Governor Hogan, Howard County Executive Kittleman and Tenable Network Security CEO Announce Company’s Expansion

Maryland Cybersecurity Company to Add Hundreds of New Jobs by 2020
 
BALTIMORE, MD – Governor Larry Hogan, Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman, and Tenable Network Security® Inc. CEO Ron Gula today announced that Tenable is expanding operations in Maryland. Founded in 2002, Tenable provides continuous network monitoring to enable organizations to identify vulnerabilities, reduce risk, and ensure compliance. The company currently employs 230 workers in Howard County and plans to add hundreds of new full-time positions over the next five years.
“Tenable’s expansion is great news for Maryland’s economy and the cybersecurity community,” said Governor Hogan. “I’m excited to know this company will continue to grow and thrive in our state with the addition of hundreds of jobs over the next five years. Today’s news is proof that Maryland is indeed open for business.”

To assist the company, the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED) is providing a $1 million conditional loan through the Maryland Economic Development Assistance Authority and Fund (MEDAAF). In addition, the Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA) is providing Tenable with a $100,000 reimbursable workforce training grant. 

Socialist red is the new black

Obama’s leftist policies are changing the very nature of America

Is socialism now out of the closet?

It appears so, at least according to a new Gallup poll.

With self-avowed socialist and Vermont Sen. Bernard Sanders running for the Democratic nomination for president, Gallup polled Americans on their feelings about a potential socialist president.

The headline, “Poll: Most Americans unwilling to vote for a socialist,” lent a sense of relief. After nearly seven years of enduring European-style socialism pushed by President Obama on everything from health care to energy, it seemed that the country had resisted the full-court socialist press.

But the poll results were more disturbing: “Just 47 percent of Americans would vote for a socialist if their party nominated one, while 50 percent said they would not.”

“Just 47 percent?” While half of those polled said they would not vote for a socialist, a full 47 percent would. That seems like a frighteningly high percentage willing to go down the road of France or worse, Greece. (This, of course, assumes that the respondents even knew what socialism is.)

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Celebrate July Fourth in Ocean City, Free Fireworks and Concerts in Two Locations

OCEAN CITY, MD: (June 29, 2015) – If you are looking for fireworks with a view, then you want to celebrate your Fourth of July holiday in Ocean City. With your family and friends, beach chairs and blankets, watch the fireworks sparkle over the beautiful water in one of two great locations offering concerts and fireworks displays for free.

At Northside Park, 125th Street and the bay, The Janitors start the evening off at 8 p.m. The spectacular fireworks display may be viewed from anywhere in the park at 9:30 p.m. with the National Anthem leading the show. “Northside Park is a spectacular place for families’ to watch the colorful displays light up the evening sky and lagoon,” said Mayor Rick Meehan. “We encourage spectators to get there early to claim their spot to watch the fireworks.”

On the south end of town, you can head to Ocean City’s famous Boardwalk with its bright lights, assortment of food, family fun and more fantastic fireworks. The Reagan Years will perform on the Caroline Street Stage at 8 p.m. with fireworks filling the sky beginning at 9:30 p.m. “The July 4th Celebration in Ocean City is a unique opportunity to watch fireworks sparkle over the ocean,” Meehan continued. “Our exceptional venue on Caroline Streets allows visitors to bring beach chairs or blankets and claim a spot on the sand for a special and patriotic display.”

The Town of Ocean City is making a change to normal parking operations in the Inlet Parking Lot on Saturday, July 4, by charging a $50 flat-fee for all day parking. The fee, which is good for one-entry, will allow visitors to come as early as 5:30 a.m. and stay as late as midnight, without being charged an hourly parking rate. In addition, a late entry fee will be permitted based on availability at 3 p.m. for a fee of $30, also allowing one-entry only. Once the lot fills, visitors will be encouraged to use neighboring parking lots, including Worcester Street, Somerset Street, Dorchester Street, North Division Street, 4th Street and the West Ocean City Park & Ride. The normal “ticketed” parking operations will return at 12 a.m. on July 5.

Parking is extremely limited at both locations. It is recommended that visitors take the bus. Bus service is $3 ride all day. The West Ocean City Park & Ride on Route 50 is just west of the Route 50 Bridge and offers free parking and $3 ride-all-day shuttle service to downtown. Also, area boaters should note that on the evening of July 4th, the span of the Route 50 Bridge will remain closed to marine traffic at the usually scheduled 10:25 p.m. and 10:55 p.m. opening times. The Route 50 Bridge will reopen for boaters at 11:25 p.m. on the evening of July 4th.

“The Fourth of July holiday is a great opportunity for residents and visitors to stay and play in Ocean City,” Meehan finished. “With a beautiful setting and two great fireworks events, we hope our guests will come early and stay late to celebrate America’s birthday at the beach.” For more information about July 4th activities, call the Ocean City Recreation and Parks Department at 410-250-0125, the Ocean City Department of Tourism at 1-800-626-2326, or visit www.ococean.com.

GAO Rejects Air Force Arguments to Retire A-10 Warthog Fleet

The long-range plans of the Air Force and the Pentagon to retire the A-10 Thunderbolt took another hit Thursday from a non-partisan government report questioning Air Force projections on the savings from mothballing the fleet.

The Air Force estimate of $4.2 billion in savings over five years was unreliable and "may overstate or -understate the actual figure," the Government Accountability Office said in a preliminary report to Congress on the decision to retire the fleet.

Air Force leaders have said the service must retire the A-10 due to budget cuts in order to pay for the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh has told Congress theA-10 is not flexible enough and the service can depend on a mix of other aircraft like the B-1, F-16and F-15 to fulfill the close air support mission.

The report, which was released Thursday, questioned the methods used by the Air Force to determine that retiring the A-10 and giving its close air support mission to other aircraft was cost efficient and would not detract from the vital role of protecting ground troops. Congress has continued to fund the A-10 with annual appropriations over the objections of the Air Force and the Defense Department.

Congress asked the GAO last year to study the Air Force's decision to retire the A-10. Findings throughout the report question and outright reject the service's case to send the revered close air support aircraft to the boneyard.

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Time Op-Ed Calls for All Churches to Lose Tax-Exempt Status

With the victory handed to radical liberals through the Supreme Court on Friday concerning same-sex marriage, it was only a matter of time before these blood-thirsty freedom haters set their sights on churches and other religious institutions.

A Time Op-Ed piece is calling for all churches and non-profits to lose their tax exempt status so they can be taxed and the government can then use the revenue for wealth redistribution.

Gee, a brain dead progressive who thinks the government is the solution to what ails the world, what a shock.

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New Years 2013 - Synchronized Epic Music (Heart of Courage) - FWSim Fireworks Display

The Story Behind How Unions Suddenly Came To Love Obamacare

When the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Obamacare Thursday, unions praised the decision, but it wasn’t always that way. The biggest, most powerful unions in the U.S. opposed the law until they were granted special exemptions.

“The decision is a victory for the millions of Americans who need financial assistance to purchase health insurance, and means that tax credits for middle class and low-income Americans will be available in all 50 states,” United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) said in a statement.

The UFCW, AFSCME, the AFL-CIO, the United Steelworkers and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) among others all released statements showing their support for the law and the highest court’s decision to uphold it. Not long ago, however, unions were adamantly opposed to President Barack Obama’s massive healthcare overhaul.

“On behalf of the millions of working men and women we represent and the families they support, we can no longer stand silent in the face of elements of the Affordable Care Act that will destroy the very health and wellbeing of our members along with millions of other hardworking Americans,” a union letter from 2013, which was obtained by The Wall Street Journal, detailed.

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WHAT WAS THE NUMBER ONE SONG ON THE CHARTS ON THE DAY YOU WERE BORN?

Click on the link below and see.

By looking at this site, I also learned that I have been here on this earth for over 41.6 million minutes. I wonder how many of those were wasted.

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Destiny Clark Crowned Miss Maryland 2015 In Hagerstown

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) — Destiny Clark has won the Miss Maryland pageant and will compete for the crown of Miss America in September.

The Herald-Mail of Hagerstown reports that the 23-year-old from Gaithersburg represented Anne Arundel County in the competition Saturday night in Hagerstown. She will receive a $10,000 scholarship, full tuition to Dale Carnegie training, a fox fur coat valued at $4,800 and other gifts.

Miss Charm of the Chesapeake Paige Dutrow was runner-up.

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The beauty of pollination

Navy weighs having Marines hitch a ride on foreign warships

The Navy is weighing whether to have Marines hitch a ride on foreign warships, citing a shortage of U.S. vessels due to recent budget cuts -- raising bipartisan security concerns about the leverage this could give other countries.

A key concern is whether a warship host nation could deny Marines permission to come ashore.

"Ceding our amphibious ships to other countries -- it's almost silly and I can't believe it is even an option for the Navy," said Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who served as a Marine in Iraq. "Now we are going to have to ask other countries, much less financially stable countries than America, to loan us their ships so that we can base our Marines on their ships. It's almost embarrassing."

The Navy currently has 30 amphibious transport ships to carry Marines, but estimates it would need 38 to cope with rising crises across North Africa. It won't reach that number until 2028 under current budget constraints.

"We are a maritime nation, and we communicate across the world through our sea services, and ... the size of the Navy right now is way too low," said former Sen. Jim Webb, a Democrat who is weighing a presidential run. Webb was a decorated Marine infantry officer in Vietnam and was appointed Navy secretary under President Ronald Reagan.

"It was 568 ships when I resigned as Secretary of the Navy. It's down to about 280 right now," he said.

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BBQ Chicken Carry Out Dinner & Bake Sale

Samsung Galaxy battery tracker

Supreme Court slices Wall Street some wedding cake

The U.S. Supreme Court has sliced Wall Street a piece of wedding cake. The landmark ruling on Friday approving gay marriage gives even banks reason to celebrate. Employee benefits for same-sex spouses will be far cheaper and easier to bestow, enabling stronger competition for top talent with more progressive Silicon Valley.

The justices ruled 5-4 that the constitutional right to be treated equally allows gay couples to tie the knot. The 13 states that banned the practice must now change their laws to conform to the rest of the nation.

That patchwork of conflicting rules has been an administrative nightmare for employers, especially for U.S. financial institutions. Tax laws, for example, often required same-sex couples to be treated differently from opposite-sex ones. Health coverage and other benefits might qualify as income to the spouse of a gay employee in one state but not in another. Keeping track of what forms to file for which workers could alone drive bookkeepers to distraction.

Complying with the rules was more than just a nuisance. Fairness compelled many companies to reimburse married gay workers for taxes and other expenses that straight spouses didn’t have to pay. Those amounts, and the cost of calculating them, could add up.

The top court’s decision does away with most of those problems, allowing employers to offer more generous benefits across the board. That should come in handy for banks and other financial firms trying to compete for the best employees.

A lot of those workers now tend to flock to the cradle of technology innovation in northern California, where lucrative perks and a tradition of gay rights are powerful draws. Wall Street, by contrast, has struggled with a reputation for machismo, of the sort depicted in the 1987 Oliver Stone film starring Charlie Sheen, as well as widespread complaints of homophobic work environments.

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Prosecutors seek to try 4 of 6 Freddie Gray officers first

BALTIMORE —The Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office filed motions Friday that could change who goes on trial first in the case against six police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray.

The motion, one of two filed late Friday afternoon, seeks to put four of the six officers on trial together first. They are seeking to try Caesar Goodson, Alicia White, Edward Nero and Garrett Miller together. Those officers face the most serious charges through separate indictments.

Doug Colbert, an attorney not associated with the case, said doing so saves time and money.

"It's for the convenience of witnesses, it's for the convenience of jurors, it's much less expensive," Colbert said.

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JUST IN: Supreme Court blocks Texas abortion-clinic rules

The Supreme Court refused on Monday to allow Texas to enforce restrictions that would force 10 abortion clinics to close.

The justices voted 5-4 to grant an emergency appeal from the clinics after a federal appeals court upheld new regulations and refused to keep them on hold while the clinics appealed to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court order will remain in effect at least until the court decides whether to hear the clinics' appeal of the lower court ruling, not before the fall.

The court's decision to block the regulations is a strong indication that the justices will hear the full appeal, which could be the biggest abortion case at the Supreme Court in nearly 25 years.

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It's only a race issue when it supports someones agenda

Walmart Apologizes for Making ISIS Cake for Man Denied Confederate Flag Design

A man in Louisiana is asking for an explanation from Walmart after his request for a Confederate flag cake at one of its bakeries was rejected, but a design with the ISIS flag was accepted.

Chuck Netzhammer said he ordered the image of the Confederate flag on a cake with the words, "Heritage Not Hate," on Thursday at a Walmart in Slidell, Louisiana. But the bakery denied his request, he said. At some point later, he ordered the image of the ISIS flag that represents the terrorist group.

"I went back yesterday and managed to get an ISIS battleflag printed. ISIS happens to be somebody who we're fighting against right now who are killing our men and boys overseas and are beheading Christians," Netzhammer said.

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Judicial Watch Sues Maryland Over 'Gerrymandered' Congressional Districts

(CNSNews) -- Judicial Watch announced this week that it has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Baltimore challenging Maryland’s "gerrymandered" congressional districts.

Gerrymandering is the deliberate manipulation of district boundaries in order to benefit a certain political party or group.

“The lawsuit alleges that the Maryland district map is the most distorted and confused in the country,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said at a press conference announcing the lawsuit in Washington on Wednesday.

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WV TEEN FALLS FROM 5TH FLOOR WINDOW AFTER ASSAULTING FEMALE

(June 29, 2015) – A West Virginia teen is currently in stable condition after falling from a fifth story window in downtown Ocean City.

On June 28, 2015, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Ocean City police responded to a hotel in the area of 2nd Street and Atlantic Avenue for a report of an individual that had fallen from a fifth floor window. Upon arrival, officers observed a male that had been injured from the fall in an alley directly below an open window. He was later identified as Ricky Leon Miller, 18, of Hedgesville, WV. Miller was treated on scene by Ocean City Emergency Medical Services and flown to University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center by Maryland State Police Trooper 4 where he is currently listed in stable condition.

After an initial investigation, Ocean City Police Criminal Investigation Division detectives determined that prior to the fall, Miller assaulted a 26-year-old female who was pushing a baby stroller on the third floor of the hotel. The assault was unprovoked and Miller had no prior contact with the female. Miller then fled to the fifth floor of the hotel and was attempting to exit through a hallway window when he fell five stories to the alley below.

Alcohol and drugs are believed to have been contributing factors. The investigation is ongoing and pending charges against Miller have not been determined at this time.

Proposed Md. smog regulations get an airing at hearing

BALTIMORE (AP) — Environmentalists are raising a stink about Maryland’s approach to air pollution.

The Sierra Club says it’s joining six other environmental groups Monday at a public hearing in Baltimore on proposed emergency smog regulations.

The Sierra Club says the proposed rules are an inadequate, short-term solution.

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The Bush Family Goes "All In" For Number Three (With The Help Of Its Bankers)

Money, they say, makes the world go round. So how’s $10 billion for you? That’s a top-end estimate for the record-breaking spending in this 1% presidential election campaign season.But is “season” even the right word, now that such campaigns are essentially four-year events that seem always to be underway? In a political world stuffed with money, it’s little wonder that the campaign season floats on a sea of donations. In the case of Jeb Bush, he and his advisers have so far had a laser-focus on the electorate they felt mattered most: big donors. They held off the announcement of his candidacy until last week (though he clearly long knew he was running) so that they could blast out of the gates, dollars-wise, leaving the competition in their financial dust, before the exceedingly modest limits to non-super PAC campaign fundraising kicked in.

And give Jeb credit -- or rather consider him a credit to his father (the 41st president) and his brother (the 43rd), who had Iraq eternally on their minds. It wasn’t just that Jeb flubbed the Iraq Question when a reporter asked him recently (yes, he would do it all over again; no, he wouldn’t... well, hmmm...), but that Iraq is deeply embedded in the minds of his campaign team, too. His advisers dubbed the pre-announcement campaign they were going to launch to pull in the dollars a “shock-and-awe” operation in the spirit of the invasion of Iraq. Now, having sent in the ground troops, they clearly consider themselves at war. As the New York Timesreported recently, the group's top strategist told donors that his super PAC "hopes to 'weaponize' its fund-raising total for the first six months of the year."

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JUST IN: Supreme Court Throws Out Arizona, Kansas Voter ID Appeal

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a joint-appeal from Arizona and Kansas on Monday that would have allowed the states to require applicants to show proof of citizenship while registering to vote.

In throwing out the case, SCOTUS uphold a Nov. 2014 ruling by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, stating that the Election Assistance Commission — the federal agency overseeing changes to states’ voter registration processes — was, “not required to grant the states’ request that proof of citizenship be added to registration requirements,” reports Reuters. The court believed that the federal registration form — requiring applicants to swear they are citizens under the threat of perjury — was a sufficient safe-guard against voter fraud.

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Clinton Lawyer, Soros Back Anti-Voter ID Lawsuits

George Soros and Clinton lawyer Marc Elias engaging in multi-state effort to overturn ID laws

Hillary Clinton’s top campaign lawyer is behind a multi-state push challenging voter identification laws implemented in recent years, efforts that are expected to reach numerous other states ahead of the 2016 elections.

Marc Elias, a top campaign lawyer for Hillary Clinton and a partner at the Washington, D.C., law firm Perkins Coie, has filed lawsuits in three states thus far. The nationwide campaign is being fueled with money from the liberal billionaire George Soros.

Elias first began exploring the possible challenges back in January 2014. Soros then became involved, vowing to throw his weight behind the effort in collaboration with Elias.

“We hope to see these unfair laws, which often disproportionately affect the most vulnerable in our society, repealed,” Soros told the New York Times.

“It is disingenuous to suggest that these laws are meant to protect against voter fraud, which is nearly nonexistent,” Soros political adviser Michael Vachon added. “Clearly they are meant to give Republicans a political advantage on Election Day.”

Soros has pledged $5 million to propel the campaign. Elias did not return a request for comment concerning his dealings with Soros or the total number of lawsuits they plan on bringing forward. A request for comment from George Soros’s press office was also not returned by press time.

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Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release 6-29-15

On Monday June 22, 2015 at approximately 0155 hours a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputy stopped a vehicle on Route 90 Berlin, Maryland for a speed violation. During the stop the deputy observed certain indicators of suspicious activity. A K-9 Officer was called to scan the vehicle. The K-9 had a positive alert on the vehicle. During a search of the vehicle a loaded handgun was found under the front passenger side seat. The driver, Seth Thomas Hughes 22 years of age from Hazleton Pa., was arrested and transported to the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office for processing. Mr. Hughes was charged with possession of a handgun and released pending trial.

On Monday June 22, 2015 at approximately 1818 hours Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Deputies stopped a black in GMC Yukon for failing to drive right of the center line and other signs of negligent driving on Route 113 near Public Landing Rd. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Merysol Mendez-Reyes50 years of age from Newark New Jersey. A search of the vehicle revealed over 1,000 cartons of untaxed cigarettes.

Ms. Mendez-Reyes was arrested and charged with transporting untaxed cigarettes and possessing untaxed cigarettes. Ms. Mendez- Reyes was given warnings for her negligent driving and failing to drive right of center. Ms. Mendez-Reyes was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was held on a $ 10,000 bond.

On 06/28/2015 WCSO responded to a residence on Coral Reef Drive for a report of a theft of $10,000 cash from a vehicle that occurred earlier. Through investigation Demetrius Mobley, 22, of Hillside Illinois was identified as a possible suspect. A search of Mr. Mobley property resulted in the recovery of the $10,000. Mobley was placed under arrest and charged with one count of theft $10,000 - Under $100,000.

Mr. Mobley was taken before the District Court Commissioner and released on a $10,000 unsecured bond.

Maryland governor starts chemotherapy for lymphoma

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says he has begun chemotherapy treatments for an aggressive form of cancer.

Hogan announced last week that he’s been diagnosed with an advanced stage of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He said the cancer responds well to treatment and his prognosis is good.

The Republican governor said in a Facebook post Sunday morning that he’s “made it through the first 24 hours of chemo.”

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What's Next?

High schoolers’ experiment lost again on launch failure

Three high school students were going to get the science lesson of a lifetime by flying their experiment in space.

Instead they got a life lesson about loss, but more importantly about determination, as they watched their experiment get wiped out for the second straight time by a rocket failure on Sunday.

The students from North Charleston, South Carolina, had come up with an intricate electronics circuitry experiment. It was supposed to fly last October to the International Space Station on an Antares rocket out of Wallops Island, Virginia.

But it blew up as they watched from only 1.7 miles away. Joe Garvey was knocked over by the blast coming off the launch pad. Rachel Lindbergh felt the heat on her face.

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Nearly Instantaneous Finger-prick Test for Ebola

Public health officials may soon be able to screen patients for Ebola at border crossings and hospitals with a finger-prick blood test that takes mere minutes.

The development of the rapid diagnostic test, reported in The Lancet Thursday, represents a significant victory for scientists around the world who have been experimenting over the past year with all manner of vaccines, treatments and other ways of eradicating the virus.

Developing a way of confirming Ebola in a patient has been one of the top priorities. In the early stages the symptoms -- chest pain, cough, nausea -- can look like many other illnesses, making it very difficult for doctors to triage -- to determine who should be quarantined and who to send home. It can often take days or longer for laboratory tests, the current standard, to return a positive or negative result.

"Delays like this result not only in the failure to diagnose and treat Ebola-infected patients, but also in individuals without Ebola being admitted to holding units where they may be subsequently infected with the virus," explained Nira Pollock, an associate medical director of the infectious diseases diagnostic laboratory at Boston Children's Hospital who is a co-author of the study.

The new test was evaluated in two government-run treatment centers in Sierra Leone, one of the hardest hit countries in the epidemic that has killed more than 11,200 people in West Africa as of this week. The research team, which also included scientists from Harvard Medical School, compared the accuracy of the rapid test with the laboratory test in 106 individuals suspected of having Ebola. The rapid test identified 100 percent of all infected patients who also got positive results with the lab test.

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Rand Paul Issues Statement On Obamacare Ruling

“I WOULD MAKE IT MY MISSION TO REPEAL IT”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Rand Paul issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold Obamacare subsidies:

“This decision turns both the rule of law and common sense on its head. Obamacare raises taxes, harms patients and doctors, and is the wrong fix for America’s health care system.

As President, I would make it my mission to repeal it, and propose real solutions for our healthcare system.

As a physician, I know Americans need a healthcare system that reconnects patients, families, and doctors, rather than growing government bureaucracy,” Sen. Rand Paul said.

(Editor’s Note: The above communication is a news release from a presidential campaign and does not necessarily reflect the editorial position of FITSNews.com. To submit your letter, news release, email blast, media advisory or issues statement for publication, click here).

Source

Despite Subpoena and Preservation Order, Lois Lerner Emails Wiped by IRS

(CNSNews) – After the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was subpoenaed and issued a preservation order for Lois Lerner’s missing emails, tapes that potentially contained her emails were wiped, which was the topic of conversation at a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing at the Rayburn Building on Capitol Hill on Thursday.

“There was a preservation order in place, there’s a subpoena in place, they’ve never complied with it; we’ve had testimony from the IRS commissioner that we would get all this only to find out they’ve been degaussing these tapes and they destroyed evidence,” said Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) at the hearing.

The main witnesses at the hearing were Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George and Deputy Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Office of Investigations Tim Camus.

“That’s what they did and that’s why we continue to have this,” said Chaffetz. “We haven’t even gotten into the content of the emails. We’re just trying to get them so we can read them and figure out what’s going on.”

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) focused his remarks on the timeline of events happening with the IRS scandal:

I Fear Judgment Befalling America

Dr. James Dobson sees children as primary victims in high-court ruling

Even though Friday’s re-definition of marriage by the U. S. Supreme Court was anticipated, I have found myself grieving over its implications for my country and for Western civilization itself. This radical decree will have a devastating affect on every dimension of culture.

I grieve most for what it will do to our children, our grandchildren and future generations. They will be taught that right is wrong and wrong is right, and that the teachings of Scripture are unreliable and inaccurate. How outrageous it is that boys and girls barely out of babyhood are already being introduced in some schools to perverse adult behavior.

Soon, public school textbooks throughout the country will be re-written and re-illustrated to conform to today’s ruling. It matters not that these revisions will contradict the beliefs and convictions of their parents. It will soon become the law of the land.

Many more vulnerable kids will grow up in homes with same-sex parents, obviously lacking either masculine or feminine role models. They are the real victims of the Court’s ruling.

Adults will suffer, too. I believe a barrage of court cases has already been planned against those who hold to politically incorrect views of marriage. Many of us will be dragged into court to be prosecuted or subjected to civil judgments. Some will lose their jobs, while others forfeit their businesses. Some will be persecuted and ridiculed and fined. Some may go to prison as the years unfold. Since same-sex marriage has now been determined to be a universal human right by the highest court in the land, it will trump religious liberty, churches, seminaries, Christian schools, businesses and a host of individual liberties. I also fear that judgment will befall this once great nation.

Here is the question of the hour. The organization I lead, Family Talk, is in accord with the National Organization for Marriage. This is an excerpt of its editorial released Friday:
(Read more here)

Michael Moore Offers To Pay Bail & Legal Fees For Woman Who Took Down Confederate Flag

Michael Moore is offering to pay the bail and legal fees for Bree Newsome, 30, who scaled the 30-foot flagpole in front of the South Carolina statehouse Saturday and took down the Confederate flag by hand.

About three hours after Newsome, a self described artist and activist, took down the flag Saturday morning while wearing a helmet and climbing equipment, the filmmaker tweeted out this.

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Franklin Graham Warns Gay Marriage Ruling Will Lead to Christian Persecution

One of the nation’s most prominent evangelical leaders issued a dire warning for the nation in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s ruling on homosexual marriage.

“I believe God could bring judgment upon America,” said Franklin Graham in an exclusive interview.

Graham told me that Christians should be prepared for persecution in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s ruling on homosexual marriage.

“You better be ready and you better be prepared because it’s coming,” Graham said just moments after the court handed down its ruling. “There will be persecution of Christians for our stand.”

Graham, the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, said he was disappointed in the 5-4 Supreme Court ruling.

“I’m disappointed because the government is recognizing sin,” he said. “This court is endorsing sin. That’s what homosexuality is – a sin against God.”

Graham said regardless of the ruling, he will refuse to marry any same-sex couple.

“I will never recognize it in my heart because God gave marriage between a man and a woman and that’s what marriage is,” he said. “And I don’t think the court – since it never defined marriage – doesn’t have the right to redefine it. God gave us marriage. Period. And God doesn’t change his mind.”

The Supreme Court's decision means gay rights now trump religious liberty. And if you think the cultural purging of the Southern States has been breathtaking, wait until you see what LGBT activists are about to unleash on American Christians.

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FCC Chairman 'Will Not Let Up' on Broadband Regulation

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission made clear Friday that his plans for broadband policy are far from over.

"Here's the punchline," Chairman Tom Wheeler said at the Brookings Institution. "It's pedal to the medal on broadband policy for both consumers and competitors."

Wheeler called broadband the most "powerful and pervasive platform on the planet," saying it is "unthinkable" that it could exist without government oversight. He emphasized the necessity of having policies that address the power that large companies have over broadband and who is able to access it.

He said that it was unacceptable that in this day and age, broadband is still unavailable to some. Calling it "indispensable," Wheeler said the FCC is planning to make broadband cheaper, fairer and more accessible by pushing competition, offering economic incentives and enabling new government policies.

Regulation of the network, Wheeler said, "can only be done at the highest level of government."

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Clinton's Benghazi Cover Up 3.0

The Blumenthal Emails

In an address to the nation in 2010, Barack Obama declared what I suggest will be the defining words of his administration’s legacy: “The only people who don’t want to disclose the truth are people with something to hide.”

Seasoned political observer Jonah Goldberg noted that Obama’s deceptions amount to “the biggest lies about domestic policy ever uttered by a U.S. president.” While I concur with that assessment, Obama and his secretary of state from 2009 to 2013, Hillary Clinton, are in a dead heat for “biggest lies about foreign policy.”

Though Obama promised to have “the most transparent administration in history,” his has without question been the absolute polar opposite. But history tells us that if Hillary Clinton makes it to the White House she’ll make Obama look like a piker.

Getting to the truth of any matter in this era — an era in which progressive falsehoods are routinely enabled and propagated by the Leftmedia — is often exceedingly difficult. This is especially true when dealing with accomplished masters of the art of lying like Obama and Clinton. Indeed, they have taken executive-level deception and obfuscation into uncharted depths.

Under the Obama/Clinton watch, our nation’s paper tiger foreign policy has resulted in numerous colossal failures. The most catastrophic of these so far would include the expansionist “Russian Spring,” our abruptabandonment of Iraq after securing a hard-won victory over the region’s jihadists, and the resulting rise of the “JV” Islamic State whose mayhem is now spreading across the Middle East.

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U.S. Rehearses Bombing Iran's Buried Nuclear Targets

President Barack Obama’s nuclear diplomacy with Iran may yet fail. On Tuesday, exactly one week before a June 30 deadline for an agreement, Iran’s Supreme Leader delivered his latest in a series of defiant statements, setting conditions for a deal—including immediate relief from sanctions, before Iran has taken steps to limit its nuclear program—that Obama will never accept. Secretary of State John Kerry warned last week that the U.S. is prepared to walk away from the talks. And even if a deal is reached, the story is not over. The Iranians may break or cheat on an agreement, and try build a nuclear weapon anyway.

That’s why, at least three times in the past year, a B-2 stealth bomber has taken off from an Air Force base in Missouri and headed west to the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. For these missions, the $2 billion plane was outfitted with one of the world’s largest bombs. It is a cylinder of special high-performance steel, 20 feet long and weighing 15 tons. When dropped from an altitude likely above 20,000 feet, the bomb would have approached supersonic speed before striking a mock target in the desert, smashing through rock and burrowing deep into the ground before its 6,000 pounds of high explosives detonated with devastating force.

“It boggles the mind,” says one former Pentagon official who has watched video of the tests.

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WCSO Most Wanted 6-29-15

Call Crime Solvers of the Lower Eastern Shore at 410-548-1776 with any tips on the whereabouts of these subjects. They pay cash for tips!!
 

Latasha Denean Carter
• Black Female, 5’04” 200 lbs
• DOB 11/22/1972 42 years of age
• Black hair, Brown eyes
• Carter’s last known address was Salisbury MD
• Carter is wanted by the Sheriff’s Office on a District Court Bench Warrant issued for Violation of Probation in January 2015 on the charge of Assault 2nd and Resist Arrest
• The preset bond is $50,000
• Carter should be APPROACHED WITH EXTREME CAUTION, has history of weapon possession and resist arrest

Russell Guy Perry
• White Male, 5’09” 155 lbs
• DOB 05/19/1985 30 years of age
• Blond hair, Blue eyes
• Perry’s last known address was Edgewood MD but he is believed to have moved to Delmar MD
• Perry is wanted by the Sheriff’s Office on a District Court Bench Warrant issued in September 2013 for Violation of Probation on the charge of Burglary 4th degree
• The preset bond is $10,000

Anthony Julius Horton
• Black Male, 6’00” 240 lbs
• DOB 10/17/1976 38 years of age
• Black hair, Brown eyes
• Horton’s last known address was Salisbury MD
• Horton is wanted by the Sheriff's Office on a District Court Arrest Warrant issued in September 2014 for Attempt to Elude Officers, Failure to Stop at Accident, and Driving without a license
• Horton has history of being ARMED, RESIST ARREST, ASSAULT POLICE, DRUG ABUSE, and is a known GANG MEMBER 

Marvin Dean Hicks
• White Male 5’09” 155 lbs
• DOB 07/10/1962 52 years of age
• Gray hair, Blue eyes
• Hicks’ last known address was Delmar MD
• Hicks is wanted by the Sheriff’s Office on a Circuit Court Bench Warrant issued for Violation of Probation in April 2014 on the charges of Theft $1000 to $10000, Theft less $1000, and Burglary 4th degree
• The preset bond is $25,000
• The state will extradite him from DE and VA
• Hicks should be APPROACHED WITH CAUTION and has history of DRUG ABUSE

Samuel Jesus Gomez-Torres
• Hispanic Male, 5’09” 136 lbs
• DOB 11/19/1987 27 years of age
• Black hair, Brown eyes
• Gomez’s last known address was Salisbury MD
• Gomez is wanted by the Sheriff’s Office on a Circuit Court Bench Warrant issued in August 2012 for Violation of Probation on the charge of Assault 2nd
• There is no preset bond, he must be brought before the court 

Nikita Michelle Tindley
• Black Female, 5’06” 155 lbs
• DOB 11/06/1986 28 years of age
• Black hair, Brown eye
• Tindley’s last known address was Salisbury MD
• Tindley is wanted by the Sheriff's Office on a District Court Bench Warrant issued in September 2014 for Violation of Probation on the charges of False Statement to Officer, Obstruct & Hinder, and Fraud Personal ID to avoid prosecution
• The preset bond is $50,000
• The state will extradite her from DE and VA
• Tindley should be APPROACHED WITH CAUTION

U.S. Citizens Sign Petition to Ban American Flag

Texas AG: State workers can deny marriage licenses to gay couples

Texas’ Attorney General on Sunday stated that county clerks, judges and justices of peace could deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples for religious reasons, arguing that the Supreme Court did not abolish religious liberty.

Ken Paxton, in his non-binding legal opinion, went on to add that “numerous lawyers” would be made available to defend public officials refusing to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples, according to the Associated Press.

“This newly minted federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage can and should peaceably coexist with longstanding constitutional and statutory rights, including the rights to free exercise of religion and freedom of speech,” Paxton’s opinion states. Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick later requested to review the document.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wrote a memo on Friday stating that “despite the Supreme Court’s rulings, Texans’ fundamental right to religious liberty remains protected,” a move that could have prompted Paxton’s remarks over the weekend.

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Pension Funds Are "Compromising Their Solvency" OECD Warns

Four months ago in “The Global War On Pensioners”, we highlighted the impact perpetually suppressed risk-free rates are having on pension funds. The critical point is this: the lower the investment return assumption (the assumed discount rate), the higher the present value of pension liabilities, meaning funds must either concede that liabilities have ballooned in the low yield environment, or take greater risks to justify elevated investment return assumptions.

This state of affairs has exacerbated an already bad situation for many public sector pension funds in the US and has helped fuel a shift towards “alternatives” by funds determined to maintain investment return assumptions despite the fact that ZIRP and NIRP are making those assumptions more unrealistic by the day. For a detailed recap, see the following:

The Global War On Pensioners
Junk Rated Chicago Has A Billion Dollar Pension Problem
Almost Half Of US States Are Officially Broke
States Turn To Pension Ponzi Scheme To Close Funding Gaps

For more on the risks posed by the intersection of pension funding gaps and persistently low rates, we go to the OECD’s Business and Finance Outlook (first discussed here in the context of bond market liquidity last week):

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SPD Press Release 6-29-15 - (Shots Fired Investigation-Arrest)

WCSO Press Release 6-29-15

Incident: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol

Date of Incident: 25 June 2015

Location: Salisbury Blvd at Ohio Ave, Salisbury, MD

Suspect: Joseph Clark Hollaway, 39, Delmar, MD

Narrative: On 25 June 2015 at 12:29 AM a deputy stopped a vehicle operated by Joseph Hollaway for driving 71 mph in a 35 mph zone on Salisbury Boulevard.  Upon contact with Hollaway, the deputy detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from within the interior of the vehicle. Based on the odor and other physical indicators, the deputy initiated sobriety testing. At the conclusion of the testing, the deputy placed Hollaway under arrest for DUI.

During subsequent processing, Hollaway provided a breath sample that measured .14.

Hollaway was released upon the issuance of citations.

Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Per Se

***************************************************

Incident: Sex Offender Violation

Date of Incident: 25 June 2015

Location: Wicomico County

Suspect: Brett E. Evans, 51, Salisbury, MD

Brett Evans

Narrative: On 25 June 2015 a deputy arrested Brett Evans for failing to correctly register as a sex offender as required. Evans, as a result of being convicted for a Rape in the 4th Degree in Delaware, was required to register as a Sex Offender. Upon relocated to Wicomico County in 2013 Evans initially complied with the requirement, but he informed the Sex Offender Registration Unit at the Sheriff’s Office that Evans was homeless as of May 28, 2015.

Due to his declaration of being homeless, Evans was required to check in with the sheriff’s Office on a weekly basis. An investigator with the Sex Offender Registration Unit discovered that Evan was regularly staying at a location outside of Wicomico County after declaring he was homeless.

Following an initial appearance, Evans was detained in the Detention Center in lieu of $10,000.00 bond.

Charges: Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

                Providing False Information as Sex Offender

***************************************************

Incident: Fugitive from Delaware

Date of Incident: 26 June 2015

Location: 7000 block of Canal Street, Willards, MD

Suspect: Verlin Richard Hudson, 40, Willards, MD

Verlin Hudson

Narrative: On 26 June 2015 at 4:45 PM a deputy arrested Verlin Hudson of Willards as a Fugitive from the State of Delaware. Authorities in that state wanted Hudson in connection with a forgery case.

Hudson was detained without bond pending extradition back to Delaware.

Charges: Fugitive from Delaware                                                     

             

Releasing Authority: Lt. Tim Robinson        Date:  26 June 2015

PUERTO RICO: 'There is no US precedent for anything of this scale or scope'

Puerto Rico's governor is warning that the island can't pay its $72 billion public debt, delivering another jolt to the recession-gripped US territory as well as a world financial system already worrying over Greece's collapsing finances.

Gov. Alejandro García Padilla is hoping to defer debt payments while negotiating with creditors, spokesman Jesus Manuel Ortiz said Sunday night.

"There is no other option," García said, according to The New York Times. "I would love to have an easier option. This is not politics; this is math."

The comments came as legislators debate a $9.8 billion budget that calls for $674 million in cuts and sets aside $1.5 billion to help pay off the debt. The budget has to be approved by Tuesday.

Puerto Rico's bonds were popular with US mutual funds because they were tax-free, but hedge funds and distressed-debt buyers began stepping in to buy up debt as the island's economy worsened and its credit rating dropped.

"Analysts believe the central government will run out of cash as soon as July, which could lead to a government shutdown, employee furloughs, and other emergency measures," according to The Wall Street Journal.

"This is going to be painful for the next two to three years," Rep. Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico's Democratic representative in the US House, told The Journal.

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BREAKING NEWS: Supreme Court rules against EPA on power plant rules

In a major victory for energy industry groups, the Supreme Court rules 5-4 against EPA regulations limiting power plant emissions of mercury and other pollutants.

Walmart Makes ISIS Cake, But Refuses Confederate Flag

Walmart could be in hot water with Southerners after customer Charles Netzhammer posted a video showing evidence that he had been able to get an ISIS cake made while having another refused that presented the Confederate flag.

In an emotional YouTube post that went up June 26, Netzhammer showed a picture of the Confederate flag he wished displayed on a cake from the retail giant’s bakery. In addition to the familiar stars and bars, the statement “Heritage Not Hate” was to be printed across the front.

Netzhammer then claimed that he was able to go to another Walmart in the same area and have an ISIS cake printed for him with no issues.

After the cake unboxing, he then displayed the “Heritage Not Hate” refusal form that Walmart had given him along with documentation and receipts on his ISIS cake.

The experience left the Southerner irate.

More here (with video)