Friday, March 27, 2020
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said G-7 foreign ministers agreed with him in a virtual meeting Wednesday that China is waging a "disinformation" campaign about the coronavirus pandemic.
LIKE HIS BOSS, POMPEO LIES G7 DID NOT AGREE (SEE BELOW)
LIKE HIS BOSS, POMPEO LIES G7 DID NOT AGREE (SEE BELOW)
"Every one of the nations that were at that meeting this morning was deeply aware of the disinformation campaign that the Chinese Communist Party is engaged in to try and deflect from what has really taken place here," Pompeo told reporters.
Pompeo said that some Chinese government sources implying the virus is an American bio-weapon was "Crazy Talk."
"China was the first country to know about the risk to the world from this virus," Pompeo said. "And they repeatedly delayed sharing that information with the globe."
"We desperately want to work with every country around the world -- this is a global pandemic. This is something the United States wants to work wit ever core, including China, to keep as ay people alive ad healthy, and then to restore or economies that have been decimated by the Wuhan virus."
"Today is not the day for recriminations and accountability. We need to make clear the information available to everyone in the world," he said. "We still need good information from the Chinese communist party about what has taken place there... but there will be a right time after we manage to address this crisis."
Pompeo attacks Chinese virus campaign at G7 as Europeans seek cooperation
Pompeo said that some Chinese government sources implying the virus is an American bio-weapon was "Crazy Talk."
"China was the first country to know about the risk to the world from this virus," Pompeo said. "And they repeatedly delayed sharing that information with the globe."
"We desperately want to work with every country around the world -- this is a global pandemic. This is something the United States wants to work wit ever core, including China, to keep as ay people alive ad healthy, and then to restore or economies that have been decimated by the Wuhan virus."
"Today is not the day for recriminations and accountability. We need to make clear the information available to everyone in the world," he said. "We still need good information from the Chinese communist party about what has taken place there... but there will be a right time after we manage to address this crisis."
Pompeo attacks Chinese virus campaign at G7 as Europeans seek cooperation
AFP / ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks after virtual Group of Seven talks to journalists, who are spaced out in line with COVID-19 precautions
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that the Group of Seven powers were united in opposing China's coronavirus "disinformation," but European allies emphasized cooperation to fight the global pandemic.
Foreign ministers from the major industrialized democracies spoke about the crisis by videoconference, scrapping a meeting scheduled in Pittsburgh, but any hope of showing a common front was eroded by the absence of a joint statement.
Pompeo, a sharp critic of Beijing who has gone on the offensive over what he calls the "Wuhan virus," said he shared a common view with the top diplomats of the other G7 countries -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.
"Every one of the nations that were at that meeting this morning was deeply aware of the disinformation campaign that the Chinese Communist Party is engaged in to try and deflect from what has really taken place," Pompeo told reporters.
Pompeo said that China "has been and continues to be engaged in" a campaign through social media that has included conspiracy theories of US involvement.
"This is crazy talk," he said.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that the Group of Seven powers were united in opposing China's coronavirus "disinformation," but European allies emphasized cooperation to fight the global pandemic.
Foreign ministers from the major industrialized democracies spoke about the crisis by videoconference, scrapping a meeting scheduled in Pittsburgh, but any hope of showing a common front was eroded by the absence of a joint statement.
Pompeo, a sharp critic of Beijing who has gone on the offensive over what he calls the "Wuhan virus," said he shared a common view with the top diplomats of the other G7 countries -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.
"Every one of the nations that were at that meeting this morning was deeply aware of the disinformation campaign that the Chinese Communist Party is engaged in to try and deflect from what has really taken place," Pompeo told reporters.
Pompeo said that China "has been and continues to be engaged in" a campaign through social media that has included conspiracy theories of US involvement.
"This is crazy talk," he said.
AFP / STR
A man wearing a face mask in Hangzhou, China walks past a bus with a message supporting Italy in its efforts against the COVID-19 coronavirus
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman infuriated President Donald Trump's administration by suggesting on Twitter that US troops brought the virus to Wuhan, the metropolis where it was first detected late last year.
Scientists widely believe the COVID-19 virus came from a Wuhan meat market that butchered exotic animals.
The virus has killed more than 21,000 people globally, but Beijing has appeared to bring it under control and has sent aid overseas -- including 40 tons of medical supplies to US ally Italy, which has the world's highest death toll.
Pompeo minimized China's efforts and pointed to a US Air Force cargo plane's aid delivery to Italy as well as private US charity efforts.
China is "now making small sales of product around the world and claiming that they are now the white hat in what has taken place," Pompeo said.
But he also said the United States sought cooperation, including with China. The two countries' leaders are set to take part in a virtual summit on the crisis Thursday of the Group of 20 major economies.
"We desperately want to work with every country around the world. This is a global pandemic," Pompeo said.
- France warns not to 'exploit' crisis -
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman infuriated President Donald Trump's administration by suggesting on Twitter that US troops brought the virus to Wuhan, the metropolis where it was first detected late last year.
Scientists widely believe the COVID-19 virus came from a Wuhan meat market that butchered exotic animals.
The virus has killed more than 21,000 people globally, but Beijing has appeared to bring it under control and has sent aid overseas -- including 40 tons of medical supplies to US ally Italy, which has the world's highest death toll.
Pompeo minimized China's efforts and pointed to a US Air Force cargo plane's aid delivery to Italy as well as private US charity efforts.
China is "now making small sales of product around the world and claiming that they are now the white hat in what has taken place," Pompeo said.
But he also said the United States sought cooperation, including with China. The two countries' leaders are set to take part in a virtual summit on the crisis Thursday of the Group of 20 major economies.
"We desperately want to work with every country around the world. This is a global pandemic," Pompeo said.
- France warns not to 'exploit' crisis -
AFP/File / RYAD KRAMDI
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, seen here on a March 12, 2020 visit to Algeria, has warned not to "exploit" the coronavirus pandemic
The German magazine Der Spiegel, quoting anonymous diplomats, said that the joint statement was scuttled by Pompeo's insistence that it use the term "Wuhan virus" -- a formulation frowned upon by medical professionals who say it is stigmatizing.
Pompeo did not deny the report when asked about it, saying that each minister would speak separately but that they had a "common understanding" on the health and economic crisis caused by the "Wuhan virus."
France and Germany issued statements on the G7 talks that made no mention of China. Canada said China was raised in "broader discussions."
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian "underscored the need to combat any attempt to exploit the crisis for political purposes," a statement said, in likely a veiled response to Pompeo.
Le Drian "expressed the view that the unity of all in order to effectively combat the pandemic must now take precedence over any other considerations," it said.
France called for the G7 to find ways to assist Africa, warning that both the continent's healthcare system and economies were ill-equipped for the global crisis.
Pompeo has accused China of putting the world at risk by initially suppressing news of the virus. Beijing in turn has accused the Trump administration of seeking a scapegoat for its own failures.
SEE
Foreign ministers refuse to go along; WHO has rejected geographic name because of its global reach
U.S. insisting that the U.N. call out Chinese origins of coronavirus
Trump officials emphasize that coronavirus 'Made in China'
The German magazine Der Spiegel, quoting anonymous diplomats, said that the joint statement was scuttled by Pompeo's insistence that it use the term "Wuhan virus" -- a formulation frowned upon by medical professionals who say it is stigmatizing.
Pompeo did not deny the report when asked about it, saying that each minister would speak separately but that they had a "common understanding" on the health and economic crisis caused by the "Wuhan virus."
France and Germany issued statements on the G7 talks that made no mention of China. Canada said China was raised in "broader discussions."
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian "underscored the need to combat any attempt to exploit the crisis for political purposes," a statement said, in likely a veiled response to Pompeo.
Le Drian "expressed the view that the unity of all in order to effectively combat the pandemic must now take precedence over any other considerations," it said.
France called for the G7 to find ways to assist Africa, warning that both the continent's healthcare system and economies were ill-equipped for the global crisis.
Pompeo has accused China of putting the world at risk by initially suppressing news of the virus. Beijing in turn has accused the Trump administration of seeking a scapegoat for its own failures.
SEE
Foreign ministers refuse to go along; WHO has rejected geographic name because of its global reach
U.S. insisting that the U.N. call out Chinese origins of coronavirus
International Criminal Court says Pompeo threatened staff
Trump uses China as a foil when talking coronavirus, distancing himself from criticism
FINALLY
Trump uses Defense Production Act to require GM to make ventilators WEEKS LATE
MISOGYNIST TRUMP ATTACKS GM'S FEMALE CEO
BY BRETT SAMUELS - THE HILL 03/27/20
President Trump on Friday used the Defense Production Act to compel General Motors (GM) to produce ventilators to combat the coronavirus after days of hesitating to use the powers in the law.
The president in a statement said the federal government had abandoned negotiations with the automaker on ventilator production, complaining that the automaker was "wasting time."
"Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course," Trump said.
"GM was wasting time," the president asserted. "Today’s action will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives."
The Trump administration had reportedly been negotiating with GM to make tens of thousands of ventilators, but talks broke down due to concerns that the price tag would exceed $1 billion.
The president turned his ire on the automaker earlier Friday, singling out CEO Mary Barra for criticism.
"As usual with 'this' General Motors, things just never seem to work out," Trump tweeted. "They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, 'very quickly'. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B."
Trump in a separate tweet called on GM to reopen a Lordstown, Ohio, plant that the company shuttered last year and sold in November.
The use of the Defense Production Act gives Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar authority to determine how many ventilators are appropriate. The department has not responded to requests for comment about whether they have taken an inventory of the devices.
It was not immediately clear how quickly GM would be able to scale up ventilator production. The company said in a news release earlier Friday that it was partnering with medical device maker Ventec to convert an Indiana GM facility into a ventilator production plant.
The companies said they expected the first ventilators will be available next month with the ability to produce more than 10,000 per month after that.
State leaders have warned they are running dangerously low on the breathing machines as hospital capacity fills up in areas dealing with significant outbreaks. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has projected the state will need 30,000 ventilators, while Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) has indicated the state will run out in early April.
"We desperately needed the Defense Production Act invoked to ensure the production of life-saving ventilators. We are relieved that just happened. Lives depend on it," Cuomo tweeted Friday afternoon.
Trump invoked the act last week, which gives the president extraordinary powers to compel private companies to manufacture critical supplies in times of crisis. But he had yet to actually use it to ramp up production of masks, ventilators and other materials that hospitals and state leaders have said are dangerously scarce.
The president and his aides had insisted in recent days that the DPA effectively provided leverage and that private companies were producing sufficient supplies. Trump earlier this week also expressed a reluctance to use the act because he worried that doing so amounted to "nationalizing" industries.
Trump on Thursday night questioned some of the requests for ventilators coming from state leaders.
"I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they’re going to be," Trump said on Fox News.
"I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators," he added. "You know, you go into major hospitals, sometimes they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they're saying, 'Can we order 30,000 ventilators?'"
But as the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. has risen, the need has become more dire. The U.S. has more cases than any other nation with more than 97,000. Roughly 1,500 Americans had died from the virus as of late Friday afternoon.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/489909-trump-uses-defense-production-act-to-require-gm-to-make-ventilators
Trump uses Defense Production Act to require GM to make ventilators WEEKS LATE
MISOGYNIST TRUMP ATTACKS GM'S FEMALE CEO
BY BRETT SAMUELS - THE HILL 03/27/20
President Trump on Friday used the Defense Production Act to compel General Motors (GM) to produce ventilators to combat the coronavirus after days of hesitating to use the powers in the law.
The president in a statement said the federal government had abandoned negotiations with the automaker on ventilator production, complaining that the automaker was "wasting time."
"Our negotiations with GM regarding its ability to supply ventilators have been productive, but our fight against the virus is too urgent to allow the give-and-take of the contracting process to continue to run its normal course," Trump said.
"GM was wasting time," the president asserted. "Today’s action will help ensure the quick production of ventilators that will save American lives."
The Trump administration had reportedly been negotiating with GM to make tens of thousands of ventilators, but talks broke down due to concerns that the price tag would exceed $1 billion.
The president turned his ire on the automaker earlier Friday, singling out CEO Mary Barra for criticism.
"As usual with 'this' General Motors, things just never seem to work out," Trump tweeted. "They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, 'very quickly'. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B."
Trump in a separate tweet called on GM to reopen a Lordstown, Ohio, plant that the company shuttered last year and sold in November.
The use of the Defense Production Act gives Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar authority to determine how many ventilators are appropriate. The department has not responded to requests for comment about whether they have taken an inventory of the devices.
It was not immediately clear how quickly GM would be able to scale up ventilator production. The company said in a news release earlier Friday that it was partnering with medical device maker Ventec to convert an Indiana GM facility into a ventilator production plant.
The companies said they expected the first ventilators will be available next month with the ability to produce more than 10,000 per month after that.
State leaders have warned they are running dangerously low on the breathing machines as hospital capacity fills up in areas dealing with significant outbreaks. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has projected the state will need 30,000 ventilators, while Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) has indicated the state will run out in early April.
"We desperately needed the Defense Production Act invoked to ensure the production of life-saving ventilators. We are relieved that just happened. Lives depend on it," Cuomo tweeted Friday afternoon.
Trump invoked the act last week, which gives the president extraordinary powers to compel private companies to manufacture critical supplies in times of crisis. But he had yet to actually use it to ramp up production of masks, ventilators and other materials that hospitals and state leaders have said are dangerously scarce.
The president and his aides had insisted in recent days that the DPA effectively provided leverage and that private companies were producing sufficient supplies. Trump earlier this week also expressed a reluctance to use the act because he worried that doing so amounted to "nationalizing" industries.
Trump on Thursday night questioned some of the requests for ventilators coming from state leaders.
"I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they’re going to be," Trump said on Fox News.
"I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators," he added. "You know, you go into major hospitals, sometimes they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they're saying, 'Can we order 30,000 ventilators?'"
But as the number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. has risen, the need has become more dire. The U.S. has more cases than any other nation with more than 97,000. Roughly 1,500 Americans had died from the virus as of late Friday afternoon.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/489909-trump-uses-defense-production-act-to-require-gm-to-make-ventilators
Trump presses GM, Ford over ventilators
President Trump on Friday lashed out at General Motors, pressing it and Ford in a tweet that they should be churning out ventilators to be used to treat patients with the coronavirus.
Trump issued a series of tweets that spurred confusion about his use of the Defense Production Act and muddled his messaging on the need for the breathing machines one day after he questioned whether states were overestimating how many they would need in the coming months.
"General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!!" Trump tweeted, referring to a shuttered GM plant that the company sold late last year.
The president in a separate tweet appeared to confirm a New York Times report that the government and GM negotiated a deal that would lead to the production of up to 80,000 ventilators but that it fell through due to unease with a price tag of more than $1 billion.
"As usual with 'this' General Motors, things just never seem to work out. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, 'very quickly'. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B," Trump tweeted, swiping at CEO Mary Barra.
General Motors said in a news release Friday that it is partnering with medical device maker Ventec to convert an Indiana GM facility into a ventilator production plant. The companies said they expect the first ventilators will be available next month with the ability to produce more than 10,000 per month after that.
Barra had faced intense criticism from Trump and lawmakers in both parties in late 2018 and early 2019 after GM announced it would close the Lordstown plant in Ohio, along with four other North American factories. Trump praised Barra in May 2019 as a deal to sell the Lordstown plant to an electric truck company emerged.
A Ford spokesperson said Friday afternoon that the automaker was in contact with the Trump administration seeking guidance on manufacturing and distributing certain products, including ventilators.
Trump added "Invoke 'P'" to the end of one of his Friday tweets, which he later clarified was a reference to the Defense Production Act (DPA). The president last week invoked the DPA, which allows him to compel companies to manufacture critical supplies in times of crisis.
But he has resisted actually using the act to direct companies to make ventilators, masks and other personal protective equipment, even as hospitals and state and local officials warn they are in desperate need of the supplies.
The president has argued that the companies are already producing enough and that the DPA can be used as leverage. His tweets on Friday did not appear to change that stance.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump added that the federal government had purchased "many Ventilators from some wonderful companies," saying that he would disclose more information later Friday. The White House coronavirus task force is scheduled to hold its daily briefing at 5 p.m. EDT. Trump often speaks at the briefings.
The tweets amounted to something of an about-face from Trump's comments on Fox News late Thursday when he cast doubt on the need for mass production and distribution of ventilators to states dealing with coronavirus outbreaks.
"I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators," Trump said. "You know, you go into major hospitals, sometimes they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they're saying, 'Can we order 30,000 ventilators?'"
The U.S. has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases of any country in the world, with more than 86,000 as of Friday morning. More than 1,300 Americans have died from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Updated at 2:12 p.m. Sylvan Lane contributed.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/489849-trump-lashes-out-at-gm-ford-over-ventilators
Trump 'doesn't believe' hospitals really need the ventilators they're asking for and haggles over price instead
Moya Lothian-McLean THE INDEPENDENT 3/27/2020
During the coronavirus crisis, it seems one of the primary problems countries are facing is the lack of ventilators available.
A shortage has struck nations across Europe like Italy, Germany and the UK (who have been criticised for their handling of the issue).
The US is also suffering from a lack of the life-saving machines.
Although the government has a stockpile of 16,000 ventilators, a sharp increase in cases means many more are thought to be needed.
A projection from the American Hospital Association said that up to 960,000 could require ventilators, although not all at the same time.
In New York State alone, Governor Andew Cumo said they need 30,000 more.
And now reports are emerging that Donald Trump’s administration has paused a deal for up to 80,000 ventilators in order to allegedly “haggle” over the price.
The New York Times reports that a joint venture between General Motors and Ventec Life Systems has been called off after the Federal Management Agency said it “it needed more time to assess whether the estimated cost was prohibitive”.
The estimated price tag was $1.5bn ($18,000 per ventilator).
Ventilators were going to be produced by General Motors plants using Ventec’s technology.
Initial projections of 20,000 ventilators produced in the first run were reduced to 7,500, according to the Times.
And Trump’s administration apparently couldn’t decide how many ventilators it wants – or at what price.
Instead of closing the deal, FEMA is apparently still “weighing competing offers”.
Or, as New York Magazine put it: “haggling”.
Trump himself seems confused over the demand for ventilators.
In an interview with Fox News’s Sean Hannity on the 27 March, he said he “[didn’t] believe” that hospitals needed 30,000 ventilators.
“A lot of equipment is being asked for that I don’t think they will need,” he told Hannity.
I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they are going to be. I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You know, you go to major hospitals, sometimes they’ll have 2 ventilators. And now all of a sudden they’re saying, ‘Can we order 30,000 ventilators?’
This comment was swiftly challenged by people who pointed out New York is currently so overwhelmed it’s putting two people to every one ventilator.
And others chimed in with their concern regarding the suspended ventilator deal.
At an intensely worrying time, the last thing the country needs is the self-proclaimed ‘deal maker’ doing his worst.
BY BRETT SAMUELS - 03/27/20 THE HILL
President Trump on Friday lashed out at General Motors, pressing it and Ford in a tweet that they should be churning out ventilators to be used to treat patients with the coronavirus.
Trump issued a series of tweets that spurred confusion about his use of the Defense Production Act and muddled his messaging on the need for the breathing machines one day after he questioned whether states were overestimating how many they would need in the coming months.
"General Motors MUST immediately open their stupidly abandoned Lordstown plant in Ohio, or some other plant, and START MAKING VENTILATORS, NOW!!!!!! FORD, GET GOING ON VENTILATORS, FAST!!!!!!" Trump tweeted, referring to a shuttered GM plant that the company sold late last year.
The president in a separate tweet appeared to confirm a New York Times report that the government and GM negotiated a deal that would lead to the production of up to 80,000 ventilators but that it fell through due to unease with a price tag of more than $1 billion.
"As usual with 'this' General Motors, things just never seem to work out. They said they were going to give us 40,000 much needed Ventilators, 'very quickly'. Now they are saying it will only be 6000, in late April, and they want top dollar. Always a mess with Mary B," Trump tweeted, swiping at CEO Mary Barra.
General Motors said in a news release Friday that it is partnering with medical device maker Ventec to convert an Indiana GM facility into a ventilator production plant. The companies said they expect the first ventilators will be available next month with the ability to produce more than 10,000 per month after that.
Barra had faced intense criticism from Trump and lawmakers in both parties in late 2018 and early 2019 after GM announced it would close the Lordstown plant in Ohio, along with four other North American factories. Trump praised Barra in May 2019 as a deal to sell the Lordstown plant to an electric truck company emerged.
A Ford spokesperson said Friday afternoon that the automaker was in contact with the Trump administration seeking guidance on manufacturing and distributing certain products, including ventilators.
Trump added "Invoke 'P'" to the end of one of his Friday tweets, which he later clarified was a reference to the Defense Production Act (DPA). The president last week invoked the DPA, which allows him to compel companies to manufacture critical supplies in times of crisis.
But he has resisted actually using the act to direct companies to make ventilators, masks and other personal protective equipment, even as hospitals and state and local officials warn they are in desperate need of the supplies.
The president has argued that the companies are already producing enough and that the DPA can be used as leverage. His tweets on Friday did not appear to change that stance.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump added that the federal government had purchased "many Ventilators from some wonderful companies," saying that he would disclose more information later Friday. The White House coronavirus task force is scheduled to hold its daily briefing at 5 p.m. EDT. Trump often speaks at the briefings.
The tweets amounted to something of an about-face from Trump's comments on Fox News late Thursday when he cast doubt on the need for mass production and distribution of ventilators to states dealing with coronavirus outbreaks.
"I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators," Trump said. "You know, you go into major hospitals, sometimes they’ll have two ventilators. And now all of a sudden they're saying, 'Can we order 30,000 ventilators?'"
The U.S. has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases of any country in the world, with more than 86,000 as of Friday morning. More than 1,300 Americans have died from the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Updated at 2:12 p.m. Sylvan Lane contributed.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/489849-trump-lashes-out-at-gm-ford-over-ventilators
Trump 'doesn't believe' hospitals really need the ventilators they're asking for and haggles over price instead
Moya Lothian-McLean THE INDEPENDENT 3/27/2020
During the coronavirus crisis, it seems one of the primary problems countries are facing is the lack of ventilators available.
A shortage has struck nations across Europe like Italy, Germany and the UK (who have been criticised for their handling of the issue).
The US is also suffering from a lack of the life-saving machines.
Although the government has a stockpile of 16,000 ventilators, a sharp increase in cases means many more are thought to be needed.
A projection from the American Hospital Association said that up to 960,000 could require ventilators, although not all at the same time.
In New York State alone, Governor Andew Cumo said they need 30,000 more.
And now reports are emerging that Donald Trump’s administration has paused a deal for up to 80,000 ventilators in order to allegedly “haggle” over the price.
The New York Times reports that a joint venture between General Motors and Ventec Life Systems has been called off after the Federal Management Agency said it “it needed more time to assess whether the estimated cost was prohibitive”.
The estimated price tag was $1.5bn ($18,000 per ventilator).
Ventilators were going to be produced by General Motors plants using Ventec’s technology.
Initial projections of 20,000 ventilators produced in the first run were reduced to 7,500, according to the Times.
And Trump’s administration apparently couldn’t decide how many ventilators it wants – or at what price.
Instead of closing the deal, FEMA is apparently still “weighing competing offers”.
Or, as New York Magazine put it: “haggling”.
Trump himself seems confused over the demand for ventilators.
In an interview with Fox News’s Sean Hannity on the 27 March, he said he “[didn’t] believe” that hospitals needed 30,000 ventilators.
“A lot of equipment is being asked for that I don’t think they will need,” he told Hannity.
I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they are going to be. I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators. You know, you go to major hospitals, sometimes they’ll have 2 ventilators. And now all of a sudden they’re saying, ‘Can we order 30,000 ventilators?’
This comment was swiftly challenged by people who pointed out New York is currently so overwhelmed it’s putting two people to every one ventilator.
And others chimed in with their concern regarding the suspended ventilator deal.
At an intensely worrying time, the last thing the country needs is the self-proclaimed ‘deal maker’ doing his worst.
---30---
VICE reporter: Stimulus bill not enough for gig workers
Edward Ongweso, a technology reporter at VICE, said on Hill.TV’s "Rising" show Thursday morning that the $2 trillion stimulus package passed in the Senate late Wednesday does little to alleviate the burdens put on gig workers, particularly those who work for ride share companies such as Uber and Lyft.
He noted that in China, DiDi, an Uber competitor in the country, suspended service in the country's Wuhan province and created a fleet just for healthcare workers that was disinfected routinely.
“In the United States Uber did nothing,” he said. “Uber only started to take any sort of action in the last three or four weeks after a massive stock sell-off crashed it to its lowest point.”
Ongweso said Uber classifies its drivers as contractors to avoid spending on employee benefits, claiming that it offers flexibility in return. He said that Uber has acknowledged that if California and New York move to change classification of Uber drivers they will have to change their business model.
Under the Senate stimulus bill, drivers will qualify for at least $1,200 a one-time rebate check. Ongweso noted that apart from seeing a drop in income while still having to work, drivers have more expenses, such as insurance and possible car rental fees.
“I don't think the stimulus package goes far enough. In other countries, they’re covering 60, 70, 80 percent of people’s incomes as another facet of the social distancing effort. Here, $1,200 is not going to do much for two weeks of unemployment.”
Edward Ongweso, a technology reporter at VICE, said on Hill.TV’s "Rising" show Thursday morning that the $2 trillion stimulus package passed in the Senate late Wednesday does little to alleviate the burdens put on gig workers, particularly those who work for ride share companies such as Uber and Lyft.
He noted that in China, DiDi, an Uber competitor in the country, suspended service in the country's Wuhan province and created a fleet just for healthcare workers that was disinfected routinely.
“In the United States Uber did nothing,” he said. “Uber only started to take any sort of action in the last three or four weeks after a massive stock sell-off crashed it to its lowest point.”
Ongweso said Uber classifies its drivers as contractors to avoid spending on employee benefits, claiming that it offers flexibility in return. He said that Uber has acknowledged that if California and New York move to change classification of Uber drivers they will have to change their business model.
Under the Senate stimulus bill, drivers will qualify for at least $1,200 a one-time rebate check. Ongweso noted that apart from seeing a drop in income while still having to work, drivers have more expenses, such as insurance and possible car rental fees.
“I don't think the stimulus package goes far enough. In other countries, they’re covering 60, 70, 80 percent of people’s incomes as another facet of the social distancing effort. Here, $1,200 is not going to do much for two weeks of unemployment.”
---30---
Neil Young: Trump 'A Disgrace to My Country'
Neil Young poses for a portrait at Lost Planet Editorial
Neil Young poses for a portrait at Lost Planet Editorial
in Santa Monica, Calif. (Photo by Rebecca Cabage/Invision/AP)
NEWLY MINTED AMERICAN SPEAKS HIS MIND
ENDORSES BERNIE
NEWSMAX
Neil Young on Wednesday released an open letter ripping President Donald Trump as a “disgrace,” saying his “mindless destruction of our shared natural resources, our environment, and our relationships with friends around the world is unforgivable.”
Young, who recently became a U.S. citizen, objected to the the use of his song “Rockin’ in the Free World” at Trump’s rallies, where it’s frequently played. He wrote that despite his lack of legal recourse, it “is not a song you can trot out at one of your rallies. Perhaps you could have been a bass player and played in a rock & roll band. That way you could have been onstage at a rally every night in front of your fans, if you were any good, and you might be …”
He added, “Every time ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ or one of my songs is played at your rallies, I hope you hear my voice. Remember it is the voice of a tax-paying U.S. citizen who does not support you. Me.”
Young ends the letter with a message expressing his support for Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination.
“One of your opponents has the answers I like,” he writes. “He is aiming at preserving our children’s future directly. He is not popular with the Democratic establishment because, unlike all the other candidates, he is not pandering to the industries accelerating Earth’s Climate Crisis, the end of the world as we know it.
Young, who recently became a U.S. citizen, objected to the the use of his song “Rockin’ in the Free World” at Trump’s rallies, where it’s frequently played. He wrote that despite his lack of legal recourse, it “is not a song you can trot out at one of your rallies. Perhaps you could have been a bass player and played in a rock & roll band. That way you could have been onstage at a rally every night in front of your fans, if you were any good, and you might be …”
He added, “Every time ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ or one of my songs is played at your rallies, I hope you hear my voice. Remember it is the voice of a tax-paying U.S. citizen who does not support you. Me.”
Young ends the letter with a message expressing his support for Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination.
“One of your opponents has the answers I like,” he writes. “He is aiming at preserving our children’s future directly. He is not popular with the Democratic establishment because, unlike all the other candidates, he is not pandering to the industries accelerating Earth’s Climate Crisis, the end of the world as we know it.
He is truly fighting for the USA.
His initials are BS. Not his policies.”
Neil Young: US Citizenship Held Up Over Marijuana Use
Neil Young: US Citizenship Held Up Over Marijuana Use
JUST WHAT TRUMP WANTED
EPA suspends enforcement of environmental laws amid coronavirus
BY REBECCA BEITSCH THE HILL - 03/26/20
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a sweeping suspension of its enforcement of environmental laws Thursday, telling companies they would not need to meet environmental standards during the coronavirus outbreak.
The temporary policy, for which the EPA has set no end date, would allow any number of industries to skirt environmental laws, with the agency saying it will not “seek penalties for noncompliance with routine monitoring and reporting obligations.”
Cynthia Giles, who headed the EPA’s Office of Enforcement during the Obama administration, called it a moratorium on enforcing the nation's environmental laws and an abdication of the agency's duty.
“This EPA statement is essentially a nationwide waiver of environmental rules for the indefinite future. It tells companies across the country that they will not face enforcement even if they emit unlawful air and water pollution in violation of environmental laws, so long as they claim that those failures are in some way 'caused' by the virus pandemic. And it allows them an out on monitoring too, so we may never know how bad the violating pollution was,” she wrote in a statement to The Hill.
The EPA has been under pressure from a number of industries, including the oil industry, to suspend enforcement of a number of environmental regulations due to the pandemic.
“EPA is committed to protecting human health and the environment, but recognizes challenges resulting from efforts to protect workers and the public from COVID-19 may directly impact the ability of regulated facilities to meet all federal regulatory requirements,” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a statement.
In a 10-page letter to the EPA earlier this week, the American Petroleum Institute (API) asked for a suspension of rules that require repairing leaky equipment as well as monitoring to make sure pollution doesn’t seep into nearby water.
Other industries had also asked to ignite the “force majeure” clauses of any legal settlements they had signed with the EPA, allowing for an extension on deadlines to meet various environmental goals in the face of unforeseen circumstances.
But Giles and others say the memo signed Thursday goes beyond that request, giving industries board authority to pollute with little oversight from the agency.
“Incredibly, the EPA statement does not even reserve EPA's right to act in the event of an imminent threat to public health,” Giles said.
“Instead, EPA says it will defer to states, and ‘work with the facility’ to minimize or prevent the threat. EPA should never relinquish its right and its obligation to act immediately and decisively when there is threat to public health, no matter what the reason is. I am not aware of any instance when EPA ever relinquished this fundamental authority as it does in this memo.”
The memo says companies should try to minimize “the effects and duration of any noncompliance” with environmental laws and should also keep records of their own noncompliance, along with identifying how the coronavirus was a factor.
The EPA on Friday pushed back against characterization of the memo as a waiver of environmental rules.
"During this extraordinary time, EPA believes that it is more important for facilities to ensure that their pollution control equipment remains up and running and the facilities are operating safely, than to carry out routine sampling and reporting," agency spokeswoman Andrea Woods told The Hill by email.
"If a facility has exceedances of limits on pollution the policy does not offer any no action assurance. We retain all our authorities and will exercise them appropriately. It is a temporary policy and will be terminated when this crisis is past.”
Critics say it's not unreasonable to refrain from environmental enforcement on a case-by-case basis when companies are unable to comply with the letter of the law, but many were alarmed by the breadth of Thursdays memo.
“It is not clear why refineries, chemical plants, and other facilities that continue to operate and keep their employees on the production line will no longer have the staff or time they need to comply with environmental laws,” Eric Schaeffer, a former director of civil enforcement at the EPA who is now with the Environmental Integrity Project, wrote in a letter signed by a number of environmental groups in anticipation of the memo.
The letter writers also criticized the requests from the API, arguing nearby communities would face prolonged exposure to a number of air and water pollutants that might be expelled through oil production — something they say would have “a very specific impact on public health and safety.”
The diminished compliance requirements for industry comes at a time when the EPA has refused to budge on deadlines for comments as they proceed with a number of deregulatory actions.
Environmental and public health groups had argued that those with science and health backgrounds who would normally weigh in on such regulations have been pulled into the coronavirus fight, leaving them unable to divert their attention.
“The Environmental Protection Agency has not shown the same concern for the impact the coronavirus has had on the ability of community and public interest groups to respond to various proposals to weaken environmental standards,” Schaeffer wrote in the letter.
But the EPA has argued exceptions were not needed.
“We’re open and continuing our regulatory work business as usual,” an EPA spokesperson told The Hill in a statement. “As regulations.gov is fully functioning, there is no barrier to the public providing comment during the established periods.”
Updated at 9:44 a.m. Friday. 3/27/2020
EPA suspends enforcement of environmental laws amid coronavirus
IT'S BECOME THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AGENCY UNDER TRUMP
BY REBECCA BEITSCH THE HILL - 03/26/20
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a sweeping suspension of its enforcement of environmental laws Thursday, telling companies they would not need to meet environmental standards during the coronavirus outbreak.
The temporary policy, for which the EPA has set no end date, would allow any number of industries to skirt environmental laws, with the agency saying it will not “seek penalties for noncompliance with routine monitoring and reporting obligations.”
Cynthia Giles, who headed the EPA’s Office of Enforcement during the Obama administration, called it a moratorium on enforcing the nation's environmental laws and an abdication of the agency's duty.
“This EPA statement is essentially a nationwide waiver of environmental rules for the indefinite future. It tells companies across the country that they will not face enforcement even if they emit unlawful air and water pollution in violation of environmental laws, so long as they claim that those failures are in some way 'caused' by the virus pandemic. And it allows them an out on monitoring too, so we may never know how bad the violating pollution was,” she wrote in a statement to The Hill.
The EPA has been under pressure from a number of industries, including the oil industry, to suspend enforcement of a number of environmental regulations due to the pandemic.
“EPA is committed to protecting human health and the environment, but recognizes challenges resulting from efforts to protect workers and the public from COVID-19 may directly impact the ability of regulated facilities to meet all federal regulatory requirements,” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a statement.
In a 10-page letter to the EPA earlier this week, the American Petroleum Institute (API) asked for a suspension of rules that require repairing leaky equipment as well as monitoring to make sure pollution doesn’t seep into nearby water.
Other industries had also asked to ignite the “force majeure” clauses of any legal settlements they had signed with the EPA, allowing for an extension on deadlines to meet various environmental goals in the face of unforeseen circumstances.
But Giles and others say the memo signed Thursday goes beyond that request, giving industries board authority to pollute with little oversight from the agency.
“Incredibly, the EPA statement does not even reserve EPA's right to act in the event of an imminent threat to public health,” Giles said.
“Instead, EPA says it will defer to states, and ‘work with the facility’ to minimize or prevent the threat. EPA should never relinquish its right and its obligation to act immediately and decisively when there is threat to public health, no matter what the reason is. I am not aware of any instance when EPA ever relinquished this fundamental authority as it does in this memo.”
The memo says companies should try to minimize “the effects and duration of any noncompliance” with environmental laws and should also keep records of their own noncompliance, along with identifying how the coronavirus was a factor.
The EPA on Friday pushed back against characterization of the memo as a waiver of environmental rules.
"During this extraordinary time, EPA believes that it is more important for facilities to ensure that their pollution control equipment remains up and running and the facilities are operating safely, than to carry out routine sampling and reporting," agency spokeswoman Andrea Woods told The Hill by email.
"If a facility has exceedances of limits on pollution the policy does not offer any no action assurance. We retain all our authorities and will exercise them appropriately. It is a temporary policy and will be terminated when this crisis is past.”
Critics say it's not unreasonable to refrain from environmental enforcement on a case-by-case basis when companies are unable to comply with the letter of the law, but many were alarmed by the breadth of Thursdays memo.
“It is not clear why refineries, chemical plants, and other facilities that continue to operate and keep their employees on the production line will no longer have the staff or time they need to comply with environmental laws,” Eric Schaeffer, a former director of civil enforcement at the EPA who is now with the Environmental Integrity Project, wrote in a letter signed by a number of environmental groups in anticipation of the memo.
The letter writers also criticized the requests from the API, arguing nearby communities would face prolonged exposure to a number of air and water pollutants that might be expelled through oil production — something they say would have “a very specific impact on public health and safety.”
The diminished compliance requirements for industry comes at a time when the EPA has refused to budge on deadlines for comments as they proceed with a number of deregulatory actions.
Environmental and public health groups had argued that those with science and health backgrounds who would normally weigh in on such regulations have been pulled into the coronavirus fight, leaving them unable to divert their attention.
“The Environmental Protection Agency has not shown the same concern for the impact the coronavirus has had on the ability of community and public interest groups to respond to various proposals to weaken environmental standards,” Schaeffer wrote in the letter.
But the EPA has argued exceptions were not needed.
“We’re open and continuing our regulatory work business as usual,” an EPA spokesperson told The Hill in a statement. “As regulations.gov is fully functioning, there is no barrier to the public providing comment during the established periods.”
Updated at 9:44 a.m. Friday. 3/27/2020
Instacart workers set to strike Monday
BY CHRIS MILLS RODRIGO THE HILL- 03/27/20
© Getty Images
Instacart shoppers are set to have a nationwide walk off Monday over the grocery delivery service's response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The shoppers will stop accepting deliveries until Instacart provides cleanliness products at no cost to workers, hazard pay of $5 per order and an extension and expansion of pay for workers affected by the coronavirus.
"This is an extraordinary time in history, and as Shoppers, those of us who are able — and have the means to protect ourselves — do want to help those in our community by delivering groceries and supplies," shoppers wrote in a Medium post issued with labor activism group Gig Workers Collective.
"But with Instacart neglecting the basic wellbeing of its 150,000+ drivers, we believe there is no choice but to not only walk off, but to raise awareness to the company’s practices."
Demand for grocery delivery has exploded as more states and cities recommend individuals stay home to slow the spread of coronavirus. Instacart last week announced it would hire 300,000 new gig workers over the next three months to match that demand.
Up until now the company has offered 14 days of paid leave if diagnosed with COVID-19 or mandated to quarantine.
Instacart's gig workers say that pledge is insufficient because of the dearth of available tests and its April 8th deadline.
On Friday, the company announced it would extend the paid leave deadline and dole out bonus payments between $25 and $200 to in store shoppers based on hours worked between March and April 15. Shoppers will also no longer be required to collect signatures for alcohol deliveries.
"The health and safety of our entire community — shoppers, customers, and employees — is our first priority," a spokesperson for Instacart told The Hill.
ADVERTISEMENT
Despite those policy changes, the walk off is still scheduled.
"This response is simply not enough — they're saying they're committed to our health and safety but still not addressing it. In order to keep ourselves and our customers safe, we need proper safety precautions put in place. PPE is essential right now," a spokesperson for the Gig Worker Collective told The Hill.
"All they gave us was 1 demand — extending their COVID-19 policy by one month. But they still haven't expanded their policy to include workers who are either too high-risk to work or requiring a self-quarantine."
The coronavirus pandemic has put many of America's gig workers in precarious situations.
The coronavirus relief package set to be signed by President Trump may give them some relief by allowing self-employed to apply for unemployment benefits that they would otherwise be ineligible for.
PLEASE HONOR THE SOCIAL DISTANCING ON THE PICKET LINE
BY CHRIS MILLS RODRIGO THE HILL- 03/27/20
© Getty Images
Instacart shoppers are set to have a nationwide walk off Monday over the grocery delivery service's response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The shoppers will stop accepting deliveries until Instacart provides cleanliness products at no cost to workers, hazard pay of $5 per order and an extension and expansion of pay for workers affected by the coronavirus.
"This is an extraordinary time in history, and as Shoppers, those of us who are able — and have the means to protect ourselves — do want to help those in our community by delivering groceries and supplies," shoppers wrote in a Medium post issued with labor activism group Gig Workers Collective.
"But with Instacart neglecting the basic wellbeing of its 150,000+ drivers, we believe there is no choice but to not only walk off, but to raise awareness to the company’s practices."
Demand for grocery delivery has exploded as more states and cities recommend individuals stay home to slow the spread of coronavirus. Instacart last week announced it would hire 300,000 new gig workers over the next three months to match that demand.
Up until now the company has offered 14 days of paid leave if diagnosed with COVID-19 or mandated to quarantine.
Instacart's gig workers say that pledge is insufficient because of the dearth of available tests and its April 8th deadline.
On Friday, the company announced it would extend the paid leave deadline and dole out bonus payments between $25 and $200 to in store shoppers based on hours worked between March and April 15. Shoppers will also no longer be required to collect signatures for alcohol deliveries.
"The health and safety of our entire community — shoppers, customers, and employees — is our first priority," a spokesperson for Instacart told The Hill.
ADVERTISEMENT
Despite those policy changes, the walk off is still scheduled.
"This response is simply not enough — they're saying they're committed to our health and safety but still not addressing it. In order to keep ourselves and our customers safe, we need proper safety precautions put in place. PPE is essential right now," a spokesperson for the Gig Worker Collective told The Hill.
"All they gave us was 1 demand — extending their COVID-19 policy by one month. But they still haven't expanded their policy to include workers who are either too high-risk to work or requiring a self-quarantine."
The coronavirus pandemic has put many of America's gig workers in precarious situations.
The coronavirus relief package set to be signed by President Trump may give them some relief by allowing self-employed to apply for unemployment benefits that they would otherwise be ineligible for.
Trump is trying to ban this ad about his coronavirus response so please don't share it
EXPONENTIAL THREAT
1,098,007 views•Mar 23, 2020
Priorities USA
13.6K subscribers
About Priorities USA
Priorities USA Action was founded in 2011 to educate and engage Americans to speak out and stand strong against the outdated views of the far right that threaten our democracy and undermine the middle class.Exponential
Do Your Part:
- Follow us on Social + Share our videos
- Follow Priorities on Twitter: https://twitter.com/prioritiesUSA
- Follow Priorities on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prioritiesusa/
- Like Priorities on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrioritiesUSA
PAID FOR BY PRIORITIES USA ACTION
NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATES COMMITTEE
WWW.PRIORITIESUSAACTION.ORG
THE INDEPENDENT 3/26/2020
A new advert which uses Donald Trump's own words about the coronavirus outbreak has angered the president's campaign team so much that they are trying to get it banned.
The ad, which has been made by anti-Trump super PAC called Priorities USA focuses on how slowly the president reacted to the pandemic and the number of lives they believe he has put at risk due to his own negligence.
The 30-second advert features a simple graph which starts on January 20 and slowly shows how many confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the US since then, soundtracked by a series of Trump quotes, claiming that his administration has everything under control and that the crisis would be over shortly.
Of course, this hasn't been the case at all and the US now has more than 54,000 cases since the virus arrived in the country, leaving Trump with easily the biggest domestic test of his entire presidency.
This scathing new advert, which was released on Monday, has now been viewed more than 4 million times on Twitter and shared by a number high profile accounts.
As you can see, Trump and his team are pretty irate about this advert and are trying to sue the makers and get it taken off the airwaves.
In a letter to TV stations, which can be read here, claims the ad is 'false, misleading and deceptive' and that it:Stitched together fragments from multiple speeches by President Trump to fraudulently and maliciously imply that President Trump called the coronavirus outbreak a ‘hoax.’
They also take umbrage with the use of the word, which Trump has been using in reference to the Democrats response to the virus but not specifically Covid-19. However, doesn't explicitly make out that Trump was calling it a hoax either but just uses the quote: "This is their new hoax."
It seems the campaign's attempts to quash the advert will backfire as more and more people are now likely to see it, especially as Josh Schwerin, the senior strategist and communications director for Priorities USA, wants to "make sure as many people see the ad as possible."
The United States has now recorded more than 1,000 coronavirus related deaths. As recently as Tuesday, the president indicated that social distancing could end very soon and hopes to have people in 'packed' churches by Easter Sunday.
Liberal super PAC expanding ad buy after Trump campaign threatens legal action
BY JONATHAN EASLEY THE HILL - 03/26/20Priorities USA, the largest Democratic super PAC, is expanding an ad buy accusing President Trump of mismanaging the coronavirus crisis a day after the Trump campaign threatened legal action against TV stations airing the ad in key battleground states.
Priorities USA originally put $6 million behind the ad, which is running in Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. On Thursday, the super PAC announced the ad would begin running in Arizona with an additional $600,000 investment behind it.
"Donald Trump spent weeks downplaying the threat of the coronavirus and his inaction left the country unprepared for this crisis. Even today, his lies are putting the health of millions of Americans at risk," said Guy Cecil, chairman of Priorities USA. "The fact that Trump is going to such great lengths to keep the American people from hearing his own words adds to the urgency of communicating them far and wide. Trump doesn't want voters to know the truth. We will not be intimidated. We'll keep telling the truth and holding Donald Trump accountable."
The ad, which is titled “Exponential Threat,” splices together different audio clips of Trump downplaying the virus over a graphic showing the number of cases on the rise.
"The coronavirus, this is their new hoax,” Trump says in the ad. “We have it totally under control. It's one person coming in from China. One day it's like a miracle, it will disappear. When you have 15 people and within a couple of days is gonna be down to close to zero.”
However, fact-checkers have said it is wrong to claim that Trump ever called the coronavirus a “hoax.” Rather, Trump has said that Democratic efforts to politicize the virus was "their new hoax.”
On Wednesday, Trump’s legal counsel sent a letter to television stations airing the ad demanding they “cease and desist” from airing the ad if they want to “avoid costly and time consuming litigation.”
“Given the foregoing, should you fail to immediately cease broadcasting PUSA’s ad ‘Exponential Threat’, Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. will have no choice but to pursue all legal remedies available to it in law and in equity,” the letter states. “We will not stand idly by and allow you to broadcast false, deceptive, and misleading information concerning President’s Trump’s healthcare positions without consequence.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign and several other Democratic groups have used the “hoax” remarks in their own videos questioning Trump’s leadership.
The Trump campaign has asked Twitter to apply its “manipulated media” tag to videos claiming that Trump called the virus a hoax, but the social media giant has so far declined to intervene.
EXPONENTIAL THREAT
1,098,007 views•Mar 23, 2020
Priorities USA
13.6K subscribers
About Priorities USA
Priorities USA Action was founded in 2011 to educate and engage Americans to speak out and stand strong against the outdated views of the far right that threaten our democracy and undermine the middle class.Exponential
Do Your Part:
- Follow us on Social + Share our videos
- Follow Priorities on Twitter: https://twitter.com/prioritiesUSA
- Follow Priorities on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prioritiesusa/
- Like Priorities on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrioritiesUSA
PAID FOR BY PRIORITIES USA ACTION
NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATES COMMITTEE
WWW.PRIORITIESUSAACTION.ORG
THE INDEPENDENT 3/26/2020
A new advert which uses Donald Trump's own words about the coronavirus outbreak has angered the president's campaign team so much that they are trying to get it banned.
The ad, which has been made by anti-Trump super PAC called Priorities USA focuses on how slowly the president reacted to the pandemic and the number of lives they believe he has put at risk due to his own negligence.
The 30-second advert features a simple graph which starts on January 20 and slowly shows how many confirmed cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the US since then, soundtracked by a series of Trump quotes, claiming that his administration has everything under control and that the crisis would be over shortly.
Of course, this hasn't been the case at all and the US now has more than 54,000 cases since the virus arrived in the country, leaving Trump with easily the biggest domestic test of his entire presidency.
This scathing new advert, which was released on Monday, has now been viewed more than 4 million times on Twitter and shared by a number high profile accounts.
As you can see, Trump and his team are pretty irate about this advert and are trying to sue the makers and get it taken off the airwaves.
In a letter to TV stations, which can be read here, claims the ad is 'false, misleading and deceptive' and that it:Stitched together fragments from multiple speeches by President Trump to fraudulently and maliciously imply that President Trump called the coronavirus outbreak a ‘hoax.’
They also take umbrage with the use of the word, which Trump has been using in reference to the Democrats response to the virus but not specifically Covid-19. However, doesn't explicitly make out that Trump was calling it a hoax either but just uses the quote: "This is their new hoax."
It seems the campaign's attempts to quash the advert will backfire as more and more people are now likely to see it, especially as Josh Schwerin, the senior strategist and communications director for Priorities USA, wants to "make sure as many people see the ad as possible."
The United States has now recorded more than 1,000 coronavirus related deaths. As recently as Tuesday, the president indicated that social distancing could end very soon and hopes to have people in 'packed' churches by Easter Sunday.
Liberal super PAC expanding ad buy after Trump campaign threatens legal action
BY JONATHAN EASLEY THE HILL - 03/26/20Priorities USA, the largest Democratic super PAC, is expanding an ad buy accusing President Trump of mismanaging the coronavirus crisis a day after the Trump campaign threatened legal action against TV stations airing the ad in key battleground states.
Priorities USA originally put $6 million behind the ad, which is running in Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. On Thursday, the super PAC announced the ad would begin running in Arizona with an additional $600,000 investment behind it.
"Donald Trump spent weeks downplaying the threat of the coronavirus and his inaction left the country unprepared for this crisis. Even today, his lies are putting the health of millions of Americans at risk," said Guy Cecil, chairman of Priorities USA. "The fact that Trump is going to such great lengths to keep the American people from hearing his own words adds to the urgency of communicating them far and wide. Trump doesn't want voters to know the truth. We will not be intimidated. We'll keep telling the truth and holding Donald Trump accountable."
The ad, which is titled “Exponential Threat,” splices together different audio clips of Trump downplaying the virus over a graphic showing the number of cases on the rise.
"The coronavirus, this is their new hoax,” Trump says in the ad. “We have it totally under control. It's one person coming in from China. One day it's like a miracle, it will disappear. When you have 15 people and within a couple of days is gonna be down to close to zero.”
However, fact-checkers have said it is wrong to claim that Trump ever called the coronavirus a “hoax.” Rather, Trump has said that Democratic efforts to politicize the virus was "their new hoax.”
On Wednesday, Trump’s legal counsel sent a letter to television stations airing the ad demanding they “cease and desist” from airing the ad if they want to “avoid costly and time consuming litigation.”
“Given the foregoing, should you fail to immediately cease broadcasting PUSA’s ad ‘Exponential Threat’, Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. will have no choice but to pursue all legal remedies available to it in law and in equity,” the letter states. “We will not stand idly by and allow you to broadcast false, deceptive, and misleading information concerning President’s Trump’s healthcare positions without consequence.”
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign and several other Democratic groups have used the “hoax” remarks in their own videos questioning Trump’s leadership.
The Trump campaign has asked Twitter to apply its “manipulated media” tag to videos claiming that Trump called the virus a hoax, but the social media giant has so far declined to intervene.
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