Tag: Tulsa

White House dismissal of COVID-19 concerns draws criticism

The Hill logoThe White House has flouted public health advice on the coronavirus, drawing harsh criticisms from experts who fear the administration is sending the wrong message.

Even as cases surge in Oklahoma, President Trump is moving forward with an indoor rally in Tulsa on Saturday, despite guidelines against holding such large gatherings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

Trump and Vice President Pence have mostly brushed off the rising numbers of cases in states across the country, largely attributing them to increased testing.

Coincidence? Date And Location Of Trump’s Return Rally Echo Racist History

Democrats are criticizing Donald Trump’s decision to hold his first campaign rally since coronavirus lockdowns began on a holiday commemorating the effective end of slavery in the United States, in a city with a violent and racist past.

The Trump campaign announced on Wednesday that it would hold a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 19 — a holiday known as Juneteenth or Black Independence Day. The date marks the anniversary of Union Gen. Gordon Granger’s announcement to enslaved black people in Texas, the last state to emancipate, that they had been officially freed.

Tulsa is an odd choice for multiple reasons. Oklahoma is not expected to be a competitive state in 2020 — typically a consideration when deciding where campaign rallies will be held. Trump carried the state by a 36-point margin four years ago.

But Tulsa also has an ugly racist past. Continue reading.

Tickets for Trump campaign rally include liability disclaimer about possible exposure to coronavirus

WASHINGTON – Want tickets to President Donald Trump’s campaign rally next week in Oklahoma? Then you’ve got to agree you won’t sue him if you contract coronavirus.

The sign-up page for free tickets on the Trump campaign website comes with a liability waiver that says the campaign or other parties associated with the event next Friday at the BOK Center in Tulsa cannot be held liable for exposure to coronavirus.

“By clicking register below, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present,” the waiver says. Continue reading.

New rule for Trump campaign rallies: You can’t sue if you get the virus.

New York Times logoAs President Trump moves to resume indoor campaign rallies, his campaign has added a twist to his optimistic push to return to life as it was before the pandemic: Attendees cannot sue the campaign or the venue if they contract the virus at the event.

“By clicking register below, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to Covid-19 exists in any public place where people are present,” a statement on Mr. Trump’s campaign website informed those wishing to attend his June 19 rally in Tulsa, Okla. “By attending the rally, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to Covid-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; BOK Center; ASM Global; or any of their affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors or volunteers liable for any illness or injury.”

Mr. Trump’s rally in Tulsa, the site of a massacre of black residents in 1921, will be on Juneteenth, a prominent African-American holiday recognizing the end of slavery in the United States. The rally will also be his first since the pandemic forced most of the country into quarantine three months ago, a campaign official said Wednesday. Polls have shown former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. establishing a substantial lead over Mr. Trump. Continue reading.