BOSTON (CBS) – A new study shows just how far-reaching the coronavirus outbreak at the Biogen conference in Boston last February spread throughout the world. “I do think it speaks to the power of that virus to move from one person to another, to another, to another,” said Governor Charlie Baker. The Broad Institute study shows about 20,000 COVID-19 cases can be traced to the conference that took place at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf. It shows the virus moved very quickly from Boston to Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, Michigan, and even Australia. It somehow spread from the conference to Boston’s homeless community, and contributed to case-loads in hot-spots like Everett, Revere, and Chelsea. “In this particular event is was sort of like a perfect storm for a virus like this to spread that quickly,” said Tufts Medical Center Infectious Disease physician, Dr. Gabriela Andujar Vasquez. She said the study offers insight for schools and colleges planning on reopening. “Maybe with more people in the indoor setting, if masks and hygiene and social distancing happen in that setting, then we mitigate that risk.” Biogen employees helped researchers with the study. In a statement, Biogen executives said, “February 2020 was nearly a half year ago, and was a period when general knowledge about the coronavirus was limited…We never would have knowingly put anyone at risk.” ...
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House Republicans want Biden administration to provide briefing on NY nursing home scandal
close Video Grieving brothers demand answers in Cuomo nursing home scandal Peter and Daniel Arbeeny tell 'America Reports' they want New York gov to face 'fair investigation' A group of House Republicans are demanding the Biden administration’s Department of Health and Human Services give a briefing on New York’s nursing home deaths after Democrats quashed a push for a bipartisan hearing. " Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s disastrous March 15 order knowingly sent thousands of COVID-19 positive patients back into nursing homes across the state, which spread the virus and killed thousands of New York’s parents and grandparents," Reps. Kevin Brady, R-Texas; Devin Nunes, R-Calif.; and Tom Reed, R-N.Y., said in a statement announcing the move. Brady and Nunes are both members of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Reed has been vocal in calling for accountability in his home state. HHS MUST INVESTIGATE ALLEGED CUOMO NURSING HOME DEATHS COVER-UP, HOUSE REPUBLICAN URGES They are sending a letter to Acting Health and Human Services Secretary Norris Cochran asking for a briefing following revelations in New York that nursing home coronavirus deaths there had been underreported by half – jacking up the total to more than 15,000. "Given the Ways and Means Committee’s jurisdiction over Medicare payments to skilled nursing facilities and continued role in legislation relating to federal COVID-19 financial aid to states, it is essential the Committee use all tools at its disposal to investigate whether the state of New York deliberately provided false data to the federal government and to the public," the congressmen said. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo arrives to a COVID-19 vaccination site in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool) Cuomo has accused critics of making a tragedy into a political issue. CUOMO ADMIN SAYS TOTAL CORONAVIRUS DEATHS IN NURSING ...
Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse ‘Biggest Hypocrite in Politics’ on Dark Money
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) has served as one of the most vocal Democrat critics of “dark money’s” influence in politics, but the Rhode Island Democrat appears to be a significant beneficiary of dark money. Whitehouse has frequently criticized the alleged nefarious effects of dark money on politics, particularly as it relates to conservative and Republican dark money. Dark Money refers to political spending in which the source of the money is not disclosed. Political groups typically use dark money through political action groups such as 501(c)(4)s, and the federal government does not require those groups to disclose their donors. “Opaque” nonprofits and shell companies may also give unlimited donations to super PACs. The transparency organization OpenSecrets noted that while the Federal Election Commission (FEC) usually requires super PACs to disclose their donors, “some of these groups are effectively dark money outlets when the bulk of their funding cannot be traced back to the original donor.” Whitehouse most recently criticized conservative groups, allegedly funded by dark money, for launching attacking ads against President Joe Biden’s nominees. Whitehouse asked rhetorically, “Dark money groups running ads complaining about dark money. Hilarious. What are the chances they will support S.1 and DISCLOSE Act to get rid of dark money? Nil.” Dark money groups running ads complaining about dark money. Hilarious. What are the chances they will support S.1 and DISCLOSE Act to get rid of dark money? Nil. https://t.co/F3f7Izx8JJ — Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) February 18, 2021 Whitehouse also told former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) in January 2020 how then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) kept the Senate Republican Conference in line using dark money: Whitehouse also attacked the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in November 2019, claiming that the organization was using its dark money to attack efforts to combat alleged ...
Ted Cruz: Fortune 500, Wall Street ‘Overwhelmingly Favor’ Joe Biden, Democrats
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) on Tuesday slammed Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse’s (D-RI) attack on “dark money,” noting that Fortune 500 companies and Wall Street “overwhelmingly favor” Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden. Whitehouse attacked dark money’s alleged influence in American politics and elections. The Rhode Island Democrat spent his 30 minutes allotted for questioning Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s qualifications for the Supreme Court by attacking conservative institutions such as the Federalist Society. During his time, he failed to ask Barrett one question. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) just “questioned” Judge Amy Coney Barrett for approximately 30 minutes. ACB word count in the exchange: 0 — Guy Benson (@guypbenson) October 13, 2020 Cruz noted that most super PAC spending during the 2016 presidential election benefitted Democrats over Republicans. He explained: Our Democratic colleagues when they address the issue of free speech, of so-called ‘dark money,’ and campaign finance contributions, are often deeply, deeply hypocritical. And, they don’t address the actual facts that exist. Here are some facts, of the top 20 organizations spending money for political speech in the year 2016, 14 of them gave virtually of their money to Democrats. And another three split their money evenly, so only three of the top 20 gave money to Republicans, what did that mean in practice? That meant that the top 20 super PACs donors contributed $422 million to Democrats and $189 million to Republicans. “Those who give those impassioned speeches against dark money don’t mention that their side is funded by dark money with a massive differential,” Cruz added. Breitbart News’ John Binder reported in September that “all the big banks” on Wall Street have backed Biden over Trump during the 2020 presidential election. CNN wrote : The securities and investment industry donated just $10.5 million to Trump’s presidential campaign and outside groups aligned with it, ...
Sheldon Whitehouse Presents ‘Dark Money’ Conspiracy Theory, Asks Amy Coney Barrett Zero Questions
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) used his entire time on the second day of the Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett on Tuesday to present a “dark money” conspiracy theory. He asked Judge Barrett no actual questions. Using a series of posters, a magic marker, a highlighter, and an indeterminate number of Post-it notes, Whitehouse sketched a complicated theory — called “The Scheme” — in which he claimed that “dark money” groups influenced the selection of judges. Sheldon Whiteshouse (Screenshot / C-SPAN) Whitehouse brought in various different groups and individuals, including Leonard Leo of the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group, and Carrie Severino of the Judicial Crisis Network, which advocates for constitutional conservatives on the bench. Though Whitehouse suggested that he needed to explain his theory to establish a “predicate” for asking Judge Barrett questions, he never asked her any questions. Whitehouse also railed against the Federalist Society in U.S. House testimony last month. The irony is that Whitehouse — and the left in general — have a “dark money” problem. As the Wall Street Journal noted : [O]n Tuesday Mr. Whitehouse refused to abide by the normal practice for congressional witnesses of answering questions. Mr. Whitehouse knew that, if he answered questions, he was under legal obligation to tell the truth. House Republicans might have asked him about the dark-money outfit Arabella Advisors. This for-profit entity oversees nonprofits including the Sixteen Thirty Fund and the New Venture Fund, which together reported nearly a billion dollars in revenue in 2017 and 2018. Arabella affiliate Demand Justice ran a smear campaign against Brett Kavanaugh and is now calling for Democrats to pack the Supreme Court. Demand Justice bills itself as a “project” of the Sixteen Thirty Fund and the New Venture Fund, and in public disclosures it lists the same office address as the two nonprofits. ...
