Hartford Courant -- January 21, 2022

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by  Hartford Courant

Capitol riot investigation Voting rights legislation Jobless claims increase Very chilly
House committee asks Ivanka Trump Schumer: Dems “made progress” in failed U.S. unemployment claims reach highest Partly sunny and unseasonably
to cooperate with probe. NEWS, PAGE 4 attempt to alter filibuster. NEWS, PAGE 6 level in three months. NEWS, PAGE 8 cold; high of 21. SPORTS, PAGE 6
VOLUME CLXXXVI CCOOUURRAANNTT..CCOOMM FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2022
UCONN MEN’S BASKETBALL
Ollie wins arbitration case
Former coach awarded more than $11.1 million, must receive $11,157,032.95 within winning the NCAA title in 2014 minor level two and three infrac-
the next 10 business days. but posting sub .500 records in tions.
ending four-year legal battle with university
“I am please with arbitrator his last two seasons. UConn came The investigation hadn’t been
Mark Irvings ruling which found under NCAA scrutiny for several completed when UConn initiated
By Dom Amore Arbitrator Mark Irvings, in that UConn did not have just cause infractions, the most serious of proceedings to fire Ollie for “just
Hartford Courant his ruling, found that UConn to terminate my contract,” Ollie which was the players’ use of an cause” on March 10, 2018, the day
“violated the collective bargain- said in a statement released by his outside trainer in Georgia. The after the season ended. On that day,
Former UConn men’s basketball ing agreement when it terminated attorneys. “I wish to thank God and NCAA eventually issued a three- Ollie vowed to clear his name.
coach Kevin Ollie has won his four- Kevin Ollie without just cause.” my family, whose grace sustained year show cause order, citing “UConn vigorously disagrees
year legal battle with the university At UConn, coaches are members me over the last four years.” Ollie for what it considers a “level with the decision of the arbitrator
over the years and compensation of the American Association of UConn, in its statement, called one” violation, providing false or and maintains without reservation
remaining on his contract when he University Professors, which filed Irvings’ decision “nonsensical.” misleading information to NCAA
was fired in March 2018. a grievance on Ollie’s behalf. Ollie Ollie coached six seasons, investigators, and other relatively Turn to Ollie, Page 2
CORONAVIRUS
IN CONNECTICUT
Omicron
surge
might be
ending
Weekly test positivity
rate at 17%; deaths
highest in 12 months
By Eliza Fawcett
Hartford Courant
Connecticut’s weekly
COVID-19 test positivity rate
and its number of hospital-
izations fell Thursday to their
lowest points in weeks as offi-
cials voiced cautious optimism
that the state may be nearing
the end of its last significant
surge of COVID-19.
“Now there seems to be
more of a consensus building
that this omicron wave may
well be the last major wave of
Senate Republican leader Kevin Kelly, of Stratford, takes questions during a Capitol news conference held by the GOP demanding more infection,” Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a
transparency and oversight of billions in federal dollars. MARK MIRKO/HARTFORD COURANT former Food and Drug Admin-
istration commissioner who
has advised Gov. Ned Lamont
A push for oversight
during the pandemic, said
during Lamont’s Thursday
briefing.
Connecticut’s seven-day
positivity rate now stands at
17%, the lowest it has been
since the start of 2022. Addi-
Lamont responds Connecticut GOP seeks transparency on “It is infuriating tionally, the number of patients
to GOP’s claims billions in federal funds flowing to state that these relief hospitalized with COVID-19
fell on Thursday to its lowest
funds meant point since Jan. 6.
Gov. Ned Lamont and his By Christopher Keating | Hartford Courant Yet the state also reported
to help those
chief of staff, Paul Mounds, 241 additional COVID-19
both said Thursday that HARTFORD — Connecticut Senate Republicans called who are truly in deaths this week — the great-
they support transparency Thursday for quarterly reports and public hearings by the est number of deaths per week
and have been disclosing legislature to have better oversight concerning billions of need — the sick, Connecticut has seen since
financial information. “I’m dollars in federal funds flowing to Connecticut. January 2021.
the hungry, and
100% there,’’ Lamont told The senators said there is insufficient oversight and trans- “Two hundred forty-one,
reporters on a Zoom call. parency, as shown by the alleged loss of more than $600,000 those in most that’s a very high number,”
“We’ve got to earn the trust in federal funds in West Haven in an FBI case that is still pend- Lamont said during the briefing.
need during the
of the taxpayers every day.’’ ing. Lawmakers have sought audits of all 169 towns that have
The governor’s budget office received federal funds following the arrest of then-state Rep. pandemic — were Turn to Virus, Page 3
delivers a monthly report to Michael DiMassa, a West Haven Democrat who was accused
the state comptroller that of stealing more than $600,000 in federal money by billing the misdirected.’’
includes federal spending, and city of West Haven for consulting services that federal officials 48.6%
the budget office also reports said he never performed. Senate Republican
spending on its website. The Now, Republicans said they will submit legislation to require leader Kevin Kelly, on
bipartisan state auditors quarterly reports and then quarterly public hearings in front the ongoing FBI case Percentage of fully vaccinated
also “will go over every dollar involving a lawmaker Connecticut residents 18 or
expended,’’ Lamont said. Turn to Oversight, Page 3 from West Haven older who have received a
booster dose.
Biden issues new warning to Russia
‘Heavy price’ will be ident Vladimir Putin came in will pay a heavy price.”
paid should Ukraine be remarks from the White House On Wednesday, Biden said he
and was another effort to clear thinks Moscow will invade and
invaded, president says
up any confusion about the posi- warned Putin that his country
tion of the U.S. and its NATO would pay a “dear price” in lives
By Matthew Lee allies after Biden was criticized lost and a possible cutoff from the
and Frank Jordans Wednesday for saying a “minor global banking system if it does.
Associated Press incursion” by Russia would elicit But Biden also prompted
a lesser response. consternation among allies after
BERLIN — President Joe “I’ve been absolutely clear with saying the response to a Russian
Biden said Thursday that any President Putin. He has no misun- invasion “depends on what it does.”
Russian troop movements across derstanding: Any, any assembled “It’s one thing if it’s a minor
Ukraine’s border would constitute Russian units move across the incursion and then we end up
an invasion, saying that Moscow Ukrainian border, that is an inva- having a fight about what to do and
would “pay a heavy price” for such sion,” Biden said. not do, et cetera,” he said.
an action. “Let there be no doubt at all if A Ukrainian soldier stands in a trench Thursday in Mariupol, Ukraine, near
His warning to Russian Pres- Putin makes this choice, Russia Turn to Russia, Page 3 the border with Russia. ANDRIY DUBCHAK/AP
Hartford gets grant to aid nonfatal shooting probes Opinion .....................News, 10 Puzzles ...Connecticut, 7, 9
Obits ...................News, 12-13 Comics ...Connecticut, 8-9
A $500,000 federal grant will support a police team focused on boosting the currently Lottery ........................News, 2
meager number of arrests and convictions in nonfatal shootings. CONNECTICUT, PAGE 1 Classified ..................News, 11
2 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Friday, January 21, 2022
FROM PAGE ONE
Ollie
from Page 1
that the decision to terminate
Kevin Ollie when it did was
the correct and appropri-
ate decision,” the university
said. “Indeed, in his decision,
the arbitrator agrees that
the NCAA’s ruling that Ollie
engaged in serious NCAA
violations gave UConn suffi-
cient basis to terminate Ollie
for just cause. However, the
arbitrator concluded that
UConn should have waited
the 16 months it took for
the NCAA proceedings to
conclude before terminat-
ing Ollie.
“As an NCAA member
institution, UConn did not
have the luxury of waiting
more than a year before
terminating Ollie for the
misconduct the univer-
sity was aware he had
engaged in. UConn could
not continue to employ a
head coach with the knowl-
edge that he had violated
NCAA rules that put
student athletes, as well as
the entire UConn athletics
program, in jeopardy.”
Though Ollie’s personal
contract with UConn
considered the incurring
of NCAA sanctions as just
cause for termination, the
CBA’s language set a higher
bar. Ultimately, the arbitra-
tor used the CBA standard.
“UConn is disap-
pointed that the arbitrator
concluded that the standard Kevin Ollie won his arbitration case with UConn and will receive the $11 million remaining on his last contract. COURANT FILE
of just cause set forth in
Ollie’s individual employ- negotiated between the importantly, it restores his took over the case. alma mater and an institu- losses in revenue, such as
ment agreement was super- University and its coaches, good reputation as an indi- The two sides, unable tion that has meant so much TV sales, due in large part
seded by the definition in but cannot be held to the vidual with the highest to come to a compro- to me over the years, that to the COVID-19 pandemic,
the collective bargaining ethical and behavioral stan- ethical standards. Contrary mise settlement, went to the university will always widened the gap.
agreement,” UConn said. dards contained in those to the NCAA’s erroneous arbitration, in which a have a special place in my Part of its cost-cut-
“Yet this same employment same agreements.” and unfounded decision winner-take-all decision is heart and will always be ting efforts was the elim-
agreement forms the basis The sides fought a long released on July 2, 2019, rendered. The university a part of my family,” Ollie ination of four sports,
of the salary awarded. battle in court and in the Kevin Ollie did not violate is reviewing its options, said. but it had to reinstate the
“The arbitrator’s decision media, including infer- the NCAA rules that were according to a spokesper- UConn athletics has women’s rowing program
is nonsensical and seriously ences of a double standard, used to justify the draco- son. been dealt other financial after former members
impedes the University’s because other coaches, such nian sanctions against him.” Ollie, who played for setbacks recently. brought a Title IX lawsuit.
ability to manage its athlet- as Ollie’s predecessor, Jim Numerous coaches UConn from 1991-95 and This week, the depart- UConn settled the suit
ics program. It also sends a Calhoun, were not fired and former players were later played 13 seasons ment reported a $47.2 Dec. 29, agreeing to keep
signal to other coaches in after the school drew NCAA deposed in the various in the NBA, is currently million deficit for the year the program, make several
Connecticut that they may infractions. federal court cases and the coach and director of player ending in June 2021, up $4 upgrades to its facilities,
ignore NCAA rules with “The decision completely arbitration case, and the development for Overtime million from the previous add six new scholarships
impunity and continue to vindicates Kevin Ollie and process was delayed when Elite, an organization for year. and submit to an audit of
be employed and paid. his tenure as head coach at the original arbitrator, high school age players who It had been instructed the athletic program for
“It is also inconsistent UConn,” read a statement Marcia Greenbaum, died are paid, rather than choose to cut $10 million from its Title IX compliance.
that the coaches are enti- from Ollie’s attorneys, in January 2021. Irvings, college. deficit, which is offset by
tled to the benefits of the Jacques J. Parenteau and who has been an arbitrator “I wish to assure the student fees and a univer- Dom Amore can be reached
employment contracts Williams D. Madson. “More for Major League Baseball, UConn community, my sity subsidy, by 2023, but at [email protected].
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Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Friday, January 21, 2022 3
FROM PAGE ONE
Oversight The Republican bill was The legislature has tion from Lamont before legal fees, overtime, testing, settlement funds,’’ said
not available Thursday, already been pushing for any money is spent. vaccinations, and personal deputy Senate Republican
from Page 1 but Kelly said it will be oversight on various pots The state is also expected protective equipment such leader Paul Formica of East
ready when the 2022 regu- of money. to receive $5.4 billion over as masks and gloves, among Lyme.
of the key committees on lar session of the General Last year, lawmakers the next five years in federal others. Spending informa- The Connecticut Confer-
specific issues, includ- Assembly begins on Feb. 9. passed a bill ensuring that infrastructure funds, which tion is already available on ence of Municipalities
ing transportation, envi- Gov. Ned Lamont and his the legislature will play a are also counted separately. the web site of the gover- announced in recent days
ronment, appropriations, chief of staff, Paul Mounds, vital role in deciding how The money sent to the nor’s budget office, but that 168 of the 169 munic-
finance, and government both said Thursday that $2.7 billion in direct federal towns is overseen sepa- lawmakers said they want ipalities had opted in to
administration and elec- they support transparency funding over the next three rately by the governor’s more transparency. receive opioid money. Only
tions. and have been disclosing years is spent. budget office — not the The Republicans are Salem did not sign up, but
“Connecticut can and financial information. The measure covered legislature. calling for oversight of an officials are working to see
must do better when it “I’m 100 percent there,’’ the federal money that will The budget office has opioid settlement of $300 if they would be included.
comes to accountability,’’ Lamont told reporters on be coming to the state over sent a detailed letter to million that will go to cities The exact breakdown
said Senate Republican a Zoom call. “We’ve got to three years — not federal mayors, first selectmen, and and towns over the next 18 of payments has not been
leader Kevin Kelly of Strat- earn the trust of the taxpay- money going directly to town finance officers that years. They said that money finalized, but the combined
ford. ers every day.’’ cities and towns for educa- said the inspector general of must go to opioid recovery total could be $16.7 million
Noting that West Haven The governor’s budget tion and other expenses. the U.S. Department of the and treatment of addiction, per year for 18 years, offi-
and its residents have strug- office delivers a monthly The money for the state Treasury will be conduct- unlike the tobacco settle- cials said. The towns will
gled financially for years, report to the state comp- needs to be allocated and ing an audit of the federal ment funds that were spent receive the money as part
Kelly said, “It is infuriat- troller that includes federal will be distributed in the spending. on a wide variety of unre- of a broader settlement
ing that these relief funds spending, and the budget traditional manner as the The reports for the towns lated programs and not involving 14 states, includ-
meant to help those who are office also reports spending state budget — meaning are highly detailed with enough on programs to quit ing Connecticut.
truly in need — the sick, the on its website. The bipar- scrutiny by the legislature’s multiple, separate cate- smoking.
hungry, and those in most tisan state auditors also Appropriations Committee gories that include clean- “We cannot allow these Christopher Keating can
need during the pandemic “will go over every dollar and then votes in the House ing supplies, equipment, funds to be squandered, as be reached at ckeating@
— were misdirected.’’ expended,’’ Lamont said. and Senate with collabora- food programs, hazard pay, we saw with the tobacco courant.com
Virus
from Page 1
“Almost all of them unvac-
cinated, older, comorbidi-
ties — a number which is a
lagging indicator. I think that
number is going to go down,
but all our prayers.”
With the approaching
Feb. 15 expiration of his
emergency orders, Lamont
said he hopes to see the
state legislature codify his 11
remaining executive orders,
including those involving
COVID-19 safety measures
for nursing home visitors
and a mask mandate for chil-
dren in school. However, the
state is not asking the legis-
lature to extend the mandate
requiring executive branch
state employees to be vacci-
nated or to submit to weekly
testing.
“We have not asked
for that to be continued,”
Lamont said. “At this point,
the overwhelming major-
ity of our state employees
are vaccinated. With that
mandate in place, we got a
lot of people vaccinated at
the last moment.”
Lamont’s executive order
mandating vaccination for
long-term care staff, as well
as for state hospital employ-
ees, will continue and has Dr. Andrew Lim, from left, walks to the Bristol Hospital Emergency Department with Theresa Landau and 75-year-old nurse Barbara O’Neill on Jan. 5. As of
been expanded to include Thursday, Connecticut reported 1,733 people hospitalized with COVID-19, a decrease of 72 patients since Wednesday as the metric fell to its lowest point since
boosters, chief operating Jan. 5. MARK MIRKO/HARTFORD COURANT
officer Josh Geballe noted.
Through a new executive positivity rate of 13.29%, cut reported 1,733 people tal officials say the rate is reported 241 additional older were fully vaccinated,
order announced this week, the lowest it has been since hospitalized with COVID- significantly higher when COVID-19 deaths on Thurs- according to the CDC.
visitors to nursing homes in late December. The state’s 19, a decrease of 72 patients considering only patients day, bringing its total during Additionally, about 48.6%
the state will be required to seven-day positivity rate since Wednesday as the with severe symptoms. the pandemic to 9,683. of fully vaccinated Connecti-
show proof of full vaccina- now stands at 17%, the metric fell to its lowest “What we are seeing, The United States has cut residents 18 or older
tion against COVID-19 or a lowest it has been Jan. 1. point since Jan. 5. particularly in our ICUs, now recorded 859,503 have received a booster dose.
recent negative test, effec- All eight Connecticut Hospital officials say some is that many of the vacci- COVID-19 deaths, according The CDC warns that
tive Saturday. counties are still recording of patients hospitalized with nated people who are there to the Coronavirus Resource booster shots are sometimes
“That’s how we can keep “high” levels of COVID- COVID-19 were admitted have immunocompromis- Center at Johns Hopkins misclassified as first doses,
your loved ones safe despite 19 transmission as defined for reasons other than the ing conditions, are older, University. likely inflating the reported
the high community spread by the federal Centers for virus before testing positive are more vulnerable people Vaccinations: As of number of first-dose cover-
around the area,” Lamont Disease Control and Preven- upon arrival, but emphasize to begin with,” Dr. Manisha Thursday, 91.5% of all age and understating the
said. tion. With this level of trans- that a majority have signifi- Juthani, the commissioner Connecticut residents and true number of people who
Cases and positivity rate: mission, the CDC advises cant COVID-19 symptoms. of the State Department of 95% of those 12 and older have received boosters.
Connecticut on Thursday people to wear a mask in According to the state, Public Health, said of hospi- had received at least one
reported 4,805 new COVID- public indoor settings. 58.7% of people hospital- talized patients who are COVID-19 vaccine dose, Eliza Fawcett can be
19 cases out of 36,158 tests Hospitalizations: As ized with COVID-19 are fully vaccinated. while 75.9% of all residents reached at elfawcett@
administered, for a daily of Thursday, Connecti- not fully vaccinated. Hospi- Deaths: Connecticut and 84.5% of those 12 and courant.com.
Russia knows they are nonstarters.
That, Blinken said, is proof
from Page 1 of Putin’s ulterior motive.
“So far, our good-faith
Biden said Thursday that gestures have been rebuffed
“Russia has a long history of — because, in truth, this
using measures other than crisis is not primarily about
overt military action to carry weapons or military bases,”
out aggression — paramili- he said. “It’s about the
tary tactics, so-called gray sovereignty and self-deter-
zone attacks and actions by mination of Ukraine and
Russian soldiers not wearing other post-Soviet states.
Russian uniforms.” And at its core, it’s about
Ukrainian President Russia’s rejection of a post-
Volodymyr Zelenskyy Cold War Europe that is
was among those express- whole and free.”
ing concern about Biden’s Russia on Thursday
“minor incursion” remark. announced sweeping naval
“We want to remind the maneuvers through Febru-
great powers that there are ary, some apparently in the
no minor incursions and Black Sea, involving over
small nations. Just as there 140 warships and more than
are no minor casualties and 60 aircraft.
little grief from the loss of Separately, Spain’s
loved ones,” he tweeted. defense minister said the
Earlier, Secretary of State country was sending two
Antony Blinken warned warships to the Black Sea
that there would be a “swift, with NATO approval.
severe” response from the Amid concerns that
United States and its allies if Putin may not be moved by
Russia sent military forces threats of sanctions and that
into Ukraine. A Ukrainian soldier walks on the line of separation from pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine on Thursday. ANDRIY DUBCHAK/AP an invasion will not draw
Later, Blinken accused as strong an international
Russia of threatening the solve them in Geneva tomor- by no-man’s-lands patrolled U.S. and its partners were Ukrainian and Western talk response as the U.S. believes
foundations of world order row.” by soldiers, with the threat united, noting that Amer- of an imminent Russian is warranted, Blinken
with its estimated 100,000 He said Russia’s actions of all-out war hanging heav- ican diplomats have held attack was a “cover for stag- made a direct appeal to the
troops near Ukraine. He said toward Ukraine are an ily over everyone’s lives,” more than 100 meetings ing large-scale provocations Russian people to oppose
Russia must face a severe attempt to subvert inter- Blinken said. “It would also with allies in recent weeks of their own.” any intervention.
global response if it invades. national norms and just send a message to others “to ensure that we are speak- Russia wants bind- “You deserve to live with
His speech came in Berlin, the latest in a string of around the world that these ing and acting together with ing security guarantees, security and dignity, like all
the city that symbolized the Moscow’s violations of principles are expendable. one voice when it comes to including a permanent people everywhere, and no
Cold War split between numerous treaties, agree- “We will not treat the Russia.” prohibition on Ukrainian one — not Ukraine, not the
East and West, as Blinken ments and other commit- principles of sovereignty or Russia denies it is plan- membership in NATO, to United States, not the coun-
prepares to meet Friday in ments it has made to respect territorial integrity as nego- ning an invasion and which Kyiv aspires, and the tries of NATO — is seek-
Geneva with Foreign Minis- the sovereignty and terri- tiable,” he added. accused the West of plotting removal of most of the U.S. ing to jeopardize that. But
ter Sergey Lavrov in a bid to tory of other countries. The speech came after “provocations” in Ukraine, and allied military presence what really risks your secu-
ease tensions that appears “To allow Russia to violate Blinken and top diplomats citing the delivery of weap- in eastern Europe. rity is a pointless war with
likely to fail. those principles with impu- from Britain, France and ons to the country by British The U.S. and its European your neighbors in Ukraine,
“These are difficult issues nity would drag us all back Germany met to project a military transports in recent partners say they are willing with all the costs that come
we are facing, and resolving to a much more dangerous united front over concerns days. to consider certain less-dra- with it — most of all, for the
them won’t happen quickly,” and unstable time, when this that Russia may be planning Russian Foreign Minis- matic gestures but that the young people who will risk
Blinken said Thursday. “I continent — and this city — to invade Ukraine. try spokesperson Maria Russian demands are out of or even give their lives to it,”
certainly don’t expect we’ll were split in two, separated Blinken stressed that the Zakharova alleged the question and that Putin he said.
4 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Friday, January 21, 2022
Jan. 6. panel calls on Ivanka Trump
House committee also wrote that investigators
reaches out about had received information
from Kellogg about Donald
riot conversations Trump’s refusal to condemn
the violence, despite White
By Jill Colvin House officials and even
and Farnoush Amiri Republican members of
Associated Press Congress urging him to do
so.
WASHINGTON — The Kellogg testified that
House committee inves- Donald Trump had rejected
tigating the U.S. Capitol entreaties by him as well
insurrection is asking Ivanka as Mark Meadows, his
Trump, daughter of former chief of staff, and Kayleigh
President Donald Trump, McEnany, the White House
to voluntarily cooperate as press secretary. Kellogg then
lawmakers make their first appealed to Ivanka Trump
public attempt to arrange to intervene.
an interview with a Trump The letter also mentioned
family member. a message, in the days before
The committee sent a the scheduled vote certifi-
letter Thursday requesting cation between an uniden-
a meeting in February with tified member of the House
Ivanka Trump, a White Freedom Caucus to Mead-
House adviser to her father. ows with an explicit warn-
In the letter, the commit- ing: “If POTUS allows this to
tee chairman, Rep. Bennie occur ... we’re driving a stake
Thompson, D-Miss., said in the heart of the federal
Ivanka Trump was in direct republic.”
contact with her father POTUS is an abbreviation
during key moments on for president of the United
Jan. 6, 2021, when Trump States.
supporters stormed the The other requests in
Capitol in an effort to halt The panel has asked Ivanka Trump to voluntarily cooperate with the riot investigation. BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/GETTY-AFP 2020 the letter to Ivanka Trump
the congressional certifica- concern conversations after
tion of Joe Biden’s presiden- “Ivanka Trump just ongoing lawlessness and The committee said Keith Oval Office and observed at Donald Trump’s tweeted,
tial win. learned that the January 6 violence on Capitol Hill,” Kellogg, a retired lieutenant least one side of that tele- “Mike Pence didn’t have the
The riot followed a rally Committee issued a public Thompson wrote. general who was Pence’s phone conversation,” the courage to do what should
near the White House letter asking her to appear,” The letter is the commit- national security adviser, letter to Ivanka Trump said, have been done to protect
where Donald Trump had her spokesperson said. “As tee’s first attempt to seek was also in the room and adding that the commit- our Country and our Consti-
urged his supporters to the Committee already information from inside the testified to investigators tee “wishes to discuss the tution.”
“fight like hell” as Congress knows, Ivanka did not speak Trump family. that Donald Trump ques- part of the conversation The panel also revealed
convened to certify the 2020 at the January 6 rally.” Earlier this week, it issued tioned whether Pence had you observed” between the that Kellogg told investiga-
election results. The committee cited testi- subpoenas to lawyer Rudy the courage to delay the then-president and Pence. tors he had recommended
The committee says mony that Ivanka Trump Giuliani and other members congressional counting of “The committee has infor- “very strongly” against the
it wants to discuss what implored her father to quell of Trump’s legal team who the electoral votes. mation suggesting that Pres- president speaking on live
Ivanka Trump knew about the violence by his support- filed meritless court chal- The Constitution makes ident Trump’s White House television because his “press
her father’s efforts, includ- ers and investigators want to lenges to the election that clear that a vice president’s counsel may have concluded conferences tend to get out
ing a telephone call they ask about her actions during fueled the lie that the role is largely ceremonial that the actions President of control.”
say she witnessed, to pres- the insurrection. race had been stolen from in the certification process, Trump directed Vice Pres- The panel says it has
sure then-Vice President “Testimony obtained by Trump. and Pence had issued a state- ident Pence to take would interviewed nearly 400
Mike Pence to reject those the Committee indicates The committee is narrow- ment before the congressio- violate the Constitution or people and issued dozens of
results, as well as concerns that members of the White ing in on three requests nal session that laid out his would be otherwise illegal,” subpoenas as it prepares a
she may have heard from House staff requested your to Ivanka Trump, starting conclusion that a vice presi- Thompson wrote. “Did you report for release before the
Pence’s staff, members of assistance on multiple with a conversation alleged dent could not claim “unilat- discuss those issues with any midterm elections.
Congress and the White occasions to intervene in an to have taken place between eral authority” to reject member of the White House
House counsel’s office about attempt to persuade Presi- Donald Trump and Pence on states’ electoral votes. Counsel’s Office?” The New York Times con-
those efforts. dent Trump to address the the morning of the attack. “You were present in the In the letter, Thompson tributed.
Special grand jury sought
in Trump election probe
Georgia prosecutor gia Secretary of State Brad President Joe Biden found
looking at the effort Raffensperger, a November fewer than 500 cases.
2020 phone call between In Georgia, officials iden-
to overturn results Sen. Lindsey Graham, tified 64 potential voter
R-S.C., and Raffensperger, fraud cases, representing
By Kate Brumback the abrupt resignation of the 0.54% of Biden’s margin of
Associated Press U.S. attorney in Atlanta on victory in the state. Of those,
Jan. 4, 2021, and comments 31 were determined to be the
ATLANTA — The Geor- made during December result of an administrative
gia prosecutor looking into 2020 Georgia legislative error or some other mistake.
possible attempts to inter- committee hearings on the Willis’ office has tried
fere in the 2020 general election. to interview multiple
election by former President A Trump spokesman has witnesses and gather
Donald Trump and others previously dismissed the evidence, but some
has asked for a special grand investigation as a politically witnesses and prospec-
jury to aid the investigation. motivated “witch hunt.” tive witnesses have refused
Fulton County District Graham has also denied any to cooperate without a
Attorney Fani Willis on wrongdoing. subpoena, she wrote in the
Thursday sent a letter to In a statement Thurs- letter to Brasher.
Fulton County Superior day, Trump said his call to For example, Willis wrote
Court Chief Judge Chris- Raffensperger was “perfect.” in the letter that Raffen-
topher Brasher asking him “I didn’t say anything sperger, whom she calls Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is requesting a special grand jury to aid in her
to impanel a special grand wrong in the call, made an “essential witness,” has investigation of former President Trump. ALYSSA POINTER/ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION
jury. She wrote in the letter while I was President on “indicated that he will not
that her office “has received behalf of the United States participate in an interview and comply if compelled to stances. And having a special any evidence of attempts to
information indicating a of America, to look into the or otherwise offer evidence appear before a grand jury, grand jury would mean that influence election officials.
reasonable probability that massive voter fraud which until he is presented with a according to the transcript. the regular seated grand jury The probe includes
the State of Georgia’s admin- took place in Georgia,” subpoena by my office.” Special grand juries can wouldn’t have to deal with “potential violations of
istration of elections in 2020, Trump said. He ended his A special grand jury help in the investigation of this investigation in addi- Georgia law prohibiting
including the State’s elec- statement by saying, “No would have the power to complex matters. They do tion to their regular duties, the solicitation of election
tion of the President of the more political witch hunts!” subpoena witnesses. not have the power to return she wrote. fraud, the making of false
United States, was subject Federal and state offi- When asked by email an indictment but can make She also asked that a statements to state and local
to possible criminal disrup- cials have repeatedly said whether Raffensperger recommendations to pros- superior court judge be government bodies, conspir-
tions.” there was no evidence of would decline to partici- ecutors on criminal prose- appointed to assist and acy, racketeering, violation
Willis has declined to widespread voter fraud in pate without a subpoena, a cutions. supervise the special grand of oath of office and any
speak about the specifics of Georgia or elsewhere in the spokesman sent a transcript Willis said the special jury in its investigation. involvement in violence or
her investigation, but in an country during the 2020 of Raffensperger’s Thursday grand jury is needed because Willis, who took office in threats related to the elec-
interview with The Associ- election. appearance on Fox News. it can serve a term longer January 2021, sent letters to tion’s administration,” the
ated Press earlier this month An AP investigation into Raffensperger said his than a normal grand jury top elected officials in Geor- letters said.
she confirmed that its scope cases of potential voter fraud office has cooperated, send- term. It would also be able to gia in February instruct- Willis has said that a deci-
includes — but is not limited in Georgia and the five other ing Willis’ team anything focus on this investigation, ing them to preserve any sion on whether to seek
to — a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call battleground states where they’ve requested, and that allowing it to focus on the records related to the charges could come in the
between Trump and Geor- Trump disputed his loss to he would follow the law complex facts and circum- general election, particularly first half of the year.
Ala. surgeons test pig kidneys in donated body
By Lauran Neergaard year. earlier this month, surgeons them inside the deceased
Associated Press “The organ shortage is in at the University of Mary- man’s abdomen.
fact an unmitigated crisis land Medical Center gave For a little over three days,
Researchers on Thurs- and we’ve never had a real a dying man a heart from a until the man’s body was
day reported the latest in a solution to it,” said Dr. Jayme gene-edited pig that is keep- removed from life support,
surprising string of exper- Locke of the University of ing him alive. the pair of pig kidneys
iments in the quest to save Alabama at Birmingham, But scientists still needed survived with no sign of
human lives with organs who led the newest study to learn more about how to immediate rejection, her
from genetically modified and aims to begin a clini- test such transplants with- team reported Thursday
pigs. cal trial of pig kidney trans- out risking a patient’s life. in the American Journal of
This time around, plants. With the help of a family Transplantation.
surgeons in Alabama trans- Twice this fall, surgeons at who donated a loved one’s The research was
planted a pig’s kidneys into a New York University tempo- body for science, Locke conducted in Septem-
brain-dead man — a step-by- rarily attached a pig’s kidney mimicked the way human ber after the 57-year-old
step rehearsal for an opera- to blood vessels outside the organ transplants are done Alabama man was declared
Surgeons prepare to transplant kidneys from a modified pig tion they hope to try in living body of a deceased recipient — from removing the pig brain-dead from a dirt bike
into a body. UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM 2021 patients possibly later this to watch them work. And “donor” kidneys to sewing racing accident.
Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Friday, January 21, 2022 5
WORLD & NATION
Wealth collides with climate change
Penalties for water
waste reach those
in Calif. enclave
By Kathleen Ronayne
Associated Press
In a wealthy California
enclave that is a haven for
celebrities, residents are now
facing more aggressive conse-
quences for wasting water.
The Las Virgenes Munici-
pal Water District northwest
of Los Angeles hopes to spur
water savings by making it
easier to fine households that
go over their allotted “water
budgets” and threatening
to vastly limit water flow to
customers who repeatedly
fail to conserve.
The district offers a bold
example of how local author-
ities across drought-stricken
California are trying to get
people to use less water,
voluntarily if possible but
with the threat of punish-
ment if they don’t comply.
Las Virgenes officials hope
their approach will be a
wakeup call for residents of
the affluent neighborhoods,
where most of the water goes A representative from the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District in California installs an advanced water metering system this month. JAE C. HONG/AP
toward use like landscaping
and pools. mild restrictions, such as Despite calls for conserva- particularly stressful for Las month, customers will face expensive to install, and few
“What we’re trying to do is waiting two days after a storm tion, water customers there Virgenes, which gets about fines if they go 150% over use penalties against resi-
conserve water now so that to water lawns. It could take increased use in August and 80% of its water from state their monthly budget. Previ- dents who overuse. Instead,
we can stretch the limited more significant steps later in September, then exceeded supplies. ously, the fine threshold many districts increase the
supplies we have available,” the year. the 15% reduction goal in The district’s new kicked in at 200%, and about cost of water as customers
said Dave Pederson, the In California, local districts October before again missing approach to spur conserva- 15% of the district’s custom- use more.
district’s general manager. provide water service, regu- the target in November. tion is part carrot, part stick: ers were fined, Pederson Such a method alters
California is feeling the late use and enforce penalties. One of the district’s biggest The agency is installing said. People get only a warn- behavior for some but is not
effects of climate change; it Las Virgenes serves about issues is “the ability for afflu- an advanced water meter- ing the first time they go over very effective at changing it
has had drought conditions 75,000 people in Agoura ent customers to significantly ing system that will show budget. for wealthy people, he said.
for most of the last decade Hills, Westlake Village, Cala- exceed their water budgets customers in real time how Households fined three Las Virgenes also uses such
and during that period basas and Hidden Hills, an consistently since money is much water they’re using. It’s times could have a flow a structure, then adds penal-
endured its most destructive area that in recent years has not a deterrent,” said Michael designed to help people spot restrictor put on their water ties on top.
and deadly wildfires. After attracted a growing number McNutt, the district’s spokes- when they are exceeding the system, slowing what comes It’s even rarer for a district
two exceptionally dry years of celebrities, including Kim man. He declined to name the limit and adjust their behav- out of their faucets or hoses to threaten flow restrictors,
that left the state’s reser- Kardashian. district’s biggest water users. ior, rather than waiting until to a trickle. Previously, the which are typically reserved
voirs at or near record lows, Like much of inland South- Due to dry conditions, the monthly bill arrives to district could add the restric- for customers who consis-
a string of recent winter ern California, Las Virgenes California regulators said in realize they overused. They’ll tors after five fines but never tently don’t pay their bills.
storms improved conditions. rarely sees rain outside the December they would not be installed district-wide by did. Las Virgenes doesn’t want
But most of the state is still in winter months, and during provide any water from state April except for customers Las Virgenes’ approach of to be heavy-handed with fines
severe drought. summer the average high supplies beyond what was who opt out, which few have advanced metering, fines and or restrictors, said Pederson,
In July, Democratic Gov. temperature is in the mid-90s needed for essentials like done. the threat of flow restrictors, the general manager. Fines
Gavin Newsom asked resi- Fahrenheit. It’s wealthier drinking and bathing. That Every household has a stands out among the state’s start at $2.50 and go as high
dents to voluntarily cut than most places — a typi- could change in the coming “water budget,” something more than 400 medium to as $10 for every 748 gallons
15% of their water use, but cal home in Calabasas sells months, but allocations used by many California large water agencies, he said. over the 150% threshold. The
it declined only 6% as of for more than $1.5 million, likely won’t go up signifi- water districts, based on Only a few dozen districts average house in the district
November. The state water according to the online real cantly unless it’s a very wet the number of residents and have the advanced meter- uses 19,448 gallons of water
board last month imposed estate marketplace Zillow. winter. The uncertainty is property size. Starting this ing systems because they are per month.
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6 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Friday, January 21, 2022
WORLD & NATION
New trial? Maxwell faces big hurdle
Judge can’t ask what
went on in jury room
following revelations
By Benjamin Weiser
The New York Times
NEW YORK — The
judge was questioning
potential jurors for the
Ghislaine Maxwell sex-traf-
ficking trial when she asked
a 35-year-old Manhattan
man, identified as Juror 50,
whether he had any doubt
about his ability to be fair to
both sides.
“No,” Juror 50 replied.
The judge pressed him:
Did he have any reason
to think he could not be
impartial?
“I do not,” replied the
man, who ended up as a
member of the jury that
convicted Maxwell on five
of six counts she faced.
But revelations in the
media that Juror 50 and a
second juror each disclosed A courtroom artist’s sketch of the jury during Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex-trafficking trial. Maxwell was convicted on five of six counts. ELIZABETH WILLIAMS 2021
personal histories of child-
hood sexual abuse to their testimony about the inner cier Jeffrey Epstein entice, mean it had not occurred. sexual abuse. He said he juror says that this was a
fellow jurors during delib- workings of deliberations groom and sexually abuse The jury room “went would have answered such mistake, that he missed the
erations have clouded the cannot be used by lawyers teenage girls. silent” as he told his story, questions honestly, Reuters question, that he misunder-
verdict. challenging a verdict, or by The jurors, whose names Juror 50 said in an inter- reported. It is not known stood the question,” Penza
Maxwell’s lawyers, citing a judge deciding whether to were not made public by the view with DailyMail.com. how the second juror filled said, “then you could have
Juror 50’s comments in overturn it. court, deliberated for five A second juror, in an out the questionnaire. an inquiry from Judge
the media, have said they The only exception, the days. They sent out notes interview with The New Both Juror 50 and the Nathan about whether
will seek a new trial. The Supreme Court has said, with questions for the judge York Times, also described second juror were called that juror was still fair and
judge, Alison Nathan of U.S. is where overt statements and requests for copies of being sexually abused as a for a second round of jury impartial.”
District Court, has asked during deliberations show transcripts before announc- child and discussing that selection, where Nathan, “Was that juror still will-
both sides for their views on a juror was motivated by ing their verdict Dec. 29. experience during jury drawing in part on their ing to follow the court’s
whether a court inquiry is racial animus in voting to A few days later, Juror 50 deliberations. The juror, responses to the question- instructions? Was that juror
appropriate, and, if so, what convict. revealed in an Instagram who requested anonym- naire, conducted ques- still going in with an open
its nature should be. “The court has been post that he had partici- ity, said the disclosure tioning known as voir dire. mind?” Penza added.
In trying to assess the extraordinarily protective pated as a juror in the trial. appeared to help influence Neither of the jurors was Stephen Gillers, who
effect of the jury room of the jury as a black box,” (The post has since been the jury’s discussions. asked whether they had teaches legal ethics at New
disclosures that Juror 50 said Richard Jolly, a law taken down.) In interviews Despite the broad prohi- been abused sexually or York University School of
described in the media — professor at Southwestern with several news outlets, bition on delving into the volunteered that they had Law, said that if either juror
and potentially those of Law School in Los Angeles Juror 50 said he was proud jury’s deliberations, Nathan been during the voir dire. had failed to reveal their
the second juror as well who has written extensively of the verdict and that he could examine how the Legal experts said abuse history in the ques-
— the judge is likely to be about the jury system. “We had found the four women two jurors responded to Nathan will have to deter- tionnaire, Nathan would
blocked by one of the legal really don’t want a court who testified about being detailed questionnaires mine whether the defense, want to know the answer
system’s most stringent to scrutinize every juror’s childhood victims of that hundreds of prospec- had it known of the two to the question that “she
and time-honored rules: considerations. We don’t Maxwell to be credible. tive jurors filled out before jurors’ histories, could have would have asked” had the
She cannot ask the jurors want the court to dig in and He also revealed that trial. The parties relied on successfully challenged jurors filled out the ques-
what happened during start policing how the jury during deliberations, he the responses to decide them “for cause” — because tionnaires accurately.
their deliberations. And is reaching its verdict. had disclosed that he had whether to seek to exclude they could not be impartial. “If it was intentional, that
the jurors are not allowed “These 12 people show been sexually abused as a jurors for various reasons Moira Penza, a former counts against the juror,”
to tell her. up, they do their job, they child and had not revealed like bias. federal prosecutor in Gillers said. “If it was a
Even though jurors may go home.” that abuse until years later. Juror 50 told Reuters Brooklyn, said it would be mistake or overlooked, then
speak to the media or write The jurors in the Maxwell He also explained to his that he “flew through” the difficult for Nathan not to that counts in favor of cred-
about their experiences, the trial heard testimony over fellow jurors that he could questionnaire and did not order a new trial if any juror iting the juror if he now says
Supreme Court has held that three weeks showing she not remember every detail recall being asked about his intentionally lied. it didn’t affect my delibera-
any jurors’ statements or helped disgraced finan- of his abuse, but that did not personal experiences with “If, on the other hand, the tion at all.”
Schumer notes gains despite
setback on voting legislation
By Lisa Mascaro
Associated Press
WASHINGTON —
Senate Majority Leader
Chuck Schumer said Thurs-
day that Democrats “made
progress” toward chang-
ing the Senate’s filibuster
rules to advance sweeping
voting legislation, despite
the dramatic collapse of
the package that his party
says is central to protecting
democracy.
From his office overlook-
Humanitarian aid is unloaded Thursday at Fua’amotu International Airport in Tonga following ing the National Mall with Sen. Chuck Schumer takes stock of the party’s progress
last Saturday’s volcanic eruption. LACW EMMA SCHWENKE/AUSTRALIAN DEFENSE FORCE portraits of the Roosevelts toward changing filibuster rules to advance voting legislation
above his desk — Franklin during a news conference. AMANDA ANDRADE-RHOADES/AP
Aid starts to arrive in Tonga on one side, Theodore on
the other — Schumer took He didn’t have the votes of voting rights advocates
stock of what was widely to overcome a Republican that Republicans in state
after major volcanic eruption seen as a striking setback filibuster, as all 50 GOP legislatures across the coun-
for President Joe Biden on senators lined up against try are explicitly seeking to
his first anniversary in office the package, criticizing it as disenfranchise Black voters.
as the Democrats’ signature federal overreach into state- The timing was also nota-
By Nick Perry sending emergency relief, expected to arrive later voting bill unraveled. run elections. ble, coming the same day
Associated Press including drinking water Thursday. It is carrying “If the choice was to go Then the bill was dealt that McConnell engineered
and equipment for clean- hydrographic equipment forward or not go forward, a devastating blow when a filibuster to block voting
WELLINGTON, New ing away volcanic ash. Two and divers, and also has a we’re much better off two Democratic senators, legislation that Democrats
Zealand — The first flights C-130 Hercules aircraft left helicopter to assist with having gone forward,” Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and civil rights leaders say
carrying fresh water and Thursday evening, and a delivering supplies. Schumer said. and Joe Manchin of West is vital to protecting democ-
other aid to Tonga finally transport vessel carrying Officials said the ship’s The legislation has Virginia, refused to change racy.
arrived Thursday after the two CH-47 Chinook heli- first task would be to check been one of the party’s the party’s rules in this one In follow-up remarks
Pacific nation’s main airport copters will depart as soon shipping channels and top priorities in Congress case to overcome the fili- Thursday, McConnell said:
runway was cleared of ash as it is ready, the Defense the structural integrity of since Democrats gained buster’s 60-vote threshold “I have consistently pointed
left by a huge volcanic erup- Ministry said. the wharf in the capital, control of both houses and and allow passage with a to the record-high turnout
tion. U.N. humanitarian offi- Nuku’alofa. the White House, bring- simple majority. for all voters in the 2020
New Zealand and Austra- cials report that about Another New Zealand ing unified party power to Meanwhile, Senate election, including African
lia each sent military trans- 84,000 people — more than navy ship carrying 66,000 Washington. Republican leader Mitch Americans.”
port planes that were 80% of Tonga’s popula- gallons of water is on its The Freedom to Vote: McConnell of Kentucky Back in Kentucky, Demo-
carrying water containers, tion — have been impacted way. The ship can also John R. Lewis Act is seen drew criticism for cratic U.S. Senate candidate
kits for temporary shel- by the volcano’s eruption, produce tens of thousands by party leaders and civil comments he made shortly Charles Booker tweeted,
ters, generators, hygiene U.N. spokesman Stephane of gallons of fresh water rights advocates as essen- before the GOP blocked the “Being Black doesn’t make
supplies and communica- Dujarric said, noting three each day using a desalina- tial to protecting the right federal elections bill, when you less of an American,
tions equipment. deaths, injuries, loss of tion plant. to vote as Republican-led he said “African American” no matter what this craven
The deliveries were homes and polluted water. Three of Tonga’s smaller states nationwide put in voters cast ballots at similar man thinks.” Booker, who
dropped off without the Communications with islands suffered serious place laws that will make rates to “Americans.” is Black, unsuccessfully
military personnel coming Tonga remain limited after damage from tsunami it more difficult for Black The minority leader ran for McConnell’s seat
in contact with people as Saturday’s eruption and waves, officials and the Red Americans and others to made the remark Wednes- in 2020 and is challenging
Tonga is desperate to make tsunami appeared to have Cross said. cast ballots. States are curb- day at a news conference in GOP Sen. Rand Paul this
sure foreigners don’t bring broken the single fiber-op- The U.N.’s Dujarric said ing early voting and mail-in Washington when he was year.
in the coronavirus. It has tic cable that connects “all houses have appar- ballots, both popular during asked about concerns that McConnell’s supporters
not had any outbreaks of Tonga with the rest of the ently been destroyed on the COVID-19 pandemic, people of color have about called it an unfair attack,
COVID-19 and has reported world. the island of Mango and and requiring various types voting rights. saying he simply left out a
one case since the pandemic One phone company, only two houses remain of voter identification, “The concern is word and meant to say that
began. Digicel, said Thursday it on Fonoifua island, with among other changes. misplaced because if you Black people vote at simi-
Rear Adm. James Gilm- had managed to restore extensive damage reported Schumer, D-N.Y., who is look at the statistics, African lar rates to “all” Americans.
our, the commander of New the ability to make inter- on Nomuka.” He said evac- in his first term as majority American voters are voting Black voters do cast ballots
Zealand’s Joint Forces, said national calls from some uations are underway for leader, has been under pres- in just as high a percentage at about the same rate as all
there had been a “mammoth places by using a satellite people from the islands. sure to deliver the voting as Americans,” McConnell voters, falling in between
effort” by Tongan troops “to link, but that people would According to Tongan package as it languished in said. Latinos, who are less likely
clear that runway by hand. need to be patient due to census figures, Mango is Congress, an uphill strug- The comment implied to go to the polls than Afri-
And they’ve achieved that high demand. home to 36 people, Fonoi- gle in the evenly split Senate that Black voters are some- can Americans, and whites,
this afternoon.” A navy patrol ship from fua is home to 69 people, that by many accounts how not American and who are more likely to go to
Japan also said it was New Zealand was also and Nomuka to 239. appeared doomed to fail. underscored the concerns the polls.
Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Friday, January 21, 2022 7
WORLD & NATION
NEWS BRIEFING
Call recording reveals
brother pleading with
Texas hostage-taker
From news services coming back in a body bag.”
Saturday’s 10-hour stand-
LONDON — A British man off at the synagogue ended
who held four people hostage after the last hostage ran out
in a Texas synagogue ranted of the synagogue and an FBI
against Jews and American SWAT team rushed in.
wars in countries like Afghan- Akram was killed, though
istan as his brother pleaded authorities have declined to
with him to give up and free say who shot him.
the captives, a recording of The Chronicle said the
the conversation shows. recording was part of a longer
In the expletive-filled 11 1/2-minute recording that it
recording posted on the obtained from a “security
website of The Jewish source.” The Associated Press
Chronicle, 44-year-old Malik was not able to independently
Faisal Akram said he was confirm the authenticity of
“bombed up” and equipped the recording, but experts
with “every ammunition” as believe it to be genuine.
he talked to his brother Satur-
day from inside Congrega- Report faults retired pope:
tion Beth Israel in the Dallas A long-awaited report on
suburb of Colleyville. sexual abuse in Germany’s
Gulbar Akram urged his Munich diocese on Thursday
brother to lay down his weap- faulted retired Pope Benedict Teenage pilot Zara Rutherford reacts Thursday after landing her ultralight plane at an airport in Kortrijk, Belgium. The 19-year-
ons and return to his children XVI’s handling of four cases old set a world record as the youngest woman to fly solo around the world. The record had been held since 2017 by Shaesta Waiz,
alive. when he was archbishop in a 30-year-old American pilot. Rutherford visited 41 nations on five continents over 155 days. GEERT VANDEN WIJNGAERT/AP
“You don’t need to do this. the 1970s and 1980s.
Why are you doing this?” he The law firm that drew
said. “Just pack it in. You’ll do up the report said Benedict in George Floyd’s killing, with for adults starting Feb. 1 with as “Havana syndrome.” date to a series of reported
a bit of time, and then you’ll strongly denies any wrong- the judge stressing repeatedly maximum potential fines of Investigators have studied brain injuries in 2016 at the
get out. doing. The archdiocese that fellow Officer Derek up to $4,000 for people who hundreds of cases reported U.S. Embassy in Cuba.
“These guys you’ve got commissioned the report Chauvin’s conviction on state don’t comply after a series of globally by U.S. intelligence
there, they’re innocent from law firm Westpfahl murder charges and guilty reminders. officers, diplomats and mili- MIT professor case: The
people, man,” he said. Spilker Wastl nearly two plea to a federal civil rights The measure will apply to tary personnel and whether Justice Department dropped
Malik Akram became years ago, with a mandate to violation should not influ- all residents of Austria age the injuries are caused by its case Thursday against
increasingly agitated and look into abuse between 1945 ence the proceedings. 18 and over. Exemptions are exposure to forms of directed a Massachusetts Institute
said he hoped U.S. authori- and 2019 and whether church J. Kueng, Thomas Lane made for pregnant women, energy. of Technology professor
ties would take notice of the officials handled allegations and Tou Thao are broadly people who for medical People affected have accused of concealing ties to
Jewish hostages and agree to correctly. The law firm exam- charged with depriving reasons can’t be vaccinated, reported headaches, dizzi- the Chinese government.
his demand that they release ined church files and spoke to Floyd of his civil rights while or who have recovered from ness, nausea and other The department revealed
Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani witnesses. acting under government the coronavirus in the previ- symptoms consistent with its decision in the case against
neuroscientist convicted of Church officials weren’t authority as Chauvin used ous six months. traumatic brain injuries. Gang Chen in a single-page
trying to kill U.S. soldiers in informed of the results ahead his knee to pin the Black man Officials say the mandate Most cases under review filing in federal court in
Afghanistan. of publication. The current to the street in May of 2020. is necessary because vacci- by intelligence officers have Boston, saying it could no
Akram said he had prayed archbishop — Cardinal Rein- Separately, they’re charged nation rates remain too low been linked to other known longer meet its burden of
about the attack for two hard Marx, a prominent in state court with aiding in the small Alpine country. medical conditions or to envi- proof.
years. He said he was ready reformist ally of Pope Fran- and abetting both murder They say the mandate will ronmental factors, an official The outcome, which had
to become a martyr and that cis — was faulted in two cases. and manslaughter in the ensure that Austria’s hospi- said, adding that in some been expected and earlier
his children shouldn’t cry at Marx’s predecessors videotaped killing that trig- tals are not overwhelmed cases, medical exams have recommended by prose-
his funeral. include the former Cardi- gered worldwide protests, with COVID-19 patients. revealed undiagnosed brain cutors in Boston, is a blow
“I promised my brother nal Joseph Ratzinger, who violence and a reexamination tumors or bacterial infec- to a Justice Department
when I watched him on his served in Munich from 1977 of racism and policing. ‘Havana syndrome’: The tions. effort known as the China
deathbed that I’d go down as to 1982 before becoming head Jury selection took just CIA believes it is unlikely A few dozen cases are Initiative, which was set up
a martyr,” he said at one point. of the Vatican’s Congregation one day for the federal trial. that Russia or another unresolved and remain under in 2018 to crack down on
One of his younger broth- for the Doctrine of the Faith The judge said opening state- foreign adversary has used active investigation, the offi- Chinese economic espio-
ers, who contracted COVID- and later being elected pope. ments would be Monday. microwaves or other forms cial said. nage and trade secret theft.
19, died a few months ago. of directed energy to attack The involvement of a Chen, a mechanical engi-
“I’ve come to die, G, OK?” George Floyd: A jury was Austria vaccine mandate: hundreds of American offi- foreign adversary has not neering professor at MIT,
the hostage-taker told his picked Thursday for the Austria’s parliament voted cials who attribute symptoms been ruled out in those was arrested in the final days
brother. “I’ve prayed to Allah federal trial of three Minne- Thursday to introduce a associated with brain injuries unsolved cases. of the Trump administration
for two years for this ... I’m apolis police officers charged COVID-19 vaccine mandate to what’s come to be known “Havana syndrome” cases and charged last year.
8 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Friday, January 21, 2022
US jobless
American Airlines loses
claims reach
$931M in fourth quarter
highest level
in 3 months
Incoming CEO says omicron hurting bookings, will delay carrier’s recovery
By David Koenig year — including January and February — tion that the COVID-19 surge passes soon
Associated Press when leisure travel tends to be light. Corpo- enough for travelers to get back on planes By Paul Wiseman
rate travel is just 40% of its pre-pandemic this spring and summer. Associated Press
DALLAS — American Airlines lost $931 level, he said. Helane Becker, an airline analyst for
million in the fourth quarter and the incom- Parker, who will remain chairman after Cowen, said domestic leisure travel is above WASHINGTON — The number of Amer-
ing CEO said Thursday that the surge in retiring as CEO, said over the past year that 2019 levels, but the virus is holding back icans applying for unemployment benefits
COVID-19 will delay the airline’s recovery American has swung from periods of high lucrative international travel. rose to the highest level in three months as
by two or three months. travel demand followed by declines as new “Consumers have a difficult time book- the fast-spreading omicron variant contin-
First-quarter revenue is expected to be variants of COVID-19 emerged, which ing international trips with any certainty ued to disrupt the job market.
down about 20% to 22% compared with the makes the airline’s job of planning more given changing rules and testing mandates,” Jobless claims rose for the third consec-
first quarter of 2019, and it will fly slightly difficult than ever before. Becker said in a note to clients. utive week — by 55,000 to 286,000, highest
less than it did two years ago, the airline The airlines saw strong demand from American’s fourth-quarter loss since mid-October, the Labor Department
said. holiday travelers at Thanksgiving and compared with a loss of nearly $2.2 billion reported Thursday.
That outlook roughly matches what Christmas, but as the year ended they were a year earlier. Excluding certain items, the The jump in claims marked the biggest
other airlines are saying. struggling with staffing shortages caused Fort Worth, Texas-based company said it one-week increase since mid-July.
The rise in virus cases fueled by the by omicron. The combination of winter would have lost $1.42 per share. The four-week average of claims, which
omicron variant is hurting bookings, but storms and employees calling in sick led Revenue was $9.43 billion, more than smooths out weekly volatility, rose by 20,000
airlines remain upbeat about spring and to thousands of flight cancellations in late double a year earlier and slightly above the to 231,000, highest since late November.
summer travel. December and early January, although $9.34 billion forecast from analysts. Economists said that last week’s unem-
Robert Isom, who will take over as CEO American grounded fewer flights than American’s report came a day after ployment claims may have been inflated by
after Doug Parker steps down March 31, Southwest, United or Delta. United Airlines reported a $646 million loss the Labor Department’s attempts to tweak
said the airline expects to return to profit- After encouraging thousands of employ- for the fourth quarter and said the omicron the numbers to account for seasonal varia-
ability later this year. ees to quit or take long-term leave in 2020, surge will cause it to fly less than it hoped in tions; unadjusted, applications fell last week
Isom said omicron has especially American hired 16,000 people last year and the first half of this year. by more than 83,000.
crimped business and international travel, plans to hire 18,000 this year. Last week, Delta Air Lines posted a $408 “We could see one more week of notably
which are more important in times of the That hiring is based on the expecta- million loss. higher claims before they should top out,”
analysts with Contingent Macro Advisors
predicted. “This bears close watching going
forward.”
The Federal Reserve might reconsider
plans to ease its massive support for the U.S.
economy if claims stay above 250,000 as the
Fed’s March policy meeting approaches,
Contingent analysts said.
While the fast-moving omicron vari-
ant may cause less severe disease on aver-
age, COVID-19 deaths in the country are
climbing, and modelers forecast 50,000 to
300,000 more Americans could die by the
time the latest coronavirus wave subsides
in mid-March.
The seven-day rolling average for daily
new COVID-19 deaths in the country has
been trending upward since mid-November,
reaching nearly 1,800 on Jan. 19 — still below
the peak of 3,300 in January 2021.
BUSINESS BRIEFING
Poorer nations
to get Merck pill
GENEVA — A U.N.-backed organization
announced Thursday that it has signed
agreements with more than two dozen
generic drugmakers to produce versions of
Merck’s COVID-19 pill to supply 105 devel-
oping countries.
Texas-born Princess Rita Jenrette Boncompagni Ludovisi stands beneath a fresco at the Casino dell’Aurora. GREGORIO BORGIA/AP 2021 Molnupiravir, developed by Merck and
Ridgeback Therapeutics, has been reported
to cut the hospitalization rate in half among
Historic villa back on block
patients with early signs of COVID-19 and
can be taken at home. Britain, the European
Union and the U.S. authorized its use in
recent months.
The Medicines Patent Pool said 27 generic
16th-century house owned scheduled for April 7. “It’s probably the first work of Caravag- drug manufacturers in 11 countries, includ-
by US-born princess features “It’s been emotional since I received the gio’s that we know of, so historically, it’s a ing Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Kenya, South
notice from the judge on Sept. 2. I’ve rarely really a milestone,” said Claudio Strinati, an Africa and Vietnam, would soon start
ceiling painted by Caravaggio slept,” Boncompagni Ludovisi said before art historian and Caravaggio expert. “It’s a producing Merck’s pill.
the auction. “It’s like going through the beautiful piece about a mythological theme,
By Nicole Winfield stages of death and dying. ... You’re angry at which is rare in Caravaggio’s art.”
Associated Press first, and then you can’t believe it, and then The listing on the Rome tribunal’s
you finally go into a point of accepting it.” auction site highlights the Caravaggio US home sales
ROME — A villa in Rome containing the The house, built in 1570, has been in the among the home’s other attributes, but
only known ceiling painted by Caravag- Ludovisi family since the early 1600s. After notes the villa will need an estimated $12.5
dip 4.6% in Dec.
gio went on a court-ordered auction block Prince Nicolo Boncompagni Ludovisi died million in renovations to comply with
this week, thanks to an inheritance dispute in 2018, the villa became the subject of an current building standards.
pitting the heirs of one of Rome’s aristo- inheritance dispute between the children The American princess, who previously
cratic families against their stepmother, a from his first marriage and his third wife, was married to former U.S. Rep. John WASHINGTON — Sales of previously
Texas-born princess. Princess Rita. Jenrette Jr. of South Carolina, married occupied homes fell in December for the
Princess Rita Jenrette Boncompagni The villa, also known as Villa Ludovisi, Boncompagni Ludovisi in 2009. At the time, first time in four months as many would-be
Ludovisi — formerly Rita Carpenter — was one of 42 lots up for court-ordered the villa had fallen into disrepair, and her buyers were frustrated by a lack of available
woke up Tuesday in the Casino dell’Aurora auction Tuesday but was by far the most husband only used it as an office. houses, which fell to the lowest level in more
surrounded by her dogs on what appeared prestigious and expensive, thanks to the Together, they tried to renovate it as than two decades.
to be the last day that her home of nearly Caravaggio that graces a tiny room off a best they could. They opened the house Existing home sales dropped 4.6% last
two decades was hers. spiral staircase on the second floor. up to visiting students and tour groups and month from November, to a seasonally
An online auction organized by the Rome It was commissioned in 1597 by a diplo- hosted dinners to bring in revenue, and adjusted annual rate of nearly 6.2 million,
tribunal began at 3 p.m. and closed a short mat and patron of the arts who asked the thanks to funding from Rutgers University the National Association of Realtors said
time later without a winner. The starting then-young painter to decorate the ceil- helped to digitize the family archives. Thursday.
bid was $400 million, and the villa just ing of the small room being used as an Boncompagni Ludovisi doesn’t know The demand for homes remains healthy,
off the famous Via Veneto was assigned a alchemy workshop. The 9-foot wide mural, what will come next. With no immediate the group said, with median prices jump-
court-appraised value of $533 million. which depicts Jupiter, Pluto and Neptune, buyer, she has more time in the villa but ing nearly 16% from a year ago to $358,000.
The villa will go up for auction two is unusual: It’s not a fresco, but rather oil assumes eventually she’ll have to move out. Homes sold in an average of 19 days, slightly
more times at lower prices, and the Ital- on plaster, and represents the only ceiling “It was really such a privilege to live higher than in the summer. Yet the number
ian Culture Ministry can try to match the mural that Caravaggio is known to have here,” she said. “Even when all the pipes of houses for sale fell to 910,000 in Decem-
highest bid at any stage. The next round is made. would burst.” ber, the fewest since records began in 1999.
Emirates to again fly to US amid 5G dispute Existinghomesales
Scaleinmillions
8
By Jon Gambrell for more types of planes to land in low visi- ers for the disruption. Dec.2021:6.18million
Associated Press bility near 5G signals, including the Boeing “Safety will always be our top priority,
777. and we will never gamble on this front,”
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Long- Among the most-affected airlines by the Clark said. 6
haul carrier Emirates said Thursday it will FAA decision was Dubai-based Emirates, However, he added: “We are also very
resume its Boeing 777 flights to the U.S. a crucial East-West travel airline that flies aware that this is a temporary reprieve, and
after halting its use of the aircraft there only the 777 and the double-decker Airbus a long-term resolution would be required.”
over concerns new 5G services in America A380. That refers to Verizon and AT&T only 4
could interfere with airplane technology Emirates said its Boeing 777 service temporarily reducing the rollout of 5G
that measures altitude. to Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami, near dozens of airports as the FAA assesses
International carriers that rely on the Newark, N.J., Orlando, Fla., and Seattle which aircraft are safe to fly near the new
wide-body Boeing 777 and similar planes would resume Friday. 5G frequencies and which will need new 2
canceled early flights or switched to differ- Flights to Boston, Houston and San Fran- altimeters.
ent planes Wednesday after warnings from cisco, which saw Emirates deploy its Airbus Similar 5G mobile networks have been
the Federal Aviation Administration and A380 jumbo jet, will resume Boeing 777 deployed in more than three dozen coun-
the Chicago-based plane maker over possi- flights Saturday. tries, but there are key differences in how
DEC. J F M A M J J A S O N DEC.
ble interference with radio altimeters. Tim Clark, Emirates president, apolo- the U.S. networks are designed that raised 2020 2021
The FAA gave approval late Wednesday gized in a statement to the airline’s custom- concern of potential problems for airlines. SOURCE:NationalAssociationofRealtors TNS
Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Friday, January 21, 2022 9
BUSINESS
For gamers, Microsoft’s deal
for Activision raises questions
By Matt O’Brien
and Tali Arbel
Associated Press
Microsoft stunned the
gaming industry when it
announced this week it
would buy game publisher
Activision Blizzard for $68.7
billion, a deal that would
immediately make it a
larger video-game company
than Nintendo.
Microsoft, maker of the
Xbox gaming system, said
the deal would be good for
gamers and advance its
ambitions for the metaverse
The Trump National Doral resort in the Miami area is the biggest revenue generator among — a vision for creating
former President Donald Trump’s 17 golf properties. MICHELE EVE SANDBERG/GETTY-AFP immersive virtual worlds
for both work and play.
Trump planning 2,300 homes But what the deal will People wait to see a demonstration of the game “Call of Duty
really mean for the millions WWII” by Activision during the Electronic Entertainment
of people who play video Expo in Los Angeles. DAVID MCNEW/GETTY 2017
at struggling golf resort in Fla. games is unknown at this
point. whether the company could motivate Microsoft to make
Some industry watchers restrict Activision games concessions to antitrust
think the deal could benefit from competing consoles. regulators to get it done, said
By Bernard Condon a potential big money from it. Under federal law, gamers if Microsoft main- Microsoft expects to bring John Freeman, vice presi-
Associated Press maker for hosts. But he had the seal can only be used for tains its games-for-every- as many Activision games dent at CFRA Research.
to cancel after a biparti- official government busi- body mission and uses its as it can to its subscription Another potential compli-
NEW YORK — Former san outcry over self-deal- ness. considerable cash to rescue service Game Pass, “with cation is the controversy that
President Donald Trump ing and a possible violation The Trump Organiza- Activision from its reputa- some presumably becoming has swirled arround Activi-
plans to build 2,300 luxury of a constitutional ban on tion’s plans for Doral are tion for abandoning favor- Microsoft exclusives,” wrote sion’s workplace culture.
homes at his Doral golf presidents receiving gifts part of a string of recent ite game franchises while Wedbush analyst Michael The company disclosed
resort in the Miami area, or payments from foreign business moves after focusing on a few choice Pachter. However, he noted last year it was being inves-
part of a flurry of recent leaders. months of relative quiet. properties. antitrust regulators may tigated by the Securities
moves to revive a family The resort had hoped to In September, several “Microsoft wants to not allow Microsoft to keep and Exchange Commission
business suffering from the regain ground after the PGA news outlets reported that increase the variety of games off Sony’s competing over complaints of work-
one-two punch of a divisive and other organizations the company had struck a intellectual property,” game console, the PlaySta- place discrimination and in
presidency and coronavirus pulled events there, but preliminary deal to sell the said Forrester analyst Will tion. September settled claims
shutdowns. finances have only wors- lease underlying its Wash- McKeon-White. “Their One big unknown is will brought by U.S. workforce
In a news release this ened. Revenue plunged ington, D.C., hotel to Miami- target is anyone and every- the purchase happen, as discrimination regulators.
week, the 45th president more than by $33 million based CGI Merchant Group body who plays video games regulators and rivals could Microsoft CEO Satya
called the plans for his over the next two years, for $375 million, much and they want to bring that turn up the pressure to block Nadella noted in an inves-
Trump National Doral down more than 40%, more than many hotel to a wider audience.” the deal. tor call Tuesday that “the
resort “perhaps the most according to financial state- experts had expected for He said the “most egre- Other tech giants such as culture of our organization
exciting development in ments filed with a federal the money-losing property. gious” example of a popu- Google, Amazon, Apple and is my No. 1 priority.”
the country” but was short government ethics office. In October, Trump lar franchise that Activision, Meta — formerly Facebook But a union represent-
on details such as the size As of last year, the Trump announced a new rival to founded in 1979, left by the — have all attracted increas- ing technology and gaming
of the homes and what they company had $125 million Twitter, Facebook and other wayside is “Starcraft,” last ing attention from antitrust workers said that concerns
may cost. borrowed on the property. social media platforms that updated in 2015. Others regulators in the U.S. and remain about working
The release said the plans The Trump Organization had banned him after his include “Guitar Hero,” the Europe. conditions and should be
called for the construction did not reply to requests for supporters stormed the U.S. Tony Hawk skateboarding Microsoft is already facing considered by regulators
of retail and commercial comment. Capitol on Jan. 6 last year. games and “MechWarrior,” delays in its planned $16 before any deal is approved.
space as well. The news release had an The business said it is will which McKeon-White said billion acquisition of Massa- “Activision Blizzard
The Doral, the biggest official U.S. government seal give voice to others who’ve “basically wasn’t touched for chusetts speech recognition worker concerns must be
revenue generator among with an American eagle at been taken off social media two decades.” company Nuance because addressed in any plan —
Trump’s 17 golf properties, top — an unusual use given sites as part of “cancel On the other hand, the of an investigation by Brit- acquisition or not — on
has been a drain on the busi- the release was promoting culture.” prospect of Microsoft ish antitrust regulators. the future direction of the
ness in recent years. a private business venture. Last month, it said it had controlling so much game If the deal fails, Micro- company,” said Christopher
In 2019, Trump Former presidents can use raised $1 billion from inves- content — from “Call of soft will owe Activision a Shelton, president of the
announced plans to hold the the seal for matters involv- tors and plans to launch the Duty” to “Candy Crush” “break-up fee” of up to $3 Communications Workers
global meeting of Group of ing their former office, but messaging app called Truth — raised concerns about billion. That prospect should of America.
Seven leaders at the resort, are not allowed to profit Social early this year.
MARKET RUNDOWN
q Fpriday,January21,2022 q
DOW 10-YRT-BOND GOLD
34,715.39-313.26 1.83%+.01 $1,842.50-.60
36,520 DowJonesindustrials Commodities
35,580 Close:34,715.39 FUELS CLOSE PREV. YTD
Change:-313.26(-0.9%)
CrudeOil(bbl) 86.96 86.96 +15.62%
34,640 10DAYS NaturalGas(mmbtu) 3.80 4.03 +1.93%
37,600 UnleadedGas(gal) 2.46 2.46 +10.50%
METALS CLOSE PREV. YTD
36,800
Gold(oz) 1,842.50 1,843.10 +.82%
36,000 Silver(oz) 24.71 24.23 +5.93%
(Previousandchangefiguresreflectcurrentcontract.)
35,200
ForeignExchange MoneyRates
34,400 ForExin U.S.$ PREV.
U.S.$ inForEx CLOSE WK.
33,600
J A S O N D J Britain 1.3615 .7345 Primerate 3.25 3.25
Canada .8017 1.2473 3-mo.T-Bill 0.18 0.12
DomesticIndexes China .1577 6.3411 6-mo.T-Bill 0.36 0.27
Euro 1.1315 .8838 5-yrT-Note 1.62 1.59
CLOSE CHG. YTD Japan .008758 114.18 10-yrT-Note 1.83 1.73
DOWIndus. 34,715.39 -313.26 -4.47% Mexico .048778 20.5010 30-yrT-Bond 2.14 2.07
DOWTrans. 15,521.64 -66.44 -5.81%
DOWUtil. 945.60 +1.04 -3.59% GlobalMarkets
NYSEComp. 16,663.77 -155.21 -2.92%
NasdaqComp. 14,154.02 -186.23 -9.53% CLOSE CHG. %CHG. %YTD
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S&P400 2,639.28 -47.78 -7.13% London 7,585.01 -4.65 -.06% +2.71%
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StocksofLocalInterest
YTD YTD
STOCK(TICKER) CLOSE CHG. %CHG STOCK(TICKER) CLOSE CHG. %CHG
AMCEntertainmentA(AMC) 18.07 -.25 -33.6 MagellanHealthInc(MGLN) 94.99 ... ...
AT&TInc(T) 27.02 -.26 +9.8 MetLifeInc(MET) 66.46 -.30 +6.4
AdvMicroDev(AMD) 121.89 -6.38 -15.3 MicronTech(MU) 85.07 -4.93 -8.7
AmericanAirlinesGp(AAL) 16.76 -.55 -6.7 MicrosoftCorp(MSFT) 301.60 -1.73 -10.3
AmphenolCorp(APH) 77.91 -.60 -10.9 MorganStanley(MS) 99.83 +4.10 +1.7
AppleInc(AAPL) 164.51 -1.72 -7.4 NikolaCorp(NKLA) 7.99 -.64 -19.0
AptorumGroupLtd(APM) 1.69 +.47 +12.7
NovartisAG(NVS) 88.19 -.66 +.8
AvangridInc(AGR) 46.23 -1.04 -7.3
NvidiaCorporation(NVDA) 241.50 -9.17 -17.9
BankofAmerica(BAC) 45.75 -.69 +2.8
OtisWorldwideCorp(OTIS) 82.21 -.89 -5.6
BarnesGroup(B) 45.73 -.83 -1.8
BaudaxBioInc(BXRX) .20 +.01 -7.8 PalantirTechnol(PLTR) 14.62 +.06 -19.7
BookingHoldings(BKNG) 2433.64 +56.55 +1.4 PelotonInteractive(PTON) 24.22 -7.62 -32.3
BristMyrSqb(BMY) 64.58 -.14 +3.6 PeoplesUtdFncl(PBCT) 19.30 -1.05 +8.3
CVSHealthCorp(CVS) 102.39 -.51 -.7 PfizerInc(PFE) 54.05 +.51 -8.5
CarnivalCorp(CCL) 20.80 -.42 +3.4 PitneyBowes(PBI) 6.03 -.25 -9.0
CarrierGlobalCorp(CARR) 48.03 -.76 -11.4 PlugPowerInc(PLUG) 21.60 +.61 -23.5
CharterCommunic(CHTR) 572.16 -9.14 -12.2 PrudentialFncl(PRU) 112.43 -.76 +3.9
CignaCorp(CI) 240.39 +1.59 +4.7 PubSvcEntGp(PEG) 65.59 +.04 -1.7
Citigroup(C) 64.46 +.22 +6.7 RaytheonTechnolog(RTX) 88.36 -1.34 +2.7
Cleveland-CliffsInc(CLF) 18.81 -.74 -13.6 RogersCorp(ROG) 273.02 -.02 ...
CocaColaCo(KO) 60.75 -.25 +2.6
SS&CTechnlogies(SSNC) 81.09 -.75 -1.1
ComcastCorpA(CMCSA) 50.22 -.11 -.2
SoFiTechnologies(SOFI) 15.00 +1.29 -5.1
DatChatInc(DATS) 3.33 +.34 +9.9
StanleyBlack&Deck(SWK)179.85 -2.33 -4.6
DiDiGlobalInc(DIDI) 5.36 +.35 +7.6
StarwoodPropTrust(STWD) 24.42 -.27 +.5
Disney(DIS) 147.62 -2.49 -4.7
EMCORGroupInc(EME) 117.98 -1.26 -7.4 SundialGrowersInc(SNDL) .52 -.00 -10.4
EthanAllen(ETD) 24.26 -1.17 -7.7 TDHHoldingsInc(PETZ) .46 +.01 -88.1
EversourceEnergy(ES) 86.67 -.20 -4.7 TerexCorp(TEX) 42.53 -1.43 -3.2
ExelaTechnologies(XELA) .45 -.02 -48.5 TeslaInc(TSLA) 996.27 +.62 -5.7
ExxonMobilCorp(XOM) 73.27 +.16 +19.7 TilrayBrandsInc(TLRY) 5.92 -.05 -15.8
FordMotor(F) 21.65 -.80 +4.2 TravelersCos(TRV) 165.18 +5.11 +5.6
FuelCellEnergy(FCEL) 4.13 -.17 -20.6 UnitedRentals(URI) 307.11 -.19 -7.6
GenDynamics(GD) 208.98 -1.38 +.2 USSteelCorp(X) 21.30 -1.29 -10.5
GenElectric(GE) 98.25 -2.37 +4.0 UnitedHealthGroup(UNH) 463.00 +.48 -7.8
HartfordFnSv(HIG) 71.10 +.64 +3.0 VerizonComm(VZ) 53.40 -.10 +2.8
HoneywellIntl(HON) 208.92 -1.81 +.2
VirtusInvest(VRTS) 273.88 -3.10 -7.8
HorizonTechFin(HRZN) 15.63 -.24 -1.8
VoyaFinancial(VOYA) 71.46 -.50 +7.8
InfosysLtd(INFY) 23.68 -.79 -6.4
WebsterFinancial(WBS) 61.31 -.12 +9.8
IntelCorp(INTC) 52.04 -1.58 +1.0
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10 Hartford Courant | Section 1 | Friday, January 21, 2022
OPINION
Helen Bennett
Executive Editor
[email protected]
COURANT.COM/OPINION
Being sick
changed
my health
care views
Ross Douthat
Often around the turn of the year I
perform an act of pundit accountabil-
ity, looking back on the previous year’s
columns to assess things I got wrong. For
this January’s edition, though, I’m going to
take a different kind of backward glance,
and try to answer one of the frequent ques-
tions I received when I wrote, last fall,
about my experience with chronic illness:
Namely, has being sick altered any of my
views on health care policy?
Like health policy itself, the answer is
complicated.
For an example of my pre-illness views, A person walks to the office of a Miami insurance agent offering plans under the Affordable Care Act. JOE RAEDLE/GETTY 2021
consider a column I wrote in 2013, in the
midst of the endless Obamacare debates. endoscopy, running up a huge tab on my ized systems cost control often depends on benefits await outside the realm of what’s
Titled “What Health Insurance Doesn’t New York Times Co. insurance policy. some centralized authority — like Britain’s already available.
Do,” it looked at evidence from an Oregon Yet from my perspective it was all National Institute for Health and Care Alas, I don’t have some perfect policy
study tracing the effects of a Medicaid reasonable and necessary. My illness was Excellence or the controversial, stillborn regime that synthesizes these insights —
expansion that happened via lottery, creat- severe and needed treatment and there Independent Payment Advisory Board the value of solid coverage that doesn’t
ing a genuine randomization in the popula- was no way at the time to know which envisioned by Obamacare — setting rules require too much of individual patients,
tion that had the chance to enroll. doctor would be the one who helped, or guidelines for the system as a whole. the value of decentralization and innova-
The results, after a couple of years, which test or scan would be the one that And if you’re seeking a treatment that offi- tion and experiments. It’s precisely the
showed that access to Medicaid helped revealed what was going on. Nor was cial expertise does not endorse, I wouldn’t challenge of synthesizing them that makes
people avoid “catastrophic expenditures” I in any position to act as a discerning expect such an authority to be particularly health policy so difficult.
and reduced their depression rates. The consumer or a good capitalist, to do price flexible about paying for it. But if I was an Obamacare skeptic before
program did not, however, seem to have comparisons between different neurolo- Quite the reverse, in fact, given the trade- I got sick, today I’m relatively comfortable
much impact on recipients’ physical gists or cardiologists while my legs burned off that often shows up in health policy, with the uneasy, unfinished place where
health. This was a counterintuitive finding and my chest blazed. Instead, as a patient where more free-market systems yield the 2010 health care reform has ended up.
but not necessarily a surprising one: From I was simply too vulnerable and desperate more inequalities but also more experi- A decade ago, if you’d told me that the
a famous Rand experiment in the 1970s to do anything save throw myself on the ments, while more socialist systems tend law’s clearest legacy was its Medicaid
and early 1980s down to a recent National medical system’s mercy. to achieve their egalitarian advantages at expansion, and that the attempts to build
Bureau of Economic Research paper look- So my desperate self gained a new appre- some cost to innovation. Many European a thriving individual-insurance market
ing at the effects of insurance in India, it’s ciation for the things that make health care countries have cheaper prescription drugs and rein in unnecessary spending had met
common to get results suggesting that the unique among the burdens that the welfare than we do, but at a meaningful cost to drug with less success, I might have looked at its
relationship between health insurance state is intended to alleviate, and the limits development. Americans spend obscene, architects’ grand ambitions and called that
spending and physical health is relatively of a libertarian vision of the patient as a unnecessary-seeming amounts of money outcome a failure.
weak. cost-sensitive consumer. And I also gained on our system; America also produces an Today, I have more appreciation for the
With these findings in mind, my 2013 a greater appreciation for the thing that, outsize share of medical innovations. reassuring simplicity of the basic Medicaid
self warned against health insurance in the Oregon study, Medicaid spending And if being mysteriously sick made me guarantee, and more skepticism about the
profligacy, on the grounds that if we try to clearly did seem to achieve — the impor- more appreciative of the value of an equal- patient-as-consumer hopes that under-
provision everyone with comprehensive tance of insurance coverage for stable izing floor of health-insurance coverage, it gird Obamacare’s exchanges. And as for
coverage, we’ll probably end up encour- mental health, greater peace of mind, in also made me aware of the incredible value the American-style bloat and unneces-
aging overspending on unnecessary care. situations where you’re worried that not of those breakthroughs and discoveries, sary spending that the Obama technocrats
Instead, the ideal insurance system would only your body might be ravaged but also the importance of having incentives that hoped to purge from the system and mostly
cover genuinely catastrophic expenses, your finances as well. lead researchers down unexpected paths, didn’t — I have a little more appreciation
helping people avoid bankruptcy and the But then comes the part of my expe- even the value of the unusual personality for that as well.
worst kind of mental stress — but avoiding rience that turned me more right-wing. types that become doctors in the first place. If I had a simple way to take a scalpel to
the overtreatment and cost inflation that Because in the second phase of my illness, (Are American doctors overpaid relative to hospital monopolies and their profits I’d
you get when you earmark too many public once I knew roughly what was wrong their developed-world peers? Maybe. Am still do it. If you presented me with a blue-
dollars for health and health alone. with me and the problem was how to treat I glad that American medicine is remu- print to expand means-testing in Medicare
I was healthy then; two years later I it, I quickly entered a world where the nerative enough to attract weird Type A and use the savings to fund new research
began my strange descent. And one part of official medical consensus had little to egomaniacs who like to buck consensus? programs, I’d embrace it. If you offered me
the experience took those pre-illness views offer me. It was only outside that consen- Definitely.) a plan to reduce prescription-drug costs by
— I’d call them center-right with a libertar- sus, among Lyme disease doctors whose Whatever everyday health insurance reducing regulatory burdens on new treat-
ian flavor — and pushed them to the left. approach to treatment lacked any CDC coverage is worth to the sick person, a cure ments, I’d celebrate it.
This was the part of the experience or FDA imprimatur, that I found help and for a heretofore-incurable disease is worth But once you’ve become part of the
where I was sick and had absolutely no hope. more. The cancer patient has more to gain American pattern of trying absolutely
idea what was wrong with me — which And this experience made me more from a single drug that sends their disease anything to feel better — and found that
meant that I went from doctor to doctor, libertarian in various ways, more skeptical into remission than a single-payer plan that spirit essential to your recovery — the idea
submitting to tests that succeeded only in not just of our own medical bureaucracy, covers a hundred drugs that don’t. of medical cost control as a primary policy
ruling out various plausible diagnoses. but of any centralized approach to health So if the weakness of the libertarian goal loses some of its allure, and the Amer-
In these months I was given an object care policy and medical treatment. perspective on health insurance is its ican way of medical spending looks more
lesson in the ambiguities contained in This was true even though the help I tendency to minimize the strange distinc- defensible. To try things without counting
terms like “overtreatment” and “unnec- found was often expensive and it gener- tiveness of illness, to treat patients too the cost can absolutely run to excess. But
essary care.” Because considering my ulti- ally wasn’t covered by insurance; like many much like consumers and medical cover- sometimes what seems like waste on the
mate diagnosis, all of these visits were a patients with chronic Lyme, I had to pay age too much like any other benefit, the technocrat’s ledger is the lifeline a desper-
form of overtreatment. What I really had, in cash. But if I couldn’t trust the CDC to weakness of the liberal focus on equalizing ate patient needs.
though I didn’t know it, was a tick-borne recognize the effectiveness of these treat- cost and coverage is the implicit sense that
illness. Yet here I was undergoing tilt-ta- ments, why would I trust a more socialized medical care is a fixed pie in need of care- Douthat is a columnist for The New York
ble tests and going in for a CT scan and an system to cover them? After all, in social- ful divvying, rather than a zone where vast Times.
To fix filing delays, don’t pay IRS employees for union work
By Rachel Greszler evelt warned of the “insurmountable
The Heritage Foundation limitations” of public-sector unioniza-
tion. As he pointed out, “The employer is
With a massive backlog of unprocessed the whole people [of the United States].”
returns, staffing struggles and added work But without those people having a say in
from extended pandemic programs, the federal employee negotiations, federal
IRS has warned taxpayers of impending unions can negotiate things that are
delays in processing their returns. neither efficient nor effective.
There’s at least one simple way to help For example, the IRS employee’s union
reduce these delays: stop paying IRS contract impedes the IRS’s ability to hire
employees to work for their unions in the best candidates for open jobs by seal-
lieu of doing the jobs they were hired to ing outside applicants’ information until
perform. internal candidates have been considered.
Each year, taxpayers are forced to According to Article 13 of the IRS-NTEU
pay thousands of federal employees for agreement, “Under no circumstances will
work they don’t do. This sounds crazy for the selecting official be permitted to review
private-sector workers, but for federal and/or consider external candidates prior
employees, it’s known as “official time,” or to making a final determination regarding
taxpayer-funded union time. the selection or non-selection of [best qual-
The Treasury Department, which ified] internal candidates.”
houses the IRS, utilizes taxpayer-funded Beyond the conflict of interests, Roos-
union time at twice the rate of the rest evelt would probably be appalled that
of the government (6.81 hours per Trea- the American people are now also forced
sury employee vs. 2.97 across the federal to pay federal workers for the time they
government). The IRS says taxpayers should expect delays in processing returns. KEITH SRAKOCIC/AP 2019 spend not performing their jobs and
In 2016, Treasury employees spent instead negotiating for policies that restrict
481,500 hours working for their union on A legislative proposal to address this sense step in the right direction. Americans’ access to the federal services
taxpayers’ dime, costing taxpayers an esti- already exists. In June 2021, Sens. Mike There is nothing wrong with they are forced to pay for.
mated $22.4 million. (2016 is a better refer- Braun, R-Ind., and John Boozman, R-Ark., private-sector workers freely choosing Ensuring that IRS employees spend
ence for current figures because executive introduced the IRS Customer Service to belong to unions and paying the fees to tax-filing season doing their jobs rather
orders from the Trump administration Improvement Act to prohibit IRS employ- support those unions’ activities or volun- than working for their union is just
reduced official time, and President Joe ees from abandoning their posts to claim teering their free time. But that is not what common sense.
Biden removed those limits). “official time” during the busy tax-filing is happening here. Ultimately, public-sector unions should
Considering that federal employees season. This bill is just one of many propos- Taxpayers are not only footing the bill not exist, but so long as they do, public
work about 1,800 hours per year after als introduced by Braun and others to for public-sector union activities (unlike unions should be financed exclusively by
paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave, improve the integrity and effectiveness of in the private sector, where workers’ dues the employees they serve, not the taxpay-
that translates into 268 full-time Trea- the IRS. support union activities), they lack a seat at ers against whom they negotiate.
sury employees who were not available to Ensuring that IRS employees spend the negotiation table (the way employers
do the things they were hired to do — like tax-filing season doing their jobs rather do in the private sector). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency,
process tax returns in a timely manner. than working for their union is a common- This is why President Franklin Roos- LLC.