Politics
Jared Kushner Says Federal Medical Supply Stockpile Isn’t for States to Use
Published
10 months agoon
By
Katie Calo
- Jared Kushner, Trump’s senior advisor and son-in-law, said that the federal stockpile was not intended to be used by states at a coronavirus briefing Thursday night.
- Many were quick to point out that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services described the stockpile as one to be allocated to states when in need, contradicting Kushner’s remarks.
- The language describing the stockpile was later changed on the Health Department’s site, deemphasizing the federal government’s role in giving resources to states.
- Kushner was criticized by many who also slammed his lack of government experience.
Kushner’s Remarks
Jared Kushner drew swift criticism after he took the stage at the White House’s daily coronavirus briefing on Thursday night and said the federal stockpile wasn’t meant for distribution among states.
It was the first time President Donald Trump’s senior advisor and son-in-law spoke at one of these briefings. Vice President Mike Pence introduced him as “someone that the white house coronavirus task force directed to work with FEMA on supply chain issues.”
“We’re grateful for his efforts and his leadership,” Pence said.
When Kushner first stepped up to the podium, he praised the efforts that his team has been making to track down supplies. The 39-year-old kept repeatedly emphasizing the importance of data — the “real data from the cities, from the states, [so] that we can make real time allocation decisions based on the data.”
Kushner seemed to suggest that local officials should be more diligent about finding resources in their own states before turning to the federal government for help.
“The notion of the federal stockpile is it’s supposed to be our stockpile,” Kushner said. “It’s not supposed to be states’ stockpile that they then use.”
He then addressed the criticism that the federal government has received from state officials about not providing enough resources, a criticism Trump has been defensive about.
“So I would just encourage you, when you have governors saying that the federal government hasn’t given them what you need, I would just urge you to ask them, ‘well have you looked within your state to make sure that you haven’t been able to find the resources?’” Kushner said.
Stockpile Description Changed
Many were quick to note that Kushner’s comments did not line up with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ description of the national stockpile.
“Strategic National Stockpile is the nation’s largest supply of life-saving pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for use in a public health emergency severe enough to cause local supplies to run out,” the website read.
“When state, local, tribal, and territorial responders request federal assistance to support their response efforts, the stockpile ensures that the right medicines and supplies get to those who need them most during an emergency,” it initially said.
But following Kushner’s remarks on Thursday evening, the language on the site was changed to downplay the federal government’s role in giving resources to states.
“The Strategic National Stockpile’s role is to supplement state and local supplies during public health emergencies,” the description now says, noting that many states have their own stockpiles as well.
“The supplies, medicines, and devices for life-saving care contained in the stockpile can be used as a short-term stopgap buffer when the immediate supply of adequate amounts of these materials may not be immediately available,” it says.
Backlash for Kushner
Many were swift to slam Kushner for his comments about the stockpile not being intended for states’ use.
“Who the hell does the nepotist think ‘our’ refers to? It is for the American people . . . as the federal government’s OWN strategic national stockpile website assures us!” Former White House ethics director Walter Shaub wrote on Twitter.
Who the hell does the nepotist think "our" refers to? It is for the American people . . . as the federal government's OWN strategic national stockpile website assures us! https://t.co/aTbK6yI14y pic.twitter.com/3mfMZvthQw
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) April 3, 2020
“Dear Jared Kushner of the @realDonaldTrump Administration: We are the UNITED STATES of America. The federal stockpile is reserved for all Americans living in our states, not just federal employees. Get it?” Rep. Ted Lieu said.
Dear Jared Kushner of the @realDonaldTrump Administration: We are the UNITED STATES of America. The federal stockpile is reserved for all Americans living in our states, not just federal employees. Get it? https://t.co/VB4Z2YGp4J
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) April 3, 2020
The muthafucka really said federal stockpiles are for "us" not the states. Who the fuck is "us" Jared? Why didn't anybody in that room ask him that obvious follow up question so we could see that robotic simpleton glitch live on screen?!?!
— Stephen White (@sgw94) April 2, 2020
"our stockpile." I mean: Our is the citizens of the United States, right? Or, like, Jared's personal stash? https://t.co/9Jvdbdehuj
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 2, 2020
Others pointed to Kushner’s background as a real estate developer and newspaper publisher, with no government experience prior to his father-in-law’s 2016 election.
“Kushner has succeeded at exactly three things in his life,” New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg wrote in an op-ed piece. “He was born to the right parents, married well and learned how to influence his father-in-law. Most of his other endeavors — his biggest real estate deal, his foray into newspaper ownership, his attempt to broker a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians — have been failures.”
More criticisms of Kushner’s lack of qualifications were thrown across social media.
“Can anyone tell me what Jared Kushner’s qualifications are besides being a white man?” one person asked.
Can anyone tell me what Jared Kushner’s qualifications are besides being a white man?
— Stephen Crockett Jr. (@SACrockettJr) April 3, 2020
Jared Kushner isn’t qualified to run a lemonade stand, let alone tell governors how to manage critical supply chains. He is a continuing threat to our safety and security, a national embarrassment, and needs to, as the young folks say, take all the seats.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) April 3, 2020
Need for Medical Supplies Continues
Despite what Kushner says, leaders are still expressing their desperation for adequate medical supplies as the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across the country.
On Thursday night, Cory Gardner of Colorado, a Republican senator, was sending a letter saying he expected the federal stockpile to be available for states to use.
“The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) … includes clear expectations to ensure that the Department of Health and Human Services’ SNS procurement and maintenance decisions support the federal government’s ability to support states and localities in a public health emergency,” Gardner wrote.
“The SNS is a critical resource for states facing grave public health emergencies, and we must take every step to make sure that there is a robust supply of working medical supplies and equipment on hand,” Gardner added.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio requested more medical personnel and supplies in an interview with CNN on Friday morning.
“We can only get to Monday or Tuesday at this point. We don’t know after that. How on earth is this happening in the greatest nation in the world?” de Blasio said.
JUST NOW: "We can only get to Monday or Tuesday at this point. We don't know after that. How on earth is this happening in the greatest nation in the world? "@NYCMayor pleading for more personnel and supplies.@NewDay pic.twitter.com/n02CNFRfoL
— John Berman (@JohnBerman) April 3, 2020
See what others are saying: (Washington Post) (USA Today)
Politics
U.S. To Join WHO-led Vaccine Distribution Plan as Biden Implements a Flurry of COVID-19 Executive Orders
Published
45 mins agoon
January 21, 2021By
Cory Ray
- Dr. Anthony Fauci indicated Thursday that President Joe Biden will join COVAX, a World Health Organization-led COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan.
- Fauci’s announcement comes one day after Biden signed an executive order reversing former President Donald Trump’s plan to remove the United States from the WHO.
- Among other orders, Biden plans to implement a mask mandate for airports, planes, trains, and other forms of interstate travel. He has already ordered masks to be worn on all federal property.
- Biden is also expected to invoke the Defense Production Act on Thursday, which would speed up the development and distribution of vaccine-related equipment.
U.S. To Join COVAX
Just one day after President Joe Biden signed an order to keep the United States in the World Health Organization, Dr. Anthony Fauci said the country will join its global COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan.
That plan, COVAX, is a collaborative effort between 92 countries to ensure that COVID vaccines aren’t only distributed in wealthy countries.
The idea behind the plan is that establishing a global herd immunity will be much more effective at curbing the spread of the virus than just establishing herd immunity in countries that can afford to buy large quantities of the vaccine, especially when international travel picks back up.
The plan is not without its shortcomings. Earlier this week, the WHO stated that some countries participating in COVAX have been disregarding the plan and buying large quantities of vaccines for themselves.
Nonetheless, in a video conference call Thursday morning with the WHO’s executive board, Fauci — now chief medical advisor to the president — said the Biden administration believes it can inoculate every American while also helping people in other countries.
Biden’s plan to join COVAX is a stark contrast from the Trump administration, which refused to participate in the program.
Fauci said Biden will issue the directive to join COVAX later Thursday.
Additionally, Fauci noted that the U.S. once again “intends to fulfill its financial obligations” to the WHO.
In his attempt to leave the organization, Trump cut off payments from the U.S.; however, his administration never got the chance to fully cut ties with the organization because the U.S. wasn’t scheduled to officially leave until July of this year.
Biden Signs Mask Mandate, Other Orders To Come
Among other COVID-related executive orders signed Wednesday, Biden implemented a national mask mandate for people on federal property.
Sometime Thursday, Biden is also expected to sign another order requiring masks to be worn in airports, as well as on airplanes, trains, and other interstate transit systems.
Also on Thursday, Biden is also expected to sign an order that will establish a COVID-19 testing board. Once implemented, the board will be responsible for increasing testing rates, addressing supply shortfalls, and determining the rules and regulations for international travelers coming into the U.S. It will also have the power to distribute resources to minority communities that have been disproportionately affected by the virus.
On top of that, Biden plans to sign an order that will direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse states and Native American tribes for their emergency response efforts. Notably, those reimbursements include costs related to reopening schools.
Finally, Biden is expected to invoke the Defense Production Act on Thursday. Such a move would speed up the production of masks and other equipment needed to help administer vaccines.
See what others are saying: (Business Insider) (Reuters) (CNBC)
Politics
Trump Issues Over 140 Pardons and Commutations Ahead of Biden’s Inauguration
Published
1 day agoon
January 20, 2021By
Lili Stenn
- In his last moments in office, now-former President Donald Trump granted clemency to more than 140 people at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning.
- Among the notable pardons and commutations were rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, and Trump megadonor Elliott Broidy.
- Trump’s final round of clemency did include several nonviolent drug offenders whose requests had been supported by criminal justice reform advocates.
- Still, many also condemned Trump for overlooking people wronged by the justice system or those who have been rehabilitated. Instead, critics feel he was focused on giving out political favors to his allies.
Trump Grants Clemency
Former President Donald Trump issued more than 140 pardons and commutations at 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, just hours ahead of President Joe Biden’s inauguration.
The move marks Trump’s final major act before the end of his term. Many of the most notable pardons and commutations were given to people whose names had been circulating in reports earlier this week, including rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black, as well as former adviser Steve Bannon.
Bannon’s pardon is especially significant because he has not yet stood trial for the charges he faces. The charges against Trump’s former right-hand man center around allegations that he defrauded half a million people who donated to a crowdsourcing campaign to fund the construction of the border wall.
The leaders of the charity, aptly named We Build the Wall, had claimed that the more than $25 million they had solicited in donations would go to their goal, but prosecutors claim that Bannon took $1 million for his own personal expenses.
Bannon’s pardon is also significant because, according to reports, the reason the clemency announcements were late was because Trump could not decide whether or not to pardon him. However, as The Washington Post notes, Trump’s ultimate decision “underscores how Trump has used his presidential power to benefit allies and political backers.”
Trump has recently granted pardons to several of his former top aides, many of whom seem to have a knack for committing crimes for him.
At the end of last year, he pardoned his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and his close friend and adviser, Roger Stone. All three had been convicted of crimes during the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
In this newest batch of clemency grants, the former president also pardoned Elliott Broidy, a top Trump campaign fundraiser. Broidy pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to violate foreign lobbying laws and accepting millions of dollars as part of a secret campaign to lobby the administration for Malaysian and Chinese interests.
Trump additionally pardoned a number of politicians who have been indicted for corruption, including three former Republican members of Congress and one former Democratic mayor.
Those Left Out
Trump’s last round of pardons and commutations did include several nonviolent drug offenders whose requests had been supported by criminal justice reformers. One of those individuals was Chris Young, a man who had been sentenced to life for drug conspiracy, and whose commutation Kim Kardashian West had lobbied.
But in general, Trump has largely been condemned by criminal justice advocates for overlooking people wronged by the justice system or those who have rehabilitated. Instead, they feel he was focused on giving out political favors to his allies.
Despite the attention some of his pardons have received, either because they had celebrity power behind them or were controversial, Trump has actually approved fewer clemency requests than most previous presidents who served one term or less. Until this week, he had only granted clemency to 95 people.
Also of note are the controversial pardons that Trump was reportedly considering but ultimately decided against. These included WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, and “Tiger King” star Joe Exotic, the latter of whom was so sure he would be pardoned that he had a limo waiting for him outside his prison.
Trump was also reportedly considering preemptively pardoning himself and his children, but he apparently decided against the move. In addition to a self-pardon being questionably unconstitutional, any clemency for the former president and his family would require them to admit they committed crimes they have not yet been charged with.
While Trump decided against becoming the first president to ever pardon himself, the fact that he decided to give clemency to so many of his allies might pose some issues.
President Bill Clinton faced both congressional and criminal investigations for giving out 140 pardons and commutations on his final day in office in 2001, though notably, no wrongdoing was ultimately found.
See what others are saying: (The Washington Post) (The New York Times) (CNN)
Politics
GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert Accused of Leading Capitol Tour Before Insurrection
Published
2 days agoon
January 19, 2021By
Lili Stenn
- Rep. Steve Cohen told CNN Monday that he and another lawmaker personally saw GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert guiding a “large” group of people around the Capitol days before the insurrection.
- Numerous representatives have said they saw GOP members leading an unusual amount of tours before the riots. They also said some of the visitors were involved with the rally that preceded the attack.
- Boebert preemptively denied giving tours to insurrectionists last week before any official accused her by name.
- She reiterated that denial in a statement responding to Cohen’s accusations and claimed that she had only ever given a tour to members of her family.
Rep. Cohen’s Claims
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tn.) said Monday that he and a fellow Democratic member of Congress personally witnessed Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Co.) leading a “large” group of people around the Capitol complex in the days before the violent attacks on Jan. 6.
While speaking on CNN, Cohen said that he and Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) “saw Boebert taking a group of people for a tour sometime after the 3rd and before the 6th.”
“I don’t remember the day we were walking in a tunnel and we saw her and commented who she was and she had a large group with her,” he continued. “Now whether these people were people that were involved in the insurrection or not, I do not know.”
"We saw congress[woman] Boebert taking a group of people for a tour sometime after the 3rd and before the 6th." — Rep. Steve Cohen says he and a colleague saw Rep. Boebert giving people a tour of the Capitol in the days leading up to the riot pic.twitter.com/dNPymWqjPY
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 18, 2021
Notably, Cohen said he did not know who was in the group or if they were part of the attack. That fact was also echoed by Yarmuth, who confirmed in a statement that he did see Boebert with a group of people around her but added that he “has no knowledge of who they were or if they were with her.”
Over the last few weeks, dozens of Democrats have been demanding that officials investigate whether or not Republican lawmakers aided in the riots. Last Tuesday, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) told reporters she saw some of her GOP colleagues leading “reconnaissance” tours of the Capitol with people who she later saw during the riots.
The following day, 31 House Democrats signed a letter claiming they and some of their staffers “witnessed an extremely high number of outside groups” visiting the Capitol on Jan. 5.
“The visitors encountered by some of the Members of Congress on this letter appeared to be associated with the rally at the White House the following day,” they wrote. “Members of the group that attacked the Capitol seemed to have an unusually detailed knowledge of the layout of the Capitol Complex.”
Today I joined with more than 30 of my colleagues in requesting an investigation from the Acting House SAA, Acting Senate SAA, and USCP into the suspicious behavior and access given to visitors to the Capitol Complex on Jan. 5, 2021 – the day before the attacks on the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/zpPUSUuSrj
— Rep. Mikie Sherrill (@RepSherrill) January 13, 2021
Boebert’s Checkered Record
Until Monday, no lawmakers had named any of the members involved in the alleged tours, but many outlets and political analysts both implicitly and explicitly tied Boebert to the accusations.
In her roughly two-week-long tenure as a member of Congress, the young Republican has received significant heat for her role in the insurrection among other recent, controversial moves.
Last week, Boebert was temporarily banned from Twitter and faced numerous calls to resign for tweeting out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s location during the insurrection.
She has also been widely criticized for publicly announcing she would bring her gun to the Capitol complex, refusing to have her bag searched after she set off a metal detector, and voting to invalidate millions of votes by objecting to the certification of the electoral college.
In fact, Boebert has faced so much scrutiny that she preemptively denied giving tours to insurrectionists last week, even before anyone directly named her. At the time, she issued a statement saying she has only ever given a tour to her children, husband, mother, aunt, and uncle.
Boebert reiterated those claims in a letter to Cohen Monday, where she called his remarks “categorically false.”
“I have never given a tour of the U.S. Capitol to any outside group,” she wrote. “As I previously stated, I brought my family to the Capitol on January 2nd for a tour and on the 3rd for pictures to commemorate the day I was sworn in as a Member of the U.S. Congress.”
Rep. Cohen's claim on CNN that he saw me give a reconnaissance tour with people not on the team is 100% false. I haven’t given a tour of the U.S. Capitol in the 117th Congress to anyone but family. Members of Congress have a duty to elevate the discourse. https://t.co/ikPhhgNvoJ pic.twitter.com/yWz4YllumF
— Rep. Lauren Boebert (@RepBoebert) January 18, 2021
See what others are saying: (The Washington Post) (CNN) (CPR News)

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