Top Wisconsin health official resigns amid spike in coronavirus cases

November 7, 2020 KANKENNEWS

The top public health official in Wisconsin resigned Thursday amid an alarming surge in coronavirus cases across the Badger State.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) confirmed to The Hill on Friday that interim Division of Public Health Administrator Stephanie Smiley resigned from her post and will officially leave on Nov. 11.

Wisconsin DHS Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk will serve as interim state health officer and Deputy Division of Public Health Administrator Chuck Warzecha will serve as interim division administrator.

Wisconsin DHS said it is “committed to ensuring a smooth transition as we continue to respond to the global COVID-19 pandemic.”

Smiley said in a letter to local health departments announcing her resignation that she had accepted a position outside the government and that she was proud of the work state officials have done to tackle the coronavirus.

“I am in awe of the unquestionable courage and character of you all. As public health officials, you have repeatedly needed to deliver bad news that has sparked fear, frustration, anxiety and criticism. And despite all of this, you and your staff have risen to the occasion and continue to do what you can to battle through this,” she wrote, according to a copy of the letter that was obtained by The Hill.

“This will be my last update to you all as I have accepted a position outside of state service in order to focus more energy towards my health and my family—aspects of my life that I have neglected for far too long. My last day with the department will be November 11, 2020,” she added.

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Wisconsin health officials praised Smiley’s service in the state government during the tumult of grappling with the coronavirus outbreak. Van Dijk said Wisconsinites owe her a “debt of gratitude.”

“[H]er time as interim Administrator of the Division of Public Health was dedicated to making sure that our local and tribal health departments were well-informed and equipped with what they needed to address the needs of their individual communities, particularly as they respond to the largest public health crisis in Wisconsin’s history. We all owe a debt of gratitude for her advocacy, compassion, and respect for public health,” she said in a statement.

The shakeup in Wisconsin DHS leadership comes as the state grapples with one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the country. The state has had nearly 250,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, with more than 6,141 new cases tallied Friday alone, a new state record for single-day cases. About 2,200 people in Wisconsin have died from the virus, according to the COVID Tracking Project.

The U.S. has entered an alarming new third wave of infections, with the most serious outbreaks occurring across the Midwest. Cases are expected to spike even higher in the winter months as cold weather pushes people to congregate more indoors, where the virus is more easily spread.

Overnight Health Care: Election results underscore different views on coronavirus | What could a Biden administration do on health care? | Battle lines form over coronavirus fight in lame duck

November 7, 2020 KANKENNEWS

Welcome to Friday’s Overnight Health Care.

The race for president still hasn’t been called, but it’s looking good for Joe BidenJoe BidenBiden claims a ‘mandate’ to govern, calls for end to ‘partisan warfare’ Mark Meadows tests positive for coronavirus Trump supporters scream at Telemundo reporter during live broadcast from Maricopa ballot center MORE. His health agenda though? That depends on the Senate runoffs in Georgia. Meanwhile, coronavirus cases are surging to record levels.

We’ll start with a look ahead:

What could a Biden administration do on health care?

The election is not over, but Democratic nominee Joe Biden leads the Electoral College and looks like the favorite to get to 270 votes.

If he wins, the future of his health agenda largely depends on what happens with the Senate runoffs in Georgia. If Democrats win both races, that would give them 50 seats, enough to give them a very narrow majority, with a Vice President Kamala HarrisKamala HarrisGeorgia Senate race between Perdue, Ossoff heads to runoff Trump says Biden should not ‘wrongfully’ claim victory in presidential race Overnight Health Care: Election results underscore different views on coronavirus | What could a Biden administration do on health care? | Battle lines form over coronavirus fight in lame duck MORE breaking a tie.

What’s on the table: House Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiBiden claims a ‘mandate’ to govern, calls for end to ‘partisan warfare’ Election scrambles prospects for next COVID-19 relief bill Overnight Health Care: Election results underscore different views on coronavirus | What could a Biden administration do on health care? | Battle lines form over coronavirus fight in lame duck MORE (D-Calif.) has already said Democrats will pursue budget reconciliation — an obscure but powerful tool that gets around the Senate filibuster — to build up the Affordable Care Act. That could include boosting subsidies and extending them to higher-income earners who are often priced out of the marketplaces.

A public option, which was the centerpiece of Biden’s plan, would probably be too controversial to pass through Congress without stronger Democratic majorities because of vehement opposition from the health-care industry.

If Republicans keep the Senate, a Biden administration could still rescind a number of changes Trump made, like allowing Medicaid work requirements. He could also reverse the Trump administration’s changes to the Title X family planning program and have the federal government play a larger role in the COVID response. Congress and Biden might be able to find bipartisan ground on surprise billing and drug prices.

Election results underscore different views on coronavirus

Even if Biden does end up the winner, there certainly are a lot of people who voted for President TrumpDonald John TrumpBiden claims a ‘mandate’ to govern, calls for end to ‘partisan warfare’ Mark Meadows tests positive for coronavirus Georgia Senate race between Perdue, Ossoff heads to runoff MORE, prompting some questions and soul-searching among public health experts.

“I’m surprised of the outcome,” said Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.

More than 230,000 people in America have died from the coronavirus, and cases and hospitalizations are still rising. Trump has repeatedly dismissed the threat of the virus, mocking those wearing masks and holding events where people failed to use social distancing.

Key split among voters: COVID and economy. Exit polls showed a sharp split between Biden and Trump supporters over prioritizing the economy or coronavirus.

Voters saying the coronavirus mattered most to their vote went for Biden 82 percent to Trump’s 14 percent, according to an exit poll from Edison Research. On the flip side, voters saying the economy mattered most went for Trump 82 percent to Biden’s 17 percent.

“It is just *staggering* to me that the failure to get even close to controlling a pandemic seems a relatively minor matter when it comes to an election,” Bill Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, wrote on Twitter.

Read more here.

Battle lines form over coronavirus fight in lame duck

A fight is looming over the prospect of passing a coronavirus relief deal in an upcoming lame-duck session, as both sides claim leverage in the battle.

Congressional leaders and the White House each say they are interested in getting a fifth deal before the end of the year, as coronavirus cases climb across the country and public health officials warn of a brutal winter.

But deep differences remain.

Top Republicans are digging in on a smaller coronavirus relief deal, signaling that they believe Democrats should make concessions ahead of a looming lame-duck fight.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellTrump says Biden should not ‘wrongfully’ claim victory in presidential race Election scrambles prospects for next COVID-19 relief bill Overnight Health Care: Election results underscore different views on coronavirus | What could a Biden administration do on health care? | Battle lines form over coronavirus fight in lame duck MORE (R-Ky.), speaking at a press conference in Kentucky, said Friday’s economic data backed the Senate GOP push for a smaller deal.

“That I think clearly ought to affect what size of any rescue package we additionally do. I do think we need another one but I think it reinforces the argument that I’ve been making … that something smaller rather than throwing another $3 trillion at this issue is more appropriate, with it highly targeted toward things that are directly related to the coronavirus,” McConnell told reporters in Kentucky.

But Democrats are sticking by their pledge to “go big.” House Democrats initially passed a $3.4 trillion coronavirus relief deal in May and then a second smaller $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief deal. The Senate has not taken up either.

Read more here.

Another grim record on coronavirus: 118k cases

The U.S. broke another record of daily coronavirus cases Thursday, topping 118,000 new infections in the second straight day with more than 100,000 new cases.

The exact number of cases Thursday was 118,629, according to Johns Hopkins University data. There were also around 1,187 reported deaths, a nearly 20 percent increase from the same day last week.

The U.S. states that topped daily case records included Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin, with some states, such as Connecticut, reinstating some restrictions.

Tough days ahead: The situation is not showing any signs of improvement, as cases and hospitalizations keep climbing as winter approaches.

Read more here.

Related: Idaho sets new record for daily coronavirus cases

Top Wisconsin health official resigns amid spike in coronavirus cases

The top public health official in Wisconsin resigned Thursday amid an alarming surge in coronavirus cases across the Badger State.

Smiley said her job has been difficult, and she has accepted a position outside state service so she can focus more on her own health and family.

Read more here.

What we’re reading:

Counties with worst virus surges overwhelmingly voted Trump (AP)

Lucrative federal contract for Regeneron lacks usual taxpayer protections (STAT)

Steve BannonStephen (Steve) Kevin BannonOvernight Health Care: Election results underscore different views on coronavirus | What could a Biden administration do on health care? | Battle lines form over coronavirus fight in lame duck Bannon’s lawyers move to withdraw from criminal case following comments about Fauci Twitter removes fake AP account that called election for Biden MORE loses lawyer after suggesting beheading of Fauci (The New York Times)

State by state:

‘It’s crap.’: DeSantis office ‘leaks’ state records to fuel COVID-19 death ‘conspiracy’ (Miami Herald)

How escalating COVID cases forced one state to change its masking strategy (Kaiser Health News)

These two families watched loved ones die of coronavirus in overwhelmed Utah hospitals (Salt Lake Tribune)

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International election observers rebuke Trump's 'unprecedented attempts to undermine public trust'

November 7, 2020 KANKENNEWS

International election observers in the U.S. offered a sharp rebuke of President TrumpDonald John TrumpAides tried to get Trump to stop attacking McCain in hopes of clinching Arizona: report Officials warn delayed vote count could lead to flood of disinformation New Trump campaign lawsuit targets late-arriving Georgia mail ballots MORE on Wednesday, criticizing his attacks on the vote counting process and his premature claims that he has won the 2020 election.

“Nobody, no politician, no elected official, nobody, should limit people’s rights to votes coming after such a highly dynamic campaign,” said Michael Georg Link, special coordinator and leader of the short-term observer mission from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

“Baseless allegations of systematic deficiencies, notably by the incumbent president, including on election night, harm public trust in democratic institutions,” he added.

For months leading up the election, the president has railed against mail-in voting, claiming without evidence that the practice leads to widespread voter fraud. He has also maintained that the election would be “rigged” and that people would engage in ballot harvesting to skew the results.

Early in the morning on Wednesday, he also claimed that Democrats were trying to “steal the election” and that the legal vote counting efforts were fraudulent.

International election observers have been in the U.S. since September reporting on the 2020 national race and are expected to continue their work until the conclusion of the results.

They released on Wednesday their preliminary findings, praising the strength of American institutions and civil societies to carry out an election in the unprecedented circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and amid uncharted levels of social and political tensions.

They said they found no evidence to support allegations of systemic wrongdoing and praised the “enormous effort” by election workers and “engaged citizens” to ensure that voters could cast their ballots in record numbers.

“The election administration, the machinery in place, the infrastructure, supported by engaged civil society, it seems to have passed the test,” said Urszula Gacek, head of the OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), which is leading the long-term observation of the elections.

“This was despite a pandemic, many legal and technical challenges and deliberate attempts by the incumbent president to weaken confidence in the election process,” she said.

The observation group said the “hard-fought” accomplishment of carrying out the elections was “tarnished by legal uncertainty and unprecedented attempts to undermine public trust” and by Trump in particular.

Trump and his campaign have already signaled that they will challenge election results in states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

His campaign has said it has filed suits in Michigan and Pennsylvania to stop counting ballots until it is given access to observe the process and has raised the issue of calling for a recount in Wisconsin, which The Associated Press has called for Biden. Both CNN and NBC News have projected Biden to win Michigan as well.

“The right to vote and to have that vote counted is among the most fundamental principles of democracy,” said Kari Henriksen, head of the OSCE’s Parliamentary Association delegation. “In the context of COVID-19 and the rise in mail-in voting, I am concerned about attempts to restrict the counting of legally cast ballots.”

The international observers further criticized Trump’s conduct throughout the campaign, writing in their report that of particular concern was the use of “discriminatory and pejorative statements against individuals on the grounds of their gender and origin” and the use of his “official capacity for political advantage.”

They also criticized Trump for failing to commit to a peaceful transfer of power and claiming that the electoral process was “systematically rigged” without any substantial evidence. The observers said that this behavior “weaken[s] public confidence in state institutions and were perceived by many as increasing the potential for politically motivated violence after the elections.”

OSCE observers, who report on elections among the 57-member nations of the OSCE, do not make a determination on whether elections are free or fair but create a neutral and nonpartisan report on the conduct of the elections and make recommendations for improvements.

The organization has, in earlier years, raised concerns that millions of residents of overseas territory and those in the District of Columbia do not have voting representation in Congress.

They also take issue with the fact that millions of convicts are barred from voting, in particular those who have served their sentences and those who are waiting for trial, pointing out that these laws disproportionately impact African Americans.

But the observers praised the upholding of freedom of expression and, despite a highly polarized media landscape, found the media offered a wide range of information that helped voters make an informed choice.

The observers are expected to remain in the country and continue their mission for at least 10 more days and said they can possibly stay longer or continue observing remotely for as long as it takes for the election to conclude.

“This election is not over, and we remain here in D.C. and in key states around the country until it is,” said Gacek, head of the ODIHR. “It is vital that every properly cast ballot is properly counted.”

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Markets gain ground following tumultuous election night

November 7, 2020 KANKENNEWS

U.S. stock markets opened to healthy gains Wednesday morning, even after election night counting failed to establish clear outcomes in the 2020 election.

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That led to a tumultuous night for stock futures, but stocks themselves rebounded on Wednesday.

In morning trading, The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up over 550 points, or 2 percent, and the S&P 500 shot up 88 points, or 2.6 percent. The tech-heavy NASDAQ soared 422 points, or 3.8 percent.

Through the night, stock futures fluctuated wildly as results in key states trickled in, and President TrumpDonald John Trump Chris Wallace condemns Trump claims that he won the election ‘Squad’ member Rashida Tlaib wins reelection in Michigan Biden campaign blasts Trump victory claim as ‘outrageous, unprecedented, and incorrect’ MORE prematurely declared himself the winner, even as half a dozen swing states remained too close to call and continued to count millions of votes.

As of Wednesday morning, markets seemed to rise with the prospect of a divided government, which would hamper the political agenda for either Joe BidenJoe Biden Chris Wallace condemns Trump claims that he won the election Biden campaign blasts Trump victory claim as ‘outrageous, unprecedented, and incorrect’ Bipartisan lawmakers condemn Trump for declaring victory prematurely MORE, should he win the electoral college, or President Trump should he win a second term.

One of the main questions in the air is the fate of a potentially enormous COVID-19 stimulus package, which officials such as Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell say are crucial to the economic recovery.

Updated at 10:33 a.m.

Protesters burn flag outside Trump's New York hotel

November 7, 2020 KANKENNEWS

Protesters burned the United States flag outside of Trump International Hotel in New York City Tuesday, following President-elect Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE’s suggestion that flag burners be jailed or lose their citizenship.

According to a report in Reuters, the activists included members of the Revolutionary Communist Party, which the news outlet notes is not part of the Community Party of the United States.

Trump made the suggestion that flag burners face “consequences” Tuesday morning.

“Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag — if they do, there must be consequences — perhaps loss of citizenship or year in jail!” Trump wrote on Twitter.

Multiple Congressional Republicans rejected Trump’s suggestion, arguing burning the flag is protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The Supreme Court ruled that flag burning is protected speech in the 1989 case Texas v. Johnson and reaffirmed it a year later in United States v. Eichman.

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World Bank Admits: 'Economic Growth' in Africa = Resource Extraction, Inequality, Poverty

November 7, 2020 KANKENNEWS

The World Bank is admitting that so-called economic growth in Africa, rooted in privatization and resource extraction by foreign companies, is not benefiting the vast majority of the continent’s people.

This comes from an institution has been widely criticized for pushing these very policies of ‘growth.’

Despite Africa’s much-vaunted ‘growth’ over the past decade, deep poverty and inequality are “unacceptably high and the pace of reduction unacceptably slow,” reads Africa’s Pulse, an analysis released Monday by the World Bank. “Almost one out of every two Africans lives in extreme poverty today,” and by the year 2030, a vast majority of the world’s poor will be located in Africa, the report finds.

Francisco Ferreira, Acting Chief Economist for the World Bank Africa Region, states, “Africa grew faster in the last decade than most other regions,” with a steadily climbing GDP noted in the report. Yet, this so-called growth is highly dependent on relatively few commodities sold for export, including oil, metals, and minerals. “Nearly three-quarters of countries rely on three commodities for 50 percent or more of export earnings,” the report reads, with countries like Angola and Nigeria depending on oil for up to 97 percent of all exports.

“[H]igh dependence on one or a few commodities makes Africa’s resource-rich countries vulnerable to sharp movements in prices of these commodities,” explains Punam Chuhan-Pole, Lead Economist of the World Bank’s Africa Region and author of Africa’s Pulse.

Furthermore, this wealth is siphoned off to foreign investors, with 2012 exports to the EU and U.S. reaching $148 billion, and exports to BRIC countries reaching $144 billion that same year.

SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT

Happy Thursday and welcome back to On The Money. I’m Sylvan Lane, and here’s your nightly guide to everything affecting your bills, bank account and bottom line.

See something I missed? Let me know at slane@thehill.com or tweet me @SylvanLane. And if you like your newsletter, you can subscribe to it here.

Write us with tips, suggestions and news: slane@thehill.com, njagoda@thehill.com and nelis@thehill.com. Follow us on Twitter: @SylvanLane, @NJagoda and @NivElis.

THE BIG DEAL—Powell says ‘concerning’ rise in COVID-19 cases could hinder economic recovery: Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Thursday that surging coronavirus cases in the U.S. and Europe pose a troubling obstacle to the economic recovery from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Powell told reporters during a Thursday press conference that “the recent rise in new COVID-19 cases both here in the United States and abroad is particularly concerning” to the central bank and dangerous to the fragile U.S. economy.

“As we have emphasized throughout the pandemic the outlook for the economy is extraordinarily uncertain, and will depend in large part on the success of efforts to keep the virus in check,” Powell said after the Fed announced it would keep interest rates near zero.

“All of us have a role to play in our nation’s response to the pandemic. Following the advice of public health professionals to keep appropriate social distances and to wear masks in public will help get the economy back to full strength,” he added.

I have more here.

The background: Powell’s warning comes as the U.S. faces a troubling third wave of coronavirus cases that has covered most of the country.

The U.S. on Wednesday recorded more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day for the first time during the pandemic, and about 52,000 people currently in the hospital with coronavirus, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
Powell, other top Fed officials, and economists across the public and private sectors have said since the beginning of the pandemic that the U.S. economy would be unable to fully recover until COVID-19 is adequately controlled.
The failure to curb the pandemic has derailed wide swaths of the economy that depend on people traveling or gathering in close quarters — costing millions of jobs and threatening thousands of businesses.

“It does seem likely that people who have maybe begun to engage in activities that they hadn’t — flying, staying in a hotel, going to restaurants, going to bars and things like that — that they may pull back in a situation where suddenly cases are everywhere in your city, your state, your community,” Powell said.

“That could weigh on economic activity,” he continued, though he noted that the second wave of coronavirus cases seen over the summer, which was contained largely to the south and Sun Belt, had a limited impact on the national economy.

LEADING THE DAY

House Democrats withdrawing appeal in case over Trump’s New York tax returns: House Democrats are dropping their appeal of a federal judge’s order that requires them to give notice if they request President TrumpDonald John TrumpBiden pulls ahead of Trump in Georgia Biden takes lead in Georgia, makes gains in Pennsylvania Gore: This election is ‘completely different’ than 2000 MORE‘s New York tax returns under a state law.

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House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard NealRichard Edmund NealOn The Money: Powell says ‘concerning’ rise in COVID-19 cases could hinder economic recovery | House Democrats withdraw appeal in case over Trump’s New York tax returns | Initial jobless claims dip to 751,000 House Democrats withdrawing appeal in case over Trump’s New York tax returns Trump officials approve Georgia plan to remove healthcare.gov as enrollment option MORE (D-Mass.) and committee aide Andrew Grossman on Tuesday filed a motion with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to voluntarily dismiss the appeal.

Neal has never requested Trump’s state tax returns and has been more interested in obtaining the president’s federal tax filings.

“On the advice of counsel, the committee withdrew this appeal and will be focusing on its federal case to obtain the president’s tax returns,” a Ways and Means Committee spokesperson said.

Neal filed a separate lawsuit against the Trump administration last year in an effort to obtain Trump’s federal returns. That case has yet to be resolved.

The Hill’s Naomi Jagoda has more here.

Initial jobless claims dip to 751,000: Initial jobless claims for the last week of October fell to a seasonally-adjusted 751,000, a drop of 7,000 from the previous week, but still extraordinarily high by historical standards.

Thursday data from the Labor Department revised the number of new claims from the previous week, which had also initially been reported at 751,000, up to 758,000. Unadjusted claims fell just 543 to 738,166.
But another 363,000 Americans applied for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), a program Congress passed in March’s CARES Act to expand unemployment benefits to gig workers and the self-employed.
The program is set to expire altogether at year’s end.

The Hill’s Niv Elis walks us through the data here.

GOOD TO KNOW

Rep. Cindy AxneCindy AxneOn The Money: Powell says ‘concerning’ rise in COVID-19 cases could hinder economic recovery | House Democrats withdraw appeal in case over Trump’s New York tax returns | Initial jobless claims dip to 751,000 First-term Democrat presses for coronavirus relief agreement this year Chamber-endorsed Dems struggle on election night MORE (D-Iowa), a first-term lawmaker who won reelection in a state carried by President Trump, is urging the White House and congressional leaders to reach an agreement on a coronavirus relief package before the end of the year.
Mortgage rates in the United States hit a record low for the 12th time this year amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to data released Thursday by federal home loan organization Freddie Mac.
The Justice Department reportedly seized about $1 billion worth of bitcoin this week that was allegedly linked to a dark web market.

ODDS AND ENDS

The poor showing by House Democrats on election night extended to first-term lawmakers endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, potentially leaving the business group with fewer allies in Congress next year.
An apartment company owned in part by White House senior adviser Jared KushnerJared Corey KushnerOn The Money: Powell says ‘concerning’ rise in COVID-19 cases could hinder economic recovery | House Democrats withdraw appeal in case over Trump’s New York tax returns | Initial jobless claims dip to 751,000 Apartment company co-owned by Jared Kushner files hundreds of eviction notices: report Aides tried to get Trump to stop attacking McCain in hopes of clinching Arizona: report MORE has filed hundreds of eviction notices against tenants who have fallen behind on rent during the pandemic, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

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Monthly Archives: November 2020

Top Wisconsin health official resigns amid spike in coronavirus cases

Overnight Health Care: Election results underscore different views on coronavirus | What could a Biden administration do on health care? | Battle lines form over coronavirus fight in lame duck

International election observers rebuke Trump's 'unprecedented attempts to undermine public trust'

Markets gain ground following tumultuous election night

Protesters burn flag outside Trump's New York hotel

World Bank Admits: 'Economic Growth' in Africa = Resource Extraction, Inequality, Poverty

The U.S.’s 64-Square-Foot “Torture Chambers”

On The Money: Powell says 'concerning' rise in COVID-19 cases could hinder economic recovery | House Democrats withdraw appeal in case over Trump's New York tax returns | Initial jobless claims dip to 751,000

Arizona voters approve ballot measure to raise taxes on high-income households

House Democrats withdrawing appeal in case over Trump's New York tax returns