newsweek--2020-11-30--An 83-Year-Old Jailed For Playing Radio Too Loud Dies in Prison

A pensioner who was repeatedly jailed for playing Classical FM too loud has died in prison .
Ian Trainer , 83 , was sent to prison for 24 weeks in February 2020 after breaching the conditions of a restraining order that was given to him in 2019 .
It forbade him from playing any audio above normal talking level , which is above 65 decibels .
However , he was jailed again for breaching the order after his release .
The Ministry of Justice confirmed to Newsweek that the pensioner from Aintree , Merseyside , had died .
A spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trainer died in hospital on 23 November .
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has been informed . ''
During his sentencing in February earlier this year , Liverpool Magistrate Court heard how Trainer told an officer who had arrested him for breaching the order that he liked playing music `` at a level I enjoy '' .He also went on to tell officers that he could n't wear headphones due to a medical condition that meant they irritated his ears .
A statement reported in court said Trainer had a bad cold and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prosecution barrister Simon Leong had told the court that Trainer 's neighbor , Thomas Michael Thompson , had experienced `` noise pollution '' from Trainer 's property for a number of years .
Giving evidence Thompson said : `` It 's not just one day of the week , it 's every day of the week .
I go out early morning and stay out until late afternoon to avoid the noise .
It 's just unbelievable at times . ''
Sentencing him to 24 weeks in prison , the judge told Trainer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level that `` caused distress . ''
He was also ordered to pay £600 court costs and told to pay a victim surcharge to Thompson of £122 .
Appearing again in court via video link in June for breaching the order , Trainer claimed the allegations against him were `` malicious lies '' .
Trainer 's cause of death is as of yet unclear .
It comes after Oxford scientists said prisoners should be prioritized for a COVID-19 vaccine due to them being a high-risk group .
A study by the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` contact tracing in prisons is complicated by reluctance to disclose symptoms due to stigma , concerns about confidentiality , and fear of further restrictions , such as prolonged periods of medical isolation . ''
The study went on to warn that quarantining in prisons was difficult due to overcrowding , poor ventilation , sanitation and hygiene .
Professor Seena Fazel , Department of Psychiatry , University of Oxford , said : `` Prisons are high-risk settings for the transmission of contagious diseases and there are considerable challenges in managing outbreaks in them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison should be among the first groups to receive any COVID-19 vaccine to protect against infection and to prevent further spread of the disease .
`` The prison population is generally at higher risk of complications from infection because of the increased prevalence of underlying health conditions , and the overrepresentation of marginalized groups that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 . ''

A pensioner who was repeatedly jailed for playing Classical FM too loud has died in prison.
Ian Trainer, 83, was sent to prison for 24 weeks in February 2020 after breaching the conditions of a restraining order that was given to him in 2019. It forbade him from playing any audio above normal talking level, which is above 65 decibels. However, he was jailed again for breaching the order after his release.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed to Newsweek that the pensioner from Aintree, Merseyside, had died. A spokesperson said: "HMP Liverpool prisoner Ian Trainer died in hospital on 23 November. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has been informed."
During his sentencing in February earlier this year, Liverpool Magistrate Court heard how Trainer told an officer who had arrested him for breaching the order that he liked playing music "at a level I enjoy".He also went on to tell officers that he couldn't wear headphones due to a medical condition that meant they irritated his ears.
Ian Trainer died in prison on November 23 Merseyside Police
A statement reported in court said Trainer had a bad cold and could only hear in one ear. Prosecution barrister Simon Leong had told the court that Trainer's neighbor, Thomas Michael Thompson, had experienced "noise pollution" from Trainer's property for a number of years.
Giving evidence Thompson said: "It's not just one day of the week, it's every day of the week. I go out early morning and stay out until late afternoon to avoid the noise. It's just unbelievable at times."
Sentencing him to 24 weeks in prison, the judge told Trainer that he had played music at a level that "caused distress." He was also ordered to pay £600 court costs and told to pay a victim surcharge to Thompson of £122. Appearing again in court via video link in June for breaching the order, Trainer claimed the allegations against him were "malicious lies". Trainer's cause of death is as of yet unclear.
It comes after Oxford scientists said prisoners should be prioritized for a COVID-19 vaccine due to them being a high-risk group. A study by the University of Oxford's Department of Psychiatry found that "contact tracing in prisons is complicated by reluctance to disclose symptoms due to stigma, concerns about confidentiality, and fear of further restrictions, such as prolonged periods of medical isolation."
The study went on to warn that quarantining in prisons was difficult due to overcrowding, poor ventilation, sanitation and hygiene.
Professor Seena Fazel, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, said: "Prisons are high-risk settings for the transmission of contagious diseases and there are considerable challenges in managing outbreaks in them. Our research suggests that people in prison should be among the first groups to receive any COVID-19 vaccine to protect against infection and to prevent further spread of the disease.
"The prison population is generally at higher risk of complications from infection because of the increased prevalence of underlying health conditions, and the overrepresentation of marginalized groups that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19."


newsweek--2020-11-30--Moderna to Ask FDA to Release COVID Vaccine, Expects 20 Million Doses to Be Ready by End of 2020

Biotechnology company Moderna has announced that its ongoing study of its COVID vaccine candidate suggests it is highly effective .
Moderna said it will apply for Emergency Use Authorization ( EUA ) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) on Monday , and expects around 20 million doses of the vaccine called mRNA 1273 to be available in the U.S by the end of 2020 .
The drug-maker said a phase 3 study of mRNA-1273 involved 30,000 participants and included 196 cases of COVID-19 , of which 30 were severe .
The efficacy rate against COVID-19 was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severe cases .
Moderna also confirmed that it remains on track to manufacture approximately 500 million to one billion doses for the international markets in 2021 .
The information was announced via press release and the data has not yet been peer-reviewed .
Stéphane Bancel , CEO of Moderna , said in a statement : `` This positive primary analysis confirms the ability of our vaccine to prevent COVID-19 disease with 94.1 percent efficacy and importantly , the ability to prevent severe COVID-19 disease .
`` We believe our vaccine will provide a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course of this pandemic and help prevent severe disease , hospitalizations and death . ''
Moderna said the FDA 's meeting to review the safety and efficacy data package for mRNA-1273 is likely to be scheduled for Thursday , December 17 .
It expects shipping of mRNA-1273 to `` designated distribution points throughout the U.S. will occur shortly after an Emergency Use Authorization is granted . ''
Moderna announced on November 16 that its initial phase 3 study showed a vaccine efficacy of 94.5 percent and pledged doses would soon ship to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release published today , experts not involved in the research said the information appeared promising .
Dr. Michael Head , the senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton , U.K. , said in a statement : `` These revised findings are very much in line with those previously announced by Moderna .
This is essentially good news .
He added : `` There continues to be a very high level of observed effectiveness , with this effectiveness was consistent across older populations and ethnic minorities .
`` There were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vaccine .
We must ... reserve a little caution as we await the final published results , but for now we can retain the existing optimism that [ new ] vaccines may be deployed in the near future . ''
Moderna said its reviews of safety data during the latest round of testing did not identify any new serious safety concerns , but noted safety analysis is ongoing .
Prior analysis had found common adverse reactions included injection site pain , fatigue , muscle and joint pain , headache , and redness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to mRNA-1273 increased in severity after a second dose .
Dr. Alexander Edwards , associate professor in biomedical technology at University of Reading , said in a statement : `` This is great news , the more trial data we have the greater confidence we have that vaccines can be used to blunt the human cost of COVID-19 .
`` We still need to see full data sets published in reviewed journals , and regulators will pore over every detail .
Vaccine rollout remains a mammoth exercise but ... the more trial data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a major new phase in the pandemic . ''
This article has been updated with additional information from Moderna .

Biotechnology company Moderna has announced that its ongoing study of its COVID vaccine candidate suggests it is highly effective.
Moderna said it will apply for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday, and expects around 20 million doses of the vaccine called mRNA 1273 to be available in the U.S by the end of 2020.
The drug-maker said a phase 3 study of mRNA-1273 involved 30,000 participants and included 196 cases of COVID-19, of which 30 were severe. The efficacy rate against COVID-19 was 94.1 percent, and 100 percent against severe cases.
Moderna also confirmed that it remains on track to manufacture approximately 500 million to one billion doses for the international markets in 2021. The information was announced via press release and the data has not yet been peer-reviewed.
Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, said in a statement: "This positive primary analysis confirms the ability of our vaccine to prevent COVID-19 disease with 94.1 percent efficacy and importantly, the ability to prevent severe COVID-19 disease.
"We believe our vaccine will provide a... powerful tool that may change the course of this pandemic and help prevent severe disease, hospitalizations and death."
Moderna said the FDA's meeting to review the safety and efficacy data package for mRNA-1273 is likely to be scheduled for Thursday, December 17.
It expects shipping of mRNA-1273 to "designated distribution points throughout the U.S. will occur shortly after an Emergency Use Authorization is granted."
Moderna announced on November 16 that its initial phase 3 study showed a vaccine efficacy of 94.5 percent and pledged doses would soon ship to the U.S.
Reacting to the fresh press release published today, experts not involved in the research said the information appeared promising.
Dr. Michael Head, the senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton, U.K., said in a statement: "These revised findings are very much in line with those previously announced by Moderna. This is essentially good news.
He added: "There continues to be a very high level of observed effectiveness, with this effectiveness was consistent across older populations and ethnic minorities.
"There were also no serious adverse events caused by the vaccine. We must... reserve a little caution as we await the final published results, but for now we can retain the existing optimism that [new] vaccines may be deployed in the near future."
Moderna said its reviews of safety data during the latest round of testing did not identify any new serious safety concerns, but noted safety analysis is ongoing.
Prior analysis had found common adverse reactions included injection site pain, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, headache, and redness at the injection site. Adverse reactions to mRNA-1273 increased in severity after a second dose.
Dr. Alexander Edwards, associate professor in biomedical technology at University of Reading, said in a statement: "This is great news, the more trial data we have the greater confidence we have that vaccines can be used to blunt the human cost of COVID-19.
"We still need to see full data sets published in reviewed journals, and regulators will pore over every detail. Vaccine rollout remains a mammoth exercise but... the more trial data we have, the closer we are to a major new phase in the pandemic."
This article has been updated with additional information from Moderna.


newsweek--2020-11-30--Merriam-Webster Reveals Its Word of the Year 2020—and It's Not 'Coronavirus'

Merriam-Webster has revealed `` pandemic '' is its 2020 Word of the Year .
According to Merriam-Webster , `` pandemic '' is defined as `` an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area ( such as multiple countries or continents ) and typically affects a significant proportion of the population . ''
The word `` came immediately to the fore as we examined the data that determines what our Word of the Year will be , '' Merriam-Webster said in its announcement on Monday .
`` That probably is n't a big shock , '' Peter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told The Associated Press .
`` Often the big news story has a technical word that 's associated with it and in this case , the word pandemic is not just technical but has become general .
It 's probably the word by which we 'll refer to this period in the future , '' he said .
According to Merriam-Webster , the first big spike in dictionary searches for `` pandemic '' came on February 3—the day the first COVID-19 patient in the U.S. was released from a Seattle hospital .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ started picking up from as early as January 20 , when the first positive coronavirus case was recorded in the country .
However , it was when the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus outbreak is a pandemic on March 11 that lookups on the site for `` pandemic '' spiked massively .
That day saw the single largest spike in traffic for lookups for the word in the year , with searches up 115,806 percent compared to the same date in 2019 .
And the word has remained near the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even as searches for related terms , including coronavirus and COVID-19 , have waned .
Pandemic , which has roots in Latin and Greek , is a combination of `` pan , '' meaning all , and `` demos '' meaning people or population .
The latter is also the etymological root of `` democracy , '' Sokolowski noted .
Merriam-Webster quickly added and updated its entries for words related to the pandemic earlier this year .
`` Coronavirus '' was already in the dictionary , but `` COVID-19 '' was only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March .
COVID-19 `` has the distinction of being the fastest term to go from coinage to inclusion in a Merriam-Webster dictionary—the process took only 34 days , '' Merriam-Webster noted in its announcement .
Other pandemic-related contenders for Word of the Year included coronavirus , quarantine and asymptomatic .
Also among the runners-up were defund , mamba , kraken , antebellum , malarkey and schadenfreude .
People started increasingly searching the word `` defund '' from June amid protests against police brutality and racial injustice , while `` mamba '' became popular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January , whose nickname was the Black Mamba .
`` Malarkey '' got more lookups thanks to President-elect Joe Biden , who is known for using the word .
`` Schadenfreude '' had its biggest single spike this year on October 2 , Merriam-Webster noted , the day it was revealed that President Donald Trump had contracted the coronavirus .

Merriam-Webster has revealed "pandemic" is its 2020 Word of the Year. According to Merriam-Webster, "pandemic" is defined as "an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area (such as multiple countries or continents) and typically affects a significant proportion of the population."
The word "came immediately to the fore as we examined the data that determines what our Word of the Year will be," Merriam-Webster said in its announcement on Monday.
"That probably isn't a big shock," Peter Sokolowski, editor at large for Merriam-Webster, told The Associated Press.
"Often the big news story has a technical word that's associated with it and in this case, the word pandemic is not just technical but has become general. It's probably the word by which we'll refer to this period in the future," he said.
According to Merriam-Webster, the first big spike in dictionary searches for "pandemic" came on February 3—the day the first COVID-19 patient in the U.S. was released from a Seattle hospital.
But searches for the word on Merriam-Webster.com started picking up from as early as January 20, when the first positive coronavirus case was recorded in the country.
However, it was when the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus outbreak is a pandemic on March 11 that lookups on the site for "pandemic" spiked massively.
That day saw the single largest spike in traffic for lookups for the word in the year, with searches up 115,806 percent compared to the same date in 2019.
And the word has remained near the top of Merriam Webster's word list since, even as searches for related terms, including coronavirus and COVID-19, have waned.
A Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary is displayed in a bookstore November 10, 2003 in Niles, Illinois. Tim Boyle/Getty Images
Pandemic, which has roots in Latin and Greek, is a combination of "pan," meaning all, and "demos" meaning people or population. The latter is also the etymological root of "democracy," Sokolowski noted.
Merriam-Webster quickly added and updated its entries for words related to the pandemic earlier this year. "Coronavirus" was already in the dictionary, but "COVID-19" was only coined in February and was added in March.
COVID-19 "has the distinction of being the fastest term to go from coinage to inclusion in a Merriam-Webster dictionary—the process took only 34 days," Merriam-Webster noted in its announcement.
Other pandemic-related contenders for Word of the Year included coronavirus, quarantine and asymptomatic. Also among the runners-up were defund, mamba, kraken, antebellum, malarkey and schadenfreude.
People started increasingly searching the word "defund" from June amid protests against police brutality and racial injustice, while "mamba" became popular after the death of Kobe Bryant in January, whose nickname was the Black Mamba.
"Malarkey" got more lookups thanks to President-elect Joe Biden, who is known for using the word. "Schadenfreude" had its biggest single spike this year on October 2, Merriam-Webster noted, the day it was revealed that President Donald Trump had contracted the coronavirus.


newsweek--2020-11-30--New York Bar Tries to Defy Lockdown Rules by Giving Away Free Drinks, Declaring Itself 'Autonomous Z

New York Bar Tries to Defy Lockdown Rules by Giving Away Free Drinks, Declaring Itself 'Autonomous Zone'

A New York bar that declared itself an `` autonomous zone '' has tried to defy lockdown restrictions by giving out drinks for free while asking for donations instead .
Mac 's Public House in Staten Island has refused to abide by new lockdown restrictions that have been brought in as cases in spike in the area .
Last week , New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced new lockdown restrictions on Monday for Staten Island as well as Upper Manhattan .
After weeks of rising cases , southern areas of Staten Island were put under the more severe medium-risk `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closure of many non-essential businesses .
But the owners of Mac 's Public House in Grant City , which is inside the orange zone , tried to defy the new rules by putting signs up in their windows saying : `` !
ATTENTION !
We hereby declare this establishment an !
!
!
AUTONOMOUS ZONE !
!
! ''
The bar has taken a page from the anti-cop radicals in Seattle who established a monthlong `` autonomous zone '' on Capital Hill in protest of COVID regulations .
Mac 's had been defiantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posting a series of YouTube videos in which they make their position clear .
But co-owner Keith McAlarney said they had been issued with a $ 15,000 fine in the first video shared on Thursday .
His partner Danny Presti said in another clip posted the next day that this fine had later been declared void by officials but the bar was then slapped with another $ 1,000 fine .
He said : `` At this point , we 're OK with it , because we 're not paying it .
[ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1,000 fines , so they keep coming back .
We 're still here .
We 're not letting them in . ''
Mr Presti also revealed that the State Liquor Authority revoked their licence on Friday and they have received a shutdown order from the Health Department .
But he added that Mac 's Public House would still stay open and rather than sell alcohol , all drinks will be free and donations welcome .
In the video , McAlarney also weighed in after his partner 's declaration of COVID independence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ backing down .
You think you scared me by .
.
.
saying I do n't have a license now to serve liquor now ?
Well guess what ?
That liquor license is on the wall .
If that liquor license is gon na come off the wall , it 's gon na be done by Cuomo .
You wan na come down here and pull that license off the wall ? ''
`` De Bozo , '' he said , presumably referring to Mayor Bill de Blasio , `` you want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the wall ?
Feel free to end up comin ' down , and we 'll end up having a conversation before you even think about stepping foot on my property .
I will not back down . ''
On Sunday , the bar shared a third YouTube video , where McAlarney and Presti were seen standing outside in front of the bar wearing face coverings while police officers approach the premises .
As they huddle around , a law enforcement officer can be heard speaking to the co-owners before trying to hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as a public health notice .
Both McAlarney and Presti refuse to take the letter so the officer instead tapes it to the bar window .
The owners have now launched a GoFundMe page with a target to raise $ 500,000 to support the bar through the lockdown , with anything in excess of what they need to go to other small businesses .
As of Monday morning , it has raised just over $ 7,000 .
They wrote : `` Mac 's Public House is a small bar and restaurant in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decimated by the closing of the Corona Virus .
`` With more closures on the way , we decided something must be done and to stand up to the very ones that are supposed to be supporting and helping us .
`` Small businesses have received zero support from our local government , and they have been sending agencies from all over to fine us for any and all new violations , even when we 're all being safe , '' they added .
`` None of this is right and our Constitutional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've all been shuttered and struggling since the first shutdowns .
They said : `` With your help and donations , we will continue the fight to stay open , and anything we receive in excess of what we need will go towards assisting other small businesses fighting fines and getting reopened . ''
Newsweek has contacted Mac 's Public House , NYPD , the Mayor 's office and the Governor 's office for comment .
On Saturday night , the bar was reportedly busy with a small group of customers drinking cocktails @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Post reported .
The publication said that about five people , most wearing wearing face masks , came in for a drink over the space of two hours while two other couples hung out for about an hour and a half .
One customer—Keith Atherhold , 45 , told the Post : `` I totally support what he is doing .
I do n't support the tyrannical nonsense they have in place .
I gave them $ 100 for this water .
They did n't charge me .
I gave it to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` He 's alright , he 's doing the right thing , '' but declined to say if he and his wife paid for the pints of brew and finger food .
Others took to the bar 's social media and GoFundMe pages to express their support from across the U.S. , calling the owners `` heroes . ''
One wrote on Facebook : `` Good for you and I wish you the best in the fight !
All small businesses should stand up and say ENOUGH ! ''
Another said : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing this , and cheering you on from Buffalo NY !
I 'm a server in a restaurant , and we are shut down , but I wish more business owners would step up and say enough is enough !
! ''
While most of the reactions were in support of the bar , there was some pushback from other Facebook users who severely criticised the `` dangerous '' decision .
One said : `` Shame on you for encouraging potentially dangerous activities !
You should be more concerned about your patron 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nobody you care about gets sick since you 'll never know if you brought it home from a customer .
( Since I have n't seen any other negative comments like this , I 'll assume you 're going to delete mine . )
So sad !
Another said : `` The video posted the other day had the owners in close contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID .
Nobody wore masks .
Please stay away from this business for at least 2 weeks .
The odds are high that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

A New York bar that declared itself an "autonomous zone" has tried to defy lockdown restrictions by giving out drinks for free while asking for donations instead.
Mac's Public House in Staten Island has refused to abide by new lockdown restrictions that have been brought in as cases in spike in the area.
Last week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced new lockdown restrictions on Monday for Staten Island as well as Upper Manhattan.
After weeks of rising cases, southern areas of Staten Island were put under the more severe medium-risk "orange zone", which includes the closure of many non-essential businesses.
As of November 20th 2020, we have declared Mac's Public House an Autonomous Zone. We would like to clarify what this means, specifically to us, and how we'll operate business going forward. The...
But the owners of Mac's Public House in Grant City, which is inside the orange zone, tried to defy the new rules by putting signs up in their windows saying: "!ATTENTION! We hereby declare this establishment an !!!AUTONOMOUS ZONE!!!"
The bar has taken a page from the anti-cop radicals in Seattle who established a monthlong "autonomous zone" on Capital Hill in protest of COVID regulations.
Mac's had been defiantly trying to keep its doors open, posting a series of YouTube videos in which they make their position clear.
But co-owner Keith McAlarney said they had been issued with a $15,000 fine in the first video shared on Thursday.
His partner Danny Presti said in another clip posted the next day that this fine had later been declared void by officials but the bar was then slapped with another $1,000 fine.
He said: "At this point, we're OK with it, because we're not paying it. [The Sheriff's Department] is issuing us $1,000 fines, so they keep coming back. We're still here. We're not letting them in."
Here is the updated map for the Staten Island (Richmond County) cluster.
The cluster has a Yellow Zone and an Orange Zone. pic.twitter.com/NU0sHQ0PDt — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) November 23, 2020
Mr Presti also revealed that the State Liquor Authority revoked their licence on Friday and they have received a shutdown order from the Health Department.
But he added that Mac's Public House would still stay open and rather than sell alcohol, all drinks will be free and donations welcome.
In the video, McAlarney also weighed in after his partner's declaration of COVID independence.
He said: "We're not backing down. You think you scared me by . . . saying I don't have a license now to serve liquor now? Well guess what? That liquor license is on the wall. If that liquor license is gonna come off the wall, it's gonna be done by Cuomo. You wanna come down here and pull that license off the wall?"
"De Bozo," he said, presumably referring to Mayor Bill de Blasio, "you want to come down here and pull the license off the wall? Feel free to end up comin' down, and we'll end up having a conversation before you even think about stepping foot on my property. I will not back down."
On Sunday, the bar shared a third YouTube video, where McAlarney and Presti were seen standing outside in front of the bar wearing face coverings while police officers approach the premises.
As they huddle around, a law enforcement officer can be heard speaking to the co-owners before trying to hand them a cease and desist letter as well as a public health notice.
Both McAlarney and Presti refuse to take the letter so the officer instead tapes it to the bar window.
The owners have now launched a GoFundMe page with a target to raise $500,000 to support the bar through the lockdown, with anything in excess of what they need to go to other small businesses. As of Monday morning, it has raised just over $7,000.
They wrote: "Mac's Public House is a small bar and restaurant in Staten Island, NY that has been decimated by the closing of the Corona Virus.
"With more closures on the way, we decided something must be done and to stand up to the very ones that are supposed to be supporting and helping us.
"Small businesses have received zero support from our local government, and they have been sending agencies from all over to fine us for any and all new violations, even when we're all being safe," they added.
"None of this is right and our Constitutional rights have been stripped away. We've all been shuttered and struggling since the first shutdowns.
They said: "With your help and donations, we will continue the fight to stay open, and anything we receive in excess of what we need will go towards assisting other small businesses fighting fines and getting reopened."
Newsweek has contacted Mac's Public House, NYPD, the Mayor's office and the Governor's office for comment.
How people have reacted
On Saturday night, the bar was reportedly busy with a small group of customers drinking cocktails on the house, the New York Post reported.
The publication said that about five people, most wearing wearing face masks, came in for a drink over the space of two hours while two other couples hung out for about an hour and a half.
One customer—Keith Atherhold, 45, told the Post: "I totally support what he is doing. I don't support the tyrannical nonsense they have in place. I gave them $100 for this water. They didn't charge me. I gave it to support them."
One customer said: "He's alright, he's doing the right thing," but declined to say if he and his wife paid for the pints of brew and finger food.
Others took to the bar's social media and GoFundMe pages to express their support from across the U.S., calling the owners "heroes."
One wrote on Facebook: "Good for you and I wish you the best in the fight! All small businesses should stand up and say ENOUGH!"
Another said: "So so proud of you guys for doing this, and cheering you on from Buffalo NY! I'm a server in a restaurant, and we are shut down, but I wish more business owners would step up and say enough is enough!!"
While most of the reactions were in support of the bar, there was some pushback from other Facebook users who severely criticised the "dangerous" decision.
STATISTA
One said: "Shame on you for encouraging potentially dangerous activities! You should be more concerned about your patron's safety than making money. I hope nobody you care about gets sick since you'll never know if you brought it home from a customer. (Since I haven't seen any other negative comments like this, I'll assume you're going to delete mine.) So sad!
Another said: "The video posted the other day had the owners in close contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID. Nobody wore masks. Please stay away from this business for at least 2 weeks. The odds are high that most people who work here are infected."


newsweek--2020-11-30--How Should President Trump Exercise His Pardon Power? | Opinion

The Constitution allocates to the president the `` power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States , except in cases of impeachment . ''
This power is often misunderstood as limited to compassionate claims made by prisoners facing the death penalty or long imprisonment , and who are sick or old .
The exercise of compassion is one important element of this extrajudicial power , but it is not the only one .
The executive authority to pardon and commute is a central aspect of our constitutional system of checks and balances .
It authorizes the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and judicial overreaching in the federal criminal justice system .
President Donald Trump 's decision to pardon General Michael Flynn is a good example of this check .
Prosecutors overreached by setting a perjury trap for him , and then threatening to prosecute family members unless he pleaded guilty to a non-crime .
It was a non-crime because his false answers could not be `` material '' to any investigation .
Investigators already had conclusive proof that he met with Russian diplomats—they recorded the conversation !
They asked about the conversation only in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Congress should enact legislation outlawing such perjury traps , but they have n't .
The judge presiding over the case then should have allowed the Justice Department to drop the prosecution , but he did n't .
So President Trump stepped in to check these abuses , as he is empowered to do .
He did the right thing—to correct the wrong things done and not done by the other branches .
The system of checks and balances worked , in the Flynn case .
Now , we will see whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislative and judicial overreaching .
Consider the general issue of excessive sentencing , and the specific issue of the so-called `` trial penalty . ''
Since I began to practice criminal law nearly 60 years ago , sentences for non-violent crimes have increased dramatically .
As a colleague put it : `` they simply added a zero to most sentences ; what used to get one year , now gets 10 ; two now gets 20 . ''
This systemic increase in sentences has enhanced the pressure on criminal defendants to plead guilty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the legislature ( and the legislatively created Sentencing Commission ) has authorized such harsh sentences for so many non-violent crimes , prosecutors have the power to threaten defendants with the functional equivalent of life imprisonment unless they plead guilty .
If a defendant does , he can reduce the sentence by years , sometimes decades .
But if he goes to trial and loses , the sword of Damocles drops on his neck .
In one case currently before President Trump , two white-collar defendants were offered seven-year sentences if they pleaded guilty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in fact guilty , so they went to trial .
They lost and were sentenced to more than a 10-fold increase in time to be served .
Seven of those years were for the crimes of which they were convicted .
The additional 70-plus years was punishment for exercising their constitutional right to trial by jury .
There is something very wrong with a system that produces such a disparity , but neither the courts nor the legislature have corrected this injustice .
The president has the constitutional authority to do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reasonable sentences that reflect the actual crime , rather than the additional penalty for the exercise of a constitutional right .
He also has the authority to commute sentences that are simply too long by any reasonable standard of justice .
Many presidents , including Presidents Trump and Obama , have exercised this power , especially in drug-related cases .
Then there are defendants who have been convicted of crimes that are no longer on the books or are no longer prosecuted .
The courts are not generally empowered to reverse such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are other categories of injustice , abuse and overreach that the president is authorized to correct or ameliorate by executive clemency .
These include judicial , prosecutorial or police abuse .
They also include special hazards to the health of imprisoned inmates that result from the current pandemic .
So when President Trump reviews the applications for executive clemency currently before him , he will be performing a critical constitutional duty : `` To take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed , '' and that the other branches of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with compassion .
He is the ultimate check and balance against governmental overreaching in our imperfect criminal justice system .
He should exercise his constitutional authority broadly , fairly and equally .
Alan M. Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter professor of law , emeritus at Harvard Law School .
His new podcast , The Dershow , is accessible on Spotify , YouTube and iTunes .
Twitter : @ AlanDersh .
Dershowitz is now representing clients seeking executive clemency , as has through his career .
The views expressed in this article are the @ @ @ @

The Constitution allocates to the president the "power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment."
This power is often misunderstood as limited to compassionate claims made by prisoners facing the death penalty or long imprisonment, and who are sick or old. The exercise of compassion is one important element of this extrajudicial power, but it is not the only one. The executive authority to pardon and commute is a central aspect of our constitutional system of checks and balances. It authorizes the president to impose a check on legislative and judicial overreaching in the federal criminal justice system.
President Donald Trump's decision to pardon General Michael Flynn is a good example of this check. Prosecutors overreached by setting a perjury trap for him, and then threatening to prosecute family members unless he pleaded guilty to a non-crime. It was a non-crime because his false answers could not be "material" to any investigation. Investigators already had conclusive proof that he met with Russian diplomats—they recorded the conversation! They asked about the conversation only in order to get him to lie about it. Congress should enact legislation outlawing such perjury traps, but they haven't. The judge presiding over the case then should have allowed the Justice Department to drop the prosecution, but he didn't.
So President Trump stepped in to check these abuses, as he is empowered to do. He did the right thing—to correct the wrong things done and not done by the other branches. The system of checks and balances worked, in the Flynn case.
Now, we will see whether it will work in other cases of legislative and judicial overreaching. Consider the general issue of excessive sentencing, and the specific issue of the so-called "trial penalty." Since I began to practice criminal law nearly 60 years ago, sentences for non-violent crimes have increased dramatically. As a colleague put it: "they simply added a zero to most sentences; what used to get one year, now gets 10; two now gets 20."
This systemic increase in sentences has enhanced the pressure on criminal defendants to plead guilty and not go to trial. Because the legislature (and the legislatively created Sentencing Commission) has authorized such harsh sentences for so many non-violent crimes, prosecutors have the power to threaten defendants with the functional equivalent of life imprisonment unless they plead guilty. If a defendant does, he can reduce the sentence by years, sometimes decades. But if he goes to trial and loses, the sword of Damocles drops on his neck.
In one case currently before President Trump, two white-collar defendants were offered seven-year sentences if they pleaded guilty. They did not believe they were, in fact guilty, so they went to trial. They lost and were sentenced to more than a 10-fold increase in time to be served. Seven of those years were for the crimes of which they were convicted. The additional 70-plus years was punishment for exercising their constitutional right to trial by jury.
Former U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Flynn Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images
There is something very wrong with a system that produces such a disparity, but neither the courts nor the legislature have corrected this injustice. The president has the constitutional authority to do so by commuting these "trial penalties" to reasonable sentences that reflect the actual crime, rather than the additional penalty for the exercise of a constitutional right. He also has the authority to commute sentences that are simply too long by any reasonable standard of justice. Many presidents, including Presidents Trump and Obama, have exercised this power, especially in drug-related cases.
Then there are defendants who have been convicted of crimes that are no longer on the books or are no longer prosecuted. The courts are not generally empowered to reverse such anachronistic convictions, but the president is.
There are other categories of injustice, abuse and overreach that the president is authorized to correct or ameliorate by executive clemency. These include judicial, prosecutorial or police abuse. They also include special hazards to the health of imprisoned inmates that result from the current pandemic.
So when President Trump reviews the applications for executive clemency currently before him, he will be performing a critical constitutional duty: "To take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed," and that the other branches of our government have acted justly, fairly and with compassion. He is the ultimate check and balance against governmental overreaching in our imperfect criminal justice system. He should exercise his constitutional authority broadly, fairly and equally.
Alan M. Dershowitz is the Felix Frankfurter professor of law, emeritus at Harvard Law School. His new podcast, The Dershow, is accessible on Spotify, YouTube and iTunes. Twitter: @AlanDersh. Dershowitz is now representing clients seeking executive clemency, as has through his career.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.


newsweek--2020-11-30--Calls Grow for Pelosi, Schumer to Accept Smaller Initial Stimulus Deal

Calls are mounting for Democratic figureheads to accept a smaller relief package if necessary and push for more later amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis , despite their continued insistence Republican proposals are insufficient .
Former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers Austan Goolsbee , who advised the Obama administration , told CNN that he feels something needs to be done soon in order to prevent a potential double-dip recession .
`` There are a lot of people really hurting in the country , I hope that they can agree on something soon , '' Goolsbee , who was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Board established during Obama 's presidency , said .
After being asked if Democrats should accept a smaller package before the end of the year , amid the ongoing stalemate over stimulus , Goolsbee said they should potentially take less now and push for more down the line .
`` I know everyone calls it stimulus and its sort of a pedantic point but this is n't stimulus , this literally just relief money until we can get the furnace back on .
We have to do this .
It 's not jumpstarting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being evicted , keeping businesses from shutting down permanently from what was supposed to be a temporary shock .
And I think it 's important , '' he said .
`` So if they have to accept half a loaf , then I think they should accept half a loaf and then let 's try to get another half of a load .
But right now is really touch and go and I wish both sides could see that . ''
Goolsbee joins a raft of economists who have pushed for further stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some Democrats have called for a deal to be taken before the end of the year with a compromise for a smaller bill to get support out to the public sooner .
They echoed suggestions of something happening now then potentially more in future .
`` I just hope that we can get agreement .
It may not be everything that everybody wants but at least if we can get some significant relief to people , '' Maryland House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer ( D-MD ) told Roll Call .
`` And then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
If we need to do other things , we 'll do other things . ''
Lawmakers across both sides have expressed desire for measures to be enacted .
The Senate returns Monday , with eight months having passed since the last relief package , the CARES Act , was signed by President Donald Trump .
While there has been support from both sides of the aisle for further stimulus action , there has been disagreement on the finer points of a deal and a split on how much should be spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the HEROES Act and an updated version of this which took its overall spend down to $ 2.2 trillion have passed the House , but faced pushback in the GOP-led Senate .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) has meanwhile pushed for a cut down bill worth around $ 500 trillion .
However , this sort of offer has been rejected by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) .
Pelosi has been outspoken in her belief that Republican proposals have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis .
In October , she told Bloomberg that Republicans were not offering enough and said : `` This is n't half a loaf .
What they 're offering is the heel of the loaf . ''
She said if Democrats came down further they would not be `` meeting the needs of the American people . ''
Pelosi also said there was no point entering a negotiation if you would just take the `` path of least resistance '' straight away .
McConnell said earlier this month that Democrats were looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans and that `` that 's not a place I think we 're willing to go . ''
Newsweek has contacted Pelosi , Schumer and McConnell for comment .
Goolsbee has also been contacted for further comment .
The debate over further relief comes with confirmed COVID-19 cases having passed 13 million in the United States , according to Johns Hopkins University figures .
The graphic below , from Statista , shows the nations with the highest numbers of confirmed cases .

Calls are mounting for Democratic figureheads to accept a smaller relief package if necessary and push for more later amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, despite their continued insistence Republican proposals are insufficient.
Former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers Austan Goolsbee, who advised the Obama administration, told CNN that he feels something needs to be done soon in order to prevent a potential double-dip recession.
"There are a lot of people really hurting in the country, I hope that they can agree on something soon," Goolsbee, who was also chief adviser for the Economic Recovery Advisory Board established during Obama's presidency, said.
After being asked if Democrats should accept a smaller package before the end of the year, amid the ongoing stalemate over stimulus, Goolsbee said they should potentially take less now and push for more down the line.
"I know everyone calls it stimulus and its sort of a pedantic point but this isn't stimulus, this literally just relief money until we can get the furnace back on. We have to do this. It's not jumpstarting growth it's just keeping people from being evicted, keeping businesses from shutting down permanently from what was supposed to be a temporary shock. And I think it's important," he said.
"So if they have to accept half a loaf, then I think they should accept half a loaf and then let's try to get another half of a loaf. But right now is really touch and go and I wish both sides could see that."
In further comments shared with Newsweek, Goolsbee said: "My view is that the economy needs the relief immediately. The virus is raging out of control and until we get a handle on it, it will cost a lot to keep people afloat and prevent permanent damage from a temporary hit.
"That means it can't wait until next year without millions of people getting really hurt. It needs to be as big as possible as fast as possible. It needs to have money for people, for small businesses, for cities and states and, above all, for COVID response. The CARES act shows us that even large amounts of money will run out quickly and need to be replenished until we get control of the virus."
Goolsbee joins a raft of economists who have pushed for further stimulus action to be taken.
Austan Goolsbee, Former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama, testifies before the Congressional Joint Ecoomic Committee on Capitol Hill February 28, 2013. He has expressed his feeling that a further relief package is needed as soon as possible amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Meanwhile, some Democrats have called for a deal to be taken before the end of the year with a compromise for a smaller bill to get support out to the public sooner. They echoed suggestions of something happening now then potentially more in future.
"I just hope that we can get agreement. It may not be everything that everybody wants but at least if we can get some significant relief to people," Maryland House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) told Roll Call. "And then we're going to be here next year. If we need to do other things, we'll do other things."
Lawmakers across both sides have expressed desire for measures to be enacted. The Senate returns Monday, with eight months having passed since the last relief package, the CARES Act, was signed by President Donald Trump.
While there has been support from both sides of the aisle for further stimulus action, there has been disagreement on the finer points of a deal and a split on how much should be spent overall.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (R) speaks alongside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) (L) during a joint press conference at the U.S. Capitol on November 12, 2020. The pair have criticized Republican proposals over stimulus. Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Democrat proposals in the form of the HEROES Act and an updated version of this which took its overall spend down to $2.2 trillion have passed the House, but faced pushback in the GOP-led Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has meanwhile pushed for a cut down bill worth around $500 billion. However, this sort of offer has been rejected by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
Pelosi has been outspoken in her belief that Republican proposals have been insufficient to tackle the needs of the crisis.
Read more Birx Urges Americans to Take COVID Precautions Even if Not Mandated Locally Birx Urges Americans to Take COVID Precautions Even if Not Mandated Locally
In October, she told Bloomberg that Republicans were not offering enough and said: "This isn't half a loaf. What they're offering is the heel of the loaf."
She said if Democrats came down further they would not be "meeting the needs of the American people."
Pelosi also said there was no point entering a negotiation if you would just take the "path of least resistance" straight away.
McConnell said earlier this month that Democrats were looking for something "significantly larger" than Republicans and that "that's not a place I think we're willing to go."
Newsweek has contacted Pelosi, Schumer and McConnell for comment. Goolsbee has also been contacted for further comment.
The debate over further relief comes with confirmed COVID-19 cases having passed 13 million in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University figures.
The graphic below, from Statista, shows the nations with the highest numbers of confirmed cases.
Statista
Correction 11/30/2020: This page has been corrected to say the size of Mitch McConnell's stimulus proposal is $500 billion. This article was updated to include additional comment from Austan Goolsbee.


newsweek--2020-11-30--Rand Paul Sparks Backlash with Vote Count 'Anomaly' Tweet

Rand Paul has been criticized for suggesting that `` fraud '' may be the reason Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden in key election states because of `` data dumps '' which occurred during a five-hour period .
The Kentucky Senator tweeted about disputed claims of voter fraud which were made in a lengthy blog post entitled `` Anomalies in Vote Counts and Their Effects on Election 2020 . ''
The post questioned why President-elect Biden received `` vote spikes '' in the states of Michigan , Wisconsin , and Georgia in the early hours of November 4 , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' in other states and questioned other voting results which had `` an unusually high Biden-to-Trump ratio . ''
Biden defeated Trump in several key states , with the counting of mail-in and postal ballots massively favoring the Democratic candidate .
Trump has frequently complained that the election was `` rigged '' as a result of unproven mass voter fraud .
`` Interesting ... Trump margin of 'defeat ' in 4 states occurred in 4 data dumps between 1:34-6:31 AM , '' Rand tweeted .
`` Statistical anomaly ?
Fraud ?
Look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( That is , if Big Tech allows u to read this . )
'' Twitter soon flagged Paul 's tweet about election fraud as containing disputed information .
Paul was condemned on social media for sharing the misinformation claiming that there was anything untoward about the counting of votes for Biden—which cut into Trump 's early lead in these states—amounting to fraud .
`` Is Rand Paul a moron ?
Look at the evidence and decide for yourself , '' tweeted The Lincoln Project , a Republican PAC consisting of Trump critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the votes coming in early that morning were mail-in ballots from big , deep-blue cities ?
Because that 's exactly what it was .
I was watching CNN .
Every time a big dump came in , they announced the numbers and percentages , '' added news anchor Ed Greenberger .
`` It 's over .
He 's done . ''
Writer Jenna Quigley tweeted : `` GOP : 'You states ca n't start counting mail-in/absentee ballots until the polls close , even though we will have a historically huge amount of mail-in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : 'Why was there a big dump of votes for Biden after polls closed on Election Day in these states ?
! '
'' Journalist and radio hist David Shuster tweeted : `` These 'data dumps ' came from urban/African American precincts .
It would have been an 'anomaly ' if the vote ratios for Biden were not 90-10 .
@ RandPaul , if you want these precincts to report votes earlier , maybe give them election resources they 've asked for and you 've withheld . ''
Rand has been contacted for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Biden 's election win is not legitimate because of baseless claims of mass voter fraud and illegal voting .
Trump has had several lawsuits thrown out for failing to disclose any substantial evidence to his claim .
Recent recounts in Wisconsin 's Dane County and one in Milwaukee County—which was requested by Trump 's team at a cost of $ 3 million—also saw Biden achieve net gain of 87 votes in the state he was already declared the winner in .

Rand Paul has been criticized for suggesting that "fraud" may be the reason Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden in key election states because of "data dumps" which occurred during a five-hour period.
The Kentucky Senator tweeted about disputed claims of voter fraud which were made in a lengthy blog post entitled "Anomalies in Vote Counts and Their Effects on Election 2020."
The post questioned why President-elect Biden received "vote spikes" in the states of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Georgia in the early hours of November 4, as well as suggesting "statistically anomalous cases" in other states and questioned other voting results which had "an unusually high Biden-to-Trump ratio."
Biden defeated Trump in several key states, with the counting of mail-in and postal ballots massively favoring the Democratic candidate. Trump has frequently complained that the election was "rigged" as a result of unproven mass voter fraud.
"Interesting...Trump margin of 'defeat' in 4 states occurred in 4 data dumps between 1:34-6:31 AM," Rand tweeted. "Statistical anomaly? Fraud? Look at the evidence and decide for yourself. (That is, if Big Tech allows u to read this.)"
Twitter soon flagged Paul's tweet about election fraud as containing disputed information.
Paul was condemned on social media for sharing the misinformation claiming that there was anything untoward about the counting of votes for Biden—which cut into Trump's early lead in these states—amounting to fraud.
"Is Rand Paul a moron? Look at the evidence and decide for yourself," tweeted The Lincoln Project, a Republican PAC consisting of Trump critics.
"Or... what if all the votes coming in early that morning were mail-in ballots from big, deep-blue cities? Because that's exactly what it was. I was watching CNN. Every time a big dump came in, they announced the numbers and percentages," added news anchor Ed Greenberger. "It's over. He's done."
Writer Jenna Quigley tweeted: "GOP: 'You states can't start counting mail-in/absentee ballots until the polls close, even though we will have a historically huge amount of mail-in and absentee votes.
"Also GOP: 'Why was there a big dump of votes for Biden after polls closed on Election Day in these states?!'"
Journalist and radio hist David Shuster tweeted: "These 'data dumps' came from urban/African American precincts. It would have been an 'anomaly' if the vote ratios for Biden were not 90-10. @RandPaul, if you want these precincts to report votes earlier, maybe give them election resources they've asked for and you've withheld."
Interesting . . . the Packers' “lead” at "halftime" of 27-10 occurred in four separate point dumps between 5:00-7:10 PM. Statistical anomaly? Fraud? Look at the evidence and decide for yourself.(That is, if Big Tech allows u to read this) pic.twitter.com/6PEDCS5a5S — Adrian Daub (@adriandaub) November 30, 2020
It’s called counting, dumbass. Stop spreading lies. pic.twitter.com/D5r5K0YHmY — snipe, poo doula ⭑⭒⭒⭒⭒ (@snipeyhead) November 30, 2020
Interesting . . . Rand Paul has just four letters in each name. Statistical anomaly? Fraud? Look at the evidence and decide for yourself. — E Randol Schoenberg (@RandySchoenberg) November 30, 2020
It's November 29th, weeks after the election, and @RandPaul STILL doesn't know that some (reddish) states controlled WHEN mail in and absentee ballots were allowed tobe counted and in what order. This is a US SENATOR by the way. And apparently an Anti-American terrorist. https://t.co/9FQ3cAd92C — Willie Garson 🇺🇸 (@WillieGarson) November 30, 2020
it's almost like american citizens spent all day voting and counting votes and making sure they got it right then hit upload at midnight...you raging moron — Tanner Thomason (@TannerThomason) November 30, 2020
For those of you wondering if Rand Paul is actually that much of a dishonest liar who hates our democratic institutions OR if he's just that stupid: He's both. Always has been. His daddy too. — Dan Murphy (@bungdan) November 30, 2020
Nobody has ever seen ‘Rand Paul’ trending and thought “truly society had been bettered today.” — Yvette, but from a distance. (@TheSciBabe) November 30, 2020
In a statement to Newsweek, Paul said: "Asking people to think for themselves, and asking that our elections be verified free of fraud, would seem to be basic, easy concepts. They are apparently too much for the media and big tech to handle, though, so they have to attack and censor."
Trump is continuing to claim without evidence that Biden's election win is not legitimate because of mass voter fraud and illegal voting. Trump has had several lawsuits thrown out for failing to disclose any substantial evidence to his claim.
Recent recounts in Wisconsin's Dane County and one in Milwaukee County—which was requested by Trump's team at a cost of $3 million—also saw Biden achieve net gain of 87 votes in the state he was already declared the winner in.
Update 12/01/20: This article was updated with comment from Rand Paul.


newsweek--2020-11-30--Beat Our Civil Rights Record | Opinion

Beat Our Civil Rights Record | Opinion

Unsurprisingly the Biden administration plans to reverse course on civil rights , especially in education , reinstating policies that the Trump administration rescinded .
This spans issues ranging from sexual violence to racial discipline to affirmative action .
If President-elect Biden can beat the Trump administration 's record , then Republicans and Democrats should join together in supporting their work .
But if they plan to throw the baby out with the bathwater , reversing the progress as well as the problems of the last four years , then they will have missed an important opportunity .
The Biden campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's role in civil rights enforcement to what it was during the Obama administration .
At that time , the Department 's Office for Civil Rights ( OCR ) prioritized systemic investigation over resolution of individual claims .
If done properly , systemic investigations can impact thousands of students .
The Trump administration pursued systemic sexual violence investigations at such places as Pennsylvania State University , Michigan State University , the University of Southern California and the Chicago Public Schools .
Done pell-mell , however , the systemic approach means entering school systems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans for investigations that languish for years without resolution .
We see this in the data .
Over the past three fiscal years , OCR resolved 1,507 more civil rights complaints `` with change '' —meaning they required schools to change discriminatory practices—as compared with the last three years of the Obama administration .
This includes six times as many sexual violence allegations .
When the Biden administration returns to the Obama approach , does it plan to resolve fewer cases than the Trump administration and require change at fewer schools and colleges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way to combine the Obama administration 's ideals with the Trump administration 's efficiency ?
On this question hangs the fate of our nation 's most vulnerable student populations .
The Biden team reportedly wants to reverse Secretary Betsy DeVos 's Title IX regulation .
Their goal is to increase protections for sexual violence survivors .
But will they also reverse the advances in due process , as well as the new victim protections ?
Recall that federal courts have embraced some of the same due process rules , such as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Title IX regulation established .
At the same time , colleges are adopting the new regulatory requirements , which expand protections for victims of domestic and dating violence and stalking .
Will this also be reversed ?
Next , the Biden team will reportedly reverse the Trump approach to the disproportionate disciplining of Black students .
Here again , if the Biden team can better identify and redress racial discrimination , they will deserve great applause .
But it is one thing to reinstate a policy—words on a piece of paper—and a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children and their families .
And if they do achieve change , will they reduce discriminatory treatment , or will they merely pressure schools to improve their numbers and loosen their discipline ?
The latter approach , while tempting , can hamper education at precisely the schools that serve our most underserved populations .
Similarly , the Biden team plans to reverse the Trump administration 's approach to affirmative action .
If the incoming administration can increase and diversify the pipeline of high school graduates who are equipped to succeed in selective and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
But if they merely ignore the claims of Asian students who face tall odds of admission , despite sterling accomplishments , then their work will merit a different response .
In the same way , we can support their goal of increasing protections for marginalized groups , but will they support all students , rather than cherry-picking which students deserve their protections ?
Will they , for example , enhance or diminish the progress the current administration has made in addressing campus anti-Semitism ?
It is politically easy for an incoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work .
In our system , that is their right .
What would be remarkable , however , is if they can achieve new victories while also building upon the advances of those who came before .
Kenneth L. Marcus is Chairman of The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law .
He served as assistant U.S. secretary of education for civil rights ( 2018 to 2020 ) .
The views expressed in this article are the writer 's own .

Unsurprisingly the Biden administration plans to reverse course on civil rights, especially in education, reinstating policies that the Trump administration rescinded. This spans issues ranging from sexual violence to racial discipline to affirmative action. If President-elect Biden can beat the Trump administration's record, then Republicans and Democrats should join together in supporting their work. But if they plan to throw the baby out with the bathwater, reversing the progress as well as the problems of the last four years, then they will have missed an important opportunity.
The Biden campaign reportedly wants to broaden the Education Department's role in civil rights enforcement to what it was during the Obama administration. At that time, the Department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) prioritized systemic investigation over resolution of individual claims. If done properly, systemic investigations can impact thousands of students. The Trump administration pursued systemic sexual violence investigations at such places as Pennsylvania State University, Michigan State University, the University of Southern California and the Chicago Public Schools. Done pell-mell, however, the systemic approach means entering school systems with good intentions, but without exit plans for investigations that languish for years without resolution.
We see this in the data. Over the past three fiscal years, OCR resolved 1,507 more civil rights complaints "with change"—meaning they required schools to change discriminatory practices—as compared with the last three years of the Obama administration. This includes six times as many sexual violence allegations. When the Biden administration returns to the Obama approach, does it plan to resolve fewer cases than the Trump administration and require change at fewer schools and colleges? Or will the incoming administration find a way to combine the Obama administration's ideals with the Trump administration's efficiency? On this question hangs the fate of our nation's most vulnerable student populations.
Department of Education building in Washington, D.C. ALASTAIR PIKE/AFP via Getty Images
The Biden team reportedly wants to reverse Secretary Betsy DeVos's Title IX regulation. Their goal is to increase protections for sexual violence survivors. But will they also reverse the advances in due process, as well as the new victim protections? Recall that federal courts have embraced some of the same due process rules, such as the right of cross-examination, that the new Title IX regulation established. At the same time, colleges are adopting the new regulatory requirements, which expand protections for victims of domestic and dating violence and stalking. Will this also be reversed?
Next, the Biden team will reportedly reverse the Trump approach to the disproportionate disciplining of Black students. Here again, if the Biden team can better identify and redress racial discrimination, they will deserve great applause. But it is one thing to reinstate a policy—words on a piece of paper—and a very different thing to achieve real results for children and their families. And if they do achieve change, will they reduce discriminatory treatment, or will they merely pressure schools to improve their numbers and loosen their discipline? The latter approach, while tempting, can hamper education at precisely the schools that serve our most underserved populations.
Similarly, the Biden team plans to reverse the Trump administration's approach to affirmative action. If the incoming administration can increase and diversify the pipeline of high school graduates who are equipped to succeed in selective and highly selective universities, more power to them. But if they merely ignore the claims of Asian students who face tall odds of admission, despite sterling accomplishments, then their work will merit a different response. In the same way, we can support their goal of increasing protections for marginalized groups, but will they support all students, rather than cherry-picking which students deserve their protections? Will they, for example, enhance or diminish the progress the current administration has made in addressing campus anti-Semitism?
It is politically easy for an incoming Democratic team to reject their predecessors' work. In our system, that is their right. What would be remarkable, however, is if they can achieve new victories while also building upon the advances of those who came before.
Kenneth L. Marcus is Chairman of The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. He served as assistant U.S. secretary of education for civil rights (2018 to 2020).
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.


newsweek--2020-11-30--Trump Ally Matt Gaetz Says 'We're Proving the Fraud' After Multiple Failed Election Lawsuits

Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz has claimed that Republicans are proving there was fraud in the 2020 presidential election , but they are not getting the `` remedies '' they want after multiple lawsuit failures .
Gaetz , a staunch ally of President Donald Trump who represents Florida 's 1st congressional district , told Fox News on Sunday that there was evidence to support Trump 's claims that the election was stolen from him .
He pointed to mail-in ballots , which the president repeatedly attacked before Election Day on November 3 .
Trump and his allies have made unsubstantiated claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voter fraud .
`` The main legal problem for the Trump team is that illegal ballots have been co-mingled with larger universes of ballots , so you can prove that there is fraud as to some ballots , '' Gaetz said .
`` But if those fraudulent ballots are then mixed into a larger pool , it 's very difficult to obtain remedies from the courts to exclude that entire pool of polluted ballots .
`` But we should not act as if his is some unsolvable problem .
Election fraud really requires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of unaccounted for ballots that are n't attached to a human—and then second is the rapid processing of those ballots .
`` So someone should only get a ballot in the mail if they asked for one but Democrats were able to create this universe of millions of ballots , '' Gaetz said .
`` And then they were not processed as they came in in most states , we did do that in Florida , by the way , instead they process them two , four , six hundred thousand at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then they just wrap those polluted ballots into a broader universe and I think that is where we 're proving the fraud but not obtaining the remedies that we would like to see . ''
Trump and his campaign have made claims of voter fraud but so far they 've produced no evidence .
More than 40 lawsuits have been filed regarding the election results , some with no direct involvement from the president , but they have been predominantly unsuccessful so far .
Speaking to Fox Business on Sunday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed to put in our proof .
They say you do n't have standing . ''
`` We have affidavits , we have hundreds and hundreds of affidavits , '' Trump added , saying he wanted to `` file one nice , big beautiful lawsuit . ''
On November 28 , the Pennsylvania supreme court threw out a lower court 's order that had prevented the state from certifying its election results , saying the Republican plaintiffs had `` failed to allege that even a single mail-in ballot was fraudulently cast or counted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numerous allegations of voter fraud since Election Day on November 3 .
The president has spread unsubstantiated accusations on social media and both the campaign and Republicans at the state level have sought relief from the courts .
While the lawsuits have failed to change the outcome of the election , Trump , Gaetz and other Republicans have continued to claim that the election was `` rigged '' or `` stolen '' from the president .
There is no evidence to support Gaetz ' claim of mass voter fraud , and the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't allowed to view counting in some states has been rated false by fact-checking site PolitiFact .

Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz has claimed that Republicans are proving there was fraud in the 2020 presidential election, but they are not getting the "remedies" they want after multiple lawsuit failures.
Gaetz, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump who represents Florida's 1st congressional district, told Fox News on Sunday that there was evidence to support Trump's claims that the election was stolen from him.
He pointed to mail-in ballots, which the president repeatedly attacked before Election Day on November 3. Trump and his allies have made unsubstantiated claims that vote-by-mail is more susceptible to mass voter fraud.
The quote
"The main legal problem for the Trump team is that illegal ballots have been co-mingled with larger universes of ballots, so you can prove that there is fraud as to some ballots," Gaetz said.
"But if those fraudulent ballots are then mixed into a larger pool, it's very difficult to obtain remedies from the courts to exclude that entire pool of polluted ballots.
"But we should not act as if his is some unsolvable problem. Election fraud really requires two things. One—a very large pool of unaccounted for ballots that aren't attached to a human—and then second is the rapid processing of those ballots.
"So someone should only get a ballot in the mail if they asked for one but Democrats were able to create this universe of millions of ballots," Gaetz said.
"And then they were not processed as they came in in most states, we did do that in Florida, by the way, instead they process them two, four, six hundred thousand at the time. Then they exclude the observers and then they just wrap those polluted ballots into a broader universe and I think that is where we're proving the fraud but not obtaining the remedies that we would like to see."
Why it matters
Trump and his campaign have made claims of voter fraud but so far they've produced no evidence. More than 40 lawsuits have been filed regarding the election results, some with no direct involvement from the president, but they have been predominantly unsuccessful so far.
Speaking to Fox Business on Sunday, the president said: "We're not allowed to put in our proof. They say you don't have standing."
"We have affidavits, we have hundreds and hundreds of affidavits," Trump added, saying he wanted to "file one nice, big beautiful lawsuit."
On November 28, the Pennsylvania supreme court threw out a lower court's order that had prevented the state from certifying its election results, saying the Republican plaintiffs had "failed to allege that even a single mail-in ballot was fraudulently cast or counted."
Context
The Trump campaign has made numerous allegations of voter fraud since Election Day on November 3. The president has spread unsubstantiated accusations on social media and both the campaign and Republicans at the state level have sought relief from the courts.
While the lawsuits have failed to change the outcome of the election, Trump, Gaetz and other Republicans have continued to claim that the election was "rigged" or "stolen" from the president.
There is no evidence to support Gaetz' claim of mass voter fraud, and the president's claim that Republican election observers weren't allowed to view counting in some states has been rated false by fact-checking site PolitiFact.


newsweek--2020-11-30--'The Spanish Princess' Season 3: Will There Be Another Season?

The Spanish Princess has spent 16 episodes telling the story of Catherine of Aragon ( played by Charlotte Hope ) and her tumultuous marriage with Henry VIII ( Ruairi O'Connor ) .
By the end of the most recent season finale , that story has been told , leaving fans worried about where exactly the show will go if there is a Season 3 .
Unfortunately , it does not seem as if there will be another season of The Spanish Princess .
The Starz show is based on a Philippa Gregory book named The Constant Princess , the story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the two seasons so far .
Of course , the show could continue Catherine 's story after the events of the book and after the divorce , as she lived for another three years .
Though these events would be new to all but the most ardent Tudor historians , they are sure to be a dramatic anti-climax compared to the marriage and divorce that literally led to the creation of a new religion , especially as she essentially lived in exile for the rest of her life , never seeing her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the show could spin-off with series that tell the stories of Henry 's future wives like Anne Boleyn ( Alice Nokes ) , and Gregory has 15 books of material for the creators to work with , but if it did it would no longer be The Spanish Princess .
In fact , fans were already lucky to get two seasons of The Spanish Princess .
The two previous Gregory adaptations The White Queen and The White Princess were both one-season limited series , but Spanish Princess got two seasons .
Back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the show was coming to an end , telling Town & Country : `` I hope that we have managed to provide a journey that 's still full of many surprises ... and the ending , I do n't think , although it ends in a place that history will know , and people who know their history will know , I think it ends in a place that will still surprise dramatically . ''
Graham and co-showrunner Emma Frost are also moving onto new projects .
They told Oprah Mag : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from history .
She 's not just a queen now—we 've gone onto empress .
We 're excited about taking that one further . ''
Though they would not confirm who this empress was , it is possible it could be Queen Victoria , made Empress of India in 1877 , while other fans have speculated they might be telling the story of another famous wife , Empress Josephine of Napoleon Bonaparte `` not tonight '' fame .
Either way , it seems that they are done with The Spanish Princess and are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Spanish Princess Season 1 and 2 are streaming now on Starz .

The Spanish Princess has spent 16 episodes telling the story of Catherine of Aragon (played by Charlotte Hope) and her tumultuous marriage with Henry VIII (Ruairi O'Connor). By the end of the most recent season finale, that story has been told, leaving fans worried about where exactly the show will go if there is a Season 3.
Unfortunately, it does not seem as if there will be another season of The Spanish Princess. The Starz show is based on a Philippa Gregory book named The Constant Princess, the story of which has been told in full over the two seasons so far.
Of course, the show could continue Catherine's story after the events of the book and after the divorce, as she lived for another three years. Though these events would be new to all but the most ardent Tudor historians, they are sure to be a dramatic anti-climax compared to the marriage and divorce that literally led to the creation of a new religion, especially as she essentially lived in exile for the rest of her life, never seeing her daughter Mary again.
Of course, the show could spin-off with series that tell the stories of Henry's future wives like Anne Boleyn (Alice Nokes), and Gregory has 15 books of material for the creators to work with, but if it did it would no longer be The Spanish Princess.
'The Spanish Princess' is likely not getting a Season 3. Starz
In fact, fans were already lucky to get two seasons of The Spanish Princess. The two previous Gregory adaptations The White Queen and The White Princess were both one-season limited series, but Spanish Princess got two seasons.
Back in 2019, co-showrnner Matthew Graham hinted that the show was coming to an end, telling Town & Country: "I hope that we have managed to provide a journey that's still full of many surprises...and the ending, I don't think, although it ends in a place that history will know, and people who know their history will know, I think it ends in a place that will still surprise dramatically."
Graham and co-showrunner Emma Frost are also moving onto new projects. They told Oprah Mag: "We're already developing another strong woman from history. She's not just a queen now—we've gone onto empress. We're excited about taking that one further."
Though they would not confirm who this empress was, it is possible it could be Queen Victoria, made Empress of India in 1877, while other fans have speculated they might be telling the story of another famous wife, Empress Josephine of Napoleon Bonaparte "not tonight" fame.
Either way, it seems that they are done with The Spanish Princess and are ready to tell some new historical stories.
The Spanish Princess Season 1 and 2 are streaming now on Starz.


newsweek--2020-11-30--Major Trouble for Biden Budget Nominee as GOP Signals Reluctance to Hold Confirmation Hearings

Neera Tanden , President-elect Joe Biden 's nominee to head the White House budget office , faces major hurdles to being confirmed by the GOP-controlled Senate as a major showdown over the former Clinton and Obama administration official boils .
The current head of the left-leaning think tank Center for American Progress has already alienated Republicans with her long history of publicly criticizing those who will now be charged with determining whether she will have a potential future in the Biden administration .
Even some progressives are unhappy with Tanden for her past support to entitlement cuts .
Now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radioactive '' and urge Biden to withdraw her nomination for head of the Office of Management and Budget , key GOP lawmakers signal they may refuse to hold confirmation hearings for Tanden .
`` We 'll cross that bridge when we get there , '' said Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-S.C. ) , who would head the Budget Committee , if Republicans win at least one of the two Georgia Senate runoff races slated for January 5 and keep the majority .
Graham emitted a chuckle as he recalled that Tanden has , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot to say '' about him .
`` It 'd be a long hearing , '' Graham said , adding that her chances of confirmation would be an `` uphill '' path .
Sen .
Rob Portman ( R-Ohio ) , who would chair the Homeland Security Committee and a former OMB director , offered similar reservation .
He told The Washington Post that , based solely on Tanden 's prior statements on Twitter , he would be against Biden formally nominating her because of her `` partisan nature . ''
`` Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where I think you would need to be careful not to have someone who 's overtly partisan , '' Portman added .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell could refuse to hold a floor vote on Tanden 's confirmation .
But if she lacks the support , the Kentucky Republican could also deal a public blow to the Biden administration by rejecting one of his top nominees so early into his term .
Sen. Susan Collins ( R-Maine ) , a moderate considered a toss-up Republican vote , offered little insight into her stance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` much about [ Tanden ] , but I 've heard that she 's a very prolific user of Twitter . ''
Majority Whip Sen. John Thune ( R-S.D . )
said her receiving a vote `` would depend a lot '' on the chamber 's political makeup .
`` If and when the time comes , we 'll obviously hopefully be able to consult with [ the Biden administration ] , '' Thune said .
`` Then , if they send people here that are qualified , give them a fair process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has sparked immediate bipartisan backlash .
Some Republicans say her past criticisms of so many sitting GOP lawmakers deems her unqualified for the job .
Progressives noted that she once supported cuts to entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare .
However , prominent liberals like Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
, Stacey Abrams and Rep. Barbara Lee ( D-Calif. ) have all given Tanden their seal of approval .
Tanden has also given rise to a quagmire among GOP Senators like John Cornyn ( R-Texas ) , a leadership member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Thune .
All three have yet to explicitly acknowledge Biden as president-elect and say Trump lost , yet they believe Biden should have consulted with Senate Republicans more about his nominees .
`` I think most Republicans are open to any reasonable nominee by the incoming administration , '' Corny said .
`` But [ Tanden ] just seems—I do n't know whether they just did n't think about it , they just assumed that she 'd get confirmed without any question .
But I just think she 's going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R-Mo . )
had little to say about Tanden .
But the No .
4 Republican maintained the notion that presidents , in general , `` should be able to get the team that he needs . ''
`` The jobs that last during the term of the president have some greater level of flexibility than lifetime appointments , '' Blunt said .
Once the Georgia Senate races are concluded and the Electoral College makes the election outcome official in early January , Blunt added , `` there 's no reason not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running with votes once Biden sworn-in later that month .

Neera Tanden, President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to head the White House budget office, faces major hurdles to being confirmed by the GOP-controlled Senate as a major showdown over the former Clinton and Obama administration official broils.
The current head of the left-leaning think tank Center for American Progress has already alienated Republicans with her long history of publicly criticizing those who will now be tasked with determining whether she will have a future in the Biden administration. Even some progressives are unhappy with Tanden for her past support of entitlement cuts.
Now, as Senate Republicans characterize her as "radioactive" and urge Biden to withdraw her nomination for head of the Office of Management and Budget, key GOP lawmakers signal they may refuse to even hold confirmation hearings for Tanden, much less confirm her.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who would head the Budget Committee, if Republicans win at least one of the two Georgia Senate runoff races slated for January 5 and keep the majority.
Graham emitted a chuckle as he recalled that Tanden has, in the past, "had a lot to say" about him.
"It'd be a long hearing," Graham said, adding that her chances of confirmation would be an "uphill" path.
Neera Tanden, President of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, speaks during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the Wells Fargo Center, July 27, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images/Getty
Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who would chair the Homeland Security Committee and is a former OMB director, offered similar reservation. He told The Washington Post that, based solely on Tanden's prior statements on Twitter, he would be against Biden formally nominating her because of her "partisan nature."
"Of all the jobs, that's one where I think you would need to be careful not to have someone who's overtly partisan," Portman added.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell could refuse to hold a floor vote on Tanden's confirmation. But if she lacks the support, the Kentucky Republican could also deal a public blow to the Biden administration by rejecting one of his top nominees so early into his presidency.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a moderate considered a toss-up Republican vote, offered little insight into her stance. She said she did not know "much about [Tanden]" but appeared to acknowledge her awareness that Tanden has criticized her in the past.
"I've heard that she's a very prolific user of Twitter," Collins added.
Majority Whip Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said Tanden receiving a vote "would depend a lot" on the chamber's political makeup.
"If and when the time comes, we'll obviously hopefully be able to consult with [the Biden administration]," Thune said. "Then, if they send people here that are qualified, give them a fair process."
News of Tanden's nomination sparked immediate bipartisan backlash. Some Republicans said her past criticisms of so many sitting GOP lawmakers deemed her unqualified for the job.
Progressives noted that she once supported cuts to entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare. However, prominent liberals like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Stacey Abrams and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) have all given Tanden their seal of approval.
Tanden has also given rise to a quagmire among GOP Senators like John Cornyn (R-Texas), a leadership member, Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Thune. All three have yet to explicitly acknowledge Biden as president-elect and say Trump lost, yet they believed Biden should have consulted with Senate Republicans more about his nominees.
President and CEO of the Center for American Progress Neera Tanden speaks at the National Forum on Wages and Working People: Creating an Economy That Works for All at Enclave on April 27, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty
"I think most Republicans are open to any reasonable nominee by the incoming administration," Cornyn said. "But [Tanden] just seems—I don't know whether they just didn't think about it, they just assumed that she'd get confirmed without any question. But I just think she's going to be radioactive."
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) had little to say about Tanden. But the No. 4 Republican maintained the notion that presidents, in general, "should be able to get the team that he needs."
"The jobs that last during the term of the president have some greater level of flexibility than lifetime appointments," Blunt said.
Once the Georgia Senate races are concluded and the Electoral College makes the election outcome official in early January, Blunt added, "there's no reason not to have hearings" to hit the ground running with votes once Biden is sworn-in later that month.


newsweek--2020-11-30--'The Good Doctor' Season 4, Episode 6 Release Date: When the Show Will Return

The Good Doctor Season 4 may feel like it has only just begun , but already the show is set to go on what is called its midseason finale—though as the show began late , we are far from mid-season yet .
Either way , Season 4 , Episode 6 will not air until 2021 , as the ABC medical drama starring Freddie Highmore takes a six-week break for the holidays .
When will The Good Doctor Season 4 , Episode 6 air ?
The release date for the next episode of The Good Doctor has been set for Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the show will return in its usual timeslot of 10 p.m .
ET / 9 p.m. CT on ABC .
As usual , the episode will be available to watch on the ABC website and app as well as Hulu shortly after it airs .
Currently , the show 's makers have not released a title or episode synopsis for what 's coming in Episode 6 , probably so as to prevent spoilers for the midseason finale , airing on Monday , November 30 .
However , David Shore has previously hinted at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returns in 2021 .
He told Deadline , for example , that the show was going to continue to explore the relationship between Shaun ( Highmore ) and Lea ( Paige Spara ) , especially as the pair have now moved in together .
The showrunner said : `` We want to deal with ... a mature relationship , and the challenges of that , and the mistakes that we all make in relationships , and the wisdom that Shaun can bring , along with the misunderstandings , and the confusion he takes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the comedy of that , although it 's often quite amusing , watching Shaun 's take on that . ''
Highmore , meanwhile , teased to TVLine : `` Shaun has always struggled with change in some way , or something outside of the norm .
I 'm not sure whether Lea is going to want to sleep on a mattress on the floor forever .
They 'll each be forced to make compromises , as all of us do in relationships—and that does n't need to be a negative thing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Morgan ( Fiona Gubelmann ) and Park ( Will Yun Lee ) , hinting , `` But we 're exploring more .
... And I do n't want to make this sound romantic , as I describe it , because I do n't intend it that way .
But the Morgan and Park relationship , we 're going to have some fun with that . ''
Two people who may be missing from The Good Doctor when it returns for Season 4 , Episode 6 , however , are Glassman ( Richard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheila Kelley ) .
The real-life couple was diagnosed with the coronavirus , which led them both to take a break from filming—the latter as she recovered at home and the former as he spent time in a real-life hospital fighting the virus .
The Good Doctor returns to ABC in January 2021 .

The Good Doctor Season 4 may feel like it has only just begun, but already the show is set to go on what is called its midseason finale—though as the show began late, we are far from mid-season yet. Either way, Season 4, Episode 6 will not air until 2021, as the ABC medical drama starring Freddie Highmore takes a six-week break for the holidays.
When will The Good Doctor Season 4, Episode 6 air?
The release date for the next episode of The Good Doctor has been set for Monday, January 11, 2021, when the show will return in its usual timeslot of 10 p.m. ET / 9 p.m. CT on ABC.
As usual, the episode will be available to watch on the ABC website and app as well as Hulu shortly after it airs.
Currently, the show's makers have not released a title or episode synopsis for what's coming in Episode 6, probably so as to prevent spoilers for the midseason finale, airing on Monday, November 30.
However, David Shore has previously hinted at what fans can expect when the show returns in 2021. He told Deadline, for example, that the show was going to continue to explore the relationship between Shaun (Highmore) and Lea (Paige Spara), especially as the pair have now moved in together.
Freddie Highmore in 'The Good Doctor' Season 4 ABC
The showrunner said: "We want to deal with...a mature relationship, and the challenges of that, and the mistakes that we all make in relationships, and the wisdom that Shaun can bring, along with the misunderstandings, and the confusion he takes. As always, it's not about the comedy of that, although it's often quite amusing, watching Shaun's take on that."
Highmore, meanwhile, teased to TVLine: "Shaun has always struggled with change in some way, or something outside of the norm. I'm not sure whether Lea is going to want to sleep on a mattress on the floor forever. They'll each be forced to make compromises, as all of us do in relationships—and that doesn't need to be a negative thing."
He also teased a new dynamic for Morgan (Fiona Gubelmann) and Park (Will Yun Lee), hinting, "But we're exploring more. ... And I don't want to make this sound romantic, as I describe it, because I don't intend it that way. But the Morgan and Park relationship, we're going to have some fun with that."
Two people who may be missing from The Good Doctor when it returns for Season 4, Episode 6, however, are Glassman (Richard Schiff) and his wife Debbie (Sheila Kelley).
The real-life couple was diagnosed with the coronavirus, which led them both to take a break from filming—the latter as she recovered at home and the former as he spent time in a real-life hospital fighting the virus.
The Good Doctor returns to ABC in January 2021.