Defense attorneys for the officers charged in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray are accusing prosecutors of misconduct by "judge-shopping" to get a search warrant approved.
In the latest filing in the case, the defense attorneys cite a police memo turned over by prosecutors that indicates an April 24 application for a warrant to search the officers' phones was rejected by a District Court judge, who found it lacked probable cause.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Attention
Monday, July 13, 2015
O’Malley HAMMERS Trump, Lays Out Immigration Policy’s Core Principles At NCLR
2016 Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley — while speaking at the National Council of La Raza’s annual conference — simultaneously laid out the three core principles of his “detailed immigration policy” while bashing the entirety of the Republican field for “vilifying ‘New Americans’ … and fighting tooth and nail against immigration reform.”
The former Maryland governor began his speech by first noting that, “the genius of America lies in not where you come from, but where you’re going… We were once all strangers in this land, and we must all help each other if we are to succeed.”
After elaborating about his own family’s immigrant history — “my grandfather’s first language wasn’t English” — O’Malley outlined the three core principles of his policy:
More
The former Maryland governor began his speech by first noting that, “the genius of America lies in not where you come from, but where you’re going… We were once all strangers in this land, and we must all help each other if we are to succeed.”
After elaborating about his own family’s immigrant history — “my grandfather’s first language wasn’t English” — O’Malley outlined the three core principles of his policy:
More
WCBOE Monthly Meeting
The Board of Education's next monthly meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 14 at the Board of Education Office on Long Avenue. The July meeting is the annual reorganization meeting for the Board, with the Board electing a new president and vice president to one-year terms of office.
On behalf of the school system and the Board of Education, thank you to Board President Ron Willey for his years as the Board's leader. He has spent his life in service to Wicomico students and families, and will continue to serve on the Board of Education until 2017: "I love this school system, I love it with all my heart. I want the best for it, and I have given my life to it."
On behalf of the school system and the Board of Education, thank you to Board President Ron Willey for his years as the Board's leader. He has spent his life in service to Wicomico students and families, and will continue to serve on the Board of Education until 2017: "I love this school system, I love it with all my heart. I want the best for it, and I have given my life to it."
Baby Gets a Set of Pink Glasses and This Is Her Reaction to Seeing Her Parents’ Faces for the First Time
An Ohio mother took her baby to the doctor last month because the little girl hadn’t started crawling yet.
There the doctor conducted a few tests and found out why the baby likely wasn’t attempting to get up on all fours and move — she couldn’t see very well.
Mother Jessica Sinclair wrote on Facebook that her daughter’s eyesight is “+7.00 in one eye and +5.00 in the other.”
In early June, she got baby Piper a set of pink glasses.
More
There the doctor conducted a few tests and found out why the baby likely wasn’t attempting to get up on all fours and move — she couldn’t see very well.
Mother Jessica Sinclair wrote on Facebook that her daughter’s eyesight is “+7.00 in one eye and +5.00 in the other.”
In early June, she got baby Piper a set of pink glasses.
More
Illegal Immigrant Nabbed In Calif. Cold Case Killing
An illegal immigrant from Mexico doing time in a federal prison for unlawfully reentering this country is set to appear before a judge next week over his alleged involvement in the killing of a homeless woman 18 years ago in California.
Linda Louise Archer, 43, was beaten to death Aug. 16, 1997, in her campsite off Highway 101 near Castillo Street.
On Thursday, the Santa Barbara Police Department announced that the suspected killer, Manuel Salmeron Manzanares, 36, formerly of Santa Barbara, was arrested on suspicion of murder last month upon his release from federal custody.
The key to cracking what had been classified a cold case was DNA evidence submitted to the California Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services laboratory -- and on Feb. 4, 2013, DNA from the Archer case was found to match that of a profile in the FBI's Combined DNA Index System.
"The matched profile was that of Manzanares, a federal inmate in custody for illegally re-entering the United States after previously being deported as a convicted felon," according to a statement from Santa Barbara Police Sgt. Riley Harwood.
More
Linda Louise Archer, 43, was beaten to death Aug. 16, 1997, in her campsite off Highway 101 near Castillo Street.
On Thursday, the Santa Barbara Police Department announced that the suspected killer, Manuel Salmeron Manzanares, 36, formerly of Santa Barbara, was arrested on suspicion of murder last month upon his release from federal custody.
The key to cracking what had been classified a cold case was DNA evidence submitted to the California Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services laboratory -- and on Feb. 4, 2013, DNA from the Archer case was found to match that of a profile in the FBI's Combined DNA Index System.
"The matched profile was that of Manzanares, a federal inmate in custody for illegally re-entering the United States after previously being deported as a convicted felon," according to a statement from Santa Barbara Police Sgt. Riley Harwood.
More
Dog who started life with taped snout now getting photo shoot and new family
These days, the 15-month-old girl is frolicking like a celebrity on beaches, and posing for photographers with several handsome firemen for an annual charity calendar for the organization that helped save her life, the Charleston Animal Society.
One of the firefighters Caitlyn was seen making friends with was Josh Allen of the St. Andrews Fire Department. Organizers for the calendar say Allen visited with Caitlyn a few days prior to the shoot to have some time bonding with her. And it shows. The two look super happy and natural together.
More
Prager: Left-Right Differences-- Part IV
Here’s a difference between Left and Right that is rarely noted despite the fact that it is at least as important as any other and even explains many of the other differences.
At the core of left-wing thought is a rejection of painful realities, the rejection of what the French call les faits de la vie: the facts of life. Conservatives, on the other hand, are all too aware of these painful realities of life and base many of their positions on them.
One such example was the subject of my first column on Left-Right differences: whether people are basically good. When liberals blame violent crime in America on poverty, one reason they do is that liberal beliefs since the Enlightenment have posited that human nature is good. Therefore, when people do truly bad things to other people, liberals believe that some outside force — usually poverty, racism and/or unemployment — must be responsible, not human nature.
Liberals find it too painful to look reality in the eye and acknowledge that human nature is deeply flawed. This is especially so because left-wing thought is rooted in secularism, and if you don’t believe in God, you had better believe in humanity — or you will despair.
Another fact of life that the Left finds too painful to acknowledge is the existence of profound differences between...
More here
At the core of left-wing thought is a rejection of painful realities, the rejection of what the French call les faits de la vie: the facts of life. Conservatives, on the other hand, are all too aware of these painful realities of life and base many of their positions on them.
One such example was the subject of my first column on Left-Right differences: whether people are basically good. When liberals blame violent crime in America on poverty, one reason they do is that liberal beliefs since the Enlightenment have posited that human nature is good. Therefore, when people do truly bad things to other people, liberals believe that some outside force — usually poverty, racism and/or unemployment — must be responsible, not human nature.
Liberals find it too painful to look reality in the eye and acknowledge that human nature is deeply flawed. This is especially so because left-wing thought is rooted in secularism, and if you don’t believe in God, you had better believe in humanity — or you will despair.
Another fact of life that the Left finds too painful to acknowledge is the existence of profound differences between...
More here
Worcester County Sheriff's Office Press Release 7-13-15 (Part 2 of 2)
The following individuals are wanted for their role in an narcotic investigation in the Pocomoke City area. If you know...
Posted by Worcester County Sheriff's Office on Monday, July 13, 2015
Worcester County Sheriff's Office Press Release 7-13-15 (1 of 2)
For Immediate Release!On June 22, 2015, The Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team, a highly-specialized,...
Posted by Worcester County Sheriff's Office on Monday, July 13, 2015
Obama Commutes Prison Sentences of 46 Federal Drug Offenders
Ahead of two events this week where he will talk about criminal justice reform, President Barack Obama commuted the sentences of 46 federal drug offenders.
Obama released a video on Facebook about the decision on Monday.
“We are at a moment where good people in both parties, Republican and Democrats, and folks across the country are doing around ideas to make the system work smarter, to make it work better,” Obama said. “These men and women were not hardened criminal, but the overwhelming majority were sentenced to at least 20 years, 14 of them had been sentenced to life, for nonviolent drug offenses.”
More
Obama released a video on Facebook about the decision on Monday.
“We are at a moment where good people in both parties, Republican and Democrats, and folks across the country are doing around ideas to make the system work smarter, to make it work better,” Obama said. “These men and women were not hardened criminal, but the overwhelming majority were sentenced to at least 20 years, 14 of them had been sentenced to life, for nonviolent drug offenses.”
More
Pro-Tehran Lobby Demands Iran Be Given Ballistic Missiles
A pro-Tehran advocacy group long accused of concealing illicit ties to the Iranian regime is lobbying Congress in support of a demand that America repeal a United Nations arms embargo limiting the Islamic Republic’s ability to stockpile arms, including ballistic missiles, which could be used to carry nuclear payloads, according to a copy of an email sent by the group to various lawmakers.
The National American Iranian Council (NIAC), which has long been suspected of acting as Tehran’s lobbying shop in Washington, D.C., sent lawmakers an email on Friday asserting that “the Iranian arms embargo will need to be disposed of as part of a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.”
The email comes roughly a week after Iranian diplomats issued a similar demand during ongoing talks in Vienna between world powers and Iran. The new condition has been blamed for grinding negotiations to a halt, as diplomats blew through a third self-imposed deadline this weekend.
The NIAC email on ballistic missiles is in step with Iran’s potentially deal-breaking demands.
More here
The National American Iranian Council (NIAC), which has long been suspected of acting as Tehran’s lobbying shop in Washington, D.C., sent lawmakers an email on Friday asserting that “the Iranian arms embargo will need to be disposed of as part of a final agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.”
The email comes roughly a week after Iranian diplomats issued a similar demand during ongoing talks in Vienna between world powers and Iran. The new condition has been blamed for grinding negotiations to a halt, as diplomats blew through a third self-imposed deadline this weekend.
The NIAC email on ballistic missiles is in step with Iran’s potentially deal-breaking demands.
More here
‘Damien’ Promoters Crash Christian Protest With ‘The Beast Rises’ Signs
A team promoting A&E’s new horror series “Damien” crashed a Christian protest that typically takes place every year across the street from San Diego’s Comic-Con.
The promoters countered “Jesus saves” and “Jesus Will Rise” slogans with posters and shirts that read, “From Flames, Damien Will Rise” and “The Beast Rises,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Additionally, street teams handed out stickers, pins with “666” on them and pamphlets directing Comic-Con guests to visit a site that warns visitors, “[Damien] is the only way to deal with the coming end.”
More
The promoters countered “Jesus saves” and “Jesus Will Rise” slogans with posters and shirts that read, “From Flames, Damien Will Rise” and “The Beast Rises,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Additionally, street teams handed out stickers, pins with “666” on them and pamphlets directing Comic-Con guests to visit a site that warns visitors, “[Damien] is the only way to deal with the coming end.”
More
Pentagon Readying Plan To Lift Transgender Ban
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pentagon leaders are finalizing plans aimed at lifting the ban on transgender individuals in the military, with the goal of formally ending one of the last gender- or sexuality-based barriers to military service, senior U.S. officials told The Associated Press.
An announcement is expected this week, and the services would have six months to assess the impact of the change and work out the details, the officials said Monday. Military chiefs wanted time to methodically work through the legal, medical and administrative issues and develop training to ease any transition, and senior leaders believed six months would be sufficient.
During that time, transgender individuals would still not be able to join the military, but any decisions to force out those already serving would be referred to the Pentagon’s acting undersecretary for personnel, the officials said. One senior official said the goal was to avoid forcing any transgender service members to leave during that time.
More
An announcement is expected this week, and the services would have six months to assess the impact of the change and work out the details, the officials said Monday. Military chiefs wanted time to methodically work through the legal, medical and administrative issues and develop training to ease any transition, and senior leaders believed six months would be sufficient.
During that time, transgender individuals would still not be able to join the military, but any decisions to force out those already serving would be referred to the Pentagon’s acting undersecretary for personnel, the officials said. One senior official said the goal was to avoid forcing any transgender service members to leave during that time.
More
Advil, Aleve Raise Heart Attack Risk: FDA Warns
The U.S Food and Drug Administration on Thursday strengthened the warning labels for widely used painkillers like ibuprofen and naproxen, saying they can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.
The FDA is asking people to think carefully about their use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), particularly if they've already had a heart attack, according to a consumer update on the agency's website.
The agency said it is taking this action based on recent data that shows the risk of heart attack or stroke can increase even after using NSAIDs for a short time.
"They used to say they might cause risk of heart attack or stroke. Now we are saying they do cause increased risk of heart attack and stroke," FDA spokesman Eric Pahon told NBC News.
In particular, people should avoid taking multiple products that contain NSAIDs, according to the revised FDA warning.
Common over-the-counter NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve), but NSAIDs also can show up in combination medicines like multi-symptom cold products.
More here
The FDA is asking people to think carefully about their use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), particularly if they've already had a heart attack, according to a consumer update on the agency's website.
The agency said it is taking this action based on recent data that shows the risk of heart attack or stroke can increase even after using NSAIDs for a short time.
"They used to say they might cause risk of heart attack or stroke. Now we are saying they do cause increased risk of heart attack and stroke," FDA spokesman Eric Pahon told NBC News.
In particular, people should avoid taking multiple products that contain NSAIDs, according to the revised FDA warning.
Common over-the-counter NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and naproxen (Aleve), but NSAIDs also can show up in combination medicines like multi-symptom cold products.
More here
S.C. Capitol grounds also hold African-American History Monument
COLUMBIA, SC (WACH) - An online petition has surfaced on the website change.org, calling for the removal for the African American Monument on State House grounds.
The petition states that if the Confederate flag is removed from the State House grounds, then the African American Monument should be removed as well, as this would violate the 2001 bi-partisan compromise.
That compromise allowed for the Confederate flag to be removed from the dome to the Confederate Soldier's Monument and saw the African American Monument erected in 2001, as a result.
More
The petition states that if the Confederate flag is removed from the State House grounds, then the African American Monument should be removed as well, as this would violate the 2001 bi-partisan compromise.
That compromise allowed for the Confederate flag to be removed from the dome to the Confederate Soldier's Monument and saw the African American Monument erected in 2001, as a result.
More
Mini Ice Age: Scientists Warn The Sun Will 'Sleep' In 2020
New study claims to have cracked solar cycle prediction
The Earth could be headed for a 'mini ice age' researchers have warned.
A new study claims to have cracked predicting solar cycles - and says that between 2020 and 2030 solar cycles will cancel each other out.
Astronomers have been counting sunspots for centuries, and they have seen that the solar cycle is not perfectly regular.
The new model of the Sun's solar cycle is producing unprecedentedly accurate predictions of irregularities within the Sun's 11-year heartbeat.
It draws on dynamo effects in two layers of the Sun, one close to the surface and one deep within its convection zone.
Predictions from the model suggest that solar activity will fall by 60 per cent during the 2030s to conditions last seen during the 'mini ice age' that began in 1645, according to the results presented by Professor Valentina Zharkova at the National Astronomy Meeting in Llandudno.
'We found magnetic wave components appearing in pairs, originating in two different layers in the Sun's interior,' she said.
'They both have a frequency of approximately 11 years, although this frequency is slightly different, and they are offset in time.
'Over the cycle, the waves fluctuate between the northern and southern hemispheres of the Sun. Combining both waves together and comparing to real data for the current solar cycle, we found that our predictions showed an accuracy of 97%,' said Zharkova.
More here
The Earth could be headed for a 'mini ice age' researchers have warned.
A new study claims to have cracked predicting solar cycles - and says that between 2020 and 2030 solar cycles will cancel each other out.
Astronomers have been counting sunspots for centuries, and they have seen that the solar cycle is not perfectly regular.
The new model of the Sun's solar cycle is producing unprecedentedly accurate predictions of irregularities within the Sun's 11-year heartbeat.
It draws on dynamo effects in two layers of the Sun, one close to the surface and one deep within its convection zone.
Predictions from the model suggest that solar activity will fall by 60 per cent during the 2030s to conditions last seen during the 'mini ice age' that began in 1645, according to the results presented by Professor Valentina Zharkova at the National Astronomy Meeting in Llandudno.
'We found magnetic wave components appearing in pairs, originating in two different layers in the Sun's interior,' she said.
'They both have a frequency of approximately 11 years, although this frequency is slightly different, and they are offset in time.
'Over the cycle, the waves fluctuate between the northern and southern hemispheres of the Sun. Combining both waves together and comparing to real data for the current solar cycle, we found that our predictions showed an accuracy of 97%,' said Zharkova.
More here
Bill Cosby's art collection to remain on view at Smithsonian
WASHINGTON (AP) - Over the past seven months, as sexual misconduct allegations against Bill Cosby mounted, a top Smithsonian official met privately with museum directors across the sprawling complex on the National Mall to decide what to do about an exhibit showcasing Cosby's private art collection.
While many companies and universities were distancing themselves from the comedian, Smithsonian officials ultimately concluded the exhibit should continue.
"First and fundamentally, this is an art exhibit," Richard Kurin, the Smithsonian's undersecretary for art, history and culture told The Associated Press. "So it's not about the life and career of Bill Cosby. It's about the artists."
More
While many companies and universities were distancing themselves from the comedian, Smithsonian officials ultimately concluded the exhibit should continue.
"First and fundamentally, this is an art exhibit," Richard Kurin, the Smithsonian's undersecretary for art, history and culture told The Associated Press. "So it's not about the life and career of Bill Cosby. It's about the artists."
More
Clintons Ordered To Give Depositions About Emails
Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, have been ordered to give depositions in a civil case investigating the pair’s growing email scandal.
Mrs. Clinton will giver her deposition on the morning of July 28 in Washington, and Mr. Clinton will give his the following morning, according to copies of the notices of deposition reviewed by The Washington Times.
The case, filed by Freedom Watch founder and former federal prosecutor Larry Klayman, alleges the couple committed criminal violations under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).
According to a statement from Freedom Watch, the suit alleges Mrs. Clinton, the front-runner for the 2016 Democratic nomination, covered up these crimes by destroying her personal emails sent during her time as Secretary of State.
Mr. Klayman alleges in his lawsuit that the Clintons — through mail and wire fraud, and various false statements — misappropriated documents that he requested under the Freedom of Information concerning the Mrs. Clinton’s involvement in releasing Israeli war and cyber-warfare plans and practices.
The lawsuit, filed in March, claims that Mrs. Clinton orchestrated the release to thwart Israeli plans to preemptively attack Iranian nuclear sites.
More
Mrs. Clinton will giver her deposition on the morning of July 28 in Washington, and Mr. Clinton will give his the following morning, according to copies of the notices of deposition reviewed by The Washington Times.
The case, filed by Freedom Watch founder and former federal prosecutor Larry Klayman, alleges the couple committed criminal violations under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).
According to a statement from Freedom Watch, the suit alleges Mrs. Clinton, the front-runner for the 2016 Democratic nomination, covered up these crimes by destroying her personal emails sent during her time as Secretary of State.
Mr. Klayman alleges in his lawsuit that the Clintons — through mail and wire fraud, and various false statements — misappropriated documents that he requested under the Freedom of Information concerning the Mrs. Clinton’s involvement in releasing Israeli war and cyber-warfare plans and practices.
The lawsuit, filed in March, claims that Mrs. Clinton orchestrated the release to thwart Israeli plans to preemptively attack Iranian nuclear sites.
More
Bonsai - Half A Bulldog, Twice The Love
Bonsai was born to an Arkansas English Bulldog breeder on April 27th 2015 with multiple rare deformities.
He is afflicted with a human condition called Caudal Regression (sacral agenesis) and Sacrocaudal Dysgenesis, likely combined with a variation of Spina Bifida.
In layman's terms, Bonsai was born with only half of his spine, no pelvis and with tiny contracted hind legs.
More
Antipsychotic Use Rising Among Teens and Young Adults
A growing number of teens and young adults are being prescribed anti-psychotics, a new study suggests.
In particular, it appears they’re being used to treat attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – a condition for which the powerful drugs are not approved.
The percentage of teens using anti-psychotics rose from 1.10 percent in 2006 to 1.19 percent in 2010. Use among young adults ages 19 to 24 rose from 0.69 percent to 0.84 percent, the study found.
With roughly 74 million children under 18 in the U.S., these small percentages add up to large numbers of medicated kids.
“Great caution should be exercised in the use of anti-psychotics, especially for young children,” said lead study author Dr. Mark Olfson, a research psychiatrist at Columbia University in New York.
More
In particular, it appears they’re being used to treat attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – a condition for which the powerful drugs are not approved.
The percentage of teens using anti-psychotics rose from 1.10 percent in 2006 to 1.19 percent in 2010. Use among young adults ages 19 to 24 rose from 0.69 percent to 0.84 percent, the study found.
With roughly 74 million children under 18 in the U.S., these small percentages add up to large numbers of medicated kids.
“Great caution should be exercised in the use of anti-psychotics, especially for young children,” said lead study author Dr. Mark Olfson, a research psychiatrist at Columbia University in New York.
More
Troopers Investigate Two Robberies at Newark Toll Plaza
Newark, DE - Delaware State Police Robbery Unit detectives are currently investigating a pair of strong arm robberies that occurred at the I-95 toll plaza in Newark this past weekend.
The first incident occurred on Friday, July 10, 2015, at approximately 8:30 p.m., as a male suspect exited a vehicle which had stopped at a northbound toll booth located at the I-95 toll plaza in Newark. The suspect, who had his face concealed by a mask, then reached into the booth and proceeded to remove an undisclosed amount of cash before returning to the vehicle and fleeing in a northbound direction. The 48 year old male employee, who was working in the toll booth at the time of the robbery, was not injured. No weapon was displayed or implied.
The suspect was described as a black male 23-27 years of age. He was approximately 5’07” tall with a thin build, and was last seen wearing a dark colored long sleeved shirt and dark pants. No further physical or clothing description is available.
The first incident occurred on Friday, July 10, 2015, at approximately 8:30 p.m., as a male suspect exited a vehicle which had stopped at a northbound toll booth located at the I-95 toll plaza in Newark. The suspect, who had his face concealed by a mask, then reached into the booth and proceeded to remove an undisclosed amount of cash before returning to the vehicle and fleeing in a northbound direction. The 48 year old male employee, who was working in the toll booth at the time of the robbery, was not injured. No weapon was displayed or implied.
The suspect was described as a black male 23-27 years of age. He was approximately 5’07” tall with a thin build, and was last seen wearing a dark colored long sleeved shirt and dark pants. No further physical or clothing description is available.
Lois Lerner Linked To Leader Who Targeted Scott Walker
The official behind the IRS' conservative nonprofit targeting scandal, Lois Lerner, was friends with the Wisconsin regulator who targeted Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's conservative aides and allies.
Lerner and Kevin Kennedy, director of the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, were friends for 20 years and traded emails on campaign finance, politics, and personal matters between 2011 and 2013, emails obtained by the Wall Street Journal reveal. That was the same time frame the IRS increased its harassment of conservative groups and Wisconsin prosecutors conducted a secret John Doe probe of Walker's allies, raising the troubling question of whether they coordinated their investigations.
After Walker's victory in a recall election, Lerner's long time friend Kennedy helped Milwaukee County prosecutors conduct an onerous, several-year investigation into Walker's political allies, complete with secret subpoenas for phone, text message and email records and armed, middle of the night raids on Walker associates' homes.
The investigation never uncovered any wrongdoing, and eventually federal Judge Rudolph Randa ordered it to end, ruling that the investigation had violated the First Amendment rights of Walker's associates. They were "pursuing criminal charges through a secret John Doe investigation against the plaintiffs for exercising issue advocacy [free] speech rights," Randa wrote.
The judge wrote that investigators also targeted Republican candidates for state Senate and that "all or nearly all right-of-center groups and individuals in Wisconsin who engaged in issue advocacy from 2010 to the present are targets of the investigation," a violation of the First Amendment.
More here
Lerner and Kevin Kennedy, director of the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, were friends for 20 years and traded emails on campaign finance, politics, and personal matters between 2011 and 2013, emails obtained by the Wall Street Journal reveal. That was the same time frame the IRS increased its harassment of conservative groups and Wisconsin prosecutors conducted a secret John Doe probe of Walker's allies, raising the troubling question of whether they coordinated their investigations.
After Walker's victory in a recall election, Lerner's long time friend Kennedy helped Milwaukee County prosecutors conduct an onerous, several-year investigation into Walker's political allies, complete with secret subpoenas for phone, text message and email records and armed, middle of the night raids on Walker associates' homes.
The investigation never uncovered any wrongdoing, and eventually federal Judge Rudolph Randa ordered it to end, ruling that the investigation had violated the First Amendment rights of Walker's associates. They were "pursuing criminal charges through a secret John Doe investigation against the plaintiffs for exercising issue advocacy [free] speech rights," Randa wrote.
The judge wrote that investigators also targeted Republican candidates for state Senate and that "all or nearly all right-of-center groups and individuals in Wisconsin who engaged in issue advocacy from 2010 to the present are targets of the investigation," a violation of the First Amendment.
More here
It's Showtime For Pluto
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Pluto, reveal thyself, and Earthlings, enjoy the show.
On Tuesday, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft will sweep past Pluto and present the previously unexplored world in all its icy glory.
It promises to be the biggest planetary unveiling in a quarter-century. The curtain hasn't been pulled back like this since NASA's Voyager 2 shed light on Neptune in 1989.
Now it's little Pluto's turn to shine way out on the frigid fringes of our solar system.
New Horizons has traveled 3 billion miles over 9½ years to get to this historic point. The fastest spacecraft ever launched, it carries the most powerful suite of science instruments ever sent on a scouting and reconnaissance mission of a new, unfamiliar world.
Says principal scientist Alan Stern-- "We're going to knock your socks off."
More
On Tuesday, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft will sweep past Pluto and present the previously unexplored world in all its icy glory.
It promises to be the biggest planetary unveiling in a quarter-century. The curtain hasn't been pulled back like this since NASA's Voyager 2 shed light on Neptune in 1989.
Now it's little Pluto's turn to shine way out on the frigid fringes of our solar system.
New Horizons has traveled 3 billion miles over 9½ years to get to this historic point. The fastest spacecraft ever launched, it carries the most powerful suite of science instruments ever sent on a scouting and reconnaissance mission of a new, unfamiliar world.
Says principal scientist Alan Stern-- "We're going to knock your socks off."
More
Russia Developing ‘Carrier Killer’ Submarines
The Russian Navy is investing in two new submarines, one of which is being described by the head of Russia’s state-owned shipbuilding corporation as a “carrier killer,” according to the independent Moscow Times.
The second boat would be designed to protect Russian ballistic submarines from enemy attack.
The announcement continues an active period in Russian submarine development. Following the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union, the Russian Navy, like the country’s other military services, went into decline as resources were stripped away by a collapsing economy, poor morale, and inept leadership.
Vladimir Putin ran for the Russian presidency in 2012 on the promise of rebuilding the Russian military. The Navy’s building program is part of Putin’s broader $356 billion military upgrade program, intended to run through 2020, according to the report.
In 2013 new fourth-generation class submarines were deployed by Moscow: the Borei, which carries ballistic missiles capable of striking intercontinental targets, and the Yasen-class attack boat. Both submarines are significant upgrades to previous, Soviet-era counterparts.
More here
The second boat would be designed to protect Russian ballistic submarines from enemy attack.
The announcement continues an active period in Russian submarine development. Following the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union, the Russian Navy, like the country’s other military services, went into decline as resources were stripped away by a collapsing economy, poor morale, and inept leadership.
Vladimir Putin ran for the Russian presidency in 2012 on the promise of rebuilding the Russian military. The Navy’s building program is part of Putin’s broader $356 billion military upgrade program, intended to run through 2020, according to the report.
In 2013 new fourth-generation class submarines were deployed by Moscow: the Borei, which carries ballistic missiles capable of striking intercontinental targets, and the Yasen-class attack boat. Both submarines are significant upgrades to previous, Soviet-era counterparts.
More here
Hillary's Top Aide Has Yet To Turn Over Benghazi Emails
A longtime Clinton aide may be stonewalling a State Department request for private Benghazi-related emails despite a court order demanding she produce them.
Huma Abedin, Clinton's deputy chief of staff at the State Department and current campaign staffer, is the only former aide to Secretary Hillary Clinton that has failed to turn over emails in response to a request from the State Department, court documents show.
Cheryl Mills, Clinton's chief of staff at State, and Jake Sullivan, her deputy, submitted personal emails to the agency June 26 in response to letter sent by the agency earlier this year to Abedin, Mills and Sullivan.
The letters demanded the three aides "make available to the Department any federal records that they may have in their possession, such as emails concerning official government business sent or received on a personal email account while serving in their official capacities with the Department," the State Department said in court filings.
More here
Huma Abedin, Clinton's deputy chief of staff at the State Department and current campaign staffer, is the only former aide to Secretary Hillary Clinton that has failed to turn over emails in response to a request from the State Department, court documents show.
Cheryl Mills, Clinton's chief of staff at State, and Jake Sullivan, her deputy, submitted personal emails to the agency June 26 in response to letter sent by the agency earlier this year to Abedin, Mills and Sullivan.
The letters demanded the three aides "make available to the Department any federal records that they may have in their possession, such as emails concerning official government business sent or received on a personal email account while serving in their official capacities with the Department," the State Department said in court filings.
More here
Everybody Into The Pool! Why Is The 2016 GOP Field So Big?
WASHINGTON (AP) — Who yelled “everybody into the pool?”
After all the candidate announcements, after all the speculation about who’d go first and who’s yet to jump in, one question remains in this summer BEFORE the election year: Why are so many Republicans running for president?
Surely, the soon-to-be-17 announced GOP candidates don’t all think they will become president.
But it’s easy for a politician to get caught up in the hype and yell “cowabunga!” in a year when there’s no incumbent seeking re-election and no Republican who seems to have an inside track to the nomination.
More
After all the candidate announcements, after all the speculation about who’d go first and who’s yet to jump in, one question remains in this summer BEFORE the election year: Why are so many Republicans running for president?
Surely, the soon-to-be-17 announced GOP candidates don’t all think they will become president.
But it’s easy for a politician to get caught up in the hype and yell “cowabunga!” in a year when there’s no incumbent seeking re-election and no Republican who seems to have an inside track to the nomination.
More
Illegal Immigrant Arrested in Michigan For Kidnapping, Sexual Assault
An illegal Mexican immigrant allegedly kidnapped a 13-year-old girl from her Florida home last week and sexually abused her before police located the pair in Michigan, Fox 28 reported.
The Van Buren County sheriff's office in southwestern Michigan says 23-year-old Aurelio Hernandez-Gomez was arraigned Friday in South Haven.
The girl was last seen Tuesday and reported missing to the Polk County sheriff's office in Florida.
Police learned she was at a home in Hartford Township, southwest of Grand Rapids. Authorities in Michigan found the girl and Hernandez-Gomez in the home.
More here
The Van Buren County sheriff's office in southwestern Michigan says 23-year-old Aurelio Hernandez-Gomez was arraigned Friday in South Haven.
The girl was last seen Tuesday and reported missing to the Polk County sheriff's office in Florida.
Police learned she was at a home in Hartford Township, southwest of Grand Rapids. Authorities in Michigan found the girl and Hernandez-Gomez in the home.
More here
Cops Threaten Man Holding 'John 3:16' Sign At Ballpark
Christian surrounded, 'forcibly removed' under threat of arrest
San Francisco police are accused of intimidating and threatening to arrest a man who was holding up a “John 3:16″ sign in front of AT&T Park prior to a Dodgers-Giants baseball game.
The man, Gino Emmerich, has hired attorneys with the Rutherford Institute to take his case. They filed suit in late June against the city, county, its police department and the four officers who allegedly tried to squelch his First Amendment rights.
Emmerich was standing on the public plaza in front of AT&T Park where a camera crew from ESPN was filming a pre-game show before the Giants-Dodgers game. The ESPN producer told him not to flash his sign in view of his cameras or he would be arrested.
Holding “John 3:16″ signs at public sporting events has been a part of American sports culture for decades.
Rollen Frederick Stewart, also known as Rock ‘n’ Rollen and Rainbow Man, is believed to have started the tradition when he became a fixture in American sporting events in the 1970s and 80s. He would appear on camera wearing a rainbow-colored afro-style wig and holding up signs reading “John 3:16.
More here
San Francisco police are accused of intimidating and threatening to arrest a man who was holding up a “John 3:16″ sign in front of AT&T Park prior to a Dodgers-Giants baseball game.
The man, Gino Emmerich, has hired attorneys with the Rutherford Institute to take his case. They filed suit in late June against the city, county, its police department and the four officers who allegedly tried to squelch his First Amendment rights.
Emmerich was standing on the public plaza in front of AT&T Park where a camera crew from ESPN was filming a pre-game show before the Giants-Dodgers game. The ESPN producer told him not to flash his sign in view of his cameras or he would be arrested.
Holding “John 3:16″ signs at public sporting events has been a part of American sports culture for decades.
Rollen Frederick Stewart, also known as Rock ‘n’ Rollen and Rainbow Man, is believed to have started the tradition when he became a fixture in American sporting events in the 1970s and 80s. He would appear on camera wearing a rainbow-colored afro-style wig and holding up signs reading “John 3:16.
More here
What happened after this student was CLEARED of rape is truly a crime
Emma Sulkowicz, 22-year-old Columbia University graduate, alleges she was anally raped and violently attacked in her dorm room by another student on the first day of her second year in August 2012, during what began as a consensual sexual encounter.
Columbia University cleared Sulkowicz’s accused rapist of responsibility. But it was not over.
In protest of the university’s handling of the case, during the summer of 2014 visual arts major Sulkowicz created what she called, “Mattress Performance,” a performance art protest piece. She purchased a mattress — the same dark blue, extra-long twin kind from Columbia’s dorms, similar to the one on which Sulkowicz alleges she was raped — and defined the rules of engagement for the performance. Written on the walls of her studio in the university’s Watson Hall, these included that Sulkowicz had to carry the mattress when on university property; that it had to remain on campus when she was not there; and that she was not allowed to ask for help in carrying it, but if help was offered she could accept.
In early September 2014, Sulkowicz began carrying the mattress on campus. Sulkowicz said the work would end when the accused was expelled from or otherwise left Columbia; she would take the mattress to her graduation ceremony if necessary. She kept a diary throughout, amounting to 59,000 words by the end of the project.
More
Columbia University cleared Sulkowicz’s accused rapist of responsibility. But it was not over.
In protest of the university’s handling of the case, during the summer of 2014 visual arts major Sulkowicz created what she called, “Mattress Performance,” a performance art protest piece. She purchased a mattress — the same dark blue, extra-long twin kind from Columbia’s dorms, similar to the one on which Sulkowicz alleges she was raped — and defined the rules of engagement for the performance. Written on the walls of her studio in the university’s Watson Hall, these included that Sulkowicz had to carry the mattress when on university property; that it had to remain on campus when she was not there; and that she was not allowed to ask for help in carrying it, but if help was offered she could accept.
In early September 2014, Sulkowicz began carrying the mattress on campus. Sulkowicz said the work would end when the accused was expelled from or otherwise left Columbia; she would take the mattress to her graduation ceremony if necessary. She kept a diary throughout, amounting to 59,000 words by the end of the project.
More
Baltimore officials creating 'War Room' to confront violence
BALTIMORE (WJZ) –Baltimore Police say five people have died since Friday following a rash of shootings in the city.
The homicides come just days after Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced a change in command–firing Anthony Batts and appointing Kevin Davis as Interim Police Commissioner.
The mayor praised Batts’ leadership earlier this week but stated a change was necessary following an alarming spike in violence.
On Sunday a press conference was held with the mayor, Interim Commissioner Davis, City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby and other local and federal agencies to address the violence and announce a collaborative effort to tackle the surge in violence.
More
The homicides come just days after Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced a change in command–firing Anthony Batts and appointing Kevin Davis as Interim Police Commissioner.
The mayor praised Batts’ leadership earlier this week but stated a change was necessary following an alarming spike in violence.
On Sunday a press conference was held with the mayor, Interim Commissioner Davis, City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby and other local and federal agencies to address the violence and announce a collaborative effort to tackle the surge in violence.
More
5 Things You May Not Know About Lincoln, Slavery and Emancipation
September 22 marks the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, in which he declared that as of January 1, 1863, all slaves in states in rebellion against the Union "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free." To commemorate the occasion, we invite you to consider some surprising facts about Lincoln's views on slavery, and the complex process that led him to issue the document he later called "the central act of my administration, and the greatest event of the 19th century."
More
Editors Note: This information is from September 2012. It provides a lot of information many people do no know.
More
Editors Note: This information is from September 2012. It provides a lot of information many people do no know.
For 2nd Time in a Week, Illegal Immigrant Accused Of Hit-and-run
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Federal immigration officials tell ABC11 a second illegal immigrant suspected of causing a serious wreck this week will not be allowed out of jail.
Earlier this week, the I-Team covered the return of Efren Roblero to the streets of Wake County.
Roblero is accused of driving drunk and causing a crash that injured two people over the weekend. He managed to post his $75,000 bond and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials approved his release from jail.
Now, another illegal immigrant, Antonio Arellano, is accused of hit-and-run causing serious injury, driving without a license, and reckless driving.
"I see here that you have two prior convictions for impaired driving and that you have been removed from the United States by a previous immigration proceeding," Wake County District Court Judge Ned Mangum told Arellano during the suspect's first court appearance on the charges Friday afternoon.
During that appearance, Mangum nearly tripled the bond on the 31 year old.
An ICE official said because Arellano has two prior DWI convictions in Wake and Randolph Counties he falls under the "priority" category for the Homeland Security agency.
That means, if Arellano posts his $32,000 bond, he still won't be able to leave jail because the feds will detain him.
More
Earlier this week, the I-Team covered the return of Efren Roblero to the streets of Wake County.
Roblero is accused of driving drunk and causing a crash that injured two people over the weekend. He managed to post his $75,000 bond and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials approved his release from jail.
Now, another illegal immigrant, Antonio Arellano, is accused of hit-and-run causing serious injury, driving without a license, and reckless driving.
"I see here that you have two prior convictions for impaired driving and that you have been removed from the United States by a previous immigration proceeding," Wake County District Court Judge Ned Mangum told Arellano during the suspect's first court appearance on the charges Friday afternoon.
During that appearance, Mangum nearly tripled the bond on the 31 year old.
An ICE official said because Arellano has two prior DWI convictions in Wake and Randolph Counties he falls under the "priority" category for the Homeland Security agency.
That means, if Arellano posts his $32,000 bond, he still won't be able to leave jail because the feds will detain him.
More
Agenda 21 is Real, Far Creepier than Area 51, and is Coming Soon to a Suburb Near You
You’ve heard of Area 51: the super secret government site around which all manner of far-fetched conspiracy theories have swirled for decades. You may not have heard of Agenda 21, which would be unfortunate because Agenda 21 involves something like an actual conspiracy, though one out in the open and far creepier than Area 51.
Ground zero for Agenda 21 at the moment is that home to all things moonbat: Seattle, Washington. The city has been engaging in secret talks to eliminate single-family zoning, which will move families out of houses and into dense housing units instead. This comes a year after micro-housing began replacing regular housing in Seattle with tiny apartments averaging only 145 square feet, known as aPodments, sometimes with shared kitchens.
This transition is part of Agenda 21. It all started 23 years ago with a non-binding resolution for an “Agenda for the 21st Century” at a U.N. Earth Summit, which President Bush signed, along with 172 other countries. Agenda 21 emerged out of an imaginary concern that the earth would run out of resources, includes a fear of overpopulation and crowding out other species, and has grown to encompass such vague environmental causes as “climate change” and redistributing resources in the name of social justice. Ultimately, its goal is a radical transformation of society. The movement uses feel-good words like “livable communities” and “smart growth” to suck people in to thinking it’s positive and harmless.
Agenda 21 is amorphous and pervades every aspect of life and law, and there’s no limit to how far it will go. There can always be fewer fossil fuels, fewer single-family homes, fewer cars, more recycling and more space for a particular species to roam. The ultimate goal is to eliminate most private property, along with all those nasty, dirty cars and appliances that run on power.
More
Ground zero for Agenda 21 at the moment is that home to all things moonbat: Seattle, Washington. The city has been engaging in secret talks to eliminate single-family zoning, which will move families out of houses and into dense housing units instead. This comes a year after micro-housing began replacing regular housing in Seattle with tiny apartments averaging only 145 square feet, known as aPodments, sometimes with shared kitchens.
This transition is part of Agenda 21. It all started 23 years ago with a non-binding resolution for an “Agenda for the 21st Century” at a U.N. Earth Summit, which President Bush signed, along with 172 other countries. Agenda 21 emerged out of an imaginary concern that the earth would run out of resources, includes a fear of overpopulation and crowding out other species, and has grown to encompass such vague environmental causes as “climate change” and redistributing resources in the name of social justice. Ultimately, its goal is a radical transformation of society. The movement uses feel-good words like “livable communities” and “smart growth” to suck people in to thinking it’s positive and harmless.
Agenda 21 is amorphous and pervades every aspect of life and law, and there’s no limit to how far it will go. There can always be fewer fossil fuels, fewer single-family homes, fewer cars, more recycling and more space for a particular species to roam. The ultimate goal is to eliminate most private property, along with all those nasty, dirty cars and appliances that run on power.
More
NAACP Leader Says Baltimore Mayor Told Him Not To Host Republicans
Hassan Giordano, a leader of a Baltimore branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), said he was told that hosting Republican outreach in his office is off limits.
Mr. Giordano, who calls himself “not the average conservative” because of his Muslim faith and criminal record, told The Daily Caller of irate phone calls he received for trying to work with Republicans.
“When National found out that I was bringing the governor [Larry Hogan, a Republican], the lieutenant governor [Boyd Rutherford, a Republican], and Dr. [Alveda] King to Baltimore and the Sandtown NAACP office, they literally called and said, ‘There’s no way in the world they can come into our office,’ ” Mr. Giordano told The Daily Caller on Friday.
“Then the Mayor [Democrat, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake] — who kind of gave the us the NAACP office in Sandtown — called and said, ‘No, you’re not allowed. And then, the president [of the Baltimore NAACP branch, Tessa Hill-Aston] called me and she said, ‘You know they’re having a fit because you’re bringing in too many Republicans.’ “
Read more here
Mr. Giordano, who calls himself “not the average conservative” because of his Muslim faith and criminal record, told The Daily Caller of irate phone calls he received for trying to work with Republicans.
“When National found out that I was bringing the governor [Larry Hogan, a Republican], the lieutenant governor [Boyd Rutherford, a Republican], and Dr. [Alveda] King to Baltimore and the Sandtown NAACP office, they literally called and said, ‘There’s no way in the world they can come into our office,’ ” Mr. Giordano told The Daily Caller on Friday.
“Then the Mayor [Democrat, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake] — who kind of gave the us the NAACP office in Sandtown — called and said, ‘No, you’re not allowed. And then, the president [of the Baltimore NAACP branch, Tessa Hill-Aston] called me and she said, ‘You know they’re having a fit because you’re bringing in too many Republicans.’ “
Read more here
Most Americans Want Feds to Punish Sanctuary Cities
Nearly two-thirds of likely U.S. voters want the Department of Justice to take legal action against so-called sanctuary cities that do not enforce most national immigration laws, according to a new survey.
Rasmussen Reports polled voters and found that 62 percent of them want the government to step in and punish cities for essentially providing safe haven for illegal immigrants. That amounts to 79 percent of Republicans, 65 percent of unaffiliated voters, and 43 percent of Democrats.
Fifty-eight percent of those voters would like to see the federal government cut off funding to more than 200 such cities across the nation, a figure that includes 79 percent of Republicans.
Sanctuary cities have been in the news after a San Francisco woman was allegedly shot and killed by an illegal immigrant who was taking refuge in the city. He had been deported five times, and the shooting appears to be a random murder.
More here
Rasmussen Reports polled voters and found that 62 percent of them want the government to step in and punish cities for essentially providing safe haven for illegal immigrants. That amounts to 79 percent of Republicans, 65 percent of unaffiliated voters, and 43 percent of Democrats.
Fifty-eight percent of those voters would like to see the federal government cut off funding to more than 200 such cities across the nation, a figure that includes 79 percent of Republicans.
Sanctuary cities have been in the news after a San Francisco woman was allegedly shot and killed by an illegal immigrant who was taking refuge in the city. He had been deported five times, and the shooting appears to be a random murder.
More here
What Do You Think?? Would You Donate To This?
MorePlease help us raise some extra money to see / follow our favorite band. This is our last summer before me and fiance settle down and start our family. This money will be only used for tickets/gas/food/hotels. So help us experience beautiful music with wonderful people this summer ;) remember any little bit counts and good karma will be in your favor.
BREAKING NEWS: Scott Walker announces presidential bid
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker declares his candidacy for the 2016 Republican nomination for president.
More
More
Ex-CIA Analyst: Russia-NATO Standoff 'Extraordinarily Dangerous
The escalating tensions between Russia and NATO mark an "extraordinarily dangerous time" and could intensify further, a leading analyst has said, according to Business Insider.
"We are in an extraordinarily dangerous time right now because both Russia and NATO are starting to exercise substantial military activity in close proximity to each other in Eastern Europe and the Baltics," said Robert Dannenberg, a CIA veteran and analyst for Goldman Sachs' Office of Global Security.
Dannenberg believes that Russia is a top strategic threat to the United States and that there is a high risk that the situation could escalate based on Russia's policies toward Ukraine.
"Many of the channels of rapid military and intelligence communications that were carefully constructed during the Cold War have been dismantled, lamentably, mostly from the U.S. side," he said, according to Business Insider.
A ceasefire in February froze the front lines between separatist and Ukrainian forces, but violence between the two sides has continued. On July 9, a Ukrainian soldier was killed in a shootout.
More
"We are in an extraordinarily dangerous time right now because both Russia and NATO are starting to exercise substantial military activity in close proximity to each other in Eastern Europe and the Baltics," said Robert Dannenberg, a CIA veteran and analyst for Goldman Sachs' Office of Global Security.
Dannenberg believes that Russia is a top strategic threat to the United States and that there is a high risk that the situation could escalate based on Russia's policies toward Ukraine.
"Many of the channels of rapid military and intelligence communications that were carefully constructed during the Cold War have been dismantled, lamentably, mostly from the U.S. side," he said, according to Business Insider.
A ceasefire in February froze the front lines between separatist and Ukrainian forces, but violence between the two sides has continued. On July 9, a Ukrainian soldier was killed in a shootout.
More
Greece, European leaders reach new bailout deal
The president of the European council says that Greece and its creditors have agreed on a financial rescue package that includes “serious reforms and financial support” for the Athens government.
Saudi Prince Pledges $32 Billion to Promote Islam/Sharia in America
Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a senior member of the Saudi monarchy, says he’ll pledge his $32 billion to advance the islamization of America. This is a MOAB (mother of all bombs) in the information battle-space. Looks as if I will be keeping busy for quite some time.
The Saudis have spent billions already. 80% of the mosques build in America are Saudi funded. Islamic groups working to impose the sharia are largely funded by the Saudis.
We can look forward to 32 billion more of the “kingdom’s brand of Islam, while censoring criticism of Islam.”
And it’s not just the media that is on the receiving end of this blood money, but also Muslim Brotherhood fronts like CAIR, which spend millions whining about how lucrative the “islamophobia” business is. As if …
More
The Saudis have spent billions already. 80% of the mosques build in America are Saudi funded. Islamic groups working to impose the sharia are largely funded by the Saudis.
We can look forward to 32 billion more of the “kingdom’s brand of Islam, while censoring criticism of Islam.”
And it’s not just the media that is on the receiving end of this blood money, but also Muslim Brotherhood fronts like CAIR, which spend millions whining about how lucrative the “islamophobia” business is. As if …
More
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)