'BradCast' 5/15/2020 (On the 'Bright' Side of the Crisis: Whistleblower Testifies; Trump Counties Spiking)

On today's 'BradCast':  After an outcry raised by independent progressive media outlets, House Democrats have removed a provision from their next coronavirus relief bill -- the so-called Heroes Act -- that would have allowed certain types of non-profit organizations to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program payroll support, including industry trade groups (lobbyists!) and dark money campaign organizations.  Dr. Rick Bright, recently demoted director of the Health and Human Services Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) -- testified to a U.S. House Committee on Thursday regarding the unspeakable failures of the Trump Administration to respond to the coronavirus early, when it could have saved tens of thousands of American lives. Dr. Bright filed a whistleblower complaint alleging the Trump Administration retaliated against him for opposing "efforts to fund potentially dangerous drugs promoted by those with political connections," and for his repeated, early (and correct) warnings to HHS leadership that the nation was dangerously unprepared for the coming pandemic. Dr. Bright warned that the U.S. still lacks a strategy to combat the virus, manufacture much-needed medical equipment, or produce and distribute a vaccine should one be developed, and if we fail to plan and prepare, we could be facing "the darkest winter in modern history" in 2020. But Donald Trump announced that a vaccine will be available by "the end of the year"! Wisconsin's rightwing state Supreme Court overturned Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' statewide stay-at-home orders, so Wisconsinites turned out in droves, crowding into bars without masks. Their timing is perfect, as a new study finds COVID-19 now spreading at an alarming rate into rural and suburban counties that supported Trump. Plus Desi Doyen has our latest 'Green News Report"...