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The Jewish Voice Welcomes Passage Of Never Again Education Act

By
Sholom Schreirber
-
0

by Fern Sidman

The Jewish Voice on Wednesday issued a statement welcoming Congressional passage of the Never Again Education Act, which passed by unanimous consent. The bill had previously advanced through the House of Representatives with overwhelming support and now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature.

The Never Again Education Act supports Holocaust education across the country by bolstering the already expansive educational resources at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM).

“We are exceptionally glad that the Never Again Education Act will be signed into law,” said Jewish Voice publisher, David Ben Hooren. “Anti-Semitism is once again on the rise as many wish to assign blame to Jews for the spread of the coroavirus. As we all know, visceral anti-Semitism is a permanent part of and endemic to our society and societies all over the word. It is a stubborn scourge that keeps rearing its ugly head in every generation. We need mandatory Holocaust education to stem the tide of this aggressive malady,” he added.

The success of The Never Again Education Act would not have been possible without the exceptional leadership of Representatives Carolyn Maloney and Elise Stefanik and Senators Jacky Rosen, Kevin Cramer, Marco Rubio and Richard Blumenthal for spearheading the bills in the House and the Senate; Senators Lisa Murkowski and Joe Manchin for their support as chairwoman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources.

“If there exists a silver bullet to defeat the spread of bigotry and hatred, it is education. Through this legislation, teachers around the country will have federal support in their efforts to stamp out anti-Semitism by teaching about its abhorrent consequences,” said CUFI founder and Chairman Pastor John Hagee.
“CUFI’s eight million members have made combating the rising tide of anti-Semitism a top priority, and we are extremely grateful for the tremendous bipartisan support the Never Again Education Act has enjoyed in both Capitol chambers,” Hagee added.

“Combatting hate and intolerance must always be a priority and I’m glad that the Senate agrees. Passing this bill by unanimous consent today sends a strong message that the Congress is overwhelmingly united in combatting antisemitism and hate through education. Children are not born with hate in their hearts, it is up to us to make sure they never learn it,” said Rep. Maloney. “To do that, we must make sure our educators have the tools they need to teach about the Holocaust, an incredibly difficult subject to teach and for students to understand. I want to thank Senators Rosen, Cramer, Rubio, and Blumenthal for moving this bill so quickly through the Senate and their partnership in this effort.”

“Anti-Semitism is on the rise in the United States and across the globe. We must act to reverse this dangerous course,” said Senator Rosen, lead Senator sponsor of S.2085, the Senate companion to H.R.943. “The best way to prevent an atrocity like the Holocaust from occurring again is through education. As we commemorate the recent 75th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust, the Never Again Education Act will give schools needed resources to cover one of the darkest chapters in our history. Through education, we can provide insight into the past, and use it to prevent anti-Semitism now. I’m glad to see my bipartisan legislation pass the Senate, and hope the President will swiftly sign it into law. I will continue working on policy solutions to fight back against hatred in whatever form it takes.”

“This critical, bipartisan legislation is a proactive measure to educate and provide states and schools with the resources necessary to incorporate Holocaust education into their classrooms, ensuring that all students understand the evils of Holocaust and its impact,” said Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), lead cosponsor of H.R. 943. “I was honored to co-lead this bill through its passage in the House, and I applaud the Senate for passing it today to reaffirm Congress’ commitment to Holocaust survivors across our country. I am looking forward to the President signing this legislation into law.”

“The Never Again Education Act will provide the fundamental resources, education, and training for teachers and students and will encourage us to live in a world that respects religion, race, and human life,” said Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE), lead cosponsor of H.R. 943. “Anti-Semitism is increasing in our country. We must remember that the fight against anti-Semitism is an American endeavor and does not belong to Republicans or Democrats. As we recently commemorated the seventy-fifth anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, one of the darkest chapters in human history, I thank the Senate for passing this vital legislation, and I am grateful to be a cosponsor and work alongside Rep. Maloney to push this bill through Congress. We must never forget so that “never again” will be the reality.”
“As we move into an era in which fewer and fewer Holocaust survivors are here to tell us their stories, it becomes more important than ever that we find ways to pass along their stories for them,” said Congressman Salud Carbajal (D-CA), lead cosponsor of H.R. 943. “This legislation empowers educators to ensure that a new generation of Americans learn the not-so-distant historical lessons of the Holocaust. I am proud to have cosponsored this legislation and encouraged by its passage by both the House of Representatives and the Senate”

“The Senate’s approval today of the Never Again Education Act is the latest milestone in the effort launched by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney,” said Hadassah National President Rhoda Smolow and Hadassah CEO/Executive Director Janice Weinman. “Make no mistake: she identified the problem, wrote the legislation and built the bipartisan consensus necessary to deliver results – and for more than two years, Hadassah has been proud to rally behind her effort. It has been our honor to stand with the Congresswoman since day one of this journey. Hadassah congratulates her on this momentous occasion and looks forward to the day when her bill becomes law.”

“Even, in the era of COVID-19, we have seen an unprecedented wave of violent anti-Semitic attacks across the country and the sense of threat is universal. Holocaust education and specifically the Never Again Education Act is one legislative vehicle that will help alleviate this problem,” said Mark Wilf, chair of the Jewish Federations of North America Board of Trustees. “We are so pleased to have partnered with an extraordinary group of bipartisan leaders in the Congress who championed this important measure and secured its final passage. We particularly want to acknowledge the critical roles played by sponsors Representatives Maloney (D-NY) and Stefanik (R-NY) and Senators Rosen (D-NV) and Cramer (R-ND), as well as the leadership exhibited by Senators Rubio (R-FL) and Blumenthal (D-CT) and Representatives Bacon (R-NE), Hoyer (D-MD), and Scott (D-VA), who ensured final passage.”

“The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum educates people about how and why the Holocaust happened and why its lessons about the dangers of antisemitism and unchecked hatred remain critical today, especially as the Holocaust is receding in time,” said Diane Saltzman, the Museum’s Director of Constituency Engagement. “We appreciate Congress’s continued commitment to Holocaust education and remembrance.”

“I am grateful for the leadership of Representatives Carolyn Maloney and Elise Stefanik and Senators Jacky Rosen and Kevin Cramer and to all Senators for passing this bill today, during Jewish American Heritage Month, to ensure that the lessons of the Holocaust will be passed from one generation to the next,” said ADL CEO Jonathan A. Greenblatt. “Through the study of the Holocaust, students can grow as responsible citizens in a democratic society and develop critical thinking, empathy, and social justice skills for the future. We look forward to President Trump signing the bill into law and to working closely with teachers and districts across the country to ensure that Holocaust education is uniform and consistent across the country.”

Orthodox Jews Scapegoated for Virus Spread as Anti-Semitism Soars in NY & NJ

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0

Edited by: Fern Sidman

Once again Jews in America and around the world are finding that the reprehensible scourge of anti-Semitism has reared its ugly head.

Throughout the centuries, Jews have been blamed for just about anything you can think of; from social maladies, to military conflicts, and a potpourri of bizarre and baseless theories.

It now appears that Jews are being scapegoated for the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

Recently, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio witnessed the NYPD disperse a well attended funeral in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn for a prominent rabbi. He then tweeted: “My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed.”

Condemnation by Democrats in city government followed and even liberal, left wing Jewish groups who normally support Mayor DeBlasio jumped on the condemnation bandwagon.

According to an NPR report, “there is no data indicating religious Jews are violating social distancing rules at a greater rate than other demographic groups. While there have been high-profile incidents of police disrupting Jewish gatherings, the NYPD has also made arrests of various sorts for failing to practice social distancing, like at a Brooklyn barbershop and at a Manhattan “marijuana party.” And pictures of throngs hanging out at parks and closely congregating for the Navy Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds flyovers indicated that not social distancing isn’t a problem specific to a particular religious group.”

Soon thereafter, DeBlasio issued an apology of sorts when he said that he “spoke out of real distress that people’s lives were in danger.” He added: “I regret if the way I said it in any way gave people a feeling of being treated the wrong way, that was not my intention. It was said with love but it was tough love, it was anger and frustration.”

According to the current stats on how many lives in the New York City area that this dreaded virus has claimed, Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn’s Boro Park, Flatbush and Williamsburg neighborhoods have been stricken by the virus at high rates. Many prominent rabbis, community and civic leaders have lost their lives to the Coronavirus including the Novominsker Rebbe and former NY City Councilman Noach Dear, among many others.

NPR reported that a very large number of Jews who have recovered from the virus have donated plasma in an effort to save the lives of others who have contracted it.

NPR reported that in early March, Yaacov Behrman, a community leader and Hasidic Jewish activist, rushed to get ahead of the virus by marrying his bride, Shevi Katzman, after an engagement of just a week-and-a-half. They had a socially distanced wedding across two Brooklyn backyards — with a few siblings, no cousins, two witnesses and a rabbi, and 2,500 people watching on Facebook Live.

Another heavily populated Jewish enclave is Lakewood, New Jersey. NPR reported that local police arrested many Orthodox Jews at large gatherings including weddings and funerals. The report indicated that “a local news station reported that a school bus was carrying children to a Jewish school that was open, illegally. The reporter later acknowledged that the bus was just delivering food to homebound families.”

Close to Lakewood is yet another predominantly Orthodox Jewish area known as Jackson where many Jews have moved in recent years.

“Unfortunately, there are groups of people who hide behind cultures or religious beliefs and put themselves, our first responders, and quite honestly all of Jackson and bordering towns at risk for their selfishness, irresponsibility and inability to follow the law put in place by President Trump and Governor Murphy,” said Barry Calogero, the town council president of Jackson Township.

At the end of March, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy  condemned people who have used the coronavirus pandemic to heap scorn on the township’s Orthodox Jewish community, according to an Asbury Park Press report.

The governor met with Jewish community leaders who expressed concern about anti-Semitism fueled by the outbreak.

“We’re at war right now,” Murphy said. “We need each other more than ever before and any amount of scapegoating or any other bullying or vilification of communities, one community or another — it’s normally completely and utterly unacceptable — it’s even more so today.”

In the Monsey and Monroe areas of Rockland County, New York where large numbers of Orthodox Jews and Chassidim live, NPR reported that the county executive’s Facebook post about police breaking up a large Passover service was met by anti-Semitic comments.

The Anti-Defamation League released a report this week showing that there were more anti-Semitic incidents in 2019 than at any year since it began tracking in 1979.

 

Gates Foundation’s “Event 201” & Rockefeller Foundation’s “Lock Step” Simulations, Eerily Resemble Current Events

By
Sholom Schreirber
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5

Jared Evan

Call it a coincidence, call it a”conspiracy”. Both the Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation laid out simulations  of a world wide pandemic, where the entire world goes into shut-down restrictions.  The goal to to imagine how governments, industry and technology can fuse together during a world crisis.

It sounds almost like something out of a science fiction movie. Powerful philanthropic groups creating an imaginary situation which eventually came true, with many traits resembling the fictional scenarios

What they laid out is so eerily familiar to what we are actually living thru right now,  it is a more than worthwhile to look at these 2 “exercises” designed by these 2 philanthropic powerhouses.

May of 2010, The Rockefeller Foundation, along with the Global Business Network (GBN) published “Scenarios for the Future of Technology and International Development” (you can read the entire document by clicking on link)

Lock Step is one of four Scenarios for the future of technology and international development“, which the Rockefeller Foundation and Global Business Network (GBN) came up with in 2010 after a year of work by a large team. GBN is described by its founder, the US-American futurist Peter Schwartz as a” high level networking and corporate research agency“. Schwartz has worked for the Pentagon and has ties to the World Economic Council. He sits on the the board of the (militaristic) Center for a New American Security (CNAS) and is a member of the 21st Century Council of the Berggruen Institute, which ,develops ideas to shape political and social institutions“.

Here is the basic gist of their invented scenario:

 “Lock Step: A world of tighter top-down government control and more authoritarian leadership, with limited innovation and growing citizen pushback”

“In 2012, the pandemic that the world had been anticipating for years finally hit. Unlike 2009’s H1N1, this new influenza strain — originating from wild geese — was extremely virulent and deadly. Even the most pandemic-prepared nations were quickly overwhelmed when the virus streaked around the world, infecting nearly 20 percent of the global population and killing 8 million in just seven months, the majority of them healthy young adults. The pandemic also had a deadly effect on economies: international mobility of both people and goods screeched to a halt, debilitating industries like tourism and breaking global supply chains. Even locally, normally bustling shops and office buildings sat empty for months, devoid of both employees and customers.”

Keep in mind this was created in 2010 following 2009 H1N1 pandemic. This is even more interesting:

“The United States’s initial policy of “strongly discouraging” citizens from flying proved deadly in its leniency, accelerating the spread of the virus not just within the U.S. but across borders. However, a few countries did fare better — China in particular.

The Chinese government’s quick imposition and enforcement of mandatory quarantine for all citizens, as well as its instant and near-hermetic sealing off of all borders, saved millions of lives, stopping the spread of the virus far earlier than in other countries and enabling a swifter post- pandemic recovery. China’s government was not the only one that took extreme measures to protect its citizens from risk and exposure. During the pandemic, national leaders around the world flexed their authority and imposed airtight rules and restrictions, from the mandatory wearing of face masks to body-temperature checks at the entries to communal spaces like train stations and supermarkets.

Even after the pandemic faded,  this more authoritarian control and oversight of citizens and their activities stuck and even intensified. In order to protect themselves from the spread of increasingly global problems—from pandemics and transnational terrorism to environmental crises and rising poverty—leaders around the world took a firmer grip on power

Here is more from their document:

At first, the notion of a more controlled world gained wide acceptance and approval. Citizens willingly gave up some of their sovereignty—and their privacy—to more paternalistic states in exchange for greater safety and stability. Citizens were more tolerant, and even eager, for top-down direction and oversight, and national leaders had more latitude to impose order in the ways they saw fit. In developed countries, this heightened oversight took many forms: biometric IDs for all citizens, for example, and tighter regulation of key industries whose stability was deemed vital to national interests.

You can read the entire document by clicking here: Lock Step begins on page 18

Let’s look at the Gates foundation “Event 201″Together with John Hopkins University- Center for Public health and the World Economic Forum  they created a table top scenario  exercise (late last year)   described on the Center for Heath Security website as the following:

Event 201 simulates an outbreak of a novel zoonotic coronavirus transmitted from bats to pigs to people that eventually becomes efficiently transmissible from person to person, leading to a severe pandemic. The pathogen and the disease it causes are modeled largely on SARS, but it is more transmissible in the community setting by people with mild symptoms.

The disease starts in pig farms in Brazil, quietly and slowly at first, but then it starts to spread more rapidly in healthcare settings. When it starts to spread efficiently from person to person in the low-income, densely packed neighborhoods of some of the megacities in South America, the epidemic explodes. It is first exported by air travel to Portugal, the United States, and China and then to many other countries. Although at first some countries are able to control it, it continues to spread and be reintroduced, and eventually no country can maintain control.

There is no possibility of a vaccine being available in the first year. There is a fictional antiviral drug that can help the sick but not significantly limit spread of the disease.

Since the whole human population is susceptible, during the initial months of the pandemic, the cumulative number of cases increases exponentially, doubling every week. And as the cases and deaths accumulate, the economic and societal consequences become increasingly severe.

The pandemic is beginning to slow due to the decreasing number of susceptible people. The pandemic will continue at some rate until there is an effective vaccine or until 80-90 % of the global population has been exposed. From that point on, it is likely to be an endemic childhood disease.

Both scenarios don’t exactly predict what is happening currently, but there are some creepy similarities, which makes one wonder, how much was known years ago ( Lock step was designed in 2010)  before this all unfolded before our eyes? Many will take giant leaps and claim this was all designed by the same foundations that created these scenarios, while others will dismiss these events as coincidences. We suggest reading about them and drawing your own conclusions. Below are some videos created for Event 201.

US Immunologist Warns of ‘darkest winter’ if Virus Rebounds

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR (AP)

America faces the “darkest winter in modern history” unless leaders act decisively to prevent a rebound of the coronavirus, says a government whistleblower who alleges he was ousted from his job after warning the Trump administration to prepare for the pandemic.

Immunologist Dr. Rick Bright makes his sobering prediction in testimony prepared for his appearance Thursday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Aspects of his complaint about early administration handling of the crisis are expected to be backed up by testimony from an executive of a company that manufactures, respirator masks.

A federal watchdog agency has found “reasonable grounds” that Bright was removed from his post as head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority after sounding the alarm at the Department of Health and Human Services. Bright alleged he became a target of criticism when he urged early efforts to invest in vaccine development and stock up on supplies.

“Our window of opportunity is closing,” Bright says in his prepared testimony posted on the House committee website. “If we fail to develop a national coordinated response, based in science, I fear the pandemic will get far worse and be prolonged, causing unprecedented illness and fatalities.”

Bright’s testimony follows this week’s warning by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, that a rushed lifting of store-closing and stay-at-home restrictions could “turn back the clock,” seeding more suffering and death and complicating efforts to get the economy rolling again.

President Donald Trump has dismissed Bright as “a disgruntled guy,” and some of the president’s political allies have urged that Fauci be fired, although that seems unlikely.

More than 83,000 people have died in the U.S., representing more than one-fourth of global deaths and the world’s highest toll. On the planet more than 4.3 million have been infected and about 295,000 have died.

Eager to restart the economy, Trump has been urging states to lift restrictions, and many governors are doing so gradually, though consumers remain leery of going back to restaurants, social events and sporting competitions.

In his prepared testimony, Bright said, “The undeniable fact is there will be a resurgence of (COVID-19) this fall, greatly compounding the challenges of seasonal influenza and putting an unprecedented strain on our health care system.”

“Without clear planning and implementation of the steps that I and other experts have outlined, 2020 will be darkest winter in modern history,” Bright wrote.

Bright, who has a doctoral degree in immunology, outlined a path forward that would be based on science, even as researchers work to develop better treatments and an effective vaccine. The steps include:

— Establishing a national testing strategy. The White House has urged states to take the lead on testing, even as the federal government pushes to make more tests and better ones widely available. Trump says the U.S. has “prevailed” on testing through this strategy, but in Congress Democrats are demanding a federal framework to encompass the whole nation.

— Doubling down on educating the public about basic safety measures such as frequent hand-washing and wearing masks in public places as guidelines indicate. “Frankly, our leaders must lead by modeling the behavior,” said Bright, in a not-too-subtle reference to a president who conspicuously goes maskless.

— Ramping up production of essential equipment and supplies, from cotton swabs for testing to protective gear for health care workers and essential workers.

— Setting up a system to fairly distribute equipment and supplies that are scarce and highly sought. Eliminating state vs. state competition would increase efficiency and reduce costs, he wrote.

As part of his whistleblower complaint, Bright is seeking to be reinstated in his old job. HHS, his employer, says it strongly disagrees with his allegations and that it reassigned him to a high-profile position helping to lead the development of new coronavirus tests at the National Institutes of Health.

BARDA, the agency Bright worked at for 10 years, was created to help the government respond to bioterrorism, infectious diseases, and radiological attacks. It focuses on developing and procuring counter-measures such as vaccines and treatments. Prior to his reassignment Bright had received an “outstanding” performance review.

He says friction with HHS leaders escalated after he opposed widespread use of hydroxycholoroquine, a malaria drug that Trump touted without proof as a “game-changer” for treating COVID-19 patients. Subsequent studies have indicated the drug may do more harm than good. Bright was summarily removed in late April.

One aspect of Bright’s complaint is expected to get backing at Thursday’s hearing from an executive of a Texas company that manufactures N95 respirator masks. Michael Bowen, executive vice president of Prestige Ameritech, emailed with Bright repeatedly starting in late January. Bowen offered to crank up production lines that were sitting idle, while warning that the world supply of masks was being snapped up by other countries. Bright said in his complaint that it took five weeks to move the federal bureaucracy.

In written testimony to the committee, Bowen said Bright and other BARDA directors he’d worked with previously all wanted to address a chronic problem of not enough masks in the government stockpile, “but in my opinion didn’t have enough authority.”

After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, America was told that restrictive “governmental ‘silos’ had been torn down … so that different federal agencies could work together for national security,” Bowen added. “But I didn’t see evidence of that.”

 

Rabbi Mantsur Speaks About Stanley Chera, Parashat Emor 5780

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0

“And you shall take pure olive oil…to kindle an eternal light”
A few words before Shabbat in memory of the 30 days since the passing of my honorable, dear and respected friend, Shlomo ben Yitzchak and Shoshana Chera, known to all as Stanley. He was a dedicated son, a dear husband, a father and grandfather that loved and was loved, a champion of Israel and his fellow Jews, a man who respected all humanity and was respected by all. A charitable and benevolent man who passionately gave from his treasure and time to help others in need. He was a source of light to the world as alluded to in this week’s Parasha “And you shall take pure olive oil…to kindle an eternal light”.

It is incumbent upon us to understand that the true potential of man’s capabilities are measured during the times of hardship which he encounters throughout his life in all aspects, whether personal, business or other worldly matters. His demeanor during such times is the true test of character and capabilities. It is during these times that man must remove himself and emotion from his thought process and look objectively at the challenge at hand. He must completely disconnect his approach to the problem from the present personal discomfort that he has. By looking at his personal difficulties as an outsider through the lens of his mind, removed from any emotion and by giving weight to all sides , both good and bad he can consequentially and coldly come to the right plan of action. Through this approach his success and survival are greater. More so, he will spared from making the wrong decision whose
outcome will further exacerbate his difficult situation.

With the present difficult state of the world, and as we all deal with our personal challenges, I am certain that my dear and beloved friend Stanley Chera (may he rest in peace) who will never be forgotten, a man of special character, who was to my right for over 40 years, a deep thinker and a man of action would concur with the above approach and would go even further to expand on it. MAY HIS SOUL BE BOUND IN THE BUNDLE OF LIFE
To his wife, children, grand and great grandchildren, his family and friends,… my dear friends. In this difficult period I can say without hesitation that my thoughts are with each and every one of you. I pray and hope that you are all in good health and that each of you achieve success in your endeavors. Also the Rabbis and students of “Yeshivat Shuvi Nafshi” constantly stand in prayer for your wel lbeing and tranquility.
Rabbi Azriel Mantsur
(Translators note: Paraphrased as close to the intent of the original message in Hebrew in consultation
with the Rabbi)
Rabbi Azriel Mantsur
Shabbat Shalom

Lag B’Omer Telethon for Hatzolah Raises Close to $15 Million in Star-Studded Broadcast

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0

By Fern Sidman

In a major fundraising event, the Hatzolah volunteer ambulance corps staged a very special Lag B’Omer 24-hour telethon that was viewed by countless people throughout the world, as the organization that tirelessly devotes itself exclusively to saving lives, raised close to $15 million  as of Wednesday evening.

Founded in 1965 in New York City, Hatzolah has seen exponential growth over the decades and now serves all major in America and all over the world. Operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this not-for-profit corporation is run by a virtual army of incredibly dedicated professional emergency care providers including EMTs, paramedics and physicians.

Responding to over 100,000 calls annually in record time, Hatzolah provides emergency medical assistance, ambulance transport, family referral services and much more. Moreover, it has come to represent the absolute and total commitment to the sanctity of life.

in the harrowing times in which we live – now known as the “age of corona” the sheer volume of Hatzolah calls has precipitously skyrocketed and Hatzolah has not missed one call nor turned down assistance to anyone who is in need. Hatzolah has not only been on the front lines in helping thousands of people stricken by the deadly pandemic but is continuing their heroic work in ensuring that these people are taken care of in a proper fashion.

Hatzolah chapters from all over the world put their energies, resources and talents together with a goal of producing a telethon that would raise $10 million, but the outcome far exceeded their expectations.

According to Alan Esses, a board member of Flatbush Hatzolah, the telethon was the brainchild of three exceptional people who provided the financial assistance to make this dream become a reality.

It all began when the founders of an organization known as United for Protection decided to find this ambitious project.  Zalmy Cohen, Berel Junik and Shloime Greenwald had undertaken to collect funds to have a Sefer Torah written to help in quashing the spread the mageyfah known as the Coronavirus which had claimed an inordinate amount of lives in the Jewish community.

 

“The campaign to raise funds for a Sefer Torah to be written went viral and became an enormous success, ” said Mr. Esses.  “These three extraordinary businessmen and activists raised much more money for the Sefer Torah than they had expected and had decided that if there was excess funds that they would make a very generous donation to Hatzolah.  After giving this much thought, they decided to use the extra monies collected to produce a Lag B’Omer telethon which would serve as a platform to raise even more money for Hatzolah chapters around the world, ” he added.

Mr. Esses expressed his views about the telethon by saying, “It was truly amazing that through the help of Zalmy Cohen, Berel Junik and Shloime Greenwald and the efforts of Hatzolah members the world over that this telethon was organized in two short weeks.”

In order to scrupulously adhere to the social distancing guidelines that have been implemented by governmental agencies to ensure that people do not place themselves at risk for contracting the COVID-19 infection, the organizers and staff of the telethon built 14 stages.

“I was very impressed with the way the telethon was managed, ” said Mr. Esses. “When I drove my friend Harry Adjmi to the telethon studio to tell his story of how Hatzolah members saved his life when he was experiencing serious symptoms of the Coronavirus, they had specific rules about when we could arrive, what entrances and exits to use, and they made sure that people were very far apart from each other, ” he added.  Mr. Esses said, “That is an extremely difficult feat to accomplish when doing a telethon of this magnitude, but with Hashem’s help it was done.”

When speaking at the telethon about his own story and the incredible work that Hatzolah does each and every day, Harry Adjmi (a renowned philanthropist and prominent member in the Syrian Jewish community) spoke of the night that Hatzolah came to his home and convinced him to go to the hospital after he was experiencing severe symptoms of the virus. He said that had it not been for Hatzolah he may not have made it through and credited these intrepid members for saving his life.

” I donated $10,000 to Hatzolah and my son donated $10,000 a few weeks ago, ” said Mr. Adjmi.  He added that these young men who devote their entire lives to saving others should be supported by everyone.

Mr. Esses told the Jewish Voice that 30 minutes after appearing on the Hatzolah telethon, Mr. Adjmi arrived at the Flatbush Hatzolah command center where he thanked the team of members working all day on the phones.

 

“In New York alone, we raised $2,2 million in two days for Hatzolah. That is truly amazing,” said Mr. Esses.

The $14.8 million that has been raised will be distributed to Hatzolah chapters around the world to help with the purchase of much needed equipment and expenses related to daily operations.

COLive.com reported that the 24-hour musical and inspirational broadcast attracted a panoply of star talent from the world of Jewish entertainment. Appearing on the lively broadcast were such iconic singers as Avraham Fried, Benny Friedman, Mordechai Shapiro, Eli Marcus,  Gad Elbaz, Lipa Schmeltzer, 8th Day, Shulem Lemmer, Shmuli Ungar, Cantor Yitzchok Meir Helfgot and many, many others.

The telethon was hosted by comedian Modi, entertainer Yoely Lebowits, businessman Sam Stern, lecturer Rabbi Simon Jacobson and musician Chony Milecki.

The musical producer of the telethon was Davidi Crombie who told COLive.com that this was the first time that a telethon that lasted for so many hours was ever done in the Jewish world and that “we faced the difficulty of producing a show with dozens of performers, musicians and crew members, all while keeping to the CDC and New York State Health Department rules.”

Recently,  the Rabbinical Alliance of America (RAA)  issued an official proclamation honoring the exemplary work that the Hatzolah volunteer ambulance corps is doing each and every day during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Just as in previous moments of national crisis such as the 9/11 attacks in 2001, Hatzolah has reacted to the COVID-19 outbreak with the same degree of alacrity, compassion, professionalism and determination to save every life possible,” said Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik, executive vice president of the RAA.

 

Harry Adjmi speaks on the telethon

30 minutes later Harry came to Flatbush Hatzalah command center where he thanked the team of members working all day on the phones. We raised 2.2 million dollars in 2 days. Amazing

Crisis or Opportunity? To Politicians, It’s the Same Thing

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0

Andrew Moran (MISES.ORG) 

 

Forget performing William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The real art form is politicking. They sport taxpayer-funded windbreakers, speak with authority and urgency, and lead a brigade of specialists. When a crisis unfolds, whether it is a hurricane or a virus outbreak, politicians stand before the cameras, appearing to be in control of the situation—but they see an opportunity. As the catastrophe intensifies, the public recoils in fear and cowers before their dear leaders, amid uncertainty and upheaval. Does being a master performer transform a politician into an apotheosis?

The Deification of Politicians

Governors and mayors have been on top of the emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic since the very first confirmed cases were reported in their jurisdictions. With furrowed brows and a quiver in their voices, these public officials regularly speak in earnest before the press, informing their constituents that they will do whatever they can to ensure your grandmother stays safe at this unprecedented time. And that includes violating your constitutional rights.

Like Hamlet with Yorick’s skull, politicians can now take advantage of props to further enhance their performance and add to the gripping saga. Due to the highly infectious nature of this respiratory illness, face masks and gloves complement their tremendous acting in front of activists pretending to be journalists.

As we gaze upon our television screens or computer monitors, we become even giddier when politicians park their partisanship at the door and applaud everybody regardless of the letter next to their name. If California governor Gavin Newsom or New York governor Andrew Cuomo praises President Donald Trump for his cooperation rather than participating in petulant and partisan bickering, they must mean business. This is the cherry on top that can help them secure their version of the Academy Award: reelection. Or, if they are not seeking another two or four years in the position, then their micromanaging can elevate their status in the political arena.

The chief bureaucrats’ showmanship in the coronapocalypse or a natural disaster can produce the nation’s next president or god-emperor. Of course, this cannot be done without members of the press. Over the years, politicians have taken full advantage of the media to highlight their management abilities in a disaster zone. For some, it has lifted their polling numbers. For others, it destroyed their future electoral hopes and dreams.

President Trump’s approval rating for his handling of COVID-19 had been climbing among independents and undecided voters for weeks. Although the polling bump appears to be over, the spike in the polling data suggests the power of the phrase “never let a crisis go to waste.”

After an administration plagued by scandals and incompetence seemed to be on the precipice of the abyss, Governor Cuomo turned his sinking ship around in a couple of weeks and became America’s governor. A presidential bid in the future? No matter what, he will certainly not say goodbye to politics once he exits Albany.

Governor Chris Christie thought he could substitute stairs for an escalator to the White House in 2016 for his leadership throughout the Hurricane Sandy tale. He used all the typical props for officials during a calamity: the windbreaker, the urgency, and the cordiality with individuals on the other side of the aisle. It turned out that his hugs and camaraderie with then president Barack Obama, who also donned the windbreaker, were a bit too much for primary voters to endure.

 

Do politicians act based on an opportunistic endeavor to secure additional time in office or to land a promotion elsewhere in public life? The cynic will nod his or her head, while the optimist will say no. Either way, presidents, governors, and mayors use crises to advance their careers.

Love Thy Politician

Politicians tap into their mawkish reserves when they witness scores of deaths or communities destroyed by an enemy—seen or unseen. Should this be viewed as emotional intelligence or political strategizing? The purpose of practical politics is to connect with your fellow man, showing that the average person could have a beer with the guy or gal in charge. Anytime a president or a state official is photographed consoling a crying citizen, the picture screams a thousand words that campaign strategists exploit.

As H.L. Mencken wrote in 1919: “The public demands certainties.” That is why even some of the most strident critics of the state run into the arms of politicians—Republican or Democrat, progressive or conservative—when the occasion arises. Our love of autonomy from the state is mostly imaginary when uncertainty develops, and this is how you end up with an erosion of freedoms and liberties that will never be reinstated when normalcy returns.

Be it a terrorist attack or a virus outbreak, we heed the politicians and beg them to take care of the problem. We want to be left alone to our Netflix binging, to our celebrity worshiping, and our debating over the superiority of the Nile River to the Amazon River. By the time the next crisis strikes the nation, politicians consolidate their power and feast on your rights, shipping you off to a claustrophobic solitary confinement cell in the heart of the Swamp.

Trump: Biden ‘Knew Everything About’ Flynn Unmasking

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
President Donald Trump points to a question as he speaks about the coronavirus during a press briefing in the Rose Garden of the White House, Monday, May 11, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

By Eric Mack  (NEWSMAX)

President Donald Trump said his presumptive 2020 election opponent Joe Biden was not only caught in a misstatement on Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, but the former vice president “knew everything about” Flynn’s unmasking.

In fact, Biden’s name was the last of several Obama officials who were involved in unmasking Flynn’s name in the final days before Trump took office in January 2017.

“The unmasking is a massive thing,” Trump told reporters Wednesday.

He said he knows nothing about anything,” Trump added about Biden, who – Trump told Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo in an interview to air Thursday morning – “knew everything about it.”

“This was all Obama; this was all Biden,” Trump said in clips aired early Wednesday night on Fox News. “These people were corrupt. The whole thing was corrupt. And we caught them.”

Biden and former FBI Director James Comey are among the Obama administration officials who sought to “unmask” Flynn’s appearance in a FISA-tapped phone call with a Russian ambassador during the course of the 2016 presidential transition.

The revelation was contained in a document delivered from acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell to the Justice Department and sent to Republican senators by Grenell.

Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis., on Wednesday distributed the list of Obama officials involved in the unmasking of Flynn.

Next Time You Shop For Meat Watch This Shocking Video

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0

The last time The Jewish Voice posted this video from CBC- Canadian Public Broadcasting on Facebook it circulated to 60 million social media users, as this information everyone is interested in.

This is a trick of the trade revealed from supermarket workers . It is even more alarming now !   Because of the pandemic many shoppers  are using grocery delivery services & are not actually picking meat off the shelves themselves . Spread this video to people who shop for a living for apps such as instacart and others.

It is an eye opener

 

Faxes and email: Old Technology Slows COVID-19 Response

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0

By FRANK BAJAK (AP)

On April 1, a researcher at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emailed Nevada public health counterparts for lab reports on two travelers who had tested positive for the coronavirus. She asked Nevada to send those records via a secure network or a “password protected encrypted file” to protect the travelers’ privacy.

The Nevada response: Can we just fax them over?

You’d hardly know the U.S. invented the internet by the way its public health workers are collecting vital pandemic data. While health-care industry record-keeping is now mostly electronic, cash-strapped state and local health departments still rely heavily on faxes, email and spreadsheets to gather infectious disease data and share it with federal authorities.

This data dysfunction is hamstringing the nation’s coronavirus response by, among other things, slowing the tracing of people potentially exposed to the virus. In response, the Trump administration set up a parallel reporting system run by the Silicon Valley data-wrangling firm Palantir. Duplicating many data requests, it has placed new burdens on front-line workers at hospitals, labs and other health care centers who already report case and testing data to public health agencies.

There’s little evidence so far that the Palantir system has measurably improved federal or state response to COVID-19.

Emails exchanged between the CDC and Nevada officials in March and early April, obtained by The Associated Press in a public records request, illustrate the scope of the problem. It sometimes takes multiple days to track down such basic information as patient addresses and phone numbers. One disease detective consults Google to fill a gap. Data vital to case investigations such as patient travel and medical histories is missing.

None of this is news to the CDC or other health experts. “We are woefully behind,” the CDC’s No. 2 official, Anne Schuchat, wrote in a September report on public health data technology. She likened the state of U.S. public health technology to “puttering along the data superhighway in our Model T Ford.”

This information technology gap might seem puzzling given that most hospitals and other health care providers have long since ditched paper files for electronic health records. Inside the industry, they’re easily shared, often automatically.

But data collection for infectious-disease reports is another story, particularly in comparison to other industrialized nations. Countries like Germany, Britain and South Korea — and U.S. states such as New York and Colorado — are able to populate online dashboards far richer in real-time data and analysis. In Germany, a map populated with public data gathered by an emergency-care doctors’ association even shows hospital bed availability.

In the U.S., many hospitals and doctors are often failing to report detailed clinical data on coronavirus cases, largely because it would have to be manually extracted from electronic records, then sent by fax or email, said Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Jennifer Nuzzo.

It’s not unusual for public health workers to have to track patients down on social media, use the phone book or scavenge through other public-health databases that may have that information, said Rachelle Boulton, the Utah health department official responsible for epidemiological reporting. Even when hospitals and labs report that information electronically, it’s often incomplete.

Deficiencies in CDC collection have been especially glaring.

In 75% of COVID-19 cases compiled in April, data on the race and ethnicity of victims was missing. A report on children affected by the virus only had symptom data for 9%of laboratory-confirmed cases for which age was known. A study on virus-stricken U.S. health care workers could not tally the number affected because the applicable boxes were only checked on 16% of received case forms. In another study, the CDC only had data on preexisting conditions — risk factors such as diabetes, heart and respiratory disease — for 6% of reported cases.

Missing from daily indicators that CDC makes public is data such as nationwide hospitalizations over the previous 24 hours and numbers of tests ordered and completed — information vital to guiding the federal response, said Dr. Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute.

“The CDC during this entire pandemic has been two steps behind the disease,” Jha said.

REINVENTING THE WHEEL

Instead of accelerating existing efforts to modernize U.S. disease reporting, the White House asked Palantir, whose founder Peter Thiel is a major backer of President Donald Trump, to hastily build out a data collection platform called HHS Protect. It has not gone well.

On March 29, Vice President Mike Pence, who chairs the task force, sent a letter asking 4,700 hospitals to collect daily numbers on virus test results, patient loads and hospital bed and intensive care-unit capacity. That information, the letter said, should be compiled into spreadsheets and emailed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which would feed it into the $25 million Palantir system.

On April 10, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar added more reporting requirements for hospitals.

Those mandates sparked a backlash among stressed hospitals already reporting data to state and local health departments. Producing additional cumbersome spreadsheets for the federal government “is just not sustainable,” said Janet Hamilton, executive director of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists.

HHS Protect now comprises more than 200 datasets, including reporting from nearly three-quarters of the roughly 8,000 U.S. hospitals, according to Katie McKeogh, an HHS press officer. It includes supply-chain data from industry, test results from labs and state policy actions.

But due to limited government transparency, it’s not clear how accurate or helpful HHS Protect has been. Asked for examples of its usefulness, McKeogh mentioned only one: White House task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx receives a nightly report based on what the system gathers that provides “a common (nationwide) operating picture of cases at a county level.”

”We will continue to work to improve upon the common operating picture,” McKeogh said when asked about holes in HHS data collection. Neither HHS nor the CDC would provide officials to answer questions about HHS Protect; Palantir declined to discuss it on the record.

FIXING THE PROBLEM

Farzad Mostashari, who a decade ago oversaw the federal effort to modernize paper-based medical records, said it would be far more efficient to fix existing public-health data systems than to create a parallel system like HHS Protect.

“We have a lot of the pieces in place,” Mostashari said. A public-private partnership called digitalbridge.us is central to that effort. Pilot projects that automate infectious disease case reporting were expanded in late January. Overall, 252,000 COVID case reports have been generated so far, said CDC spokesman Benjamin N. Haynes. In December, Congress appropriated $50 million for grants to expand the effort, which is already active in Utah, New York, California, Texas and Michigan.

Going forward, the CDC is evaluating how to spend $500 million from March’s huge pandemic relief package to upgrade health care information technology.

In the meantime, public-health officers are still doing things the hard way. Up to half the lab reports submitted for public health case investigations lack patient addresses or ZIP codes, according to a May 1 Duke University white paper co-authored by Mostashari.

“We’re losing days trying to go back and collect that information,” said Hamilton of the epidemiologists’ council. “And then we’re reaching out to hospitals or physicians’ offices that, quite frankly, are saying ‘I’m too busy to tell you that.’”

NY Update: Deaths and Hospitalizations Continue to Drop, 4th Upstate Region to Open

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
Governor Andrew Cuomo delivers daily briefing on the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.

Mr. Cuomo reported 166 new virus-related deaths, the third straight day the figure was under 200.

(The press conference is at the bottom of this page)

The number of new hospitalizations statewide has also continued to stay at the levels that preceded Mr. Cuomo’s statewide stay-at-home orders. The governor reported 416 new virus-related hospitalizations and 2,176 new confirmed cases.

A fourth region of upstate New York has now met the criteria to start gradually reopening, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said on Wednesday.

The North Country, the sparsely populated northern region of the state that includes the Adirondack Mountains, has now achieved the seven benchmarks required to partially reopen construction, manufacturing and curbside retail by Friday.

NY state announced : Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that as of today, the North Country has met all seven metrics required to begin phase one of the state’s regional phased reopening plan when NYS on PAUSE orders expire on May 15th, joining the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley Regions. If the trend continues, these four regions can begin opening businesses for phase one, which includes construction; manufacturing and wholesale supply chain; retail for curbside pickup and drop-off or in-store pickup; and agriculture, forestry and fishing. The Central New York region has met six of the seven metrics and could potentially be ready at the end of the week. A guide to the state’s “NY Forward Reopening” Plan is available here. The state’s regional monitoring dashboard is available here.

The Governor also announced the results of the state’s antibody testing survey of 2,750 members of the New York State Police Show 3.1 percent of the members have COVID-19 antibodies. Additionally, results of the state’s antibody testing survey of approximately 3,000 members of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision show 7.5 percent of members have COVID-19 antibodies. These results are compared to 12.3 percent of the general population in Upstate New York that tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies

As the numbers continue to decline and we are coming down the other side of the mountain, a lot of attention is now on reopening,” Governor Cuomo said. “We’re doing something in this state that no other state is doing – we are having a transparent discussion about the reopening operations because it only works if people understand it and are part of it. New Yorkers will know exactly what is happening in their region and in their county on a daily basis, and the state will continue to monitor these metrics to determine when regions are ready to reopen and if we need to adjust the reopening plans. Four regions have now met all seven metrics required to begin reopening, and we will continue to keep New Yorkers informed as this process goes forward.”

NY Orthodox Jews Donating 50% of Blood To help Treat COVID-19 Patients

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0

New York Orthodox Jews make up half of all US plasma donors volunteering blood to help treat COVID-19 patients, according to a medical expert, reported by the NY Times.

The NY Times reported that  public health data suggests the Orthodox and Hasidic community may have been affected at a rate that exceeds other ethnic and religious groups, with community estimates placing the number of dead in the hundreds, including beloved religious leaders.

Dr. Michael Joyner of the Mayo Clinic, who is running a study on the effects of plasma to treat the virus, said more than 5,000 patients across the US have been given plasma treatment so far and, when it comes to donors, ‘by far the largest group is our Orthodox friends in New York City.’

‘I would be shocked if they were less than half the total,’ Joyner told the  New York Times.

The NY Times reported :A number of factors lie behind the outsize role of the Orthodox plasma drive, according to public health experts and community leaders, including the close ties that bind Orthodox society, a religious commitment to the value of human life and a network of organizers committed to turning something bad into something good” 

Biden, Comey, Brennan Submitted Flynn ‘Unmasking’ Requests

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
AP

By Chuck Ross (Daily Caller News Foundation)

 

Former Vice President Joe Biden and the directors of the three main U.S. intelligence agencies submitted so-called “unmasking” requests for information about Michael Flynn contained in highly classified intelligence reports, according to documents released Wednesday.

The documents show that an unmasking request was made in Biden’s name on Jan. 12, 2017. Similar requests were made under the names of James Comey, John Brennan and James Clapper, the former directors of the FBI, CIA and Office of the Director of National Intelligence, respectively.

Denis McDonough, who served as chief of staff to President Obama, also submitted a request on Jan. 5, 2017, the documents show.

Unmasking describes the process whereby high-level U.S. government officials request information regarding American citizens mentioned in classified foreign intelligence reports. It is not illegal to make unmasking requests, but the Flynn case is unique because information about phone calls he had with Russia’s ambassador was leaked to the media during the presidential transition period.

David Ignatius, a Washington Post columnist, mentioned the call in a Jan. 12, 2017, column. (RELATED: Documents Shed Light On Media Leak Central To Michael Flynn Case)

Sens. Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson released the list of names on Wednesday. Richard Grenell, the acting director of national intelligence, declassified the information last Thursday, and provided it to the senators this week.

Paul Nakasone, the director of the National Security Agency (NSA) provided the list to Grenell on May 1.

It is not clear whether Biden or others who submitted the unmasking requests saw the information related to Flynn. The document released on Wednesday said that the unmasking requests were made under 16 different government officials’ names for an unspecified number of intelligence reports.

“Below is a list of recipients who may have received Lt. Gen Flynn’s identity in response to a request processed between 8 November 2016 and 31 January 2017 to unmask an identity that had been generically referred to in an NSA foreign intelligence report,” the document stated.

“While the principals are identified below, we cannot confirm they saw the unmasked information.”

he list includes several high-profile Obama administration figures, including Brennan, Clapper and Biden. But also includes lesser known officials at the Treasury Department and State Department. A flurry of requests were submitted in mid-December 2016, the records show.

Republicans have focused on the unmasking issue to try to figure out who leaked information about communications that Flynn had in late December 2016 with Sergey Kislyak, who then served as Russian ambassador to the U.S.

Kislyak contacted Flynn on Dec. 28, 2016, the same day that the Obama administration ordered 35 Russian diplomats to leave the U.S. because of Russian hacking during the presidential campaign.

The records do not settle the question of who made the unmasking request for information from Kislyak’s communications with Flynn.

Comey suggested in testimony to the House Intelligence Committee on March 2, 2017 that someone in the FBI made the request that revealed that Flynn spoke with Kislyak.

Clapper submitted an unmasking request on Dec. 28, 2016, according to the declassified documents. But Clapper suggested in testimony to the House Intelligence panel that the FBI submitted the request regarding the Kislyak phone calls.

“I don’t know the circumstances of the unmasking, you know. That’s a better question to direct to the FBI or the DOJ,” Clapper told the House panel on July 17, 2017.

The declassified records list Comey as the only FBI official to make an unmasking request for Flynn records. That request was submitted on Dec. 15, 2016, two weeks before Flynn spoke with Kislyak.

John Bass, who served as U.S. ambassador to Turkey, submitted a request for Flynn information on Dec. 28, 2016. The next request was not submitted until McDonough, the White House chief of staff, did so on Jan. 5, 2017.

McDonough did not respond to a request for comment. The Biden campaign also did not respond to a request for comment.

Days after Flynn’s contacts with Kislyak, FBI and Justice Department officials began discussing whether Flynn violated the Logan Act, an obscure law that prohibits American citizens from negotiating with foreign governments regarding U.S. government policy.

FBI officials arranged to interview Flynn regarding his contacts with Kislyak. The retired lieutenant general ended up pleading guilty to making false statements to the FBI during that interview, which was conducted at the White House on Jan. 24, 2017.

The Justice Department filed a motion to drop the case against Flynn on May 7 after the discovery of FBI documents related to the Flynn investigation.

One document was an FBI memo dated Jan. 4, 2017 that authorized the closure of a counterintelligence investigation against Flynn. The memo said that the FBI found no evidence that Flynn was working as an agent of Russia. The bureau had investigated Flynn and three other Trump associates for possible Russia ties since August 2016.

Grenell, who also serves as ambassador to Germany, took the list of names to the Justice Department last week asking for the information to be released to the public. Grenell has been behind a recent push to declassify and release documents related to the FBI’s investigation of Trump associates.

He was involved in the process of declassifying footnotes from a Justice Department inspector general’s report on the investigation. Those footnotes showed that the FBI received evidence in 2017 that Russian intelligence operatives might have fed disinformation to Christopher Steele, the author of a dossier that accused the Trump campaign of conspiring with the Kremlin.

Grenell also recently pressured House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff to release 53 transcripts of interviews that the committee conducted as part of its own Russia probe. The transcripts showed that Obama officials such as James Clapper, Susan Rice and Ben Rhodes had not seen evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia by the time they left office.

Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].

 

NYT Says Reporter Went Too Far in Criticizing Handling of Pandemic

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0

By Brian Freeman  (NEWSMAX)

The New York Times said that one of its journalists went too far with his harsh criticism of the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus crisis in a television interview, Fox News has reported.

During a conversation with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday, New York Times’ science and health reporter Donald McNeil Jr. blasted President Donald Trump for knowledge on the subject that is not even at “a third-grade level,” said Vice President Mike Pence is a “sycophant,” slammed the “incompetent leadership” at the CDC and called on its director to resign.

A Times spokesperson said McNeil, Jr. “went too far in expressing his personal views. His editors have discussed the issue with him to reiterate that his job is to report the facts and not to offer his own opinions. We are confident that his reporting on science and medicine for The Times has been scrupulously fair and accurate.”

Washington Post media critic Erik Wemple pointed out that McNeil Jr.’s harsh comments appeared to contradict the Times’ own guidelines, which state that “a staff member should not say anything on radio, television or the Internet that could not appear under his or her byline in The Times on its reporters expressing personal views.”

McNeil has worked at The Times for more than 30 years, specializing in covering plagues and pestilences, according to the Business Insider.

The Times has portrayed him as an authoritative voice on the coronavirus and has highlighted him in efforts to gain subscriptions.

Howard Stern Attacks Trump Supporters: ” It’d Be ‘Extremely Patriotic’ of Trump to Resign”

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0

By Brian Freeman (NEWSMAX)

President Donald Trump should resign from office, radio show host Howard Stern has suggested, the New York Daily News reported on Wednesday.

“I do think it would be extremely patriotic of Donald to say ‘I’m in over my head and I don’t want to be president anymore,’” Stern said during his Sirius XM radio show. “It’d be so patriotic that I’d hug him and then I’d go back to Mar-a-Lago and have a meal with him and feel good about him, because it would be such an easy thing to do.”

Stern, who has harshly criticized Trump’s supporters in recent weeks, continued his contempt of them, saying “The oddity in all of this is the people Trump despises most, love him the most. The people who are voting for Trump for the most part … he wouldn’t even let them in [his] hotel. He’d be disgusted by them. Go to Mar-a-Lago, see if there’s any people who look like you. I’m talking to you in the audience.”

Stern insisted that “I don’t hate Donald. I hate you for voting for him, for not having intelligence.”

Stern hosted Trump on his radio show several times throughout the years and saw him often at social events, according to Fox News.

Last month Stern suggested that Trump’s supporters “take disinfectant” and “drop dead” after the president’s remarks the previous day that injecting disinfectant might possibly help those infected with the coronavirus.

Judge puts off approving US Request to Dismiss Flynn Case

By
Sholom Schreirber
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0
AP

By ERIC TUCKER (AP)

A federal judge made clear Tuesday that he would not immediately rule on the Justice Department’s decision to dismiss its criminal case against former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn, saying he would instead let outside individuals and groups weigh in with their opinions.

The move suggests U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan is not inclined to automatically rubber-stamp the department’s plan to dismiss the Flynn prosecution.

Flynn pleaded guilty, as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, to lying to the FBI about conversations with the then-Russian ambassador to the United States during the presidential transition period.

But the Justice Department said last week that the FBI had insufficient basis to question Flynn in the first place and that statements he made during the interview were not material to the broader counterintelligence investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign.

The department said that dismissing the case was in the interest of justice, and that it was following the recommendation of a United States attorney who had been appointed by Attorney General William Barr to investigate the handling of the Flynn investigation.

The decision must first go through Sullivan, who said in a written order Tuesday night that “given the current posture of this case,” he anticipated “that individuals and organizations will seek leave of the Court” to file briefs expressing their opinions.

That is a likely reference to the considerable debate the Justice Department’s action has prompted over the last week, with some former law enforcement officials who were involved in the investigation expressing their dismay over the planned dismissal through public statements or newspaper opinion pieces.

The judge said he expects to set a scheduling order governing the submission of such briefs, known as amicus curiae — or friend-of-the-court — briefs.

In a court filing Tuesday night, lawyers for Flynn objected to an amicus brief that a group identifying itself as “Watergate Prosecutors” had said it intended to submit, saying the brief and others like it have “no place in this Court.”

“A criminal case is a dispute between the United States and a criminal defendant. There is no place for third parties to meddle in the dispute, and certainly not to usurp the role of the government’s counsel,” Flynn’s attorneys wrote.

It is also possible that Sullivan could ask for additional information from the department about its decision, including more details about why it was abruptly abandoning a case it had pursued in court since 2017, when Flynn pleaded guilty.

In an interview Tuesday evening with Fox News, Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said the department’s position was clear in the motion to dismiss the case.

“We do not believe this case should have been brought, we are correcting that and we certainly hope that in the interest of true justice, that the judge ultimately agrees and drops the case against General Flynn,” she said.

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