told Díaz that, quote, “If I didn’t have a primary, I wouldn’t care.” Listen closely.
RUBÉN DÍAZ JR.: Please bear with me. I’ll announce everybody. I appreciate you coming. But then I’ve got to then go down the list, and it’s just too many folks here.
REP. ELIOT ENGEL: If I didn’t have a primary , I wouldn’t care.
RUBÉN DÍAZ JR.: Say that again?
REP. ELIOT ENGEL: If I didn’t have a primary, I wouldn’t care.
RUBÉN DÍAZ JR.: Don’t do that to me. We’re not going to do this. We’re not going to politicize this. Everybody has a primary, you know? I’m sorry.
AMY GOODMAN: So, I want to turn to Eliot Engel reacting to AOC’s endorsement of your campaign on a candidate forum.
REP. ELIOT ENGEL: This is not a dictatorship. This is a democracy. We shouldn’t have one person from high, even though she’s a colleague of mine, think that she can anoint whoever is elected to Congress. That’s not what democracy is all about.
AMY GOODMAN: Jamaal Bowman, you got endorsed by AOC, by Senators Sanders and Warren. And Eliot Engel, who is the former chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, was endorsed by Nancy Pelosi, as well as Hillary Clinton. If you can delineate, starting with the Green New Deal, your differences and how you think you’ll challenge even the Democratic leadership in Congress, not just the Republicans, the direction you think they need to be going in that’s different right now?
JAMAAL BOWMAN: Well, number one, I don’t take any corporate PAC money. We are completely supported by grassroots organizations and individuals who support our campaign financially, so we take no corporate PAC money at all. We’re accountable to the people; we’re not accountable to corporations.
Number two, my background as an educator has prepared me and trained me to, first and foremost, serve the people in my district. So, while I’ll also be in Washington fighting for the right policy and resources and pushing a racial justice agenda, I’m also going to be here serving the people and providing exemplary constituent services — something that Congressman Engel was criticized for throughout his campaign.
And then, the third piece — I’ll reiterate, you know, what I said before — racial justice and institutional racism is something that we have to fight very directly, very urgently, and it’s something that lives within every American institution. So part of our reconstruction agenda involves putting together a truth and reconciliation committee to look at the history of racism and slavery, and its impact on us today. We see it in police brutality and mass incarceration, but it’s also in housing and miseducation and health outcomes, as we’ve seen from the COVID-19 epidemic. That’s something that Congressman Engel had not done. He had not been a leader on any of those issues throughout his time in Congress. And that’s why the people have resoundingly voted us in at this point in this race.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Jamaal Bowman, I’d like to ask you about the — in terms of housing, you’ve been in support of the “Cancel the Rent” movement as a result of the economic dislocation that the country is going through from the COVID-19 pandemic. Critics say that that’s not realistic, that landlords also have bills, and especially small landlords, but yet there are over 800,000 rent-stabilized tenants in New York City, many of them suffering because they can’t pay the rent. Talk about the “Cancel the Rent” movement.
JAMAAL BOWMAN: Yeah. If people don’t have jobs and they can’t pay their rent, how are we going to hold them accountable by taking them to eviction? And in terms of the small landlords, we support, you know, a moratorium on mortgages regarding small landlords, because they are small and they do have their struggles. But we’re talking about larger real estate corporations and the real estate lobby that has been dictating how we do housing policy in New York state for decades.
We need a cancellation of rent. We need a cancellation of small mortgages. We need a cancellation of utilities. We need to end evictions. We need a blockade on evictions, as that runs out today in New York state and across the country. We need to invest in the people, the working-class people of our city, state and country. It was very easy for us to write trillions of dollars — write a $1.5 trillion check for Wall Street, very easy for us to bail out the airline industry and the cruise industry. We need to bail out the working-class people of this country. And that’s what the cancellation of rent is all about. Let’s focus on the people. Let’s invest in the people. And let’s uplift the people.
AMY GOODMAN: So, Jamaal Bowman, do you think Governor Cuomo didn’t go far enough? He just signed this measure yesterday to prevent tenants from being evicted for nonpayment of rent during this period of the coronavirus. But, of course, they will have to pay that full rent soon.
JAMAAL BOWMAN: It needs to be canceled. As we deal with this coronavirus and we get a handle on it and people endure what’s happening in their lives, it needs to be canceled outright, not a moratorium, because they’re going to be held accountable for that on the backend, which is something we’re against.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to ask you about a challenge you got about a week before the primary election by Rabbi Avi Weiss in your district, when he wrote an open letter in the Riverdale Press condemning what he called your anti-Israel views. You replied to him in your own open letter. I want to read a part of it. You wrote, “The uprising across the country against police violence also makes me empathize with the everyday experience and fear that comes with living under occupation. Just as the police force is an intimidating force in so many black communities, I can connect to what it feels like for Palestinians to feel the presence of the military in their daily lives in the West Bank. I can also understand the crushing poverty and deprivation in the Gaza strip. I believe Palestinians have the same rights to freedom and dignity as my Jewish brothers and sisters. I will fight for their liberation just as hard as I will fight for yours,” you wrote.
I was wondering if you could expand on that and then comment on the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to annex the occupied West Bank, parts of the occupied West Bank — he has put it off for today — and the letter that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote, that was supported by Senator Sanders and others, saying that if he moves forward, the U.S. should cut military aid to Israel.
JAMAAL BOWMAN: Yes. So, first of all, I’m a Black man in America, and I know what it feels like to feel inferior because of the color of your skin or because of who you are, and to feel like you’re constantly under attack because of your race. I understand the history of this country completely, and I know what my ancestors have gone through in this country. In that understanding, you know, I can connect with Palestinian suffering, not just in Israel-Palestine, but across the world, and I can connect with Jewish suffering in terms of their safety and security in their history.
What I’ve talked about from the very beginning of this campaign is our common trauma and our common humanity. And that’s something — that’s what I’m trying to bridge — that’s how I’m trying to bridge these gaps and open doors to new understanding and new conversation amongst the Black community, the Jewish community, the Palestinian community and all communities, and everyone who’s felt oppressed in this country or throughout the world.
In terms of the annexation, it’s something we’ve been very critical of throughout our campaign — the annexation, the occupation and the detaining of Palestinian children. Palestinian people have the right to self-determination, to safety and security, and to their own country, which is why we support a two-state solution. And the annexation undermines us getting to a two-state solution, which is why we’ve been critical of it throughout our campaign.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Jamaal Bowman, I’d like to ask you about the presidential race. You’ve obviously been very critical of President Trump, and now he will likely be facing Joe Biden as the Democratic candidate for president. Your sense, because Joe Biden is not part of the wing of the Democratic Party that you belong to — do you support Vice President Biden? And what are your concerns about how this race will work out over the next few months?
JAMAAL BOWMAN: I do support Vice President Biden. I’m going to do everything in my power to help him get elected, and work with him and hold him accountable towards the progressive values that I represent, that I stand for and that the people of this district and throughout the country stand for. This is the time for bold leadership and a bold vision toward Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, and using those policy platforms to get people back to work and deal with issues of environmental injustice and institutional racism in all its forms. So, I’m going to fight for Joe Biden to win, because we have to defeat Donald Trump. And I look forward to working with him to make sure that we move the country in the direction that everyone is demanding right now.
AMY GOODMAN: And, Jamaal Bowman, when do you expect the final results to be in, in your primary race, though you are many points ahead?
JAMAAL BOWMAN: We’ve heard next Wednesday or Thursday, so hopefully we’ll get the results then.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, I want to thank you so much for being with us. Jamaal Bowman claimed victory last week in the Democratic Party’s nomination for the 16th Congressional District in Westchester County and the Bronx over 16-term Congressmember Eliot Engel, who is the head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Jamaal Bowman has been endorsed by Senators Warren and Sanders, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and The New York Times. Former Bronx middle school principal.
This is Democracy Now! When we come back, the man who predicted the pandemic two years ago, Atlantic writer Ed Yong. Stay with us.


democracynow--2020-07-01--Headlines for July  1, 2020

Headlines for July  1, 2020

The United States is experiencing the world ’ s worst outbreak of COVID-19 , which could soon spiral out of control unless urgent steps are taken to isolate confirmed cases and conduct contact tracing .
That was the stark warning of top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci in testimony to a Senate committee on Tuesday .
Dr. Anthony Fauci : “ When you have an outbreak in one part of the country , even though in other parts of the country they ’ re doing well , they are vulnerable .
I made that point very clearly last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t just focus on those areas that are having the surge .
It puts the entire country at risk .
We are now having 40-plus thousand new cases a day .
I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day , if this does not turn around.
” Dr. Fauci ’ s warning came as eight states announced single-day highs , with a record 47,000 U.S. infections reported on Tuesday .
The U.S. has 4 % of the world ’ s population but has recorded more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths .
In California , Governor Gavin Newsom is set to announce new rollbacks of reopenings after a record rise in new cases and hospitalizations .
In Houston , hospitals have begun transferring COVID patients to other parts of Texas , as the city has become a new epicenter of the pandemic .
This is Dr. Peter Hotez , dean of the Baylor College of Medicine .
Dr. Peter Hotez : “ It ’ s very alarming .
The rate of acceleration is extreme .
We ’ re seeing daily dramatic increase , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the models saying that we may be at 4,000 cases a day in Houston by early , middle July .
So , that would be catastrophic for the city .
”

The United States is experiencing the world’s worst outbreak of COVID-19, which could soon spiral out of control unless urgent steps are taken to isolate confirmed cases and conduct contact tracing. That was the stark warning of top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci in testimony to a Senate committee on Tuesday.
Dr. Anthony Fauci: “When you have an outbreak in one part of the country, even though in other parts of the country they’re doing well, they are vulnerable. I made that point very clearly last week at a press conference. We can’t just focus on those areas that are having the surge. It puts the entire country at risk. We are now having 40-plus thousand new cases a day. I would not be surprised if we go up to 100,000 a day, if this does not turn around.”
Dr. Fauci’s warning came as eight states announced single-day highs, with a record 47,000 U.S. infections reported on Tuesday. The U.S. has 4% of the world’s population but has recorded more than a quarter of worldwide coronavirus cases and deaths. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom is set to announce new rollbacks of reopenings after a record rise in new cases and hospitalizations. In Houston, hospitals have begun transferring COVID patients to other parts of Texas, as the city has become a new epicenter of the pandemic. This is Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the Baylor College of Medicine.


democracynow--2020-06-30--#OccupyCityHall: Mayor's "Tone Deaf" Pledge to Move $1B from NYPD Budget Fails to Satisfy Protesters

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : We ’ re going to end today here in New York City , where this morning police officers closed in on peaceful protesters who have been camped outside New York City Hall demanding a billion-dollar cut from the police department ’ s $ 6 billion budget .
Footage shared by VOCAL-NY and others show police in riot gear violently clearing demonstrators from Chambers Street and arresting at least one person .
We ’ re going to go right now to this occupation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approaches its July 1st budget deadline .
Organizers with the growing grassroots movement say they ’ re not satisfied with Mayor Bill de Blasio , who Monday announced a budget deal that would move $ 1 billion in NYPD funding in an apparent nod to protesters ’ demands .
AMY GOODMAN : The proposed budget would move so-called school safety agents , who wear police uniforms and are unarmed , from NYPD to the city ’ s Department of Education .
Some activists call the deal a “ betrayal.
” For more , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one of the organizers of the encampment , co-chair of the New York City chapter of Democratic Socialists of America .
Welcome to Democracy Now !
It ’ s great to have you with us , Bianca .
What does your mask say ?
And thanks for wearing it .
Talk about the response to what many have cast as de Blasio caving to your demand — remove $ 1 billion from the $ 6 billion New York police budget .
BIANCA CUNNINGHAM : Yes .
First of all , thank you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Stop Killing Black People.
” It ’ s straight to the point .
That ’ s why we ’ re all out here .
We ’ re very upset with the fact that Mayor de Blasio and the speaker of the City Council , Corey Johnson , are attempting to parade this as a victory , when really all they ’ ve really done is shifted money from the NYPD budget over to school safety officers .
It shows that they ’ re completely tone deaf about what this moment is about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline and that kids are saying , overwhelmingly , students all over the city are saying , metal detectors don ’ t keep them safe , that having police officers in school don ’ t make them feel safe .
In fact , they make them feel like criminals .
So the fact that they ’ re parading this as a victory , by increasing police presence in schools , is really upsetting in this moment .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Bianca , this whole issue of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ octopus ?
Back in the Giuliani days , they first merged the transit police and the housing police , and then they merged the school safety officers into the police department .
So this is like beginning to go back to where it was years ago , but without dealing with the actual issue of the number of police , that have remained largely increased , even as crime decreased throughout the last 20 years .
This whole issue of how the City Council and the mayor still refuse to deal , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in New York City ?
BIANCA CUNNINGHAM : Yeah , there ’ s too many uniformed police in New York City .
And furthermore , when we talk about defunding the NYPD , the other part of that is to fully fund social services .
I can tell you , out in the encampment , it ’ s obvious .
We have some of the most vulnerable members of our community coming out to have their voices heard and participate in this encampment , and it ’ s clear that what they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mental health services , social services , adequate housing , affordable healthcare , a quality education .
These are the things that the community is crying out for .
And so it ’ s not good enough to move money around in fancy accounting tricks .
It ’ s not good enough to just defund the NYPD even .
We have to meet that with services that are fully funded , as well .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : Could you talk about the occupation around City Hall and the impact it has had on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around this issue ?
BIANCA CUNNINGHAM : Sure .
So , a group of us called this action and this encampment in an attempt to put pressure on the City Council to meet our demand of $ 1 billion .
The response has been , frankly , embarrassing , in my opinion .
They ’ ve called us out on Twitter for — saying that , you know , they ’ re good progressives and that they should be exempt from the accountability that the people are looking to hold these electeds to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside of activists ’ house to try to play race cards and other identity-based games about who is allowed to protest , you know , who ’ s allowed to protest and call for the defunding of the NYPD and who ’ s not .
They ’ ve been completely irresponsive to all of our calls , only getting upset and almost threatening to withhold their “ no ” vote on a budget if we continue to target them .
It ’ s a real shame , what ’ s going on .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they lack the accountability to their constituents .
And it ’ s a real shame that even in this moment , when it ’ s so clear to so many of us about what the right thing is to do , they don ’ t have the moral courage to stand up and do it .
AMY GOODMAN : So , Bianca Cunningham , as you sit there at City Hall talking to us , masked to protect the community , what is happening today ?
Can you talk about the vote and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Are you able to go in and out of City Hall ?
Are you able to speak with city councilmembers ?
Who is supporting you within the government and in the greater community ?
You started with just a hundred people there .
BIANCA CUNNINGHAM : Well , yes .
We started the — the first night of the encampment , we didn ’ t know what was going to happen .
We called for it , and we were hoping for the best .
Two hundred people stayed the night the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eighth day of the encampment , and we have had everything — you know , up to thousands of people in this space at one time , with almost a thousand people steadily staying the night every night .
We are able to go inside and outside of the encampment .
But I will say , you know , we know the symbolic — this is symbolism — right ?
— that we are encamped in City Hall .
Nobody ’ s there , because of COVID .
Everybody ’ s at their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be , today — they ’ re meeting at 11:00 — they would need to come into City Hall to cast a vote .
Well , instead , they ’ ve changed the procedure to say that they can now vote virtually through Zoom .
And so that vote will be taking place all day .
So they ’ re making it super hard to hold them accountable .
They don ’ t want to face the public .
They ’ re hiding inside their houses .
And they ’ re on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shouldn ’ t be talking against the establishment .
So , I feel like , you know , we are having an impact , I would say .
You know , we have — if you walk inside the encampment , we have a people ’ s library , where people can go get educated on capitalism and racial capitalism and racism .
We have a people ’ s bodega , where you don ’ t have to leave , and you have , like , PPE and sanitary items and things that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stocked food table , where we ’ ve been having donations outpouring from New Yorkers and even people from the U.K. , from California , from all over the country , trying to find out how they can send us food .
We have blankets and clothes and shoes , and we ’ re really taking care of the homeless .
I could just share really quick , yesterday a young woman came up to me .
It was her first night in the encampment , and she described to me that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel like .
She said , “ I ’ ve never felt more cared for .
I ’ ve never felt more taken care of .
I ’ ve never felt more safe.
” And so , we are trying to model in real life what it looks like to keep each other safe without the police present .
And that includes having to navigate a number of issues with the homeless folks , with people with mental health issues , but still not calling the police , and using mediation , mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situations .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Bianca , we only have about 30 seconds , but I wanted to ask you : What do you see as the next steps ?
The City Council must vote to approve a budget by June 30th , which is today , so , hopefully , for the new fiscal year that starts July 1 .
What do you expect to happen after their vote , with the movement you ’ ve started ?
BIANCA CUNNINGHAM : You know , it ’ s hard to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is on trying to target the councilmembers , to say that “ Please withhold your vote on this budget , if it doesn ’ t — we know that it doesn ’ t include the demand that we want , so can we vote no ?
And can you create your own budget ?
” They have the right — I mean , you know , it ’ s within their right to do so .
It would be messy , but it definitely is possible .
Further than that , I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is looking to run for mayor , “ Don ’ t even bother .
If you can ’ t stand up and be our leader in this political moment , then don ’ t even bother to try to be mayor later , because we ’ ll remember where you stood today.
” AMY GOODMAN : Do you plan on continuing the encampment tonight , beyond the vote , Bianca ?
BIANCA CUNNINGHAM : The encampment will continue tonight .
We ’ re having a sleepover in City Hall tonight .
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We ’ re going to be talking strategy .
We ’ re going to be talking about targets .
We ’ re going to be talking about where we go from here .
We know that this is just one step in the fight .
Many of us are abolitionists , and so we know that this is just one step toward that .
And so we ’ ll continue this as a community .
AMY GOODMAN : Bianca Cunningham , thanks so much for joining us , organizer of Occupy City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America , speaking to us from New York City Hall .
And that does that does it for our broadcast .
A very Happy Birthday to Isis Phillips !
And remember : Wear that mask .
You should wear it because you care .
Democracy Now !
is produced with Renée Feltz and Mike Burke and Deena Guzder and Libby Rainey and Nermeen Shaikh and Carla Wills , Tami Woronoff and Charina Nadura , Tey-Marie Astudillo , John Hamilton , Robby Karran .
Stay safe .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: We’re going to end today here in New York City, where this morning police officers closed in on peaceful protesters who have been camped outside New York City Hall demanding a billion-dollar cut from the police department’s $6 billion budget. Footage shared by VOCAL-NY and others show police in riot gear violently clearing demonstrators from Chambers Street and arresting at least one person.
We’re going to go right now to this occupation. The occupation remains as the city approaches its July 1st budget deadline. Organizers with the growing grassroots movement say they’re not satisfied with Mayor Bill de Blasio, who Monday announced a budget deal that would move $1 billion in NYPD funding in an apparent nod to protesters’ demands.
MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO: Over this weekend, City Hall, here at City Hall, my office presented to the City Council a plan that would achieve a billion dollars in savings for the NYPD and shift resources to young people, to communities, in a way that would help address a lot of the underlying issues that we know are the cause of so many problems in our society. I am excited to say that we have a plan that can achieve real reform, that can achieve real redistribution, and at the same time ensure that we keep our city safe and we make sure that our officers are on patrol where we need them around the city.
AMY GOODMAN: The proposed budget would move so-called school safety agents, who wear police uniforms and are unarmed, from NYPD to the city’s Department of Education. Some activists call the deal a “betrayal.”
For more, we’re joined by Bianca Cunningham, one of the organizers of the encampment, co-chair of the New York City chapter of Democratic Socialists of America.
Welcome to Democracy Now! It’s great to have you with us, Bianca. What does your mask say? And thanks for wearing it. Talk about the response to what many have cast as de Blasio caving to your demand — remove $1 billion from the $6 billion New York police budget.
BIANCA CUNNINGHAM: Yes. First of all, thank you for having me. My mask says “Stop Killing Black People.” It’s straight to the point. That’s why we’re all out here.
We’re very upset with the fact that Mayor de Blasio and the speaker of the City Council, Corey Johnson, are attempting to parade this as a victory, when really all they’ve really done is shifted money from the NYPD budget over to school safety officers. It shows that they’re completely tone deaf about what this moment is about.
We know that school safety officers contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline and that kids are saying, overwhelmingly, students all over the city are saying, metal detectors don’t keep them safe, that having police officers in school don’t make them feel safe. In fact, they make them feel like criminals. So the fact that they’re parading this as a victory, by increasing police presence in schools, is really upsetting in this moment.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Bianca, this whole issue of how the police department grew into such an octopus? Back in the Giuliani days, they first merged the transit police and the housing police, and then they merged the school safety officers into the police department. So this is like beginning to go back to where it was years ago, but without dealing with the actual issue of the number of police, that have remained largely increased, even as crime decreased throughout the last 20 years. This whole issue of how the City Council and the mayor still refuse to deal, that there’s too many uniformed police in New York City?
BIANCA CUNNINGHAM: Yeah, there’s too many uniformed police in New York City. And furthermore, when we talk about defunding the NYPD, the other part of that is to fully fund social services. I can tell you, out in the encampment, it’s obvious. We have some of the most vulnerable members of our community coming out to have their voices heard and participate in this encampment, and it’s clear that what they’re saying they need is services — mental health services, social services, adequate housing, affordable healthcare, a quality education. These are the things that the community is crying out for. And so it’s not good enough to move money around in fancy accounting tricks. It’s not good enough to just defund the NYPD even. We have to meet that with services that are fully funded, as well.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Could you talk about the occupation around City Hall and the impact it has had on the Council and on the public discussion around this issue?
BIANCA CUNNINGHAM: Sure. So, a group of us called this action and this encampment in an attempt to put pressure on the City Council to meet our demand of $1 billion. The response has been, frankly, embarrassing, in my opinion. They’ve called us out on Twitter for — saying that, you know, they’re good progressives and that they should be exempt from the accountability that the people are looking to hold these electeds to. They’re having press conferences outside of activists’ house to try to play race cards and other identity-based games about who is allowed to protest, you know, who’s allowed to protest and call for the defunding of the NYPD and who’s not. They’ve been completely irresponsive to all of our calls, only getting upset and almost threatening to withhold their “no” vote on a budget if we continue to target them. It’s a real shame, what’s going on. It’s a real shame that they lack the accountability to their constituents. And it’s a real shame that even in this moment, when it’s so clear to so many of us about what the right thing is to do, they don’t have the moral courage to stand up and do it.
AMY GOODMAN: So, Bianca Cunningham, as you sit there at City Hall talking to us, masked to protect the community, what is happening today? Can you talk about the vote and what you’re demanding further? Are you able to go in and out of City Hall? Are you able to speak with city councilmembers? Who is supporting you within the government and in the greater community? You started with just a hundred people there.
BIANCA CUNNINGHAM: Well, yes. We started the — the first night of the encampment, we didn’t know what was going to happen. We called for it, and we were hoping for the best. Two hundred people stayed the night the first night. We are now in our eighth day of the encampment, and we have had everything — you know, up to thousands of people in this space at one time, with almost a thousand people steadily staying the night every night. We are able to go inside and outside of the encampment.
But I will say, you know, we know the symbolic — this is symbolism — right? — that we are encamped in City Hall. Nobody’s there, because of COVID. Everybody’s at their house. And normally, what protocol would be, today — they’re meeting at 11:00 — they would need to come into City Hall to cast a vote. Well, instead, they’ve changed the procedure to say that they can now vote virtually through Zoom. And so that vote will be taking place all day. So they’re making it super hard to hold them accountable. They don’t want to face the public. They’re hiding inside their houses. And they’re on Twitter threatening us to say that we shouldn’t be talking against the establishment.
So, I feel like, you know, we are having an impact, I would say. You know, we have — if you walk inside the encampment, we have a people’s library, where people can go get educated on capitalism and racial capitalism and racism. We have a people’s bodega, where you don’t have to leave, and you have, like, PPE and sanitary items and things that you need. We have a fully stocked food table, where we’ve been having donations outpouring from New Yorkers and even people from the U.K., from California, from all over the country, trying to find out how they can send us food. We have blankets and clothes and shoes, and we’re really taking care of the homeless.
I could just share really quick, yesterday a young woman came up to me. It was her first night in the encampment, and she described to me that this is what she felt like community should feel like. She said, “I’ve never felt more cared for. I’ve never felt more taken care of. I’ve never felt more safe.” And so, we are trying to model in real life what it looks like to keep each other safe without the police present. And that includes having to navigate a number of issues with the homeless folks, with people with mental health issues, but still not calling the police, and using mediation, mental health services and other professionals to deescalate situations.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Bianca, we only have about 30 seconds, but I wanted to ask you: What do you see as the next steps? The City Council must vote to approve a budget by June 30th, which is today, so, hopefully, for the new fiscal year that starts July 1. What do you expect to happen after their vote, with the movement you’ve started?
BIANCA CUNNINGHAM: You know, it’s hard to say. Right now all of our focus is on trying to target the councilmembers, to say that “Please withhold your vote on this budget, if it doesn’t — we know that it doesn’t include the demand that we want, so can we vote no? And can you create your own budget?” They have the right — I mean, you know, it’s within their right to do so. It would be messy, but it definitely is possible.
Further than that, I would say to Speaker Cory Johnson, who is looking to run for mayor, “Don’t even bother. If you can’t stand up and be our leader in this political moment, then don’t even bother to try to be mayor later, because we’ll remember where you stood today.”
AMY GOODMAN: Do you plan on continuing the encampment tonight, beyond the vote, Bianca?
BIANCA CUNNINGHAM: The encampment will continue tonight. We’re having a sleepover in City Hall tonight. We’re calling on everybody to come out. We’re going to be talking strategy. We’re going to be talking about targets. We’re going to be talking about where we go from here. We know that this is just one step in the fight. Many of us are abolitionists, and so we know that this is just one step toward that. And so we’ll continue this as a community.
AMY GOODMAN: Bianca Cunningham, thanks so much for joining us, organizer of Occupy City Hall, former co-chair of the NYC chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, speaking to us from New York City Hall.
And that does that does it for our broadcast. A very Happy Birthday to Isis Phillips! And remember: Wear that mask. You should wear it because you care.
Democracy Now! is produced with Renée Feltz and Mike Burke and Deena Guzder and Libby Rainey and Nermeen Shaikh and Carla Wills, Tami Woronoff and Charina Nadura, Tey-Marie Astudillo, John Hamilton, Robby Karran. Stay safe.