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Thursday, November 12, 2015
Authorities say South Carolina teen used mother's gun to kill burglar
A South Carolina teenager left home alone used his mother's gun to shoot and kill a burglar, authorities said Tuesday.
Fox Carolina reported that deputies responded to a report of shots fired at a home in Ladson Tuesday shortly before 2 p.m. EST Tuesday. When they arrived, they found the unidentified 13-year-old boy and asked him to come out of the home.
The boy said he heard a vehicle pull up behind his house, then heard someone trying get inside a few minutes later. At that point, the teen picked up his mother's gun and went to the back door of the home.
Authorities said the boy told them he fired the gun through the door and the person outside fired back. The boy fired several more shots, apparently wounding the suspect. According to Fox Carolina, neighbors reported hearing gunshots before seeing a gray car pull out near the home and speed away.
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Fox Carolina reported that deputies responded to a report of shots fired at a home in Ladson Tuesday shortly before 2 p.m. EST Tuesday. When they arrived, they found the unidentified 13-year-old boy and asked him to come out of the home.
The boy said he heard a vehicle pull up behind his house, then heard someone trying get inside a few minutes later. At that point, the teen picked up his mother's gun and went to the back door of the home.
Authorities said the boy told them he fired the gun through the door and the person outside fired back. The boy fired several more shots, apparently wounding the suspect. According to Fox Carolina, neighbors reported hearing gunshots before seeing a gray car pull out near the home and speed away.
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Laser pointers not toys, optometrists warn, after teenager damages eyes
Hobart optometrist Ben Armitage received a call on Monday from a GP asking him to investigate why the 14-year-old boy was having vision problems.
"He came into see me and on the Friday night he'd got hold of a laser pen and unfortunately shined it in his eyes for a very brief period of time," he said.
"Unfortunately he's managed to cause himself permanent damage to the back of his eye."
Photographs of the boy's eyes show laser burns to his each of his retinas.
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Federal Bureaucrats Find ‘Superhighway’ Around Fourth, Fifth Amendments
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission officials used a warrantless subpoena on a Texas-based grocery chain that fired an employee who failed a post-maternity leave physical fitness test,demanding the home addresses and Social Security numbers of every company employee.
The EEOC’s action was made possible because officials there used warrantless demands — formally known as “administrative subpoenas” or “civil enforcement demands” — that are rapidly replacing judge-issued warrants as standard procedure for federal bureaucrats on the prowl for information about individuals and every aspect of their lives. Such subpoenas threaten personal privacy and individual liberty at the very least and are almost certainly unconstitutional, legal scholars say.
“The government now has a superhighway to go around the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution,” Tim Lynch, director of the Cato Institute’s project on criminal justice, told The Daily Caller News Foundation.
“The reason why these things have cropped up in the first place is government agencies will argue that they need information, they need it quickly, and that has been the driver behind, kind of bypassing the checks and balances that apply in the Fourth Amendment context,” Lynch told TheDCNF.
The Fourth Amendment establishes “probable cause” as determined by a judge to prevent “unreasonable” searches and seizures. There are also constitutional concerns that administrative subpoenas violate the Fifth Amendment, which protects Americans against self-incrimination.
But courts’ interpretations of the Constitution have allowed federal agencies to demand everything from Social Security numbers to medical records without a judge’s prior approval, so long as the information is “relevant” to the agency’s work. The Drug Enforcement Administration alone issues “thousands” of these subpoenas each year, along with dozens of other agencies, according to a 2002 report by the Department of Justice. That was the last time the federal government reviewed its use of administrative subpoenas.
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The EEOC’s action was made possible because officials there used warrantless demands — formally known as “administrative subpoenas” or “civil enforcement demands” — that are rapidly replacing judge-issued warrants as standard procedure for federal bureaucrats on the prowl for information about individuals and every aspect of their lives. Such subpoenas threaten personal privacy and individual liberty at the very least and are almost certainly unconstitutional, legal scholars say.
“The government now has a superhighway to go around the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution,” Tim Lynch, director of the Cato Institute’s project on criminal justice, told The Daily Caller News Foundation.
“The reason why these things have cropped up in the first place is government agencies will argue that they need information, they need it quickly, and that has been the driver behind, kind of bypassing the checks and balances that apply in the Fourth Amendment context,” Lynch told TheDCNF.
The Fourth Amendment establishes “probable cause” as determined by a judge to prevent “unreasonable” searches and seizures. There are also constitutional concerns that administrative subpoenas violate the Fifth Amendment, which protects Americans against self-incrimination.
But courts’ interpretations of the Constitution have allowed federal agencies to demand everything from Social Security numbers to medical records without a judge’s prior approval, so long as the information is “relevant” to the agency’s work. The Drug Enforcement Administration alone issues “thousands” of these subpoenas each year, along with dozens of other agencies, according to a 2002 report by the Department of Justice. That was the last time the federal government reviewed its use of administrative subpoenas.
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Cops: Mom Put Bourbon In Her Baby's Bottle
Instead, cops charge, Lori Sheppard, 28, put bourbon in her 10-month-old son’s bottle, leading to the infant’s hospitalization and her arrest for child endangerment and aggravated assault.
Sheppard’s son Ronald was rushed last week to a hospital emergency room after he was found “limp and unresponsive.”
Sheppard initially told cops that the child “was fine before she placed him in his playpen” inside the family’s trailer home in Mt. Holly, a community about 125 miles south of Little Rock.
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Councilman’s Cool Merrillville Residence
Alleged Murderer and East Chicago City Councilman maintained two residences according to an affidavit filed in Federal Court. DEA Special Agent David Zamora swore in an affidavit that had established surveillance of the councilman “at both of BATTLE’S residences, one in Merrillville, Indiana and one in East Chicago, Indiana.” But you really do not have to look that far to determine that Battle did not live in East Chicago.
Shortly after being elected to the EC Counci, Battle filed paperwork to be the administrator over the estate of Shelly D. White. That paperwork was filed in Lake Circuit Court and the magistrate on the case was none other than political insider Jewell Harris, Jr. Battle expected to receive money from a pending medical malpractice lawsuit. When big dollars are at stake, you want to ensure that you give the Court your real address. In November, 2013 Battle gave the address of 4070 W. 91st Place, Merrillville, Indiana. In 2012 when he was arrested for a marijuana charge in Hammond, Battle gave an address of 4835 Larkspur Drive in East Chicago. So when he was arrested or given a traffic ticket, Battle most likely provided his driver’s license which had the East Chicago Address. BUT when it really mattered, when he thought someone might be mailing him a six figure check, he used the Merrillville address.
Again the question has to be why didn’t anyone challenge Battle’s candidacy? Certainly Democratic political operative/magistrate Jewell Harris, Jr. would have told someone that Battle didn’t live in East Chicago, right? Certainly there had to be buzz on the streets about the second address.
So, do you think the guy driving around with $100K in cash lived in the house pictured above or in the one pictured below?
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Shortly after being elected to the EC Counci, Battle filed paperwork to be the administrator over the estate of Shelly D. White. That paperwork was filed in Lake Circuit Court and the magistrate on the case was none other than political insider Jewell Harris, Jr. Battle expected to receive money from a pending medical malpractice lawsuit. When big dollars are at stake, you want to ensure that you give the Court your real address. In November, 2013 Battle gave the address of 4070 W. 91st Place, Merrillville, Indiana. In 2012 when he was arrested for a marijuana charge in Hammond, Battle gave an address of 4835 Larkspur Drive in East Chicago. So when he was arrested or given a traffic ticket, Battle most likely provided his driver’s license which had the East Chicago Address. BUT when it really mattered, when he thought someone might be mailing him a six figure check, he used the Merrillville address.
Again the question has to be why didn’t anyone challenge Battle’s candidacy? Certainly Democratic political operative/magistrate Jewell Harris, Jr. would have told someone that Battle didn’t live in East Chicago, right? Certainly there had to be buzz on the streets about the second address.
So, do you think the guy driving around with $100K in cash lived in the house pictured above or in the one pictured below?
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Record share of young U.S. women living with relatives: research
A record portion of young U.S. women are living with parents or other relatives, largely because of higher college attendance and delayed marriage, a research report said on Wednesday.
The Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data showed that 36.4 percent of women ages 18 to 34 lived with family in 2014, mostly in the home of mother, father or both.
The number tops the record set in 1940, when 36.2 percent of young women lived with relatives, the analysis said. 1940 is the earliest year for comparable data.
Among young men, 42.8 percent were living with relatives last year, below the 1940 high of 47.5 percent.
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The Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data showed that 36.4 percent of women ages 18 to 34 lived with family in 2014, mostly in the home of mother, father or both.
The number tops the record set in 1940, when 36.2 percent of young women lived with relatives, the analysis said. 1940 is the earliest year for comparable data.
Among young men, 42.8 percent were living with relatives last year, below the 1940 high of 47.5 percent.
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Shooting In Crisfield
Meet The Sick Mizzou Media Professor Who Threatened A Reporter With MOB VIOLENCE
On Monday, video emerged showing a professor at the University of Missouri calling for “muscle” to help remove journalist Mark Shierbecker as he was trying to film an anti-free speech event being held on campus following the resignation of MU system president Tim Wolfe.
The professor is Melissa A. Click. She belongs to the faculty of mass media within Mizzou’s department of communication.
Schierbecker recorded an intense exchange, which unfolded between University of Missouri student photographer Tim Tai and protesters who opposed Wolfe. Shierbecker asked Click if he could interview her as students pushed and blocked Tai.
“You need to get out,” Click told Shierbecker in the video, which you can watch below.
“No, I don’t,” Shierbecker said, prompting Click to grab his camera and shake it.
“Hey, who wants to help me get this reporter out of here?” Click shouted to the crowd. “I need some muscle over here.” (RELATED: Mizzou Professor Calls For ‘Muscle’ To Help Remove Reporter Covering Protests)
Two days ago, Click’s view of media coverage of the protests which now beset the Mizzou campus were decidedly different.
On Saturday, Click posted an appeal on her Facebook page urging reporters to cover the then-budding protest.
“Hey folks, students fighting racism on the MU campus want to get their message into the national media,” the media professor wrote. “Who among my friends knows someone who would want a scoop on this incredible topic?”
“The story involves the failure of administrators, a student on day 6 of a hunger strike, and creative, fearless students,” Click also enthusiastically explained. “If you can help, please let me know!”
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The professor is Melissa A. Click. She belongs to the faculty of mass media within Mizzou’s department of communication.
Schierbecker recorded an intense exchange, which unfolded between University of Missouri student photographer Tim Tai and protesters who opposed Wolfe. Shierbecker asked Click if he could interview her as students pushed and blocked Tai.
“You need to get out,” Click told Shierbecker in the video, which you can watch below.
“No, I don’t,” Shierbecker said, prompting Click to grab his camera and shake it.
“Hey, who wants to help me get this reporter out of here?” Click shouted to the crowd. “I need some muscle over here.” (RELATED: Mizzou Professor Calls For ‘Muscle’ To Help Remove Reporter Covering Protests)
Two days ago, Click’s view of media coverage of the protests which now beset the Mizzou campus were decidedly different.
On Saturday, Click posted an appeal on her Facebook page urging reporters to cover the then-budding protest.
“Hey folks, students fighting racism on the MU campus want to get their message into the national media,” the media professor wrote. “Who among my friends knows someone who would want a scoop on this incredible topic?”
“The story involves the failure of administrators, a student on day 6 of a hunger strike, and creative, fearless students,” Click also enthusiastically explained. “If you can help, please let me know!”
More
Milwaukee police retrieve flag burned at GOP debate protest
Photos and video of Tuesday night's incident quickly spread on social media. They show officers putting out the flames near the Milwaukee Theatre and then ceremonially folding the flag.
Police Chief Edward Flynn said his officers are responsible for protecting the rights of protesters, but also have a duty "to take a treasured symbol of our national unity and freedom and treat it respectfully."
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PODCAST: Russ Baker with Pat Thurston on RatherGate
The Backstory to the New Bush-Rather Movie “Truth”
WhoWhatWhy Editor in Chief Russ Baker chats with Pat Thurston, talk show host on the megastation KGO, about what is — and is not — in the new movie, “Truth.”
The film, which features Robert Redford and Cate Blanchett, explores the events in 2004 when CBS News reported on George W. Bush’s failure to complete required military service during Vietnam. Instead of Bush facing the music, it was CBS’s journalists whose heads ended up on the chopping block.
Russ explores indications that CBS and its anchor Dan Rather were deliberately targeted for a fall because they were getting too close to the truth about Bush. Were they fed false documents that closely mirrored reality but contained a ticking bomb? Pat and Russ also take the long view on the Bush clan and its still virtually unknown role as a core element of America’s covert-operations fraternity. The conversation lasts nearly an hour, but never lets up.
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WhoWhatWhy Editor in Chief Russ Baker chats with Pat Thurston, talk show host on the megastation KGO, about what is — and is not — in the new movie, “Truth.”
The film, which features Robert Redford and Cate Blanchett, explores the events in 2004 when CBS News reported on George W. Bush’s failure to complete required military service during Vietnam. Instead of Bush facing the music, it was CBS’s journalists whose heads ended up on the chopping block.
Russ explores indications that CBS and its anchor Dan Rather were deliberately targeted for a fall because they were getting too close to the truth about Bush. Were they fed false documents that closely mirrored reality but contained a ticking bomb? Pat and Russ also take the long view on the Bush clan and its still virtually unknown role as a core element of America’s covert-operations fraternity. The conversation lasts nearly an hour, but never lets up.
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This safety feature no longer standard in many cars
BALTIMORE —As holiday travel season approaches, AAA estimates hundreds of Maryland drivers could be in for a nasty surprise.
Dozens of cars no longer come with a safety feature some may consider a standard feature.
Vickie Swindell creates memories by putting miles on her minivan with her 81-year-old mother and their friend, Alverta Dockins, but hitting the road takes extra time and effort, and Swindell likes to be prepared for anything.
She thought her $37,000 Chrysler van had every available safety feature when she set out on an overnight girls' trip last summer, so getting a flat tire didn't rattle her -- at first.
"We got the crank out, cranked down the cable, no spare tire," Swindell said. "I have a jack (and) a crank to crank down my spare tire that wasn't there. I have a blow-up kit."
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Dozens of cars no longer come with a safety feature some may consider a standard feature.
Vickie Swindell creates memories by putting miles on her minivan with her 81-year-old mother and their friend, Alverta Dockins, but hitting the road takes extra time and effort, and Swindell likes to be prepared for anything.
She thought her $37,000 Chrysler van had every available safety feature when she set out on an overnight girls' trip last summer, so getting a flat tire didn't rattle her -- at first.
"We got the crank out, cranked down the cable, no spare tire," Swindell said. "I have a jack (and) a crank to crank down my spare tire that wasn't there. I have a blow-up kit."
More
Wholesale Inventories Have Never Been Higher Relative To Sales, Ever
Having risen to its highest level since the middle of the last two recessions, wholesale inventories-to-sales ratio remains at cycle highs at 1.31x. With wholesale sales and inventories both rising 0.5% (both more than expected), however, the absolute difference between sales and inventories has never been higher, leaving either major inventory liquidation ahead (or a miracle in sales). Wholesale inventories have now risen 4.7% YoY, as Sales have fallen 3.9% YoY. Finally, Auto inventories-to-sales ratio dropped very modestly (thanks to the surge in sales), but remains deep in 2008/9 crisis territory.
If we keep building it... they are just not coming...
If we keep building it... they are just not coming...
Four Arrested After Assaulting Trooper in Carroll County
The first suspect is identified as Traci Conners, 42, of the 1400-block of Key Highway, Frederick, MD. She was charged with second degree assault on police and disorderly conduct. She is currently being held at the Carroll County Detention Center awaiting an initial appearance before a court commissioner.
The second suspect is identified as Jacob Conners, 17, of the 13000-block of West Annapolis Court, Mt. Airy, MD. He is being charged as an adult with second degree assault on a police officer, second degree assault, and carrying a concealed dangerous weapon. He is currently being held at the Carroll County Detention Center awaiting an initial appearance before a court commissioner.
The third suspect is identified as Steven Conners, 19, of the 13000-block of West Annapolis Court, Mt. Airy, MD. He was charged with second degree assault on a police officer, second degree assault, and hindering. He is currently being held at the Carroll County Detention Center awaiting an initial appearance before a court commissioner.
Advocates worry about possible cut to crime victim funding
Advocates for crime victims in Maryland are urging Congress not to cut money from a fund that helps them.
The bipartisan budget agreement signed by President Barack Obama this month to fund the federal government beyond the next presidential election calls for removing $1.5 billion from the Justice Department's Crime Victims Fund. Dozens of nonprofits, prosecutors' offices and other agencies in Maryland rely on grants from the fund to support services such as counseling, temporary housing, and legal services for victims.
While lawmakers included the reduction to balance the federal government's books, it's not yet clear whether the funding will actually be cut. That will be decided as part of the appropriations process. Congress has until mid-December to work out those details.
"We're obviously very concerned and closely monitoring that process," said Christopher B. Shank, executive director of the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention, which administers the federal funding in Maryland.
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The bipartisan budget agreement signed by President Barack Obama this month to fund the federal government beyond the next presidential election calls for removing $1.5 billion from the Justice Department's Crime Victims Fund. Dozens of nonprofits, prosecutors' offices and other agencies in Maryland rely on grants from the fund to support services such as counseling, temporary housing, and legal services for victims.
While lawmakers included the reduction to balance the federal government's books, it's not yet clear whether the funding will actually be cut. That will be decided as part of the appropriations process. Congress has until mid-December to work out those details.
"We're obviously very concerned and closely monitoring that process," said Christopher B. Shank, executive director of the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention, which administers the federal funding in Maryland.
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Delaware gets F grade in 2015 State Integrity Investigation
Anemic ethics regime provides black mark on scorecard
Delaware
GRADE:F(56)
RANK:48TH
Assessing the systems in place to deter corruption in state government
Click on each category for more detail
OUR METHODOLOGY
Public Access to Information
GRADE:F(46)
RANK: 24th
Political Financing
GRADE:F(59)
RANK: 27th
Electoral Oversight
GRADE:D+(69)
RANK: 23rd
Executive Accountability
GRADE:F(56)
RANK: 36th
Legislative Accountability
GRADE:F(49)
RANK: 48th
Judicial Accountability
GRADE:F(46)
RANK: 46th
State Budget Processes
GRADE:D(65)
RANK: 42nd
State Civil Service Management
GRADE:F(54)
RANK: 43rd
Procurement
GRADE:D(66)
RANK: 31st
Internal Auditing
GRADE:C-(73)
RANK: 43rd
Ethics Enforcement Agencies
GRADE:F(45)
RANK: 43rd
State Pension Fund Management
GRADE:F(37)
RANK: 48th
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Aging mobster found not guilty on all counts in 1978 Lufthansa heist dramatized in 'Goodfellas'
Mobster Vincent Asaro is found not guilty on all counts in the $6 million JFK airport heist in 1978 dramatized in the movie 'Goodfellas.'
Baltimore schools tightening security after break-ins
In one of instance, vandals broke into Edgecombe Circle Elementary School overnight Monday, forcing the school to shut down for the day Tuesday.
"Our teacher came in at 6:30 in the morning to find her projector gone and their classroom ripped apart," said Laurel Freedman, executive director of Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School. "We've been open for 12 weeks. We're a new school, and in the 12 weeks we've been open, we've been broken into five times through our windows and twice in the last week."
"My window was open completely and my plant was on the ground and there was dirt all over my classroom," said Amanda Doran, an English language arts teacher at Lillie May. "I looked up and realized that my projector was gone and that my ceiling was ripped out."
Nearby at Banneker Blake Academy, thieves took 25 laptops on Oct. 12 and 11 more on Oct. 30
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Portuguese Government Falls As Socialists, Communists Topple PM
Well it wasn't hard to see this coming.
As detailed here on Tuesday, Antonio Costa and the Socialists have fulfilled their promise of ousting Portuguese PM Pedro Passos Coelho's government just days after President Anibal Cavaco Silva reappointed the premier on the heels of largely inconclusive elections.
PORTUGUESE PARLIAMENT REJECTS PM COELHO'S GOVERNMENT PROGRAM
PORTUGAL GOVERNMENT FALLS AFTER LAWMAKERS BLOCK COELHO PLAN
For those who missed it, the Socialists moved to form a government with the Left Bloc and the Communists and when Silva decided to give them the political equivalent of a swift slap in the face by reappointing Coelho, the stage was set for a veritable mutiny.
Today's events validate Communist leader Jerónimo de Sousa's contention that Silva's decision would amount to a "manifest waste of time."
Here's AP:
Anti-austerity lawmakers have forced Portugal's new center-right government to resign by rejecting its policy proposals.
As detailed here on Tuesday, Antonio Costa and the Socialists have fulfilled their promise of ousting Portuguese PM Pedro Passos Coelho's government just days after President Anibal Cavaco Silva reappointed the premier on the heels of largely inconclusive elections.
PORTUGUESE PARLIAMENT REJECTS PM COELHO'S GOVERNMENT PROGRAM
PORTUGAL GOVERNMENT FALLS AFTER LAWMAKERS BLOCK COELHO PLAN
For those who missed it, the Socialists moved to form a government with the Left Bloc and the Communists and when Silva decided to give them the political equivalent of a swift slap in the face by reappointing Coelho, the stage was set for a veritable mutiny.
Today's events validate Communist leader Jerónimo de Sousa's contention that Silva's decision would amount to a "manifest waste of time."
Here's AP:
Anti-austerity lawmakers have forced Portugal's new center-right government to resign by rejecting its policy proposals.
The showdown comes less than two weeks after the center-right government was sworn in.
The moderate Socialist Party forged an unprecedented alliance with the Communist Party and the radical Left Bloc to get a majority in the 230-seat Parliament and vote down the proposals Tuesday.
After four years in power the government lost its parliamentary majority in an Oct. 4 general election, which saw a public backlash against austerity measures adopted following a 78 billion-euro ($84 billion) bailout in 2011.
Socialist leader Antonio Costa is expected to become prime minister in coming weeks, supported by the Communists and Left Bloc. The have promised to alleviate austerity, though critics fear a return to borrow-and-spend policies.
So get ready Brussels and Berlin, because you might be in for another anti-austerity battle only this time, the country in question "matters."
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The moderate Socialist Party forged an unprecedented alliance with the Communist Party and the radical Left Bloc to get a majority in the 230-seat Parliament and vote down the proposals Tuesday.
After four years in power the government lost its parliamentary majority in an Oct. 4 general election, which saw a public backlash against austerity measures adopted following a 78 billion-euro ($84 billion) bailout in 2011.
Socialist leader Antonio Costa is expected to become prime minister in coming weeks, supported by the Communists and Left Bloc. The have promised to alleviate austerity, though critics fear a return to borrow-and-spend policies.
So get ready Brussels and Berlin, because you might be in for another anti-austerity battle only this time, the country in question "matters."
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Pocketbook Pain: The Rapidly Rising Cost Of Living Is Absolutely Killing The Middle Class In America
All over America, the middle class is dying and poverty is on the rise. One of the primary reasons for this is the rapidly rising cost of living in the United States. The cost of just about everything that average families shell out money for on a regular basis – food, rent, health insurance, etc. – is rising much faster than wages are. In a previous article I noted that the federal poverty level for a family of five is $28,410, but 51 percent of all American workers are making less than $30,000 a year at this point. We have seen an explosion in the number of people in this country that are considered to be “the working poor” and it gets worse with each passing year.
One of the most frustrating things for me personally is the rising cost of health insurance. Barack Obama promised that his program would result in a decline in health insurance premiums by as much as $2,500 per family, but in reality average family premiums have increased by a total of$4,865 since 2008.
Just recently, I got a letter informing me that my health insurance premiums would be going up by close to 20 percent in 2016. That is on top of an increase of more than 30 percent in 2015. Sadly, the exact same thing is happening to millions of other families all over the nation. The following comes from TruNews…
MoreThe Obamacare increases for 2016 have been released. Premiums will increase 3 times faster than officials claim.Every state is different. Every insurer is different. New Mexico residents, for instance, can expect increases of 8 to 40 percent for the second-lowest cost silver plan. But for people in other states, including Arkansas the cost will increase less than 4 percent. Overall the average increase is 20.3 percent, according to analysis by The Daily Caller News Foundation, instead of the 7.5 percent originally asserted.
Garth Brooks to play first-ever Baltimore show with Trisha Yearwood in January
Now, country legend Garth Brooks is about to play his first-ever show in Baltimore, Maryland.
Garth and wife Trisha Yearwood will play Royal Farms Arena on Friday, Jan. 29 and Saturday, Jan. 30.
Tickets go on sale on Friday, Nov. 20 at 10 a.m.
This will be Garth’s first appearance in Maryland in over 19 years.
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RussRant: The Poppy Cover-Up Book?
Several years ago, when I heard that George H.W. Bush’s “biographer” was preparing an authorized account of the 41st president’s life, I was curious, to say the least. How would he handle the remarkable fact that Bush 41, known to friends and family as “Poppy,” was nothing like the man the public thought he was?
Two Faces, Neither Good
For anyone unfamiliar with my work: I spent five years researching Poppy and his clan for my book, Family of Secrets. In the course of my digging, I was positively gobsmacked to discover that this supposedly mild-mannered, nerdy, inarticulate, awkward, indecisive fellow had actually been much more interesting and consequential.
From the moment he went to World War II as a naval aviator through successive stints as an oilman, congressman, diplomat, and party official, his official work masked the fact that he was deeply immersed in the spy world. He was involved with a succession of highly secretive covert operations affecting not just outcomes in his own country but around the world — from the Bay of Pigs to coups abroad and scandals and cataclysms at home — including Watergate and Iran Contra. (To learn more, begin here,Part 1 of a series of 10 excerpts from Family of Secrets.)
Publicly, he said he couldn’t recall where he was when John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas, but I found out. Guess where? Dallas! Guess who he was working for? The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)! Whose longtime director and master coup planner, Allen Dulles, a close friend of the Bush family, had two years earlier been forced out by JFK.
This “double life,” explains why in 1976 — at a moment when Congress was digging into the deepest secrets of the CIA and threatening to dismember that powerful and unaccountable club — the man chosen to run it was none other than the “pleasant”, preppy, purported non-spook, George H.W. Bush.
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Two Faces, Neither Good
For anyone unfamiliar with my work: I spent five years researching Poppy and his clan for my book, Family of Secrets. In the course of my digging, I was positively gobsmacked to discover that this supposedly mild-mannered, nerdy, inarticulate, awkward, indecisive fellow had actually been much more interesting and consequential.
From the moment he went to World War II as a naval aviator through successive stints as an oilman, congressman, diplomat, and party official, his official work masked the fact that he was deeply immersed in the spy world. He was involved with a succession of highly secretive covert operations affecting not just outcomes in his own country but around the world — from the Bay of Pigs to coups abroad and scandals and cataclysms at home — including Watergate and Iran Contra. (To learn more, begin here,Part 1 of a series of 10 excerpts from Family of Secrets.)
Publicly, he said he couldn’t recall where he was when John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas, but I found out. Guess where? Dallas! Guess who he was working for? The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)! Whose longtime director and master coup planner, Allen Dulles, a close friend of the Bush family, had two years earlier been forced out by JFK.
This “double life,” explains why in 1976 — at a moment when Congress was digging into the deepest secrets of the CIA and threatening to dismember that powerful and unaccountable club — the man chosen to run it was none other than the “pleasant”, preppy, purported non-spook, George H.W. Bush.
More
Utah judge removes child from lesbian foster parents
Judge Scott Johansen's order Tuesday raised concerns at the Utah Division of Child and Family Services, agency spokeswoman Ashley Sumner said.
Its attorneys plan to review the decision and determine what options they have to possibly challenge the order.
The ruling came during a routine hearing for April Hoagland and Beckie Peirce. They are part of a group of same-sex married couples who were allowed to become foster parents in Utah after last summer's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that made gay marriage legal across the country, Sumner said.
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How Law Enforcement Can Use Google Timeline To Track Your Every Move
THE RECENT EXPANSION of Google’s Timeline feature can provide investigators unprecedented access to users’ location history data, allowing them in many cases to track a person’s every move over the course of years, according to a report recently circulated to law enforcement.
“The personal privacy implications are pretty clear but so are the law enforcement applications,” according to the document, titled “Google Timelines: Location Investigations Involving Android Devices,” which outlines the kind of information investigators can now obtain.
The Timeline allows users to look back at their daily movements on a map; that same information is also potentially of interest to law enforcement. “It is now possible to submit a legal demand to Google for location history greater than six months old,” the report says. “This could revitalize cold cases and potentially help solve active investigations.”
The report was written by a law enforcement trainer, Aaron Edens, and provides detailed guidance on the wealth of historic location information available through Google Timeline and how to request it. A copy of of the document was obtained by The Intercept.
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“The personal privacy implications are pretty clear but so are the law enforcement applications,” according to the document, titled “Google Timelines: Location Investigations Involving Android Devices,” which outlines the kind of information investigators can now obtain.
The Timeline allows users to look back at their daily movements on a map; that same information is also potentially of interest to law enforcement. “It is now possible to submit a legal demand to Google for location history greater than six months old,” the report says. “This could revitalize cold cases and potentially help solve active investigations.”
The report was written by a law enforcement trainer, Aaron Edens, and provides detailed guidance on the wealth of historic location information available through Google Timeline and how to request it. A copy of of the document was obtained by The Intercept.
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Hillary Acolytes 'Trying to Shut Down FBI Probe'
The Clinton “spin machine” appears to be behind a report claiming Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has overruled the finding of Intelligence Community Inspector General Charles McCullough that two Hillary Clinton emails sent on her private server contained highly classified information, investigative author Ed Klein told WND.
“It’s not true that Director of National Intelligence Clapper has overruled Inspector General Charles McCullough,” Klein said after a careful reading of news articles regarding the FBI’s probe of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of state.
The FBI is investigating whether she violated the Espionage Act’s subsection pertaining to “gross negligence” in the safekeeping of national defense information, a source familiar with the investigation told Fox News in October.
“I’m assuming the Obama response team has gone to work, as they always do, and made the phone calls needed to make, including, I’m sure, to the office of the director of national intelligence, James Clapper,” said Klein, known for his exposes of the Kennedys, Clintons and Obamas.
More here
“It’s not true that Director of National Intelligence Clapper has overruled Inspector General Charles McCullough,” Klein said after a careful reading of news articles regarding the FBI’s probe of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of state.
The FBI is investigating whether she violated the Espionage Act’s subsection pertaining to “gross negligence” in the safekeeping of national defense information, a source familiar with the investigation told Fox News in October.
“I’m assuming the Obama response team has gone to work, as they always do, and made the phone calls needed to make, including, I’m sure, to the office of the director of national intelligence, James Clapper,” said Klein, known for his exposes of the Kennedys, Clintons and Obamas.
More here
Ineligible recipients received millions in Virginia Medicaid benefits
Virginia’s Medicaid program has a backlog of applications for eligibility that has cost the state and federal governments up to $38 million in benefits to ineligible recipients, according to a new report that identifies gaps in the $8 billion system.
A new study documents an overburdened social services system — supervised by the state but administered locally — that has allowed people to re-enroll for benefits for which they are no longer eligible at an estimated cost of $21 million to $38 million in the 2014 fiscal year.
Republicans in the House of Delegates pounced quickly on the report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission as evidence of a broken Medicaid system, but Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s administration said the legislature has thwarted attempts to fix some of the problems identified in the study.
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A new study documents an overburdened social services system — supervised by the state but administered locally — that has allowed people to re-enroll for benefits for which they are no longer eligible at an estimated cost of $21 million to $38 million in the 2014 fiscal year.
Republicans in the House of Delegates pounced quickly on the report by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission as evidence of a broken Medicaid system, but Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s administration said the legislature has thwarted attempts to fix some of the problems identified in the study.
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‘White Privilege’ Now Means the Privilege to be Fired for Being White
More proof that progressives don't believe in equality
“White privilege” now counts for so much that the president of the University of Missouri was forced to resign for little more than being white.
President Tim Wolfe made the announcement today after a baying mob demanded that he acknowledge his “white privilege” in the aftermath of less than a handful of alleged racist incidents that occurred at the university over the last few months.
Wolfe himself made no racist comments, nor did he perform any racist actions. His crime was refusing to kowtow to the Maoist-style intimidation tactics of the ideological lynch mob.
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“White privilege” now counts for so much that the president of the University of Missouri was forced to resign for little more than being white.
President Tim Wolfe made the announcement today after a baying mob demanded that he acknowledge his “white privilege” in the aftermath of less than a handful of alleged racist incidents that occurred at the university over the last few months.
Wolfe himself made no racist comments, nor did he perform any racist actions. His crime was refusing to kowtow to the Maoist-style intimidation tactics of the ideological lynch mob.
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Baltimore: Police Involved Shooting
They encountered a man, on foot, with a handgun. During the encounter, the man fired the handgun at officers, striking one of them. At least one of the officers returned fire, striking the suspect.
Medics arrived on scene and transported the officer and the suspect to local hospitals. The suspect was pronounced deceased at the hospital. The officer is listed in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries with a gunshot wound to his calf.
The suspect is described as a 32-year-old male.
The officer who was shot is a five-year veteran of the agency.
The second officer on scene was not injured.
This is an active investigation. Anyone with information on this case is asked to call homicide detectives at 410-396-2100.
Additional details will be provided at a later date.
FBI Increases Scrutiny in Hillary Clinton Email Probe
Former official says it looks like ‘full-blown investigation’
The FBI is making increasing inquiries into the security of Hillary Clinton’s private email system and aides’ communications, leading a former FBI official to surmise that the probe has escalated into a full-fledged investigation.
Politico reported:
The FBI around early October requested documents from a company involved in the server arrangement after Clinton left State. It also interviewed a former high-ranking policy official at State about the contents of top Clinton aides’ emails. The official, who spoke to POLITICO on the condition of anonymity, said the questions explored whether anyone at State was concerned about classified information being put at risk by communicating over email. The source did not know of any such concerns. Confirmation of the interview and document requests is the first public indication that the agency is moving ahead with its inquiry–and possibly expanding it.
The former State Department official approached by the FBI was not involved with the set-up or approval of the personal email system Clinton used while she served as secretary of state, which indicates that the FBI may now be examining staff communications in addition to the security of Clinton’s server.
“This sounds to me like it’s more than a preliminary inquiry; it sounds like a full-blown investigation,” former assistant director of the FBI Tom Fuentes said. “When you have this amount of resources going into it …. I think it’s at the investigative level.”
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The FBI is making increasing inquiries into the security of Hillary Clinton’s private email system and aides’ communications, leading a former FBI official to surmise that the probe has escalated into a full-fledged investigation.
Politico reported:
The FBI around early October requested documents from a company involved in the server arrangement after Clinton left State. It also interviewed a former high-ranking policy official at State about the contents of top Clinton aides’ emails. The official, who spoke to POLITICO on the condition of anonymity, said the questions explored whether anyone at State was concerned about classified information being put at risk by communicating over email. The source did not know of any such concerns. Confirmation of the interview and document requests is the first public indication that the agency is moving ahead with its inquiry–and possibly expanding it.
The former State Department official approached by the FBI was not involved with the set-up or approval of the personal email system Clinton used while she served as secretary of state, which indicates that the FBI may now be examining staff communications in addition to the security of Clinton’s server.
“This sounds to me like it’s more than a preliminary inquiry; it sounds like a full-blown investigation,” former assistant director of the FBI Tom Fuentes said. “When you have this amount of resources going into it …. I think it’s at the investigative level.”
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Donald Trump: Hillary Running for POTUS 'Because She Wants to Stay Out of Jail'
On Monday at a Springfield, Illinois rally, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump said that Hillary Clinton in running for president to avoid going to jail.
“People are in jail right now for doing five percent of what she did and the Democrats are not gonna to prosecute her, and it’s frankly a disgrace,” Trump said. “And you know it and so do I and so do these people right here—they know it.”
Regarding Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State and mishandling of classified information, Trump said that “and you better remember that there’s a six-years statute of limitations on that crime.”
“Hillary is running for a lot of reasons—one of ‘em is because she wants to stay out of jail.”
Trump added that, “if we had honest government, Hillary wouldn’t be allowed to run.”
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“People are in jail right now for doing five percent of what she did and the Democrats are not gonna to prosecute her, and it’s frankly a disgrace,” Trump said. “And you know it and so do I and so do these people right here—they know it.”
Regarding Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State and mishandling of classified information, Trump said that “and you better remember that there’s a six-years statute of limitations on that crime.”
“Hillary is running for a lot of reasons—one of ‘em is because she wants to stay out of jail.”
Trump added that, “if we had honest government, Hillary wouldn’t be allowed to run.”
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'Welcome' Guide for New Immigrants Includes Public Benefits
The Obama administration has released an updated welcome guide for new immigrants in the U.S. featuring detailed sections about obtaining public benefits including food stamps, welfare, and Obamacare.
“You or members of your family may be eligible for other federal benefits, depending on your immigration status, length of time in the United States, and income level,” the guidebook reads.
Titled the “Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants” the publication is available in 14 languages: Arabic, English, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Portuguese,Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu, Vietnamese, and two varieties of Chinese.
The guide offers detailed information on the expectations and rights of a permanent resident, tips on settling in the U.S., employment advice, and available public benefits. It also highlights reasons to become a citizen.
“This comprehensive guide contains practical information to help you settle into everyday life in the United States. It also contains basic civics information that introduces you to the U.S. system of government,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services explains.
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“You or members of your family may be eligible for other federal benefits, depending on your immigration status, length of time in the United States, and income level,” the guidebook reads.
Titled the “Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants” the publication is available in 14 languages: Arabic, English, French, Haitian Creole, Korean, Portuguese,Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu, Vietnamese, and two varieties of Chinese.
The guide offers detailed information on the expectations and rights of a permanent resident, tips on settling in the U.S., employment advice, and available public benefits. It also highlights reasons to become a citizen.
“This comprehensive guide contains practical information to help you settle into everyday life in the United States. It also contains basic civics information that introduces you to the U.S. system of government,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services explains.
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Maryland Gun Tracking Database Scrapped After Failing To Solve A Single Crime
"Fingerprinting" Registry cost taxpayers untold millions
The system worked by storing photographs of spent casings fired by every gun sold in the state, which manufacturers were mandated to provide.
The idea behind the registry is that every firearm leaves unique markings on the casings it fires, creating a “ballistic fingerprint,” thus police would theoretically be able to trace casings found at crime scenes to a specific firearm.
Even if you look beyond the ridiculous notions that most criminals adhere to gun laws and keep registered firearms, the database still never worked, because the software was too poorly designed and implemented.
Police were never able to match up a shell found at a crime scene to a registered gun using the system, NOT ONCE in fifteen years.
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The system worked by storing photographs of spent casings fired by every gun sold in the state, which manufacturers were mandated to provide.
The idea behind the registry is that every firearm leaves unique markings on the casings it fires, creating a “ballistic fingerprint,” thus police would theoretically be able to trace casings found at crime scenes to a specific firearm.
Even if you look beyond the ridiculous notions that most criminals adhere to gun laws and keep registered firearms, the database still never worked, because the software was too poorly designed and implemented.
Police were never able to match up a shell found at a crime scene to a registered gun using the system, NOT ONCE in fifteen years.
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Police Arrest Mother of Man Charged in Infant's Death
Members of Baltimore's warrant apprehension task force arrested 59-year-old Roxanne Walston of the 2400-block of Mayfield Avenue on Tuesday.
In addition, Green is expected to be extradited back to Maryland in the coming days.
U.S. marshals arrested Wayne Anthony Green Jr. without incident at a hotel in North Carolina late Friday night. Authorities believe he arrived there earlier in the day.
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Mizzou Tells Students To Call Cops Over 'Hurtful' Speech
As tensions at the University of Missouri continue to rage, the college’s police department has sent a new email to students advising them to call the police if they witness any incidents of “hurtful speech.”
The email arrived in the inboxes of Missouri students Tuesday morning, and copies of it were quickly posted on Twitter.
The email arrived in the inboxes of Missouri students Tuesday morning, and copies of it were quickly posted on Twitter.
Medicare Deductibles & Co-Insurance
Effective January 1, 2016
Part B Premium $121.80 per month –
(Premium stays $104.90 if enrolled in Medicare and receiving Social Security income during 2015.)
Part B Deductible $166.00 per-year
Part A Inpatient Deductible
01-60 days $1,288.00 per benefit
61-90 days $322.00 per day
91-150 days $644.00 per day
SNF – Day 1-20 $0.00 per benefit
21-100 $161.00 per-days
Part A Premiums
40 + quarters Free
30-40 quarters $226.00
Less than 30 quarters $411.00
Part B Premium $121.80 per month –
(Premium stays $104.90 if enrolled in Medicare and receiving Social Security income during 2015.)
Part B Deductible $166.00 per-year
Part A Inpatient Deductible
01-60 days $1,288.00 per benefit
61-90 days $322.00 per day
91-150 days $644.00 per day
SNF – Day 1-20 $0.00 per benefit
21-100 $161.00 per-days
Part A Premiums
40 + quarters Free
30-40 quarters $226.00
Less than 30 quarters $411.00
Father flips car, runs half-mile to get to children in burning home
The father received a call on his cell phone about the fire and immediately rushed home. On his way back, he rolled his vehicle in the intersection of Central Avenue and Enterprise Road. The man freed himself from the vehicle that was upside-down in a ditch and ran a half-mile home to be reunited with his children, who had exited the home when they smelled smoke, police said.
Medics evaluated the man and transported him to a local hospital with minor injuries, according to officials.
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2016 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles Announced
Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the 2016 premiums and deductibles for the Medicare inpatient hospital (Part A) and physician and outpatient hospital services (Part B) programs.
Part B Premiums/Deductibles
As the Social Security Administration previously announced, there will no Social Security cost of living increase for 2016. As a result, by law, most people with Medicare Part B will be “held harmless” from any increase in premiums in 2016 and will pay the same monthly premium as last year, which is $104.90.
Beneficiaries not subject to the “hold harmless” provision will pay $121.80, as calculated reflecting the provisions of the Bipartisan Budget Act signed into law by President Obama last week. Medicare Part B beneficiaries not subject to the “hold-harmless” provision are those not collecting Social Security benefits, those who will enroll in Part B for the first time in 2016, dual eligible beneficiaries who have their premiums paid by Medicaid, and beneficiaries who pay an additional income-related premium. These groups account for about 30 percent of the 52 million Americans expected to be enrolled in Medicare Part B in 2016.
“Our goal is to keep Medicare Part B premiums affordable. Thanks to the leadership of Congress and President Obama, the premiums for 52 million Americans enrolled in Medicare Part B will be either flat or substantially less than they otherwise would have been,” said CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt. “Affordability for Medicare enrollees is a key goal of our work building a health care system that delivers better care and spends health care dollars more wisely.”
Because of slow growth in medical costs and inflation, Medicare Part B premiums were unchanged for the 2013, 2014, and 2015 calendar years. The “hold harmless” provision would have required the approximately 30 percent of beneficiaries not held harmless in 2016 to pay an estimated base monthly Part B premium of $159.30 in part to make up for lost contingency reserves, according to the 2015 Trustees Report. However, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 mitigated the Part B premium increase for these beneficiaries and states, which have programs that pay some or all of the premiums and cost-sharing for certain people who have Medicare and limited incomes. The CMS Office of the Actuary estimates that states will save $1.8 billion as a result of this premium mitigation.
CMS also announced that the annual deductible for all Part B beneficiaries will be $166.00 in 2016. Premiums for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug plans already finalized are unaffected by this announcement.
To get more information about state-by-state savings, visit the CMS website at
https://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Fact-sheets/2015-Fact-sheets-items/2015-11-10.html.
Since 2007, beneficiaries with higher incomes have paid higher Part B monthly premiums. These income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA) affect fewer than 5 percent of people with Medicare. Under the Part B section of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, high income beneficiaries will pay an additional amount. The IRMAA, additional amounts, and total Part B premiums for high income beneficiaries for 2016 are shown in the following table:
Carson: ‘I have no problem being vetted,’ Hillary must get similar media treatment
Ben Carson has no problem getting vetted, but said in the GOP debate Tuesday that he does take issue with the media spreading lies about him.
Mr. Carson also said that he has a beef with the double standard in the news media, arguing that it should give a similar examination of Hillary Clinton’s record.
“I have no problem with being vetted, but I do have a problem is being lied about and then putting that out there as truth,” Mr. Carson said. “I don’t even mind that so much if they do it with everybody.”
Mr. Carson criticized Mrs. Clinton’s record on the attacks on the diplomatic post in Benghazi that left the U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens of Libya and three others dead.
“When I look at someone like Hillary Clinton who sits there and tells her daughter and a government official that this was a terrorist attack and then tells everybody else that it was a video, where I came from they call that a lie,” he said, alluding to the original response that came out of the state department during Mrs. Clinton’s tenure.
Mr. Carson said the way the news media handled Mrs. Clinton on the issue is very different from the way they have attacked the story he has told about being offered a full scholarship to West Point.
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Mr. Carson also said that he has a beef with the double standard in the news media, arguing that it should give a similar examination of Hillary Clinton’s record.
“I have no problem with being vetted, but I do have a problem is being lied about and then putting that out there as truth,” Mr. Carson said. “I don’t even mind that so much if they do it with everybody.”
Mr. Carson criticized Mrs. Clinton’s record on the attacks on the diplomatic post in Benghazi that left the U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens of Libya and three others dead.
“When I look at someone like Hillary Clinton who sits there and tells her daughter and a government official that this was a terrorist attack and then tells everybody else that it was a video, where I came from they call that a lie,” he said, alluding to the original response that came out of the state department during Mrs. Clinton’s tenure.
Mr. Carson said the way the news media handled Mrs. Clinton on the issue is very different from the way they have attacked the story he has told about being offered a full scholarship to West Point.
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