Trump Rally Attendees Must Agree Not To Sue Campaign Over Coronavirus Exposure
President Donald Trump will host a campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, getting back in front of his supporters after months mostly stuck in the White House. Despite Trump's recent silence on the pandemic, his campaign is requiring that attendees sign a liability waiver surrounding the coronavirus threat. No social distancing practices are planned for the rally. Meanwhile, Trump says he's working on an executive order to address police violence and racial disparities.
The Associated Press:
Downplaying Virus Risk, Trump Gets Back To Business As Usual
Three months after President Donald Trump bowed to the realities of a pandemic that put big chunks of life on pause and killed more Americans than several major wars, Trump is back to business as usual — even as coronavirus cases are on the upswing in many parts of the country. While the nation has now had months to prepare stockpiles of protective gear and ventilators, a vaccine still is many months away at best and a model cited by the White House projects tens of thousands of more deaths by the end of September. (Colvin and Miller, 6/12)
Politico:
Trump Rally Attendees Must Agree Not To Sue Campaign Over Potential Coronavirus Exposure
Supporters of President Donald Trump will soon be able to attend one of his signature, raucous campaign rallies again after a monthslong hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic — but first, they must agree not to sue the campaign if they contract the virus after the event. The Trump campaign on Thursday sent out registration information for the president’s first rally since March, with the campaign’s chief operating officer, Michael Glassner, proclaiming that there is “no better place” to restart rallies than Tulsa, Okla. (Oprysko, 6/11)
The Washington Post:
Trump’s Tulsa Campaign Rally Sign-Up Page Includes Coronavirus Liability Disclaimer
At the bottom of the registration page for tickets to the upcoming Trump campaign rally is a disclaimer notifying attendees that “by clicking register below, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present.” “By attending the Rally, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; BOK Center; ASM Global; or any of their affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, or volunteers liable for any illness or injury,” the notice states. (Sonmez, 6/11)
NPR:
Trump Campaign Faces Backlash Over Next Campaign Rally
Asked what precautions would be taken at Trump's rallies as they restart, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Wednesday "we will ensure that everyone who goes is safe," but she did not elaborate. The decision by the Trump campaign to hold a rally in Tulsa, where white mobs massacred black citizens in 1921 has been widely condemned by Democrats, including Rep. Val Demings of Florida and Sen. Kamala Harris of California. (Sprunt, 6/11)
NBC News:
Rally At Your Own Risk: Trump Campaign's Coronavirus Disclaimer To Supporters
The rally is being held in the Bank of Oklahoma Center and comes as the city is in phase three of reopening from the coronavirus pandemic. “Under Phase 3, businesses may resume unrestricted staffing at their worksites by observing proper CDC-recommended social distancing protocols and are recommended to continue increased cleaning and disinfecting practices," Gov. Kevin Stitt's office said in a May 29th statement. (Gregorian, 6/11)
CNN:
Trump Rally: The Campaign Says It Can't Be Held Liable If Tulsa Attendees Contract Coronavirus
Catherine Sharkey, a law professor at New York University School of Law, said waivers like the Trump campaign's are likely to become a regular part of American life as the country reopens and the coronavirus remains a threat. However, the waivers offer only a base-level protection against liability. "They only give limited protections, so they never would protect against, for example, gross negligence or recklessness," said Sharkey. "One could argue that holding a large public gathering that will draw people together in a context in which they're not able to do social distancing or follow the directive of the CDC, et cetera. One could argue that is grossly negligent." (Nobles, 6/11)
The Hill:
Trump Rally Sign-Up Includes Disclaimer About Potential COVID-19 Exposure
Public health experts have warned that mass gatherings can be dangerous in spreading the virus. North Carolina, Arizona and Florida — states where Trump has said he will hold future rallies — have seen their case totals increase in recent weeks. (Samuels, 6/11)
Politico:
‘They Had A Huge Opportunity’: People Of Color On Trump’s Team Reckon With A Backlash
It’s another Charlottesville moment for some aides inside the Trump administration. President Donald Trump’s handling of the nationwide anti-racism protests and the response to George Floyd’s killing is prompting a private reckoning, spurring sadness or soul-searching among some people of color who continue to serve in the administration after three and a half years, say several current and former aides. (Cook and Lippman, 6/12)
The New York Times:
Trump Defends Police, But Says He’ll Sign Order Encouraging Better Practices
President Trump offered only a vague policy response on Thursday to the killing of George Floyd, saying he would sign an executive order encouraging better practices by police departments while rejecting more far-reaching proposals to tackle racial injustice and police brutality in the United States. Dismissing police misconduct as the work of only a few “bad apples,” Mr. Trump strongly defended law enforcement agencies and made clear he had little interest in broader legislation being debated in Congress. (Baker and Kaplan, 6/11)
Politico:
Trump Says He’s Finalizing Executive Order On Police Reform
Decrying calls from progressive activists to defund the police and funnel that money to other community programs, Trump said he wanted to increase investment in law enforcement. “We’re not defunding police. If anything we’re going the other route,” Trump said. “We’re going to make sure our police are well trained, perfectly trained, they have the best equipment.” The president also announced plans to build “safety and opportunity and dignity” by increasing access to capital for minority-owned small businesses and confronting health care disparities in communities of color. (Cohen, 6/11)
In other news, presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden addresses racial disparities and the pandemic fallout —
The Wall Street Journal:
Biden Warns Of Coronavirus ‘Bounce-Back’, Says U.S. Ill-Prepared
Joe Biden warned Thursday of a second wave of coronavirus cases, saying the nation would require a surge in testing and protective equipment to allow businesses to reopen safely during the pandemic. The former vice president and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said during a town hall meeting in Philadelphia that he was seeing “nothing that is being done to prepare for what the experts and scientists are telling us is likely to be a bounceback.” (Thomas, 6/11)
NPR:
Biden Outlines Plan To Restart Economy, Including Testing Every Worker
"Trump may have forgotten about the coronavirus, but it hasn't forgotten about us," Biden said at the front of a horseshoe-shaped table at a community center in West Philadelphia. "The failure to respond to the pandemic, I think the federal government has abdicated any effective leadership role." The former vice president, meeting with black community leaders and business owners, said that he would also task the Occupational Safety and Health Administration with enforcing standard workplace safety requirements and that he wants to build out a public health job corps with state, tribal and local officials to conduct robust contact tracing. (Gringlas, 6/11)
