The IRS’s inspector general confirmed Thursday it is conducting a criminal investigation into how Lois G. Lerner’s emails disappeared, saying it took only two weeks for investigators to find hundreds of tapes the agency’s chief had told Congress were irretrievably destroyed.
Investigators have already scoured 744 backup tapes and gleaned 32,774 unique emails, but just two weeks ago they found an additional 424 tapes that could contain even more Lerner emails, Deputy Inspector General Timothy P. Camus told the House Oversight Committee in a rare late-night hearing meant to look into the status of the investigation.
“There is potential criminal activity,” Mr. Camus said.
The IRS’s inspector general confirmed Thursday it is conducting a criminal investigation into how Lois G. Lerner’s emails disappeared, saying it took only two weeks for investigators to find hundreds of tapes the agency’s chief had told Congress were irretrievably destroyed.
Investigators have already scoured 744 backup tapes and gleaned 32,774 unique emails, but just two weeks ago they found an additional 424 tapes that could contain even more Lerner emails, Deputy Inspector General Timothy P. Camus told the House Oversight Committee in a rare late-night hearing meant to look into the status of the investigation.
“There is potential criminal activity,” Mr. Camus said.
Rep. Gerald Connolly, Virginia Democrat, said Mr. George is refusing to turn documents over to him, prompting a heated reply.
“You’re not entitled to certain documents,” Mr. George said.
“Oh really? We’ll see about that, won’t we,” Mr. Connolly replied, saying that he questioned whether Mr. George could be trusted if he’s refusing to provide documents, yet is in charge of an investigation into whether the IRS stonewalled document requests.
The hearing was the latest chapter in the complex investigation into the IRS’s targeting of tea party groups for special scrutiny.
Several congressional committees are still probing the matter, and both the inspector general and the Justice Department are conducting criminal investigations.
In a 2013 report, the inspector general said the IRS had improperly targeted conservative and tea party groups’ applications for nonprofit status, asking repeated intrusive questions and delaying their applications well beyond a reasonable time. Some of those groups are still waiting, with their applications now pending for years.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz, Utah Republican and Oversight Committee chairman, said the ongoing investigations undercut President Obama’s assertion last year that there was no evidence of corruption in the IRS’s targeting.
“I have no idea how the president came to such a definitive conclusion without all the facts,” he said.
The IRS belatedly told Congress it may have lost some of Ms. Lerner’s emails after her computer crashed, and asserted that the backup tapes didn’t exist.
Story Continues →
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Friday, February 27, 2015
Joe Bastardi: Cold Temps Set to Stay Through Mid-April
Old Man Winter's bone-chilling assault on the United States isn't over yet, says Joe Bastardi, chief forecaster for WeatherBELL Analytics.
"What we think is going to happen is we're going to continue running colder than normal through March and on into mid-April," Bastardi said Thursday on "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.
"Obviously, March can't be as bad as February in terms of absolute temperatures.
"But to quote a dear friend of mine when I used to work at AccuWeather, Elliott Abrams, he would say, 'Spring may be right around the corner but it's a long haul to the end of the block.'"
More here
"What we think is going to happen is we're going to continue running colder than normal through March and on into mid-April," Bastardi said Thursday on "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.
"Obviously, March can't be as bad as February in terms of absolute temperatures.
"But to quote a dear friend of mine when I used to work at AccuWeather, Elliott Abrams, he would say, 'Spring may be right around the corner but it's a long haul to the end of the block.'"
More here
Marriage
Dear Mr. Ireton,
At a time of a defining moment for civil rights in the country, I want to bring to your attention the Mayors for the Freedom to marry initiative Mayors for the Freedom to Marry | Freedom to Marry (direct link, 2 clicks). There are 486 mayors on the list now, many from Maryland.
Maybe you do not know of this bipartisan initiative. Equal opportunities for all citizens regardless their difference is consistent with the true spirit of our Nation.
This is important for many families. I hope that you will take a stand for justice and equality and join them.
Thank you Mr. Ireton, have a nice day,
Joan Anderson
At a time of a defining moment for civil rights in the country, I want to bring to your attention the Mayors for the Freedom to marry initiative Mayors for the Freedom to Marry | Freedom to Marry (direct link, 2 clicks). There are 486 mayors on the list now, many from Maryland.
Maybe you do not know of this bipartisan initiative. Equal opportunities for all citizens regardless their difference is consistent with the true spirit of our Nation.
This is important for many families. I hope that you will take a stand for justice and equality and join them.
Thank you Mr. Ireton, have a nice day,
Joan Anderson
Obama Tells Jeb: Lobby Fellow Republicans to Support Immigration
In a town hall in Miami, President Obama encouraged probable Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush to lobby folks in his party to support immigration reform:
"I appreciate Mr. Bush being concerned about immigration reform," Obama said. "I would suggest that what he do is talk to the speaker of the House and the members of his party. Because the fact of the matter is that even after we passed bipartisan legislation in the Senate, I gave the Republicans a year and a half -- a year and a half -- to just call the bill. We had the votes. They wouldn't do it."
(Video at the Weekly Standard)
"I appreciate Mr. Bush being concerned about immigration reform," Obama said. "I would suggest that what he do is talk to the speaker of the House and the members of his party. Because the fact of the matter is that even after we passed bipartisan legislation in the Senate, I gave the Republicans a year and a half -- a year and a half -- to just call the bill. We had the votes. They wouldn't do it."
(Video at the Weekly Standard)
Still Waiting..
This challenges repeated assertions by IRS Commissioner John Koskinen that his embattled agency has “completed” a set of recommendations to fix the problem and address a backlog of nearly 300 applications, some of which had been pending already for three years.
The groups that are still waiting include Karl Rove’s giant Crossroads GPS, which spent $26 million against Democrats in the last election cycle. But most of the half-dozen are mom-and-pop outfits from New Mexico, Ohio and New Jersey, run by volunteers out of their own houses and operating at a fraction of Crossroads’ budget.
The years-long delay has gutted these groups’ membership, choked their ability to raise funds, forced them to reserve pots of money for possible back taxes, and driven them into debt to pay legal bills.
“If you say the targeting issues have been resolved… how come we still haven’t received a determination one way or the other?” asked Rick Harbaugh, leader of the Albuquerque Tea Party, which has been waiting five years for its tax-exemption.
“We are still being targeted.”
There's more
Hillary Clinton’s War on Libya Damaged U.S. Intelligence
Hillary Clinton’s 2011 campaign to drive Moammar Gadhafi from power did significant damage to U.S. intelligence, according to a top Libyan aide and U.S. intelligence officials.
The Libyan dictator provided regular reports to the CIA that helped capture or kill key al Qaeda figures and thwart terrorist attacks against American targets overseas, those sources said.
The Libyan regime, for instance, helped U.S. forces kill a key al Qaeda operative of a suicide attack on a U.S. air field in Afghanistan in 2007 when Vice President Dick Cheney was visiting.
It also helped foil a plan to attack the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria in 2005, according to U.S. intelligence sources who spoke to The Washington Times on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
“The Gadhafi regime was a productive source for counter-terrorism intelligence,” said a former senior intelligence official who was personally familiar with the information-sharing arrangement the U.S. had with Libya. “The relationship was healthy enough that even Mousa Koussa [the head of Libyan intelligence from 1994 to 2009] visited the CIA during the [George W.] Bush administration years.”
Read more
The Libyan dictator provided regular reports to the CIA that helped capture or kill key al Qaeda figures and thwart terrorist attacks against American targets overseas, those sources said.
The Libyan regime, for instance, helped U.S. forces kill a key al Qaeda operative of a suicide attack on a U.S. air field in Afghanistan in 2007 when Vice President Dick Cheney was visiting.
It also helped foil a plan to attack the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria in 2005, according to U.S. intelligence sources who spoke to The Washington Times on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
“The Gadhafi regime was a productive source for counter-terrorism intelligence,” said a former senior intelligence official who was personally familiar with the information-sharing arrangement the U.S. had with Libya. “The relationship was healthy enough that even Mousa Koussa [the head of Libyan intelligence from 1994 to 2009] visited the CIA during the [George W.] Bush administration years.”
Read more
What Color Is This Dress? People Report Seeing Different Things
Apparently some see white and gold, while others are more than convinced the dress is black and blue.
More
U. of Minnesota: Get Suspects' Race Out of Crime Alerts
In response to an outcry for allegedly stigmatizing minorities, the University of Minnesota announced this week that it will no longer include descriptions of suspects' race in crime alerts issued to faculty and students, the Daily Caller reported.
Under the new policy, the university's police chief and other officials will decide on a case-by-case basis whether to issue alerts describing a suspect's race.
"This change supports our public safety goals while recognizing the harm that the use of race in crime alerts causes for some members of our community," the university said.
In the future, the school, which has 50,000 students and is located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, promises to use descriptions "only when there is sufficient detail that would reasonably help identify specific individual suspects or groups of suspects (e.g., some combination of gender, race, clothing, height, body type, build, accent, tattoos, hair color, facial hair)."
The change came about after an 18-month-long "campuswide conversation" in which members of the school’s community "raised concerns about the use of racial descriptors as part of Crime Alerts," officials said."
The university seemed to suggest that the need to know a criminal suspect's race was outweighed by other factors, including a history of racial oppression:
More here
Under the new policy, the university's police chief and other officials will decide on a case-by-case basis whether to issue alerts describing a suspect's race.
"This change supports our public safety goals while recognizing the harm that the use of race in crime alerts causes for some members of our community," the university said.
In the future, the school, which has 50,000 students and is located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, promises to use descriptions "only when there is sufficient detail that would reasonably help identify specific individual suspects or groups of suspects (e.g., some combination of gender, race, clothing, height, body type, build, accent, tattoos, hair color, facial hair)."
The change came about after an 18-month-long "campuswide conversation" in which members of the school’s community "raised concerns about the use of racial descriptors as part of Crime Alerts," officials said."
The university seemed to suggest that the need to know a criminal suspect's race was outweighed by other factors, including a history of racial oppression:
More here
Md. lawmakers consider enhanced penalty for student hazing
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJLA) -- The Maryland Senate Judicial Committee heard testimony Thursday from a Bowie State University student about his hazing experience as it consider a measure to impose stricter hazing penalties.
Kevin Hayes spoke in support of Sen. Jamie Raskin's anti-hazing bill that would raise the penalty for violent hazing from a $500 fine to $5,000.
Hayes filed suit last year against the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, claiming he was beaten and humiliated when he pledged.
More
Kevin Hayes spoke in support of Sen. Jamie Raskin's anti-hazing bill that would raise the penalty for violent hazing from a $500 fine to $5,000.
Hayes filed suit last year against the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, claiming he was beaten and humiliated when he pledged.
More
Ex-IRS official Lois Lerner received $129,000 in bonuses, records show
Former IRS official Lois Lerner received $129,300 in bonuses between 2010 and 2013, records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show.
Over a three-year period, Lerner, the head of the tax-exempt division at the heart of the IRS targeting scandal, received a 25 percent retention bonus—averaging $43,000 a year—on top of her regular salary.
The federal government uses retention bonuses to incentivize valuable employees who are considering retirement or private sector jobs to stay at their agencies.
Former acting IRS commissioner Steven T. Miller recommended Lerner for a $42,000 retention bonus in December 2009, when she first became eligible for retirement.
“Ms. Lerner is eligible for retirement and as an attorney with extensive experience would likely command a much greater pay and benefits if she left the Service,” Miller wrote. “Without a retention incentive she will leave the Service.”
Miller said that there was no senior official ready to take over the position if Lerner left, and that “her unique blend of specialized technical expertise, broad organizational knowledge, and leadership skills cannot be matched.”
Joseph Grant, the deputy commissioner of the tax-exempt division, approved the bonus. The second-level review of Lerner’s retention bonus was approved by Miller himself.
Both officials signed off on annual renewals for Lerner’s retention bonus in 2011 and 2012. Both officials would also later resign in connection with the targeting scandal.
Over a three-year period, Lerner, the head of the tax-exempt division at the heart of the IRS targeting scandal, received a 25 percent retention bonus—averaging $43,000 a year—on top of her regular salary.
The federal government uses retention bonuses to incentivize valuable employees who are considering retirement or private sector jobs to stay at their agencies.
Former acting IRS commissioner Steven T. Miller recommended Lerner for a $42,000 retention bonus in December 2009, when she first became eligible for retirement.
“Ms. Lerner is eligible for retirement and as an attorney with extensive experience would likely command a much greater pay and benefits if she left the Service,” Miller wrote. “Without a retention incentive she will leave the Service.”
Miller said that there was no senior official ready to take over the position if Lerner left, and that “her unique blend of specialized technical expertise, broad organizational knowledge, and leadership skills cannot be matched.”
Joseph Grant, the deputy commissioner of the tax-exempt division, approved the bonus. The second-level review of Lerner’s retention bonus was approved by Miller himself.
Both officials signed off on annual renewals for Lerner’s retention bonus in 2011 and 2012. Both officials would also later resign in connection with the targeting scandal.
911 Operator Who Told Teen To 'Stop Whining' Now Out Of Job
A 911 dispatcher who told a 13-year-old girl to "stop whining" as her father lay dying in a hit-and-run crash on a Maryland highway no longer works for the fire department in Anne Arundel County.
Fire department spokesman Capt. Russ Davies said the dispatcher is no longer employed with the department. The dispatcher's name was not released.
The Feb. 1 incident triggered an investigation after the dispatcher told the girl to stop whining. Officials initially said the dispatcher might return to answering 911 calls but could also face termination, depending on the outcome of the investigation.
More
Fire department spokesman Capt. Russ Davies said the dispatcher is no longer employed with the department. The dispatcher's name was not released.
The Feb. 1 incident triggered an investigation after the dispatcher told the girl to stop whining. Officials initially said the dispatcher might return to answering 911 calls but could also face termination, depending on the outcome of the investigation.
More
BREAKING NEWS: House defeats stopgap Homeland Security spending bill
The House defeats a bill, 224 to 203, to keep money flowing to the Homeland Security Department past a midnight deadline in a surprise turn of events that again raises the possibility of a partial agency shutdown.
More
More
U.S. 'deeply concerned' by North Korean nuclear advances
The United States is "deeply concerned" about North Korea's nuclear advances, a senior U.S. official said on Tuesday after a U.S. research institute predicted Pyongyang could possess as many as 100 nuclear weapons within five years.
Sung Kim, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, told a Washington seminar he could not comment on findings presented earlier by experts at the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, because he had not seen the report and U.S. government assessments were classified.
"(But) obviously we are deeply concerned about the fact that the North Koreans are continuing to advance their nuclear capabilities; we know that they are continuing to work on their nuclear program," Kim said when asked about the report.
Experts at the U.S.-Korea Institute presented three scenarios for North Korea’s future nuclear stockpile, which they estimated currently amount to 10-16 weapons.
More
Sung Kim, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Policy, told a Washington seminar he could not comment on findings presented earlier by experts at the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, because he had not seen the report and U.S. government assessments were classified.
"(But) obviously we are deeply concerned about the fact that the North Koreans are continuing to advance their nuclear capabilities; we know that they are continuing to work on their nuclear program," Kim said when asked about the report.
Experts at the U.S.-Korea Institute presented three scenarios for North Korea’s future nuclear stockpile, which they estimated currently amount to 10-16 weapons.
More
New Poll Shows O'Malley With Zero Votes
.jpg)
The poll, which asked 619 likely voters in Iowa, has O'Malley receiving no votes.
And should he be the second choice, he only received 3-percent.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leads the pack with Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren coming in second.
More
Hillary Endorses FCC’s Control Of The Internet
Hillary Clinton has signaled her support for the Federal Communications Commission upcoming vote to make the internet a Title II public utility.
When asked directly by Re/Code’s Kara Swisher if she supported the FCC’s upcoming vote, she said she supported President Obama’s position on the issue.
More
When asked directly by Re/Code’s Kara Swisher if she supported the FCC’s upcoming vote, she said she supported President Obama’s position on the issue.
More
SBYNews Articles Draw Massive Attention & Interest
CEO Of Hebron Savings Bank Gregory Johnson Resigned Today
Exceeded 500 comments today.
Exceeded over 400 comments today.
There's no denying it, SBYNews is the most influential news source on the entire Eastern Shore. Bringing forth multiple stories day in and day out is one thing. It's another when you generate the volume of comments Salisbury News can because of the massive traffic we bring in.
People are here because we deliver news and information no one else does. Even when we bring in stories from outside, we generate far more comments/opinions then even the original source.
It's rewarding to us because we truly work extremely hard every day bringing you information we feel will interest you the most. This is yet another reason why everyone else follows what we deliver each day on your 6:00 news. Come on Folks, it is kind of funny how a guy with no journalistic background, (me) delivers more traffic, comments and ultimately influence to the professionals out there every single day who actually went to college for this kind of stuff.
Anyhow, THANK YOU! Who'da Ever Thunk It! ;-)
Congressman Andy Harris On Why He Opposes Legal Pot In DC
.jpg)
Harris tells C4 that Congress should have the right to overrule the vote to legalize personal marijuana use because of DC's unique status as a federal city.
"We have agreed that federal law trumps state law when it comes to drug policy in this country, and now we're carving out all these exceptions," the Congressman stated.
More
Its Actually Snowing Pretty Hard In Delmar Right Now & More
Mike Dunn and the rest of the Dream Team Liberals have lost any and all support and popularity. Look, I'm not making these numbers up. IF anyone believed and supported Bassett or Dunn, those worthless Liberals would have a thousand comments up just out of spite.
Jimmy and all his Rehoboth Facebook friends would be all over it showing PHONY support just because they're LIBERALS. The one thing I'll give Greg credit for, he isn't writing his own comments just to make himself look popular, unlike the other Blogger who has no following and writes his own comments all day long. It's hilarious when people read them to me. Anyhow, maybe one day you'll become somebody Greg Bassett but in reality, NO ONE would hire you because EVERYONE knew your past history of misleading one, (liberal) sided stories in the Daily Times.
For now you'll just have to settle with the FACT that back when I told you if you didn't publish the TRUTH, I'd start my own newspaper. You reply was, "we love competition". Well Greg, LOOK WHERE WE ARE TODAY! A non journalist with a Blog blowing away you, the DT's, WBOC & WMDT, GO FIGURE! I see a guy with a tin cup sitting on the corner of Mani Street and Rt. 13 in the very near future.
For the rest of you who have spent years calling me a liar and even do so today, we deliver DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE of what we discuss and publish. There are no lies. Just obsessed people who spend their every waking moment with mental problems talking about Joe Albero every day. Wow, and some of you actually follow those Sites.
RNC's Williams: Focus On Hillary's Pay Inequities
Revelations that Hillary Clinton paid her female Senate staffers less than men — even as she now crows about women's rights — proves the hypocrisy of liberals, says Raffi Williams, deputy press secretary for youth and conservative media for the Republican National Committee.
"It's typical of liberals. You say one thing and then go do another," Williams said Wednesday on "the Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.
"They want to be held at different standards than everybody else and this is Hillary again showing her disconnect from the times and from people she's going to claim that she's been leading on these kinds of issues.
"But her Senate payrolls show a different story and tell the real truth here."
A Washington Free Beacon analysis of her payroll as a New York senator revealed women working for her were paid 72 cents on the dollar compared to men.
Williams said it is important conservatives publicized the inequity because the mainstream media won't.
More
"It's typical of liberals. You say one thing and then go do another," Williams said Wednesday on "the Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.
"They want to be held at different standards than everybody else and this is Hillary again showing her disconnect from the times and from people she's going to claim that she's been leading on these kinds of issues.
"But her Senate payrolls show a different story and tell the real truth here."
A Washington Free Beacon analysis of her payroll as a New York senator revealed women working for her were paid 72 cents on the dollar compared to men.
Williams said it is important conservatives publicized the inequity because the mainstream media won't.
More
FDNY EMS Respond to Manhattan Building Collapse
Construction workers say the collapse Wednesday afternoon sounded like an explosion. Rubble from the building damaged a yellow school bus parked on the street.
Firefighters are using drilling equipment to examine the wreckage.
Police say one person injured in the collapse on West 57th Street has been taken to a hospital in serious condition.
The city Buildings Department planned a news conference on the collapse later Wednesday.
The incident happened the day after a construction worker at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn was crushed to death when several steel beams fell on him.
More
Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting supports pregnant women and families and helps parents of children from birth to age five
“Families of modest means need a government on their side when it comes to accessing needed health care and support for their kids,” said Senator Mikulski, Vice Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee that funds the Department of Health and Human Services. “As a former social worker, I’ve seen first-hand the impact a children’s care professional can make in the life and development of a child. These funds in the federal checkbook will help new and expecting parents across Maryland raise kids that are physically, socially and emotionally healthy.”
“Despite living in one of the wealthiest states in the country, far too many Maryland mothers and expecting mothers face barriers to raising healthy children,” said Senator Cardin, a member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care. The Home Visiting Program helps breaks down these barriers by focusing on community based solutions. By directly addressing low birth weight, teen birth rate, infant mortality and many more chronic issues we are saving money in the long run, more importantly we are saving lives.”
Take a Motorcoach Tour to Washington, D.C. for a Cherry Blossoms Luncheon Cruise
Enjoy a leisurely luncheon cruise along the Potomac River for a breathtaking view of the world famous Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC. Step aboard the "Odyssey" and experience the elegance and entertainment only a true cruising vessel can provide. Then enjoy time exploring the National Mall on your own. Visit one of the Smithsonian Museums or walk around the Tidal Basin to view the monuments and more Cherry Blossoms.
Sign up now for this fun-filled day in Washington, D.C. The cost is only $125 per person.
For more information about this WCRP motorcoach tour, contact Lea Cataggio at 410-632-2144. ext. 109 or lcataggio@co.worcester.md.us. Don't forget to visit our website at www.WorcesterRecandParks.org, join our mailing list, and like us on facebook.
Black Media Exec: Obama Uses Sharpton To CONTROL Blacks
Legendary TV talk show host Byron Allen is taking on Al Sharpton, President Obama, and the most powerful media corporations in the world in a battle to spotlight the crisis at the heart of American race relations. It’s a daunting mission. But for some reason he doesn’t sound scared.
Allen told The Daily Caller that top media interests are actively freezing out and in some cases destroying black-owned media companies — and they’re paying Reverend-turned-MSNBC host Al Sharpton to give them racial cover to do it.
As for Washington politicians like Obama? According to Allen, they’re bought out by the very same interests, and they’re playing a part.
“It’s cheaper to give Al Sharpton money than it is to do business with real African-American owned media,” Allen told TheDC. “What Comcast does is they give Al Sharpton money so he doesn’t call them racist. That is the issue here.”
It’s an issue that Allen, the cool longtime host of shows like “Real People” and “Entertainers,” talks about with off-the-air passion.
Read more here
Allen told The Daily Caller that top media interests are actively freezing out and in some cases destroying black-owned media companies — and they’re paying Reverend-turned-MSNBC host Al Sharpton to give them racial cover to do it.
As for Washington politicians like Obama? According to Allen, they’re bought out by the very same interests, and they’re playing a part.
“It’s cheaper to give Al Sharpton money than it is to do business with real African-American owned media,” Allen told TheDC. “What Comcast does is they give Al Sharpton money so he doesn’t call them racist. That is the issue here.”
It’s an issue that Allen, the cool longtime host of shows like “Real People” and “Entertainers,” talks about with off-the-air passion.
Read more here
MIKULSKI, CARDIN LEAD GROUP OF 14 SENATORS INTRODUCING LEGISLATION TO PROTECT DHS EMPLOYEES FROM A TARGETED REPUBLICAN SHUTDOWN
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.), together with Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) have introduced legislation, the Federal Employee Retroactive Pay Fairness Act of 2015, that would guarantee full pay for federal workers at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), who could be furloughed because of a lapse in federal funding or agency shutdown. In December, the Congress passed a $1.014 trillion funding package that avoided a full government shutdown but left the Department of Homeland Security and its more than 240,000 federal employees in limbo with only partial-year funding that expires this Friday, February 27. This legislation is similar to language passed into law during or following previous government shutdowns.
"Congress must help the employees at Homeland Security protect our country and do their job," Vice Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee Barbara Mikulski said. "The Coast Guard, Border Protection, Customs, TSA at the airports, and the workers protecting us from cyber security threats should not get IOUS. We have to give them respect. We have to pay their salaries. I will keep fighting to get the Senate to take up and pass my clean DHS funding bill. And I will continue working with Senator Cardin to assure our dedicated federal employees receive the pay they deserve."
More
"Congress must help the employees at Homeland Security protect our country and do their job," Vice Chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee Barbara Mikulski said. "The Coast Guard, Border Protection, Customs, TSA at the airports, and the workers protecting us from cyber security threats should not get IOUS. We have to give them respect. We have to pay their salaries. I will keep fighting to get the Senate to take up and pass my clean DHS funding bill. And I will continue working with Senator Cardin to assure our dedicated federal employees receive the pay they deserve."
More
Carson Charges Democrats With Taking Advantage of Blacks
Dr. Ben Carson grabbed the Democratic Party's third rail with both hands Thursday morning, launching a political attack based on his complaint that liberals are 'making people dependent' in majority-black American inner-cities.
Race politics have been the near-exclusive domain of the Democrats since the civil-rights era of the 1960s, and Barack Obama's successful White House bid in 2008 solidified their position.
But Carson – the most prominent black Republican in the 2016 presidential picture – told the Conservative Political Action Conference near Washington, D.C. on Thursday that the Democrats now see African-Americans' support as an entitlement – choosing to 'keep them suppressed and cultivate their votes.'
Matthew Brown, a New York college student attending the conference, told Daily Mail Online that Carson is just hitting his stride.
'He's shaking people up and freaking people out,' Brown said. 'The days of a lily-white GOP are starting to fade, and the only people who seem to oppose this energetic and thoughtful black guy are the Democrats. That should tell you something.'
More
Race politics have been the near-exclusive domain of the Democrats since the civil-rights era of the 1960s, and Barack Obama's successful White House bid in 2008 solidified their position.
But Carson – the most prominent black Republican in the 2016 presidential picture – told the Conservative Political Action Conference near Washington, D.C. on Thursday that the Democrats now see African-Americans' support as an entitlement – choosing to 'keep them suppressed and cultivate their votes.'
Matthew Brown, a New York college student attending the conference, told Daily Mail Online that Carson is just hitting his stride.
'He's shaking people up and freaking people out,' Brown said. 'The days of a lily-white GOP are starting to fade, and the only people who seem to oppose this energetic and thoughtful black guy are the Democrats. That should tell you something.'
More
WCSO Press Releases - February 27, 2015 (Part 2)
Incident: WCSO Activity
Date of Incident: 25-26 February 2015
Location: Wicomico County
- On 25 Feb 2015 a deputy arrested Ronnie Woodrow Dryden, 23 of Salisbury, on three Circuit Court Bench Warrants that were issued after he violated the terms of his probation in three theft cases. Dryden was detained without bond in the Detention Center. SBYNEWS
Ronnie Dryden- On 26 Feb 2015 a deputy arrested Michael Warren Rose, 57 of Salisbury, on a District Court Bench Warrant that was issued back in October 2014 after Rose failed to appear for a court case where Rose was charged with failing to stop after being involved in an accident. Rose was released on Personal Recognizance.
No Photo Available
- On 26 Feb 2015 a deputy arrested Patrick Earl McCready Jr., 27 of Salisbury, on a Circuit Court Bench Warrant. The warrant was issued after McCready violated the terms of his probation following a conviction in a Rogue and Vagabond case. McCready was detained on a bond of $25,000.00 in the Detention Center.
Patrick McCready- On 26 Feb 2015 a deputy arrested Jessica Alexandra Ward, 24 of Laurel, DE, on a District Court Bench Warrant that was issued after Ward failed to appear for a CDS Possession case. Ward was released on a $10,000.00 unsecured bond.
Jessica Ward
***************************************************
Incident: Failure to Register as a Sex Offender
Date of Incident: 25 February 2015
Location: Wicomico County
Suspect: Michael Timothy Lane, 45, Salisbury, MD
Michael Lane
Narrative: On 25 Feb 2015 at 4:45 PM a deputy stopped a vehicle operated by Michael Lane for an equipment violation on Salisbury Blvd. in the area of London Avenue. During the traffic stop, the deputy discovered two warrants for Lane’s arrest from 2008:
- An arrest warrant obtained by the Baltimore Police after Lane failed to register as a Sex Offender as required.
- A District Court Bench warrant held by the Maryland Transportation Authority Police that was issued after Lane failed to appear for a Driving Suspended case back in 2008.
The deputy also discovered that Lane’s privilege to drive was still suspended by the State of Maryland and he was charged with Driving While Suspended by the deputy.
Lane was detained without bond in the Detention Center following his initial appearance in front of the District Court Commissioner.
Charges: Failure to Register as a Sex Offender
***************************************************
Incident: Most Wanted Arrest
Date of Incident: 26 February 2015
Location: Wicomico County
Suspect: Christopher Lee Shaver, 24, Delmar, DE
Christopher Shaver
Narrative: On 26 Feb 2015 a deputy extradited Christopher Shaver back to Wicomico County following his arrest in Sussex County, Delaware on 19 Feb 2015. Shaver had been featured back on 9 Feb 2015 as one of Wicomico County’s “Most Wanted” fugitives on WBOC’s Delmarva Life.
Shaver was wanted on a District Court Bench Warrant that was issued back in December after he failed to appear for a burglary case.
Following an initial appearance in front of a District Court Commissioner, Shaver was detained on a bond of $25,000.00 in the Detention Center. SBYNEWS
Charges: Failure to Appear
Releasing Authority: Lt. Tim Robinson Date: 27 February 2015
The criminal charges against William Baer of Gilford, New Hampshire, were tossed out of court by Belknap County Judge James Carroll in December, as WND previously reported.
Then-Acting Police Chief James Leach, who made the arrest, could have dropped the charges but elected not to, said Baer, who was arrested while addressing the board about a reading assignment given to his daughter’s ninth-grade class that included sexually explicit material.
“Lieutenant Leach, and Police Chief (Anthony) Bean Burpee, both took an oath to support, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” Baer told WND. “Lieutenant Leach violated my rights when he silenced and arrested me, and Chief Bean Burpee continued to violate my rights by prosecuting me for nearly seven months.
“These men abused their authority and their positions under color of law. The ‘law enforcers’ became lawbreakers and must be held to account.”
More here
Leonard Nimoy, Spock of ‘Star Trek,’ Dies at 83
His wife, Susan Bay Nimoy, confirmed his death, saying the cause was end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Mr. Nimoy announced last year that he had the disease, which he attributed to years of smoking, a habit he had given up three decades earlier. He had been hospitalized earlier in the week.
More
Babs Punts On Amnesty
(CNSNews.com) - Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) told CNSNews.com Tuesday she will let the courts decide whether President Barack Obama has the authority to unilaterally grant Social Security numbers to illegal aliens.
CNSNews.com asked Mikulski on Capitol Hill Tuesday: “A federal court recently stated that prosecutorial discretion does not include giving Social Security Numbers to illegal aliens. Do you believe that President Obama has the power legally to unilaterally grant these numbers to illegal aliens?”
“Right now, because of the Texas court decision, those questions are going to go through the courts. And actually I’ll look forward to hearing the court and the judicial branch’s insight and recommendations on this,” Mikulski responded.
CNSNews.com followed up with Mikulski: “And until then, do you personally believe he has the power to do this under the law?”
“It’s not what I personally believe. It’s what the law states and the Constitution allows. So I look forward to the legal process going forward,” Mikulski responded.
Although she would not comment on the legality of Obama’s immigration program, Mikulski has been an adamant opponent of Republican efforts to block funding for them.
Here's more
CNSNews.com asked Mikulski on Capitol Hill Tuesday: “A federal court recently stated that prosecutorial discretion does not include giving Social Security Numbers to illegal aliens. Do you believe that President Obama has the power legally to unilaterally grant these numbers to illegal aliens?”
“Right now, because of the Texas court decision, those questions are going to go through the courts. And actually I’ll look forward to hearing the court and the judicial branch’s insight and recommendations on this,” Mikulski responded.
CNSNews.com followed up with Mikulski: “And until then, do you personally believe he has the power to do this under the law?”
“It’s not what I personally believe. It’s what the law states and the Constitution allows. So I look forward to the legal process going forward,” Mikulski responded.
Although she would not comment on the legality of Obama’s immigration program, Mikulski has been an adamant opponent of Republican efforts to block funding for them.
Here's more
Local Man Looking To Exhaust All Options In Hopes Of Finding Kidney Donor Match
He ran into an unexpected hurdle when he failed the physical. Doctors informed Lynch he had polycystic kidney disease.
In spite of the news, he wasn’t initially worried.
“A lot of people never even know they have it,” he said. “They felt I’d be fine for 20 to 30 years.”
Unfortunately, the disease — which causes fluid-filled growths to form on the kidneys — progressed faster than anyone anticipated. Lynch now needs a new kidney.
More
(ABINGDON, MD) – A driver who struck a car carrying a pregnant woman and then fled the scene on I-95 in Harford County last night was not counting on emergency road repair up ahead that stopped traffic and included a state trooper working a special assignment at the location.
The suspect is identified as Bryan C. Kafka, 25, of Middle River, Md. He is charged with driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license, failure to remain at the scene of a personal injury crash, and reckless driving. After his arrest, he was transported to the Harford County Interagency Processing Center for his initial appearance before a court commissioner.
Shortly before 10:00 p.m. yesterday, Maryland state troopers at the JFK Highway Barrack were dispatched to a hit and run crash in Harford County on southbound I-95, south of Rt. 24. Arriving troopers obtained a description of a Chevrolet pickup truck that struck a Buick passenger car carrying two people, one of whom was pregnant. The pickup did not stop and fled from the scene. Troopers immediately issued a lookout for the suspect vehicle.
Unfortunately for the driver who fled, a Maryland Transportation Authority emergency roadway repair crew was working just south of where the crash occurred. Workers had traffic stopped on southbound I-95 due to work occurring in the roadway. In addition, a state trooper was positioned at the construction site with the highway crew for added site safety. The trooper quickly located the suspect driver, whose escape had been prevented by the stopped traffic and by the heavy damage his vehicle had sustained in the crash.
Troopers noted the driver, identified as Kafka, was exhibiting signs of driving under the influence. Further investigation led to his arrest for that and the other offenses listed above.
The two people in the vehicle hit by Kafka, Kuriakos and Jaclyn Petropoulos, of Flushing, NY, were transported to Johns Hopkins Bayview Hospital. EMS personnel described the victims’ injures as non-life threatening.
The suspect is identified as Bryan C. Kafka, 25, of Middle River, Md. He is charged with driving under the influence, driving on a suspended license, failure to remain at the scene of a personal injury crash, and reckless driving. After his arrest, he was transported to the Harford County Interagency Processing Center for his initial appearance before a court commissioner.
Shortly before 10:00 p.m. yesterday, Maryland state troopers at the JFK Highway Barrack were dispatched to a hit and run crash in Harford County on southbound I-95, south of Rt. 24. Arriving troopers obtained a description of a Chevrolet pickup truck that struck a Buick passenger car carrying two people, one of whom was pregnant. The pickup did not stop and fled from the scene. Troopers immediately issued a lookout for the suspect vehicle.
Unfortunately for the driver who fled, a Maryland Transportation Authority emergency roadway repair crew was working just south of where the crash occurred. Workers had traffic stopped on southbound I-95 due to work occurring in the roadway. In addition, a state trooper was positioned at the construction site with the highway crew for added site safety. The trooper quickly located the suspect driver, whose escape had been prevented by the stopped traffic and by the heavy damage his vehicle had sustained in the crash.
Troopers noted the driver, identified as Kafka, was exhibiting signs of driving under the influence. Further investigation led to his arrest for that and the other offenses listed above.
The two people in the vehicle hit by Kafka, Kuriakos and Jaclyn Petropoulos, of Flushing, NY, were transported to Johns Hopkins Bayview Hospital. EMS personnel described the victims’ injures as non-life threatening.
Allen West: My Statement For Black History Month
Here at the National Center for Policy Analysis, we analyze and examine policies and ideas that have the potential to change the world. NCPA can boast in its history the creation of health savings accounts and Roth IRAs as policy ideas that went on to become success stories for the American people.
However, in this Black History Month I would like to take a few moments of your time to share my thoughts and perspectives on a policy that has had a negative effect — affirmative action.
The basic premise of affirmative action is that standards and qualifications have to be lowered in order to create an equality of outcomes as a remedy to alleviate a “historical” disadvantage.
It’s based on the belief that the best way to advance is to disregard or alter requirements — as we say in the military, lower the bar. I remember a Black Hat Airborne Instructor once telling us at Airborne School in Ft. Benning Georgia, “if you set the bar low, you will jump low.” Profound.
And so here in 2015 we are witnessing the biggest failure of affirmative action — right in the White House. Yes, instead of seeing Barack Obama as the first African-American president, I see him as the first affirmative action president.
Now, before some of you go and get all “emotional” — which is the essence of what white liberal progressives promote — they enact policies that make them “feel better” — consider this premise a bit.
We sit back all across America and ask ourselves what is happening? How did we get to this point?
Here is more
Ohio Mother Charged in Fire That Killed Her 2 Kids
The Preble County Prosecuting Attorney's Office on Wednesday formally filed two charges of endangering children against Chastity Hall, 35, according to a press release from the prosecutor's office and the Preble County Sheriff's Office. The charges are third-degree felonies.
At about 4 AM Saturday, firefighters arrived at the home, which was fully engulfed, and firefighters had no indication anyone was inside the home because no one was around and no cars were in the driveway.
With the roof of the home about to collapse and the floor having fallen through already, firefighters could not immediately enter the home.
Later in the morning, the bodies of Malea Bradburn, 10, and her brother, Malachi Bradburn, 9, were found in the house's basement.
Preble County authorities say Hall had left her children alone at the residence for an extended period of time and was not at home when the fire occurred.
A former boyfriend of Hall's also has been charged in relation to the case.
Arcadio B. Escobar, 34, faces one count of trespass in a habitation when a person is present or likely to be present, a fourth-degree felony.
According to the release, investigators determined Escobar was at the residence on the night of the fire, but authorities say there is insufficient evidence to justify criminal charges in connection with the fire or in connection with the children's deaths.
More here
Obama Dares GOP: ‘Vote on Whether What I’m Doing Is Legal…I Will Veto’
President Obama is daring Republicans to vote on whether or not his executive actions are legal.
Discussing opposition to his executive amnesty orders at an immigration town hall Wednesday, Obama said he would veto the vote because his actions are “the right thing to do”:
“So in the short term, if Mr. McConnell, the leader of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, want to have a vote on whether what I’m doing is legal or not, they can have that vote. I will veto that vote, because I’m absolutely confident that what we’re doing is the right thing to do.”
“What we’ve done is we’ve expanded my authorities under executive action and prosecutorial discretion as far as we can legally under the existing statute, the existing law."
More here
Discussing opposition to his executive amnesty orders at an immigration town hall Wednesday, Obama said he would veto the vote because his actions are “the right thing to do”:
“So in the short term, if Mr. McConnell, the leader of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, want to have a vote on whether what I’m doing is legal or not, they can have that vote. I will veto that vote, because I’m absolutely confident that what we’re doing is the right thing to do.”
“What we’ve done is we’ve expanded my authorities under executive action and prosecutorial discretion as far as we can legally under the existing statute, the existing law."
More here
DHS Hides Crucial Fact On 'Terrorist Influx'
Homeland Security Chief Jeh Johnson warned that a Somalia-based terrorist group is encouraging “independent actors” to carry out attacks in Western countries, with the Mall of America in Minnesota among the specific targets.
But he failed to mention that the U.S. continues to import hundreds of high-risk Islamic refugees from Somalia every month.
The U.S. State Department’s refugee-resettlement program has placed more than 100,000 Somalis into U.S cities and towns since the early 1990s – all of them Muslims-- hand-selected by the United Nations refugee agency. And Minnesota has become the most popular destination, with secondary hotspots in Maine, Ohio, Colorado and southern California.
More than 800 new refugees from Somalia arrive in the United States every month, according to Refugee Resettlement Watch.
The constant influx has earned parts of Minneapolis the nickname “Little Mogadishu.”
Johnson told CNN Sunday that terrorist groups such as Somalia-based al-Shabab are “relying more and more on independent actors to become inspired” and “attack on their own.”
But he made no mention in any of his interviews on Sunday morning news shows of the program that brings these potential “independent actors” to the U.S. in the first place.
Johnson said there was a need for a “comprehensive” approach to fighting the ever-present threat posed by terror groups, including al-Shabab and the Islamic State or ISIS.
One would think that cutting off the spigot of Islamic immigration would play a role in any truly comprehensive approach, said Islam expert Robert Spencer, who runs the JihadWatch blog at the David Horowitz Freedom Center.
To talk about tackling the problem without addressing the refugee pipeline is disingenuous, Spencer said.
Spencer said the U.S. government can’t claim “concern” about jihadists carrying out lone-wolf attacks but then fail to shut down the main pipeline into the country, which is the refugee resettlement program.
These immigrants did not just magically appear on U.S. soil, as many of the major media reports would suggest. They were brought here with the full support of the White House and Congress, and there is thus far no indication that anyone wants to rein in the refugee program even though there have been widespread abuses, such as in 2008 when the State Department admitted that up to 20,000 Somalis lied on their refugee applications to get into the U.S., making false claims of American family members.
There's much more here
But he failed to mention that the U.S. continues to import hundreds of high-risk Islamic refugees from Somalia every month.
The U.S. State Department’s refugee-resettlement program has placed more than 100,000 Somalis into U.S cities and towns since the early 1990s – all of them Muslims-- hand-selected by the United Nations refugee agency. And Minnesota has become the most popular destination, with secondary hotspots in Maine, Ohio, Colorado and southern California.
More than 800 new refugees from Somalia arrive in the United States every month, according to Refugee Resettlement Watch.
The constant influx has earned parts of Minneapolis the nickname “Little Mogadishu.”
Johnson told CNN Sunday that terrorist groups such as Somalia-based al-Shabab are “relying more and more on independent actors to become inspired” and “attack on their own.”
But he made no mention in any of his interviews on Sunday morning news shows of the program that brings these potential “independent actors” to the U.S. in the first place.
Johnson said there was a need for a “comprehensive” approach to fighting the ever-present threat posed by terror groups, including al-Shabab and the Islamic State or ISIS.
One would think that cutting off the spigot of Islamic immigration would play a role in any truly comprehensive approach, said Islam expert Robert Spencer, who runs the JihadWatch blog at the David Horowitz Freedom Center.
To talk about tackling the problem without addressing the refugee pipeline is disingenuous, Spencer said.
Spencer said the U.S. government can’t claim “concern” about jihadists carrying out lone-wolf attacks but then fail to shut down the main pipeline into the country, which is the refugee resettlement program.
These immigrants did not just magically appear on U.S. soil, as many of the major media reports would suggest. They were brought here with the full support of the White House and Congress, and there is thus far no indication that anyone wants to rein in the refugee program even though there have been widespread abuses, such as in 2008 when the State Department admitted that up to 20,000 Somalis lied on their refugee applications to get into the U.S., making false claims of American family members.
There's much more here
The Modern Day Trojan Horse
Nuclear challenges have changed over the past twenty years, but they have not disappeared. The likelihood of nuclear conflict between the Cold War superpowers has decreased, but the threat of nuclear terrorism is very real.
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s Illicit Trafficking Database has documented 615 incidents of loss or theft of nuclear or other radiological materials since 1993, including 16 cases involving highly enriched uranium. Terrorist organizations like Aum Shinrikyo and Lashkar-e-Taiba are known to be interested in acquiring a nuclear device, and Al Qaeda has been pursuing a nuclear weapon for over 15 years.
The players have changed, and the means of delivering a nuclear weapon have changed too. As ASP Consensus member Graham Allison, notes, “A nuclear weapon is more likely to arrive in a shipping container than on a missile.”
Shipping containers are relatively simple and inexpensive, in other words, “The Poor Man’s ICBM.” A 2006 RAND Corporation Study projected the results of a single 10-kiloton nuclear device detonated from within a shipping container at the Port of Long Beach, California. In a matter of seconds, 60,000 lives lost, 600,000 homes destroyed, the port’s infrastructure decimated, and a trillion dollar economic crisis.
Container security is a serious concern, but addressing it raises many questions.
More
Major Route 50 Bridge Repairs To Cost $65K; Project Planned For Next Month
SHA’s contracted engineers made a temporary repair of the failed mechanical system that caused the span to be stuck in the open position for about five hours last July 26 and planned a major repair job to prevent it from happening again. That project will start next Wednesday.
“SHA temporarily repaired the bridge after last summer’s malfunction of the draw span,” said District Engineer Donnie Drewer this week. “The work beginning now is a permanent fix to avoid another similar occurrence.”
More
WCSO Press Releases - February 26, 2015
Incident: Assault
Date of Incident: 24 February 2015
Location: 1000 block of Marine Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Michael D. Wilson, 46, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 26 Feb 2015 at 10:45 AM a deputy responded to a residence in the 1000 block of Marine Road for a reported domestic related altercation. Upon arrival the deputy met with a female who was suffering from a facial injury. During the subsequent investigation, the victim identified her boyfriend, Michael Wilson, as her assailant.
The deputy placed Wilson under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Wilson in the Detention Center in lieu of $20,000.00 bond.
Charges: Assault 2nd Degree
*************************************************************
Incident: Sex Offense
Date of Incident: 25 February 2015
Location: 8000 block of Doris Street, Delmar, MD
Suspect: Anthony Shane Vinson, 27, Delmar, MD
Anthony Vinson
Narrative: On 25 Feb 2015 at 10:23 AM a deputy responded to a residence in the 8000 block of Doris Street for a reported sex offense. Upon arrival, the deputy was informed that a 27 year old individual, identified as Antony Vinson, was observed in the act of having sexual intercourse with a 15 year old female. During the ensuing investigation, the deputy received additional information that corroborated the initial report. The deputy also learned that Vinson and the 15 year old female resided in the same residence.
The deputy placed Vinson under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. After an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Vinson in the Detention Center in lieu of $175,000.00 bond.
Charges: Sexual Abuse of a Minor
Sex Offense in the Third Degree
Sex Offense in the Fourth Degree
Releasing Authority: Lt. Tim Robinson Date: 26 February 2015
Anti-Semitism Soaring on U.S. College Campuses
Anti-Semitism on college campuses is growing, with more than half of Jewish students claiming they have witnessed or been subjected to some form of anti-Jewish harassment, according to a new report by a leading human rights organization.
With college campuses across the country acting as a hotbed for anti-Israel activism, Jewish students say they are beginning to be targeted on the basis of their religion, according to a nationwide survey conducted by Trinity College and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law.
The survey, which interviewed 1,157 self-identified Jewish students at 55 U.S. colleges, found that 54 percent experienced or witnessed “anti-Semitism on campus during the first six months of the 2013-2014 academic year.”
Perhaps most surprising, the report found evidence of anti-Semitism across the country, a finding “strongly suggesting anti-Semitism on campus is a nationwide problem,” according to the report.
More here
With college campuses across the country acting as a hotbed for anti-Israel activism, Jewish students say they are beginning to be targeted on the basis of their religion, according to a nationwide survey conducted by Trinity College and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law.
The survey, which interviewed 1,157 self-identified Jewish students at 55 U.S. colleges, found that 54 percent experienced or witnessed “anti-Semitism on campus during the first six months of the 2013-2014 academic year.”
Perhaps most surprising, the report found evidence of anti-Semitism across the country, a finding “strongly suggesting anti-Semitism on campus is a nationwide problem,” according to the report.
More here
Islamic Secret Weapon: Immigration
Much has been reported about Latin Americans sneaking across the U.S. southern border, but there may be a greater danger looming in America’s heartland in the form of nearly 2 million Muslims who have made their way to the U.S. since 1992.
And, unlike the surge at the southern border, most of those coming from the Middle East have done so legally, with the full support of the U.S. federal government.
Scholars such as Robert Spencer, Pamela Geller and Daniel Pipes have warned for years of the Muslim Brotherhood’s doctrine of immigration, or “al-hijra,” used as the long-term strategy to transform America into a different type of society – one that subjugates all other religions under Islam.
Now, another man has stepped up to sound the alarm. And his credentials make him hard to ignore.
Dr. Mark Christian, an obstetrician and former Egyptian Muslim with direct family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, is talking a lot these days about “stealth jihad.” He says it’s the Brotherhood’s way of exploiting liberal immigration policies while working relentlessly through various Islamic front groups to pressure government, education and religious institutions to make concessions to Islam.
He explained that the Brotherhood’s goal is “to restart the Islamic empire.”
That plan starts with immigration.
In their book Modern Day Trojan Horse, the authors show from the Qur'an and Muslim sources, both ancient and modern, that the Islamic Doctrine of Immigration is an Islamic-approved method of changing a host society into an Islamic state. There are different types of jihad to advance the objective of establishing a society governed by Shari'a law. In this book, they show how the Islamic Doctrine of Immigration is a very effective form of stealth jihad.
As WND reported previously the U.S. State Department plans to accept at least 75,000 Syrian refugees, hand-selected by the United Nations, for resettlement in American cities over the next five years. Meanwhile, the influx of refugees from other Muslim countries such as Somalia and Iraq continues at a rate of more than 25,000 per year.
Keep reading..
And, unlike the surge at the southern border, most of those coming from the Middle East have done so legally, with the full support of the U.S. federal government.
Scholars such as Robert Spencer, Pamela Geller and Daniel Pipes have warned for years of the Muslim Brotherhood’s doctrine of immigration, or “al-hijra,” used as the long-term strategy to transform America into a different type of society – one that subjugates all other religions under Islam.
Now, another man has stepped up to sound the alarm. And his credentials make him hard to ignore.
Dr. Mark Christian, an obstetrician and former Egyptian Muslim with direct family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, is talking a lot these days about “stealth jihad.” He says it’s the Brotherhood’s way of exploiting liberal immigration policies while working relentlessly through various Islamic front groups to pressure government, education and religious institutions to make concessions to Islam.
He explained that the Brotherhood’s goal is “to restart the Islamic empire.”
That plan starts with immigration.
In their book Modern Day Trojan Horse, the authors show from the Qur'an and Muslim sources, both ancient and modern, that the Islamic Doctrine of Immigration is an Islamic-approved method of changing a host society into an Islamic state. There are different types of jihad to advance the objective of establishing a society governed by Shari'a law. In this book, they show how the Islamic Doctrine of Immigration is a very effective form of stealth jihad.
As WND reported previously the U.S. State Department plans to accept at least 75,000 Syrian refugees, hand-selected by the United Nations, for resettlement in American cities over the next five years. Meanwhile, the influx of refugees from other Muslim countries such as Somalia and Iraq continues at a rate of more than 25,000 per year.
Keep reading..
Boehner Denounces FCC’s ‘Secret Plan'
WASHINGTON, DC – House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) released the following statement today after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to impose new federal “net neutrality” regulations that would undermine a free and open Internet and hurt our economy:
“Overzealous government bureaucrats should keep their hands off the Internet.
Today, three appointed by President Obama approved a secret plan to put the federal government in control of the Internet. The text of the proposal is being kept hidden from the American people and their elected representatives in Congress, and the FCC’s chairman has so far refused to testify about it.
This total lack of transparency and accountability does not bode well for the future of a free and open Internet, not to mention the millions of Americans who use it every day.
“The FCC is supposed to be an independent agency, but the White House has once again meddled where it shouldn’t in order to advance what one commissioner has described as ‘a solution that won't work to a problem that doesn't exist.’
And like ObamaCare, the Obama administration’s plan for the Internet may not work, but it will create years of uncertainty and lead to expensive legal fights. More mandates and regulations on American innovation and entrepreneurship are not the answer, and that’s why Republicans will continue our efforts to stop this misguided scheme.”
(Source)
“Overzealous government bureaucrats should keep their hands off the Internet.
Today, three appointed by President Obama approved a secret plan to put the federal government in control of the Internet. The text of the proposal is being kept hidden from the American people and their elected representatives in Congress, and the FCC’s chairman has so far refused to testify about it.
This total lack of transparency and accountability does not bode well for the future of a free and open Internet, not to mention the millions of Americans who use it every day.
“The FCC is supposed to be an independent agency, but the White House has once again meddled where it shouldn’t in order to advance what one commissioner has described as ‘a solution that won't work to a problem that doesn't exist.’
And like ObamaCare, the Obama administration’s plan for the Internet may not work, but it will create years of uncertainty and lead to expensive legal fights. More mandates and regulations on American innovation and entrepreneurship are not the answer, and that’s why Republicans will continue our efforts to stop this misguided scheme.”
(Source)
Push for a later start to the Md. school year introduced
The bill has garnered massive public support. In fact seven in 10 Maryland families say they’d like to see school start after Labor Day. But it’s a tricky time of year to propose a shorter school year, as many Maryland school districts are grappling with mounting snow days.
But Franchot is not concerned about snow days. He points to Garrett County, which he says sees the most snow and plans its calendar smartly to avoid extending the school year.
More
Bishop Jackson: ‘Racism At Its Worst’ to Label Ben Carson an Extremist
(CNSNews.com) – Bishop E.W. Jackson called the Southern Poverty Law Center’s classification of Dr. Ben Carson as an extremist “racism at its worst,” adding that the SPLC is “no longer about helping poor people, they’re now about being ideological police.”
“When an organization like the Southern Poverty Law Center decides that a black man who doesn’t agree with them can be slandered the way they slandered him, what it tells me is that there is a certain level of racism that they are operating under,” Bishop Jackson said Wednesday at an anti-bigotry conference at the National Press Club.
“I say that for this reason,” he continued. “To me, this is no different than what maybe slave masters or segregationists would’ve said -- you know, some black people are okay as long as they do what we expect them to do and they think the way we expect them to think; in other words, they’re the good ones and so apparently if you’re not one of the good ones then we’re going to try to destroy you, and that to me that is racism at its worst.”
In October 2014, the SPLC posted an "extremist file" on Carson because of his conservatives views and his criticism of President Obama's polices.
More
“When an organization like the Southern Poverty Law Center decides that a black man who doesn’t agree with them can be slandered the way they slandered him, what it tells me is that there is a certain level of racism that they are operating under,” Bishop Jackson said Wednesday at an anti-bigotry conference at the National Press Club.
“I say that for this reason,” he continued. “To me, this is no different than what maybe slave masters or segregationists would’ve said -- you know, some black people are okay as long as they do what we expect them to do and they think the way we expect them to think; in other words, they’re the good ones and so apparently if you’re not one of the good ones then we’re going to try to destroy you, and that to me that is racism at its worst.”
In October 2014, the SPLC posted an "extremist file" on Carson because of his conservatives views and his criticism of President Obama's polices.
More
Launch Pad Repair Set to Halt in Funding Spat
The Oct. 28, 2014, accident at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), located on Wallops Island, Virginia, caused about $20 million in damages to the state-owned launch pad. Orbital was launching its third Antares rocket for NASA under a $1.9 billion contract to fly cargo to the International Space Station.
Orbital had insurance to cover its losses at Wallops, as well as damage to federal property and other entities as required by the Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees commercial launches in the United States. That insurance, however, does not cover the MARS pad owned by Virginia, according to spokespeople for the company and the FAA.
"We looked at insurance for the pad, but the coverage was inadequate to our needs, and to the extent it was available, was exorbitantly costly," MARS Executive Director Dale Nash wrote in an email.
To cover the repair costs, Virginia has turned to taxpayers, successfully lobbying for a $20 million addition to NASA's 2015 budget as part of the Omnibus spending bill Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed in December.
Those funds, however, have not yet been released, said NASA spokesman Allard Beutel.
More here
School Breakfast Participation Impacts Student Performance
Treasury Won't Explain $3 Billion In Obamacare Payments
The U.S. Treasury Department has rebuffed a request by House Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R- Wis., to explain $3 billion in payments that were made to health insurers even though Congress never authorized the spending through annual appropriations.
At issue are payments to insurers known as cost-sharing subsidies. These payments come about because President Obama’s healthcare law forces insurers to limit out-of-pocket costs for certain low income individuals by capping consumer expenses, such as deductibles and co-payments, in insurance policies. In exchange for capping these charges, insurers are supposed to receive compensation.
What’s tricky is that Congress never authorized any money to make such payments to insurers in its annual appropriations, but the Department of Health and Human Services, with the cooperation of the U.S. Treasury, made them anyway.
More on this
At issue are payments to insurers known as cost-sharing subsidies. These payments come about because President Obama’s healthcare law forces insurers to limit out-of-pocket costs for certain low income individuals by capping consumer expenses, such as deductibles and co-payments, in insurance policies. In exchange for capping these charges, insurers are supposed to receive compensation.
What’s tricky is that Congress never authorized any money to make such payments to insurers in its annual appropriations, but the Department of Health and Human Services, with the cooperation of the U.S. Treasury, made them anyway.
Powellville United Methodist Church
Last evening there was a tragic house fire on Powell School Rd. in Powellville. A family of four has lost all of their personal belongings and three of their family pets. The church will be hosting a drive to support this family as they begin to rebuild their lives. Most importantly, please be in prayer for this family at this time. A donation bin has been set up at the church. Please consider bringing donations of items this Sunday or drop off in the church vestibule before Wednesday.
Please consider donating any of the following items:
Mens pants – size 28
Small boys shirts/underpants
Size 10 Reg. jeans
Mens 34/30 pants
Large shirts
Women’s size 0 pants
Women’s small sweatpants
Women’s small tops/medium sweatpants
Women size 6.5 shoes and socks
Men’s size 10.5 shoes and socks
Boy’s size 8 shoe and socks
School supplies/Children’s books
Please consider donating any of the following items:
Mens pants – size 28
Small boys shirts/underpants
Size 10 Reg. jeans
Mens 34/30 pants
Large shirts
Women’s size 0 pants
Women’s small sweatpants
Women’s small tops/medium sweatpants
Women size 6.5 shoes and socks
Men’s size 10.5 shoes and socks
Boy’s size 8 shoe and socks
School supplies/Children’s books
Md. bill would lower drinking age for service members
WASHINGTON – Maryland lawmakers want to lower the legal drinking age for members of the military and the bill has support from veterans.
“If he’s eligible to be in the military and dodge bullets, he should be able to take a beer now and then,” says Hugh Warner, commander of VFW Post 3285 in Frederick, Maryland.
Warner supports a Maryland bill that would allow active duty service members who are between the ages of 18 to 21 to consume beer and wine at bars and restaurants in the state.
More
“If he’s eligible to be in the military and dodge bullets, he should be able to take a beer now and then,” says Hugh Warner, commander of VFW Post 3285 in Frederick, Maryland.
Warner supports a Maryland bill that would allow active duty service members who are between the ages of 18 to 21 to consume beer and wine at bars and restaurants in the state.
More
Judge strikes down federally funded Common Core testing consortium: ‘Illegal interstate compact’
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Missouri judge this week ruled that a testing consortium designed to administer Common Core exams is an “illegal interstate compact not authorized by the U.S. Congress.”
Cole County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Green ruled Tuesday in favor of Gretchen Logue and Anne Gassel, editors of the Missouri Education Watchdog site, who argued that the Common Core-aligned Smarter Balanced multi-state testing consortium is “an unconstitutional interstate compact that was not approved by Congress, in violation of the Compact Clause of the U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 3, Clause 10,”Breitbart.com reports.
Gassel wrote on the Missouri Education Watchdog site that “the suit also alleged that Governor (Jay) Nixon and (Education) Commissioner (Chris) Nicastro’s course of conduct in committing Missouri to Common Core was in violation of numerous federal and state statutes.”
More
Cole County Circuit Court Judge Daniel Green ruled Tuesday in favor of Gretchen Logue and Anne Gassel, editors of the Missouri Education Watchdog site, who argued that the Common Core-aligned Smarter Balanced multi-state testing consortium is “an unconstitutional interstate compact that was not approved by Congress, in violation of the Compact Clause of the U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 3, Clause 10,”Breitbart.com reports.
Gassel wrote on the Missouri Education Watchdog site that “the suit also alleged that Governor (Jay) Nixon and (Education) Commissioner (Chris) Nicastro’s course of conduct in committing Missouri to Common Core was in violation of numerous federal and state statutes.”
More
Child shot with arrow, taken to Children's Hospital by helicopter
On Feb. 26, at approximately 11:45 a.m. units from the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office responded to an address on Valley Lee Court in Prince Frederick, Maryland in reference to an accidental injury involving a juvenile.
Upon arriving on location, units discovered a 12 year old male suffering from a single arrow impaled in his leg. The juvenile victim was alert and talking to police and medical personnel on the scene.
More
Upon arriving on location, units discovered a 12 year old male suffering from a single arrow impaled in his leg. The juvenile victim was alert and talking to police and medical personnel on the scene.
More