Our investigation into the Trump administration’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic continues. We obtained records regarding the country's limited testing supply in March 2020 and its impact on Florida health officials' response. americanoversight.org/in-the-documen…
When the pandemic first took hold last spring, the U.S. faced a dire shortage of Covid-19 tests, which could have helped officials track where the virus had already been transmitted and contain its spread. nytimes.com/2020/03/28/us/…
We obtained nearly 1,000 pages of documents from the Florida Department of Emergency Management in which officials email about these shortages in March 2020.
We previously previously published records highlighting the struggles that arose from the CDC's failure to create accurate tests in the crucial early weeks of the pandemic. Read more here: americanoversight.org/new-documents-…
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The @washingtonpost reports that in 2017, Trump administration Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue bought land worth millions for just $250,000 from a large agriculture corporation. Perdue had been nominated just a few weeks before the sale. washingtonpost.com/climate-enviro…
In 2009, Perdue and a business partner bought a plot of land along the Soque River in northern Georgia. Perdue and his partner received both wetland and stream credits from the government for turning the land into a wetland preserve, which they could sell to developers.
NEW: We obtained more documents related to the sham “audit” in Arizona.
The records show ‘audit’ spokesperson Randy Pullen asked if the subpoena for ballots extended beyond Maricopa County: “Ballot images for all counties would be even better.” americanoversight.org/document/arizo…
In this same email to Arizona Sen. Eddie Farnsworth on Dec. 16, Pullen notes that he was talking to a “Data scientist.” We know he later was in touch with conspiracy theorist Jovan Hutton Pulitzer, but we don’t know if that’s whom Pullen was referencing.
The documents also include emails in which the general counsel for the Senate Republican caucus sent Senate Pres. Karen Fann information about the statute that could allow the Senate to accept private donations to fund the “audit.”
The top state Senate official overseeing Arizona’s sham “audit” has continued to make misleading statements about the project, according to another set of emails we obtained in our investigation. #FOIAFriday americanoversight.org/document/arizo…
In an email to a reporter last month, Sen. President Karen Fann claimed "President Trump nor Mr. Giuliani did not push for the audit and they have not offered any financial or other assistance to the senate."
"I have not spoken with them since December which was well before any discussion about an audit."
Drivers hitting protesters is an increasingly common tactic for disrupting anti-racist protests. Several state-level bills give liability shields to these drivers.
In some cases, these driving attacks have been deadly. A Missouri bill, which has passed both chambers of the state legislature, would protect drivers who hit demonstrators in some circumstances.
Emails we obtained show Missouri Senator Rick Brattin’s support of a liability shield bill.
In an email to Sen. Brattin, a constituent said “I support your bill allowing deadly force against demonstrators.”
Voting rights have been increasingly under attack in the last decade.
This week, the Supreme Court will rule on a case that could undermine the remaining key provision of the Voting Rights Act.
The Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965 to prevent racially discriminatory voting policies. For decades, it has countered discrimination and removed voting barriers across the country.
But in 2013, the Supreme Court gutted Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, ruling in Shelby County v. Holder that states and localities with a history of voter discrimination no longer had to obtain DOJ approval to change voting procedures.
Today, the House will vote on legislation that would create a select committee to investigate the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection.
Numerous questions remain about that day. Here’s what we still don’t know — and how we’re investigating. THREAD americanoversight.org/open-questions…
1. White House Actions: How did the Trump White House respond to the attack and why was there a delay in authorizing the deployment of National Guard troops to assist at the Capitol?
While watching the events unfold, Pres. Trump reportedly took little action as the situation escalated. Two hours after the first barriers were breached, the White House released a video in which Trump told the rioters to “go home,” adding, “We love you. You’re very special.”