A former agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agreed to pay the government $40,000 to settle allegations he took more than 80 paid sick days while pretending to have cancer.
During the first six months of 2009, while working as a criminal investigator in the ATF San Francisco branch, Douglas daCosta told his bosses he was undergoing treatment for cancer, taking more than 80 days off from work before retiring that June.
According to federal investigators from the Department of Justice, daCosta never had cancer and never underwent treatment.
“Federal agents must be held to answer when they breach the public’s trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Elise Chawaga of the DOJ Office of Inspector General’s Fraud Detection Office. “The Office of the Inspector General remains vigilant in its effort to uncover government waste, fraud and abuse and to recover all ill-gotten gains.”
Government officials also alleged daCosta forged a doctor’s note in order to get the paid sick leave and was moonlighting at a private sector job during this time off.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Trump’s Black Support Grows 6X in a Week
The Los Angeles Times/USC Dornsife national tracking poll of the presidential campaign picked up a sharp uptick in African-American support for Republican nominee Donald J. Trump, which it now pegs at 14.6 percent.
When the “Daybreak” poll began July 10, Trump‘s support among black voters was 4.6 percent and he fluctuated between 5.4 percent Aug. 1 and 2.5 percent Aug. 11.
The upswing in support for Trump–more than 500 percent above his low less than a week previous–comes after the New York City developer’s address Tuesday in the Milwaukee suburb of West Bend, Wisconsin. In that speech, Trump made his most direct play for African-American support in the campaign..
More here
When the “Daybreak” poll began July 10, Trump‘s support among black voters was 4.6 percent and he fluctuated between 5.4 percent Aug. 1 and 2.5 percent Aug. 11.
The upswing in support for Trump–more than 500 percent above his low less than a week previous–comes after the New York City developer’s address Tuesday in the Milwaukee suburb of West Bend, Wisconsin. In that speech, Trump made his most direct play for African-American support in the campaign..
More here
Donald Trump: 'I Will Always Tell You the Truth'
Donald Trump, speaking from a teleprompter during his campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina on Thursday, proclaimed he is the “change candidate” and admitted that because he isn’t politically correct, he doesn’t always use the right words.
“I’ve never been politically correct,” the Republican nominee explained. “Truthfully, it takes far too much time and can often make it more difficult to achieve total victory.”
He continued:
Sometimes, in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don’t choose the right words or you say the wrong thing. I have done that, and I regret it, particularly where it may have caused personal pain. Too much is at stake for us to be consumed with these issues.
But one thing I can promise you is this: I will always tell you the truth.
“So while sometimes I can be too honest, Hillary Clinton is the exact opposite: she never tells the truth. One lie after another, and getting worse each passing day,” Trump jabbed during his first campaign rally since Kellyanne Conway became his new campaign manager and Steve Bannon was named his campaign’s CEO.
Trump stressed that his administration would create a “new American Future.”
“We must also provide opportunities for all of our people,” he added. “We cannot make America great again if we leave any community behind.”
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“I’ve never been politically correct,” the Republican nominee explained. “Truthfully, it takes far too much time and can often make it more difficult to achieve total victory.”
He continued:
Sometimes, in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don’t choose the right words or you say the wrong thing. I have done that, and I regret it, particularly where it may have caused personal pain. Too much is at stake for us to be consumed with these issues.
But one thing I can promise you is this: I will always tell you the truth.
“So while sometimes I can be too honest, Hillary Clinton is the exact opposite: she never tells the truth. One lie after another, and getting worse each passing day,” Trump jabbed during his first campaign rally since Kellyanne Conway became his new campaign manager and Steve Bannon was named his campaign’s CEO.
Trump stressed that his administration would create a “new American Future.”
“We must also provide opportunities for all of our people,” he added. “We cannot make America great again if we leave any community behind.”
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Quantity up, quality improving on crab catch
Still, according to several area experts, quantity doesn’t always equal quality.
Since 1990, biologists with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science have worked each winter to excavate crabs buried in mud to record length measurements and develop population estimates from 1,500 sites throughout the bay.
The 2016 survey concluded the bay contained approximately 553 million crabs, up 35 percent from the prior year. That finding continues the upswing revealed in the 2015 survey, which showed an increase of 38 percent.
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House to hold Clinton perjury hearing
Members of the House Judiciary Committee are set to question FBI officials next month about allegations of perjury involving Hillary Clinton's conflicting statements to Congress last year.
Witnesses at the hearing could include FBI Director James Comey, according to USA Today, which first reported the panel's plans.
Read the full story here >
Witnesses at the hearing could include FBI Director James Comey, according to USA Today, which first reported the panel's plans.
Read the full story here >
Credit card readers popular with tram riders
The resort installed handheld credit card readers on all 16 trams right before Springfest to give visitors a seamless transaction, rather than fumbling for exact change for the $3 ride. Card machines were also installed at the tram booth at North Division Street.
Transit officials said that conductors were apprehensive about the readers initially, but quickly warmed to the idea after finding how simple they were to use.
Revenues suggest that consumers are also enjoying to the new option.
“We are finding more folks are using the credit cards along the Boardwalk, and it’s been very consistent,” Transit Manager Mark Rickards said during Tuesday’s Transportation Commission. “We’re very close to this year’s budget.”
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Report: Illegal Migrants from Terror-Linked Countries Surging at Southern Border
U.S. officials are trying to establish closer cooperation with various Latin American nations to combat an increase in the number of illegal migrants from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East attempting to sneak into the United States.
Between October 2015 and May 2016, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), detained 5,350 African and Asian migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to Reuters.
The apprehensions of illegals from Africa and Asia during that period marks an increase from those that took place in all of 2015 (4,261) and 2014 (1,831).
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Between October 2015 and May 2016, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), detained 5,350 African and Asian migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to Reuters.
The apprehensions of illegals from Africa and Asia during that period marks an increase from those that took place in all of 2015 (4,261) and 2014 (1,831).
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Resident calls to develop diverse economy in resort
In the waning moments of Monday night’s session, Tyler Dark of West Ocean City said it seemed like that the council had spent the meeting discussing how to make the resort better for visitors rather than focusing on the year-round community.
“This is a resort area and the economy thrives on tourists and outside resources that can only be brought through tourism,” he said during the public comment segment. “I think it’s worthwhile to spend time focusing on our locals and the crises that are happening, with heroin in particular. But across the board, addiction is something that troubles our area.”
Throughout the year, opiates overdose cases have risen substantially in the region and police have increased their efforts to catch and charge dealers. Back in May, the Worcester County’s Sheriff’s Office announced they had arrested more than 60 individuals, mostly small dealers, in sting operations. The investigation had exposed a network of users that started dealing to support their own drug habits.
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"To Ensure Her Election": Wasserman-Schultz Admits She Really Worked For Hillary While At DNC
Still don’t believe that elections are rigged, and that the whole thing is a sham?
After all that time claiming to be “neutral” as the head of the Democratic National Committee, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz let down her guard this week and admitted she had actually been working ‘to prepare for Hillary Clinton to be [their] nominee’ and to ensure her election.
It was everything that she has always denied, but we knew all along.
And the Wikileaks dump confirmed it, brought it out into the open, forced Debbie to step down as head of the DNC… but low and behold, just went to work as the chairman of Hillary’s campaign anyway. Open, brazen corruption.
Why? Because it is all just a big joke, and everyone knows it.
Debbie Wasserman-Schultz made the apparent inadvertent admission during a televised debate on Facing South Florida, where she is battling for reelection. RT reports:
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After all that time claiming to be “neutral” as the head of the Democratic National Committee, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz let down her guard this week and admitted she had actually been working ‘to prepare for Hillary Clinton to be [their] nominee’ and to ensure her election.
It was everything that she has always denied, but we knew all along.
And the Wikileaks dump confirmed it, brought it out into the open, forced Debbie to step down as head of the DNC… but low and behold, just went to work as the chairman of Hillary’s campaign anyway. Open, brazen corruption.
Why? Because it is all just a big joke, and everyone knows it.
Debbie Wasserman-Schultz made the apparent inadvertent admission during a televised debate on Facing South Florida, where she is battling for reelection. RT reports:
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Pedestrian incidents increasing
Saturday night around 10:45 p.m., an unidentified 34-year-old male attempted to cross Coastal Highway in the area of 73rd Street, when he was struck by a 4-door sedan, according to police.
He was airlifted to Peninsula Regional Medical Center, where he was treated and released. The driver of the vehicle was uninjured.
Police said the victim was not using a crosswalk when the vehicle struck him.
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Put her down, Joe! Biden's VERY awkward hug with Clinton that went on and on
'Hello my dear,' she said as he walked off his plane. They locked in a friendly embrace, Clinton laughing for a moment, before she tried to wriggle free.
Not picking up on her cues - repeated pats on the arm - Biden continued to hold her by the waist. The VP finally let Clinton go and they walked to his limo, entering from opposite sides.
The two were campaigning together today in Biden's childhood hometown.
More/Video
County revising poultry house regulations for transparency
At the county commissioners meeting on Aug. 2, Ed Tudor, director of Development Review and Permitting, provided a briefing on his staff’s efforts to write the measure earlier this year.
“This text amendment takes a whole new approach to poultry houses,” he said. “It creates an entirely new section in the code. It provides density requirements, buffering requirements and setback requirements.”
The proposed regulations would provide precise definitions of what qualifies as a poultry farm and delineates between small, medium and large-scale operations.
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Soros Behind Muslim Takeover of West
Soros gave "global grants" to fund Muslim migrants
A leaked internal report from international hedge fund financial manipulator George Soros’s Open Society Foundations and its International Migration Initiative (IMI) describes how Soros bankrolled the opening of global routes for illegal migration.
The report is titled “Migration Governance and Enforcement Portfolio Review” and is dated May 12, 2016.
The use of economic and political refugees as “weapons of mass migration” was described in the editor’s recent book, “Soros: Quantum of Chaos.”
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A leaked internal report from international hedge fund financial manipulator George Soros’s Open Society Foundations and its International Migration Initiative (IMI) describes how Soros bankrolled the opening of global routes for illegal migration.
The report is titled “Migration Governance and Enforcement Portfolio Review” and is dated May 12, 2016.
The use of economic and political refugees as “weapons of mass migration” was described in the editor’s recent book, “Soros: Quantum of Chaos.”
More
Biplane Lands On Assateague Island After Engine Issue
Around 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, a pilot and passenger in a biplane flying over the region experienced mechanical trouble and realized they could not make it to the Ocean City Airport. Instead, the pilot safely landed the biplane on the north end of Assateague on the beach.
No injuries were reported. The plane will be moved out of the surf zone and towed down the beach at some point. Preparations will then be undertaken to move the plane off the island.
Source
The Biggest Hack Yet: Why A Leak Of Clinton Foundation Documents Is Imminent
The DNC, the DNCC, even the NSA - there has been a surge of hacking over the past month, much of it blamed on Russia, yet the two perhaps most famous servers, Hillary's personal email server, and that of the Clinton Family Foundation, had somehow emerged unscathed. Or maybe not: according to Reuters, the Clintons' Charitable Foundation (which as we learned last week was the recipient of 96% of the Clintons' own donations) hired prominent security firm FireEye to examine the data systems "after seeing indications they might have been hacked."
While so far no message or document hacked from the New York-based Clinton Foundation has surfaced in public, this may change very soon. Recall how meticulously the ground was set for the Soros hack just days before DCLeaks revealed a treasure trove of Open Society Foundation documents. Today's Reuters report may server the same function.
One of the sources and two U.S. security officials said that like hackers who targeted the Democratic National Committee, Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and the Democrats' congressional fundraising committee, the hackers appear to have used “spear phishing” techniques to gain access to the foundation's network. These techniques include creating bogus emails or websites in an effort to gain access to Clinton Foundation staffers’ emails and then to the foundation itself.
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While so far no message or document hacked from the New York-based Clinton Foundation has surfaced in public, this may change very soon. Recall how meticulously the ground was set for the Soros hack just days before DCLeaks revealed a treasure trove of Open Society Foundation documents. Today's Reuters report may server the same function.
One of the sources and two U.S. security officials said that like hackers who targeted the Democratic National Committee, Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and the Democrats' congressional fundraising committee, the hackers appear to have used “spear phishing” techniques to gain access to the foundation's network. These techniques include creating bogus emails or websites in an effort to gain access to Clinton Foundation staffers’ emails and then to the foundation itself.
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Local Mission Celebrates 200th Housing Build
The mission recently had its 200th build — a wheelchair ramp for a local man.
“You will never meet someone with such a devastating injury with such a positive attitude on life,” said Don Taylor, executive director of CHM.
The nonprofit Christian mission gathers donations and volunteers to make vital home repairs for low-income families in the Chesapeake region. A wheelchair ramp was the focus of this milestone build; volunteers were members of the Salisbury City Police Department.
“In policing today, it’s all about making sure the people we serve are connected and supported in any way,” said Salisbury City Police Chief Barbara Duncan, working alongside officers from her department. “We are honored to be involved with this project. These are the things that matter most.”
The group was founded “by a few of us who had been to Appalachia to repair homes. We had been taking teens into the mountains for 20 years,” Taylor said. “But people here kept saying ‘There’s need here on the Shore.’ ”
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Trump exposed an ugly secret about Dems and African-Americans
Donald Trump let out a secret Tuesday that Hillary Clinton doesn’t want African-Americans to know: She and her party take them for granted, and their policies have long wracked inner-city communities.
“We reject the bigotry of Hillary Clinton, which panders and talks down to communities of color and sees them only as votes,” said Trump. Democrats have “failed and betrayed” African-Americans.
He cited the donkeys’ policies on crime, education and the economy, which he says “have produced only more crime, more broken homes and more poverty.”
He’s right. African-Americans have voted overwhelmingly for Dems for decades. In presidential races, they give upward of 90 percent of their votes to Democrats. They’ve played a key role in electing Dems to run most of the nation’s big cities.
Yet those cities (Chicago, Baltimore) have been socked by crime — and blacks are victims in far higher numbers than whites. Black unemployment and poverty rates are higher, too, and minorities face wide gaps in educational achievement.
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“We reject the bigotry of Hillary Clinton, which panders and talks down to communities of color and sees them only as votes,” said Trump. Democrats have “failed and betrayed” African-Americans.
He cited the donkeys’ policies on crime, education and the economy, which he says “have produced only more crime, more broken homes and more poverty.”
He’s right. African-Americans have voted overwhelmingly for Dems for decades. In presidential races, they give upward of 90 percent of their votes to Democrats. They’ve played a key role in electing Dems to run most of the nation’s big cities.
Yet those cities (Chicago, Baltimore) have been socked by crime — and blacks are victims in far higher numbers than whites. Black unemployment and poverty rates are higher, too, and minorities face wide gaps in educational achievement.
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Tractor Trailer Overturn US 113 at Porters Crossing Rd
Type of Incident: Motor Vehicle Collision/ Over-turned Tractor Trailer
Date and Time: 8/20/2016 at 10:42 am
Location: US Route 113 at Porters Crossing Road, Newark, Worcester County, Maryland
Driver: Daniel Lewis (Newark, DE) 66 years old
Charges: Pending
Troopers responded to US Route 113 at Porters Crossing Road, Newark, Worcester County, Maryland for a single motor vehicle collision.
The investigation revealed that Daniel Lewis was operating a 1999 International Truck w/ Tractor Northbound US Route 113 when he lost control of the vehicle and the Tractor Trailer overturned in the North bound lane of US Route 113 at Porters Crossing Road.
Lewis was transported to PRMC by Newark Fire/ EMS for precautionary measures only due to severity of the crash.
Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, Newark Fire Police and Maryland State Highway Administration responded to assist.
North bound US Route 113 was closed and traffic was detoured to Basket Switch Road and Cedartown Road for several hours during clean up and recovery.
The investigation is ongoing and will be referred to MSP- Commercial Vehicle Enforcement.
Date and Time: 8/20/2016 at 10:42 am
Location: US Route 113 at Porters Crossing Road, Newark, Worcester County, Maryland
Driver: Daniel Lewis (Newark, DE) 66 years old
Charges: Pending
Troopers responded to US Route 113 at Porters Crossing Road, Newark, Worcester County, Maryland for a single motor vehicle collision.
The investigation revealed that Daniel Lewis was operating a 1999 International Truck w/ Tractor Northbound US Route 113 when he lost control of the vehicle and the Tractor Trailer overturned in the North bound lane of US Route 113 at Porters Crossing Road.
Lewis was transported to PRMC by Newark Fire/ EMS for precautionary measures only due to severity of the crash.
Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, Newark Fire Police and Maryland State Highway Administration responded to assist.
North bound US Route 113 was closed and traffic was detoured to Basket Switch Road and Cedartown Road for several hours during clean up and recovery.
The investigation is ongoing and will be referred to MSP- Commercial Vehicle Enforcement.
County to try fully automated video streaming system
During the commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Kelly Shannahan, county assistant chief administrator, presented cost estimates that were significantly less than those discussed in previous sessions.
“We looked at it a couple of years ago and at that time looked at duplicating a system similar to what Ocean City had,” he said. “Their system was in the range of $200,000, which we felt was a little bit more than we can spend.”
During a closed session meeting on July 5, the commissioners asked Shannahan to review information generated from a discussion that was tabled in May 2015.
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Chart: Clinton Foundation Donations Linked to State Dept. Favors
Coordination between Clinton Foundation and State Dept. revealed
The recent release of additional private emails from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s private email servers based at her New York home provide a clearer picture of the “pay-to-play” connections between Clinton’s State Department, her and her husband’s and daughter’s Clinton Foundation and Clinton Global Initiative, and the private investment consulting and investment firm of Teneo Holdings, Inc. in Manhattan.
Ticket sales under way for Punkin Chunkin
The autumn event will be held Nov. 4-6 at Wheatley Farms, near Bridgeville.
The event that launches pumpkins from cannons is back in Sussex County after an unsuccessful effort to move the event to the Dover Downs area in Kent County.
The delay was blamed on problems in obtaining liability insurance, Legislative efforts to modify the laws were opposed by trial lawyers, who brushed off allegations of torpedoing the event that features high-powered machines that shoot pumpkins for long distances.
An agreement was finally reached to hold the event and waivers are part of the registration for Punkin Chunkin.
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Trump's path to success
He must appeal to voters eager to feel better about the nation
As both fans and critics await the next Donald Trump controversy, those of us who actually want to beat Hillary Clinton find ourselves trying to channel advice to him.
We sit in front of the TV, whispering: “Stay on message. Find some discipline. Revisit the issues where you are clearly better than she is.”
That’s quite a list. And if he deploys it with skill, we can spend less time wringing our hands over his word choices, and more time enjoying a message that can resonate broadly.
This did not turn out to be a year that welcomed a traditional conservative as the Republican nominee. This annoys many conservatives who wanted a standard-bearer more consistent and more energizing than John McCain or Mitt Romney.
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As both fans and critics await the next Donald Trump controversy, those of us who actually want to beat Hillary Clinton find ourselves trying to channel advice to him.
We sit in front of the TV, whispering: “Stay on message. Find some discipline. Revisit the issues where you are clearly better than she is.”
That’s quite a list. And if he deploys it with skill, we can spend less time wringing our hands over his word choices, and more time enjoying a message that can resonate broadly.
This did not turn out to be a year that welcomed a traditional conservative as the Republican nominee. This annoys many conservatives who wanted a standard-bearer more consistent and more energizing than John McCain or Mitt Romney.
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A vote for Donald Trump is a vote for American businesses
Since President Obama took office in 2009, America has been on a path toward economic destruction.
From tax increases and wage reductions to new regulations and increased “red tape,” it has been hard for businesses, both small and large, to grow and prosper in America.
The failed economic policies of his administration have left too many Americans without jobs, without savings and with little hope.
Many small businesses nationwide have been forced to close their doors.
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From tax increases and wage reductions to new regulations and increased “red tape,” it has been hard for businesses, both small and large, to grow and prosper in America.
The failed economic policies of his administration have left too many Americans without jobs, without savings and with little hope.
Many small businesses nationwide have been forced to close their doors.
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Clinton to Spend Rest of August Fundraising With Celebrities
Hillary Clinton will spend much of the remaining month of August fundraising with wealthy individuals and celebrities across the country.
CNN reported Thursday that the Democratic presidential nominee is expected to attend roughly 20 fundraising events in California, Massachusetts, and New York later this month.
Clinton will appear next week at eight fundraisers over three days in California, including one at the home of famed professional basketball player Magic Johnson in Beverly Hills. Co-hosts for the event also include Bob Iger, the chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company, and Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO of DreamWorks Animation and a major Democratic donor.
One of the California fundraisers, in the wealthy Laguna Beach area, will cost guests $33,400 each to attend. Another event in Northern California will cost each couple $100,000 to gain entry.
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CNN reported Thursday that the Democratic presidential nominee is expected to attend roughly 20 fundraising events in California, Massachusetts, and New York later this month.
Clinton will appear next week at eight fundraisers over three days in California, including one at the home of famed professional basketball player Magic Johnson in Beverly Hills. Co-hosts for the event also include Bob Iger, the chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company, and Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO of DreamWorks Animation and a major Democratic donor.
One of the California fundraisers, in the wealthy Laguna Beach area, will cost guests $33,400 each to attend. Another event in Northern California will cost each couple $100,000 to gain entry.
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Hillary Clinton’s Perjury: Watch It For Yourself
JUST DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH ON AN INDICTMENT …
Earlier this week we posed a question: Did Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton commit perjury during her testimony to a congressional committee last October?
“Republican” members of the U.S. House certainly think so … and earlier this week they referred several alleged instances of perjury to the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ).
Clinton is accused of perjuring herself on at least four occasions during an appearance before the Benghazi Select Committee, which probed a September 11, 2012 terrorist attack on a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Libya.
That attack left four Americans – including U.S. ambassador Christopher Stevens – dead.
More/Video
Earlier this week we posed a question: Did Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton commit perjury during her testimony to a congressional committee last October?
“Republican” members of the U.S. House certainly think so … and earlier this week they referred several alleged instances of perjury to the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ).
Clinton is accused of perjuring herself on at least four occasions during an appearance before the Benghazi Select Committee, which probed a September 11, 2012 terrorist attack on a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Libya.
That attack left four Americans – including U.S. ambassador Christopher Stevens – dead.
More/Video
Religious, civil rights leaders rally to restore internet sanity
“This is a fight we can bring into the light. Obviously, there are always going to be people who share negative comments — we can’t control that, but what we can do is address the issue,” Rev. Gregg Knepp, organizer of the signing at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church on Wednesday, said.
The feelings expressed in those comments, he continued, “are probably also felt by others — hopefully in not such an extreme manner — but we need to recognize that within our congregations and our community there are people who harbor prejudice. It’s part of the human condition, and it won’t go away by wishing — we need to confront it head on.
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U.S. confirms $400M Iran payment was contingent on prisoner release
President Obama's team used a $400 million cash payment as "maximum leverage" to get Iran to release American hostages, a State Department official confirmed Thursday.
"The payment of the $400 million was not done until after the prisoners were released," State Department spokesman John Kirby confirmed to reporters.
Kirby tried to avoid using the term "ransom" to describe the payment, but he conceded that the payment was "connected" to the release of the hostages. The payment was originally touted as the first step in resolving a long-standing dispute about money owed to Iran dating back to a failed weapons deal agreed to before the 1979 revolution.
"We, of course, sought to retain maximum leverage until after American citizens were released, and that was our top priority," Kirby said. "If your top priority is to get your Americans out and you're already having some issues about locating some of them, [then] you want to make sure that that release gets done before you complete that transaction."
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"The payment of the $400 million was not done until after the prisoners were released," State Department spokesman John Kirby confirmed to reporters.
Kirby tried to avoid using the term "ransom" to describe the payment, but he conceded that the payment was "connected" to the release of the hostages. The payment was originally touted as the first step in resolving a long-standing dispute about money owed to Iran dating back to a failed weapons deal agreed to before the 1979 revolution.
"We, of course, sought to retain maximum leverage until after American citizens were released, and that was our top priority," Kirby said. "If your top priority is to get your Americans out and you're already having some issues about locating some of them, [then] you want to make sure that that release gets done before you complete that transaction."
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Poll: Americans, Immigrants Back Donald Trump's Immigration Vetting Policy By More Than 2 to 1
Americans and immigrants support Donald Trump’s calls for the ideological vetting of would-be immigrants by more than two-to-one, according to a new poll from Morning Consult.
That’s bad news for Hillary Clinton and her allied progressives, who are trying to persuade swing-voters that Trump’s policy for immigrants are extreme and bigoted.
The “strong” numbers are especially important, because they suggest how many people will make up their mind based on that issue. That’s to Trump’s advantages, because his “strong” numbers are 38 percent support to 15 percent strong opposition.
Among actual immigrants, his strong numbers are above two-to-one — or 31 percent strong support to 12 percent strong opposition.
So he’s got 61 strong or “somewhat” support from actual immigrants, compared to just 29 percent strong and somewhat opposition. That’s two-to-one support, which allows Trump to claim that his policies are supported by a consensus of recent immigrants. Ten percent declined to comment.
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That’s bad news for Hillary Clinton and her allied progressives, who are trying to persuade swing-voters that Trump’s policy for immigrants are extreme and bigoted.
The “strong” numbers are especially important, because they suggest how many people will make up their mind based on that issue. That’s to Trump’s advantages, because his “strong” numbers are 38 percent support to 15 percent strong opposition.
Among actual immigrants, his strong numbers are above two-to-one — or 31 percent strong support to 12 percent strong opposition.
So he’s got 61 strong or “somewhat” support from actual immigrants, compared to just 29 percent strong and somewhat opposition. That’s two-to-one support, which allows Trump to claim that his policies are supported by a consensus of recent immigrants. Ten percent declined to comment.
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Transgender: Obama To End Single-Sex Bathrooms on Federal Property
President Barack Obama’s deputies will insert a rule in federal regulations on Friday to prevent federal facilities from operating single-sex bathrooms.
The rule in the “Federal Register” of regulations will open up thousands of bathrooms in federally operated buildings to employees and visitors who claim on any given day to be “transgender” members of the opposite sex.
BuzzFeed reports it obtained a draft notice of the rule that was sent to federal agencies. According to the report:
President Barack Obama’s deputies will insert a rule in federal regulations on Friday to prevent federal facilities from operating single-sex bathrooms.
The rule in the “Federal Register” of regulations will open up thousands of bathrooms in federally operated buildings to employees and visitors who claim on any given day to be “transgender” members of the opposite sex.
BuzzFeed reports it obtained a draft notice of the rule that was sent to federal agencies. According to the report:
More
The rule in the “Federal Register” of regulations will open up thousands of bathrooms in federally operated buildings to employees and visitors who claim on any given day to be “transgender” members of the opposite sex.
BuzzFeed reports it obtained a draft notice of the rule that was sent to federal agencies. According to the report:
President Barack Obama’s deputies will insert a rule in federal regulations on Friday to prevent federal facilities from operating single-sex bathrooms.
The rule in the “Federal Register” of regulations will open up thousands of bathrooms in federally operated buildings to employees and visitors who claim on any given day to be “transgender” members of the opposite sex.
BuzzFeed reports it obtained a draft notice of the rule that was sent to federal agencies. According to the report:
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'Clinton Cash' Author: Clinton Foundation Foreign Cash Ban 'Too Little, Too Late'
In the wake of reports that the Clinton Foundation may have been hacked, Hillary Clinton’s embattled foundation announced on Thursday that, if Clinton is elected, her foundation will no longer accept the kinds of foreign and corporate donations at the heart of the Clinton Cash scandal.
The new pledge is a stunning tacit admission of wrongdoing, but it comes too little too late and raises the obvious question: If it would be wrong for Hillary’s foundation to accept foreign cash as president, why wasn’t it wrong for Hillary’s foundation to accept foreign cash from oligarchs and countries who had business pending on her desk as Sec. of State?
Moreover, if, as has been confirmed by numerous mainstream media organizations, Hillary Clinton violated her ethics pledge with the Obama administration to disclose all Clinton Foundation donations, why should the American people believe she would now honor a new pledge to forgo bagging cash from foreign oligarchs and countries?
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The new pledge is a stunning tacit admission of wrongdoing, but it comes too little too late and raises the obvious question: If it would be wrong for Hillary’s foundation to accept foreign cash as president, why wasn’t it wrong for Hillary’s foundation to accept foreign cash from oligarchs and countries who had business pending on her desk as Sec. of State?
Moreover, if, as has been confirmed by numerous mainstream media organizations, Hillary Clinton violated her ethics pledge with the Obama administration to disclose all Clinton Foundation donations, why should the American people believe she would now honor a new pledge to forgo bagging cash from foreign oligarchs and countries?
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Hackers Reportedly Targeted Trump Campaign, Republican Party Groups
Hackers targeted the computer systems of presidential candidate Donald Trump and Republican Party organizations as well as Democratic Party networks, sources familiar with investigations into the attacks said.
At least one Trump staff member's email account was infected with malware in 2015 and sent malicious emails to colleagues, according to one insider for the Republican candidate's campaign and an outside security expert. It was unclear whether or not the hackers actually gained access to campaign computers.
In the past month, U.S. security officials have said that starting last year, hackers infiltrated computers of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton and her party's congressional fundraising committee.
U.S. officials said they have concluded that Russia or its proxies were responsible, leading to calls by some Democrats and cyber security officials for the Obama administration to blame Russia publicly. Kremlin officials have dismissed the allegations as absurd, but there is anxiety in Washington over the possibility that a foreign power might be using hacked information to meddle in the Nov. 8 U.S. election.
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At least one Trump staff member's email account was infected with malware in 2015 and sent malicious emails to colleagues, according to one insider for the Republican candidate's campaign and an outside security expert. It was unclear whether or not the hackers actually gained access to campaign computers.
In the past month, U.S. security officials have said that starting last year, hackers infiltrated computers of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton and her party's congressional fundraising committee.
U.S. officials said they have concluded that Russia or its proxies were responsible, leading to calls by some Democrats and cyber security officials for the Obama administration to blame Russia publicly. Kremlin officials have dismissed the allegations as absurd, but there is anxiety in Washington over the possibility that a foreign power might be using hacked information to meddle in the Nov. 8 U.S. election.
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'The President Can't Be Everywhere'; 'He Has a Very Busy Schedule'
(CNSNews.com) - Speaking at a news conference in flood-ravaged Louisiana on Thursday, Homeland Security Director Jeh Johnson said "the federal government is here, we have been here, and we'll be here as long as it takes to help this community recover."
Responding to criticism that President Obama has not interrupted his summer vacation on Martha's Vineyard, Johnson said several times, "The president can't be everywhere."
Johnson also said the (golfing, vacationing) president "has a very busy schedule this fall and in the coming days," hinting that Obama has no plans to go Louisiana.
"There's been a lot of criticism about president Obama not visiting Louisiana. Will you be recommending that he come to Louisiana and visit?" a reporter asked Johnson.
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Responding to criticism that President Obama has not interrupted his summer vacation on Martha's Vineyard, Johnson said several times, "The president can't be everywhere."
Johnson also said the (golfing, vacationing) president "has a very busy schedule this fall and in the coming days," hinting that Obama has no plans to go Louisiana.
"There's been a lot of criticism about president Obama not visiting Louisiana. Will you be recommending that he come to Louisiana and visit?" a reporter asked Johnson.
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Migrants Refuse Jobs, Claiming They Are ‘Guests of Merkel’
Integration into the job market for migrants has become a major ongoing task for the German government but in one town migrants are refusing to work entirely.
One of the major issues of the migrant crisis is Germany and elsewhere has been the economic impact the massive wave of migrants will have in Europe. While some experts initially were optimistic about a potential vast new source of skilled labour, most economists have come to the conclusion that the migrants who have arrived are for the most part unskilled and poorly educated.
Yet in one Saxon town, they have moved past the usual barriers but the migrants have declared they don’t want to work anyway, reports OE24.
Bernd Pohlers, mayor of the town of Waldenburg, told of how he thought creating jobs for the migrants who resided at the asylum home in his town would help alleviate their boredom in waiting for their claims to be processed.
The mayor expressed his disappointment that having gone to the trouble of creating seven job opportunities they had been rejected outright by the migrants.
The migrants had claimed that they did not have to work at all because they were “guests” of German Chancellor Angela Merkel who many say invited them to Germany last year.
“It was subsequently argued by these people that they are guests of Mrs. Merkel and guests do not have to work,” Pohlers said. The town had created the seven jobs to be 20 hours per week and were part of the controversial one-euro an hour job programs for migrants that have been pushed by the Federal government.
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One of the major issues of the migrant crisis is Germany and elsewhere has been the economic impact the massive wave of migrants will have in Europe. While some experts initially were optimistic about a potential vast new source of skilled labour, most economists have come to the conclusion that the migrants who have arrived are for the most part unskilled and poorly educated.
Yet in one Saxon town, they have moved past the usual barriers but the migrants have declared they don’t want to work anyway, reports OE24.
Bernd Pohlers, mayor of the town of Waldenburg, told of how he thought creating jobs for the migrants who resided at the asylum home in his town would help alleviate their boredom in waiting for their claims to be processed.
The mayor expressed his disappointment that having gone to the trouble of creating seven job opportunities they had been rejected outright by the migrants.
The migrants had claimed that they did not have to work at all because they were “guests” of German Chancellor Angela Merkel who many say invited them to Germany last year.
“It was subsequently argued by these people that they are guests of Mrs. Merkel and guests do not have to work,” Pohlers said. The town had created the seven jobs to be 20 hours per week and were part of the controversial one-euro an hour job programs for migrants that have been pushed by the Federal government.
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County to examine body piercing regulations
The proposal was submitted by representatives of Dan Troriano, who owns Dimensions, a body piercing and skate shop on the Boardwalk at Division Street.
Ed Tudor, director of Department of Development Review and Permitting, said the proposed amendment, which was received by County Attorney Maureen Howarth earlier this summer, aims for two modifications to existing regulations.
“It would prohibit any body piercer or employee of a body piercing studio from soliciting business off premises of the establishment and also would prevent the payment of referral fees,” he said. “The other section specifically wishes to change the provision relative to the use of a minor and the proof of parentage.”
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Save Loads with Homemade Laundry Detergent
Did you know: You can make a year's worth of laundry detergent for you and your family for under $20?
An average family can spend over $70 on store-bought detergent per year. Making your own isn't only better for the environment, it can save you over 80 percent -- and it only takes three ingredients.
First, take one bar of natural soap (like castile or a gentle glycerin soap) and finely grate it with a cheese grater. Then, take the soap flakes and sprinkle in one cup of washing soda and one cup of borax, sealing your new cleaning concoction in an airtight container...
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An average family can spend over $70 on store-bought detergent per year. Making your own isn't only better for the environment, it can save you over 80 percent -- and it only takes three ingredients.
First, take one bar of natural soap (like castile or a gentle glycerin soap) and finely grate it with a cheese grater. Then, take the soap flakes and sprinkle in one cup of washing soda and one cup of borax, sealing your new cleaning concoction in an airtight container...
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Judges nixed DHS bids to deport illegal immigrants
Immigration judges around the country are denying the Department of Homeland Security’s attempts to deport illegal immigrants in record numbers, according to a new report.
Over the last 10 months, immigration judges opted against the department’s efforts to remove some 96,223 illegal immigrants, including criminals, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a Syracuse University-based nonprofit.
At this rate, TRAC estimates the number of illegal immigrants allowed to remain in the U.S. despite DHS attempts to remove them will surpass last year’s breaking number of 106,676. With the court’s protection, subjects can often remain indefinitely.
“It’s concerning to me that the immigration courts are becoming such a frequently used back-door route to green cards,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of Policy Studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington, DC-based research institute, noting these cases will be nearly 10 percent of the green cards approved in 2016.
“Many of them arrived illegally, and are being awarded legal status simply because they managed to stay a long time and have acquired family members here.”
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Over the last 10 months, immigration judges opted against the department’s efforts to remove some 96,223 illegal immigrants, including criminals, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a Syracuse University-based nonprofit.
At this rate, TRAC estimates the number of illegal immigrants allowed to remain in the U.S. despite DHS attempts to remove them will surpass last year’s breaking number of 106,676. With the court’s protection, subjects can often remain indefinitely.
“It’s concerning to me that the immigration courts are becoming such a frequently used back-door route to green cards,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of Policy Studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington, DC-based research institute, noting these cases will be nearly 10 percent of the green cards approved in 2016.
“Many of them arrived illegally, and are being awarded legal status simply because they managed to stay a long time and have acquired family members here.”
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IRS to 'Start Processing' Tea Party Applications
The IRS this week said it would begin processing applications of tea party groups that it held up for years, The Washington Times reports.
However, for one such group in Texas, saying and doing are two different things.
The Texas Patriots Tea Party received a letter from the Justice Department saying it finally, after four years, would see some movement on its application, but no details were provided, the Times reported.
"We will be in further contact regarding the application process once we have heard from the IRS," Justice attorney Joseph Sergi wrote to the group's attorney, the Times reports.
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However, for one such group in Texas, saying and doing are two different things.
The Texas Patriots Tea Party received a letter from the Justice Department saying it finally, after four years, would see some movement on its application, but no details were provided, the Times reported.
"We will be in further contact regarding the application process once we have heard from the IRS," Justice attorney Joseph Sergi wrote to the group's attorney, the Times reports.
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Report: Lynch's Justice Dept. Covering Up Clinton Foundation Bribery
Clinton Foundation received a $175,000 "donation" for State Dept. favor
The Department of Justice, which is normally quite detailed in its criminal indictments, left out some key information in the federal criminal charges brought against Samuel Mebiame, a political fixer whose father Leon Mebiame was once prime minister of natural resource-rich Gabon in Africa.
Neither the hedge fund nor the offshore entity were named in the indictment issued by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn, a job held by Attorney General Loretta Lynch before President Obama named her as U.S. Attorney General last year.
The failure to provide details about the corporate entities involved in the bribery of African officials, including those in Gabon, in exchange for lucrative mineral rights for Western corporations may very well be an attempt by Lynch to stymie any ties to the Clinton Foundation’s “pay-to-play” extortion, kickbacks, and bribery racket.
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The Department of Justice, which is normally quite detailed in its criminal indictments, left out some key information in the federal criminal charges brought against Samuel Mebiame, a political fixer whose father Leon Mebiame was once prime minister of natural resource-rich Gabon in Africa.
Neither the hedge fund nor the offshore entity were named in the indictment issued by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn, a job held by Attorney General Loretta Lynch before President Obama named her as U.S. Attorney General last year.
The failure to provide details about the corporate entities involved in the bribery of African officials, including those in Gabon, in exchange for lucrative mineral rights for Western corporations may very well be an attempt by Lynch to stymie any ties to the Clinton Foundation’s “pay-to-play” extortion, kickbacks, and bribery racket.
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Publicly Funded NPR Follows the Left’s Lead, Closes Comments Sections
Publicly funded National Public Radio has announced that it will be closing its comments sections in a bid to “move the conversation to social media,” following the lead of many left-wing news sites in doing so.
In a blog post by NPR public editor Elizabeth Jensen, she said that although the decision is “sure to upset a loyal core of its audience,” the company would now prefer to “let social media pick up the slack.”
Scott Montgomery, the managing editor for NPR digital news cited the reason for the move as the company’s need to engage more in social media, saying that NPR has “reached the point where we’ve realized that there are other, better ways to achieve the same kind of community discussion around the issues we raise in our journalism.”
However Jensen also admitted in the post that the company could not keep their comments sections as “civil” as that of the New York Times due to the fact that “they use heavy in-house human moderation that costs far more than NPR currently spends on its outsourced system,” whilst “only opening 10 percent of its articles to comments.”
NPR now joins a number of left-wing news organisations who have become fearful of users giving their opinions, joining sites such as The Guardian, The Verge, and The Daily Beast in telling users to take their opinions elsewhere.
The stated reason behind the majority of these decisions has been the need for the organisation to combat “abuse” and “harassment” on the site.
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[ Of course, we still welcome your participation here-- Editor ]
In a blog post by NPR public editor Elizabeth Jensen, she said that although the decision is “sure to upset a loyal core of its audience,” the company would now prefer to “let social media pick up the slack.”
Scott Montgomery, the managing editor for NPR digital news cited the reason for the move as the company’s need to engage more in social media, saying that NPR has “reached the point where we’ve realized that there are other, better ways to achieve the same kind of community discussion around the issues we raise in our journalism.”
However Jensen also admitted in the post that the company could not keep their comments sections as “civil” as that of the New York Times due to the fact that “they use heavy in-house human moderation that costs far more than NPR currently spends on its outsourced system,” whilst “only opening 10 percent of its articles to comments.”
NPR now joins a number of left-wing news organisations who have become fearful of users giving their opinions, joining sites such as The Guardian, The Verge, and The Daily Beast in telling users to take their opinions elsewhere.
The stated reason behind the majority of these decisions has been the need for the organisation to combat “abuse” and “harassment” on the site.
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[ Of course, we still welcome your participation here-- Editor ]
Judge orders Clinton to answer questions in email lawsuit
Hillary Clinton must answer under oath a set of written questions in a lawsuit against the State Department over her private emails, a federal judge ruled Friday.
Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, was ordered to serve Clinton with a written interrogatory by Oct. 14, according to court documents. The State Department was ordered to provide any unpublished records related to the personnel files of Huma Abedin, one of Clinton's top aides, by the end of September.
The order fell short of Judicial Watch's push to question Clinton in person, as the group's lawyers did in depositions with six of Clinton's former staffers in May and June.
Clinton will have 30 days to respond to the questions.
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Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, was ordered to serve Clinton with a written interrogatory by Oct. 14, according to court documents. The State Department was ordered to provide any unpublished records related to the personnel files of Huma Abedin, one of Clinton's top aides, by the end of September.
The order fell short of Judicial Watch's push to question Clinton in person, as the group's lawyers did in depositions with six of Clinton's former staffers in May and June.
Clinton will have 30 days to respond to the questions.
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Air Force orders investigation into Bible on officer’s desk
The U.S. Air Force has removed a Bible from an officer’s desk while it carries out an investigation into the propriety of the religious display.
The Scriptures were removed from the desk of Maj. Steve Lewis of the 310th Space Wing in response to a letter sent Wednesday by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, which said the holy book’s presence violates Air Force policy and the Constitution’s establishment clause.
Mikey Weinstein, who heads the MRFF, praised the Air Force’s decision to remove the Bible.
“The 310th ‘Space’ Wing is NOT called the 310th ‘Space For My Personal Proselytizing Christian Bible Shrine’ Wing for a damn good reason,” Mr. Weinstein said in a statement.
The Air Force has previously allowed Bibles and other religious texts to be present on workstations. In semi-annual “Religious Freedom Training,” airmen are specifically told the display of religious texts on desks is acceptable.
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The Scriptures were removed from the desk of Maj. Steve Lewis of the 310th Space Wing in response to a letter sent Wednesday by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, which said the holy book’s presence violates Air Force policy and the Constitution’s establishment clause.
Mikey Weinstein, who heads the MRFF, praised the Air Force’s decision to remove the Bible.
“The 310th ‘Space’ Wing is NOT called the 310th ‘Space For My Personal Proselytizing Christian Bible Shrine’ Wing for a damn good reason,” Mr. Weinstein said in a statement.
The Air Force has previously allowed Bibles and other religious texts to be present on workstations. In semi-annual “Religious Freedom Training,” airmen are specifically told the display of religious texts on desks is acceptable.
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Surfers Healing Day ‘Means The World’ To Many Families
Mallory has Down Syndrome, Autism and is prone to have occasional seizures, and, according to her parents, she’s had a slew of other health issues including two hip surgeries and dislocated knees in recent years.
Mallory and more than 200 other kids took part in the 8th Annual Surfers Healing event in Ocean City this week, and for these kids and their families, it’s more than just a day at the beach, it can be a joyous life changing moment, and a memory that these families will cherish forever.
For the O’Keefes, that moment they captured of their daughter sitting on a longboard with a professional surfer paddling into a slow moving glassy wave and riding it to the shoreline, almost didn’t happen.
“She had something that we think was a seizure this morning and she fell and bumped her head,” said Marianne, “but the paramedics and the people at Surfers Healing were so helpful in trying to make sure that she was able to do it. I just can’t even describe what it means to see her ride that wave in.”
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The World’s Largest Monument to Nitpicking
When I posed this question to various members of museum staff, the consensus seemed to be “Probably not,” if only because the massive cement beams underneath the 300-cubit—that’s 510 non-biblical feet, longer than two Taj Mahals turned on their sides—ship were pretty much permanent anchors.
“How many floors you got here?” a woman in an LSU Tigers T-shirt asked a museum employee as I approached the entrance.
The staffer smiled. “There are three decks.” The staff seem to be under orders to employ nautical terminology at all times.
As we made our way through the line, we watched sped-up footage of the Ark’s construction and listened to music that sounded like Vangelis accompanied by the rhythm section from “Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes.” If the aesthetic they were going for was “apocalyptic-primitive,” they nailed it..
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How About We Make Black Lives Better?
Black Lives Matter is becoming increasingly funded by far-left organizations. The Ford Foundation and Borealis Philanthropy announced that they have formed the Black-Led Movement Fund, which aims to raise $100 million for BLM over the next six years. Add to this amount the already donated $33 million from George Soros and BLM is really starting to rake in the cash. It seems that racist victimhood really sells.
But as has been documented, the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement was based on a lie. A lie that has been perpetuated and used to organize protests, rioting and looting, as well as provide “justification” for the murders of police officers all in the name of racial justice. Ignoring the riots and racial discord BLM has provoked, Borealis Philanthropy says it is working with “young, Black, queer, feminists and immigrant leaders who are shaping and leading a national conversation about criminalization, policing and race in America.” It’s fine to have a “conversation” and debate the problems, real or perceived, within the inner city, but this is not what BLM does, as their radical socialist demands illustrate.
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But as has been documented, the birth of the Black Lives Matter movement was based on a lie. A lie that has been perpetuated and used to organize protests, rioting and looting, as well as provide “justification” for the murders of police officers all in the name of racial justice. Ignoring the riots and racial discord BLM has provoked, Borealis Philanthropy says it is working with “young, Black, queer, feminists and immigrant leaders who are shaping and leading a national conversation about criminalization, policing and race in America.” It’s fine to have a “conversation” and debate the problems, real or perceived, within the inner city, but this is not what BLM does, as their radical socialist demands illustrate.
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Something Queer Going on in Farmland...
“The Office of the Assistant Secretary of Civil Rights, in collaboration with the National Center for Lesbian Rights and The True Colors Fund, will engage with LGBT rural communities across the country to host the LGBT Rural Summit Series,” the USDA says. “Each series will offer a unique opportunity for USDA and other federal agencies to share information relating to policies, programs, and services that exist to protect, promote and strengthen LGBT rural communities.”
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Separation of Mosque and State
In May, the Philadelphia School District announced it would be adding two Muslim holidays — Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha — to the school calendar, making the district one of a growing number in the nation to recognize Muslim holidays.
A member of the Philadelphia Eid Coalition, a political action committee whose stated mission is to convince the district to declare these holidays official religious holidays, said Philadelphia’s move will “validate our young Muslim students” and prevent them from “hav[ing] to choose between education and religion.”
Her words are particularly ironic, given the organized and concerted effort to validate Islam in American schools — at the expense of truth. Indeed, the Institute on Religion and Civic Values (formerly the Council on Islamic Education) — which has reviewed world history textbooks for more than 20 years — made no secrets about its wish to foment a “bloodless” cultural revolution through promoting Islam via textbooks and, as the Middle Eastern Forum reported, “warn[ing] scholars and public officials who do not sympathize with its requests that they will be perceived as racists, reactionaries, and enemies of Islam.”
The organization boasts that its “reviews have helped improve the coverage and framing of complex topics.” Substitute “fictionalize” for “improve,” and this becomes pretty accurate.
Joy Pullman reports, for example, that an Ohio mother plans to excuse her child from a world history class requirement that he recite the shahada, a Muslim conversion prayer. (The Christian conversion prayer is in a subsequent class — just kidding.) And when that mother requested an independent review of the district’s textbooks, reviewers found blatant errors including a claim that Muslims historically “practiced religious tolerance” by merely levying an extra tax on Christians and Jews. The book conveniently left out that if Christians and Jews didn’t fork over the tax, they could lose their heads. Tolerance, indeed. Did Christianity and Judaism receive similar classroom time? Take a guess.
Last year, we noted that a school in Tennessee was teaching the Five Pillars of Islam during a world religion study, again without similar balance.
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A member of the Philadelphia Eid Coalition, a political action committee whose stated mission is to convince the district to declare these holidays official religious holidays, said Philadelphia’s move will “validate our young Muslim students” and prevent them from “hav[ing] to choose between education and religion.”
Her words are particularly ironic, given the organized and concerted effort to validate Islam in American schools — at the expense of truth. Indeed, the Institute on Religion and Civic Values (formerly the Council on Islamic Education) — which has reviewed world history textbooks for more than 20 years — made no secrets about its wish to foment a “bloodless” cultural revolution through promoting Islam via textbooks and, as the Middle Eastern Forum reported, “warn[ing] scholars and public officials who do not sympathize with its requests that they will be perceived as racists, reactionaries, and enemies of Islam.”
The organization boasts that its “reviews have helped improve the coverage and framing of complex topics.” Substitute “fictionalize” for “improve,” and this becomes pretty accurate.
Joy Pullman reports, for example, that an Ohio mother plans to excuse her child from a world history class requirement that he recite the shahada, a Muslim conversion prayer. (The Christian conversion prayer is in a subsequent class — just kidding.) And when that mother requested an independent review of the district’s textbooks, reviewers found blatant errors including a claim that Muslims historically “practiced religious tolerance” by merely levying an extra tax on Christians and Jews. The book conveniently left out that if Christians and Jews didn’t fork over the tax, they could lose their heads. Tolerance, indeed. Did Christianity and Judaism receive similar classroom time? Take a guess.
Last year, we noted that a school in Tennessee was teaching the Five Pillars of Islam during a world religion study, again without similar balance.
More here
Illegal Migrants from Terror-Linked Countries Surging at Southern Border
U.S. officials are trying to establish closer cooperation with various Latin American nations to combat an increase in the number of illegal migrants from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East attempting to sneak into the United States.
Between October 2015 and May 2016, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), detained 5,350 African and Asian migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to Reuters.
The apprehensions of illegals from Africa and Asia during that period marks an increase from those that took place in all of 2015 (4,261) and 2014 (1,831).
In its report, Reuters highlighted attempted entries into the U.S. by individuals from Pakistan, Syria, and Afghanistan, which the U.S. considers to be terrorism-linked countries.
Most countries considered by the U.S. government to be linked to terrorism are located in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. American border authorities are trying to stop the illegal migrants at the Mexico border with Guatemala, before they reach the United States.
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Between October 2015 and May 2016, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency, a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), detained 5,350 African and Asian migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to Reuters.
The apprehensions of illegals from Africa and Asia during that period marks an increase from those that took place in all of 2015 (4,261) and 2014 (1,831).
In its report, Reuters highlighted attempted entries into the U.S. by individuals from Pakistan, Syria, and Afghanistan, which the U.S. considers to be terrorism-linked countries.
Most countries considered by the U.S. government to be linked to terrorism are located in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. American border authorities are trying to stop the illegal migrants at the Mexico border with Guatemala, before they reach the United States.
More here
Texas AG: Voter ID Law Won't Change Before Election
Texas' contested voter ID law does not keep any legally registered voters from casting a ballot, and while the state continues to fight a federal appeals court ruling against the legislation, the law will be in effect during the general election in November, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Thursday.
"We have a interim order that we've worked out with the Justice Department, so we're going forward with an interim plan that requires an affidavit if somebody does not have a photo ID and cannot get a photo ID," Paxton told Fox News' Martha MacCallum on the "America's Newsroom" program.
This means, he explained, that a declaration of citizenship and proof of residency must also be presented, along with the affidavit that swears the cannot get the government-issued ID required under Texas law.
The voter ID law was passed in 2011, said Paxton, because voters in his state care about voter integrity.
"My job to represent those voters, so we're going to take it to the highest court of land and, hopefully, get this turned around," said Paxton, denying critics' claims that the law discriminates against black and Hispanic voters.
"I disagree because we've had hundreds of local elections under this law, and the Justice Department was unable to show people couldn't vote," said Paxton. "Literally, there's seven different forms of ID you can use, and almost everyone has them, and we'll give you a free voter ID if you don't have one. We've tried to cover all options and, frankly, this law's worked."
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"We have a interim order that we've worked out with the Justice Department, so we're going forward with an interim plan that requires an affidavit if somebody does not have a photo ID and cannot get a photo ID," Paxton told Fox News' Martha MacCallum on the "America's Newsroom" program.
This means, he explained, that a declaration of citizenship and proof of residency must also be presented, along with the affidavit that swears the cannot get the government-issued ID required under Texas law.
The voter ID law was passed in 2011, said Paxton, because voters in his state care about voter integrity.
"My job to represent those voters, so we're going to take it to the highest court of land and, hopefully, get this turned around," said Paxton, denying critics' claims that the law discriminates against black and Hispanic voters.
"I disagree because we've had hundreds of local elections under this law, and the Justice Department was unable to show people couldn't vote," said Paxton. "Literally, there's seven different forms of ID you can use, and almost everyone has them, and we'll give you a free voter ID if you don't have one. We've tried to cover all options and, frankly, this law's worked."
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Democrat and Constitutional Expert: Trump's 'Extreme Vetting' Is Legal
Constitutional law scholar and Democrat Jonathan Turley on Wednesday said Donald Trump's proposed "extreme vetting" of Muslims entering the United States is perfectly legal and constitutional.
During an appearance on Fox News' "The Kelly File," Turley concluded Trump would be in the right to implement this sort of rule. Although it would be better to enact it with the help of Congress, he noted.
"A president's authority at the borders is really at its apex, it's at its greatest, highest level," Turley said. "And so, president Trump would be able, I think, to implement this type of change, preferably with Congress.
"Congress has given a great deal of authority, for example, in defining naturalization conditions and the president enforces those conditions. But there's no question that when you're talking about border entries, a president's given a lot of discretion. And also, people need to remember, we currently vet people coming into the country. So what he's suggesting is that he's going to take a closer look. That he'll be more demanding."
Turley said people can question whether Trump should undertake such a move, "but I don't think there's much question that he could do that."
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During an appearance on Fox News' "The Kelly File," Turley concluded Trump would be in the right to implement this sort of rule. Although it would be better to enact it with the help of Congress, he noted.
"A president's authority at the borders is really at its apex, it's at its greatest, highest level," Turley said. "And so, president Trump would be able, I think, to implement this type of change, preferably with Congress.
"Congress has given a great deal of authority, for example, in defining naturalization conditions and the president enforces those conditions. But there's no question that when you're talking about border entries, a president's given a lot of discretion. And also, people need to remember, we currently vet people coming into the country. So what he's suggesting is that he's going to take a closer look. That he'll be more demanding."
Turley said people can question whether Trump should undertake such a move, "but I don't think there's much question that he could do that."
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Most Immigrants Back Trump on Ideological Test, Poll Shows
Most Americans who immigrated to the U.S. support Donald Trump’s call for a temporary immigration ban from some countries, along with other proposals that appear to view foreigners with suspicion, according to a new Morning Consult poll.
The online survey, conducted after Trump unveiled his national security platform on Monday, shows that the views of immigrants and descendants of recent immigrants do not differ much from those of the general electorate.
As with the entire electorate, about six out of 10 immigrants (61 percent) said they back Trump’s proposal to have all foreigners take an ideological test when applying for a visa to make sure they share American values. About a quarter of immigrants (26 percent), as with the electorate as a whole (23 percent), said they opposed it.
Immigrants, or children or grandchildren of immigrants, also hold similar views to the entire electorate on Trump’s proposal to temporarily ban entry to the U.S. from people residing in countries with a history of terrorism. But there were small differences among those voters who differ by generation.
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The online survey, conducted after Trump unveiled his national security platform on Monday, shows that the views of immigrants and descendants of recent immigrants do not differ much from those of the general electorate.
As with the entire electorate, about six out of 10 immigrants (61 percent) said they back Trump’s proposal to have all foreigners take an ideological test when applying for a visa to make sure they share American values. About a quarter of immigrants (26 percent), as with the electorate as a whole (23 percent), said they opposed it.
Immigrants, or children or grandchildren of immigrants, also hold similar views to the entire electorate on Trump’s proposal to temporarily ban entry to the U.S. from people residing in countries with a history of terrorism. But there were small differences among those voters who differ by generation.
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Obama Unlikely to Halt Vacation to Visit Flooded Louisiana
President Barack Obama is unlikely to break from a New England vacation to survey flood damage in Louisiana, despite calls for him to visit and meet with responders and victims.
The White House insists Obama is not indifferent to the suffering of thousands who were washed out of their homes in the Baton Rouge and Lafayette areas of the state. At least 13 people have died as a result of the flooding, and at one point 11,000 were in shelters. That number has dropped as water levels have receded.
In an editorial published Wednesday, The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge called on Obama to visit "the most anguished state in the union." The newspaper noted that Obama interrupted his two-week vacation on Martha's Vineyard earlier this week to attend a fundraiser for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on the Massachusetts island.
In 2005, then-President George W. Bush was faulted for flying over but not touching down in Louisiana in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Obama has issued no public or written statements about the flooding.
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The White House insists Obama is not indifferent to the suffering of thousands who were washed out of their homes in the Baton Rouge and Lafayette areas of the state. At least 13 people have died as a result of the flooding, and at one point 11,000 were in shelters. That number has dropped as water levels have receded.
In an editorial published Wednesday, The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge called on Obama to visit "the most anguished state in the union." The newspaper noted that Obama interrupted his two-week vacation on Martha's Vineyard earlier this week to attend a fundraiser for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on the Massachusetts island.
In 2005, then-President George W. Bush was faulted for flying over but not touching down in Louisiana in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Obama has issued no public or written statements about the flooding.
More
LEGENDARY COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER
Class Reunion
My 50th Class Reunion from Wicomico High School is coming up next year, and there are many people doing a lot of work on it already. These reunions take a lot of planning and work, but they are truly rewarding. To see old friends again who come from afar is always gratifying. In fact, sometimes I see people that have never left Salisbury but that I never see around town. Class reunions are definitely “must attend” occasions.
It is hard to believe that it has been 50 years since my high school graduation. Of the 343 graduates, 57 have passed away. This is an alarming and sobering number. Most of the class will be 68 next year, and I guess the rate of attrition is consistent with our age. But it is always a time of reflection to know that in five years, we will have another one and there will be even more that won’t be able to make it. Besides the ones who have passed away, there are some who are in nursing homes with age-related maladies. I refuse to think of myself as nursing home material, but we have little say in that matter.
Ernie Matthews is spear-heading this reunion, and he has done a yeoman’s job. He has kept everyone up-to-date on the number planning to attend. So far, he has commitments from 223. That includes classmates, spouses and/or guests. There are 21 that we cannot locate. I will include the names of those here in hopes that someone will have knowledge of their whereabouts. They are Vernon Bailey, Gerry Banks, Dean Benham, Darlene Clark (Willis)*, Pat Davis (Nock)*, Mildred Dise (Reed)*, Dave Griffin, Doug Johnson, Gloria Mason (Jarman)*, JoAnn Matthews (Walston)*, Lee Nelms, Marylin Phippin (Pish)*, Lucian Pompili, Janice Reynolds (Knowles)*, Bob Scarborough, Donna Shores (Huntington)*, John Stephens, Mary Taylor, Beverly Walker, Gary Webster and Brent Wilson. *(The girls’ married names are in parentheses.) If you have any information about these folks, please call me at (410) 749-1021.
There are two things that everyone should do: 1. Write the names on the back of all your family pictures so that future generations will know who they are. 2. Stay in touch with all your old acquaintances and classmates. They are your memories – either good or bad. They say time heals all wounds, and that is never more evident than at class reunions. The mind has a way of blocking out the bad memories and retaining the good ones. Swapping these good memories at reunions only refreshes your youth, and that is a good thing.
Trump: ‘Hillary ‘Would Rather Provide a Job to a Refugee’ Than to ‘Give It to Unemployed African-American Youth’
Friday in a speech in Dimondale, MI, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump took aim at his opponent Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton for what he categorized as Clinton putting the needs of refugees ahead of those in the United States, in particular unemployed African-American youth.
"By contrast, the one thing every item in Hillary Clinton’s agenda has in common is that it takes jobs and opportunities from African-American workers. Her support for open borders. Her fierce opposition to school choice. Her plan to massively raise taxes on small businesses. Her opposition to American energy. And her record of giving our jobs away to other countries.
"America must reject the bigotry of Hillary Clinton who sees communities of color only as votes, not as human beings worthy of a better future.
"Hillary Clinton would rather provide a job to a refugee from overseas than to give that job to unemployed African-American youth in cities like Detroit who have become refugees in their own country.."
More here (with video)
"By contrast, the one thing every item in Hillary Clinton’s agenda has in common is that it takes jobs and opportunities from African-American workers. Her support for open borders. Her fierce opposition to school choice. Her plan to massively raise taxes on small businesses. Her opposition to American energy. And her record of giving our jobs away to other countries.
"America must reject the bigotry of Hillary Clinton who sees communities of color only as votes, not as human beings worthy of a better future.
"Hillary Clinton would rather provide a job to a refugee from overseas than to give that job to unemployed African-American youth in cities like Detroit who have become refugees in their own country.."
More here (with video)
Thomas Sowell: Trump and Blacks
Who would have thought that Donald Trump, of all people, would be addressing the fact that the black community suffers the most from a breakdown of law and order? But sanity on racial issues is sufficiently rare that it must be welcomed, from whatever source it comes.
When establishment Republicans have addressed the problems of blacks at all, it has too often been in terms of what earmarked benefits can be offered in exchange for their votes. And there was very little that Republicans could offer to compete with the Democrats' whole universe of welfare state earmarks.
Law and order, however, is not an earmarked benefit for any special group. It is a policy for all that is especially needed by law-abiding blacks, who are the principal victims of those who are not law-abiding.
Education is another area where something that is needed by all segments of the population is especially needed by blacks and other low-income minorities. In other words, here again there is no need for a divisive policy of earmarked benefits, in order to attract new voters into a “big tent.”
No matter what policy Republicans follow, they are not going to win a majority of the black votes this year, nor perhaps even this decade.
Nor is that necessary. Just an erosion of the Democrats' monopoly of the black votes can benefit both Republicans and the black community, who are currently taken for granted by the Democrats. Republicans may also get more white votes if they are no longer seen by some as racists.
As long as blacks vote automatically for Democrats, while the teachers' unions insist on getting their money’s worth, it is all but inevitable that the education of black children will be sacrificed in the public schools, wherever Democrats are in control.
More here
When establishment Republicans have addressed the problems of blacks at all, it has too often been in terms of what earmarked benefits can be offered in exchange for their votes. And there was very little that Republicans could offer to compete with the Democrats' whole universe of welfare state earmarks.
Law and order, however, is not an earmarked benefit for any special group. It is a policy for all that is especially needed by law-abiding blacks, who are the principal victims of those who are not law-abiding.
Education is another area where something that is needed by all segments of the population is especially needed by blacks and other low-income minorities. In other words, here again there is no need for a divisive policy of earmarked benefits, in order to attract new voters into a “big tent.”
No matter what policy Republicans follow, they are not going to win a majority of the black votes this year, nor perhaps even this decade.
Nor is that necessary. Just an erosion of the Democrats' monopoly of the black votes can benefit both Republicans and the black community, who are currently taken for granted by the Democrats. Republicans may also get more white votes if they are no longer seen by some as racists.
As long as blacks vote automatically for Democrats, while the teachers' unions insist on getting their money’s worth, it is all but inevitable that the education of black children will be sacrificed in the public schools, wherever Democrats are in control.
More here
22 Push-Up Challenge Puts Some Muscle In Vet Suicide Prevention
The movement was kicked off by Honor Courage Commitment – an organization that supports veterans through education, mentorship, and community service – in response to the statistic that came from the 2012 Suicide Data Report by U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
"Every pushup counts so don't be shy to show your support for our veterans," said a website dedicated to the 22 Push-Up Challenge. "You can do as many or few pushups as you can or choose. Whether it's 1 or 100 in a row, we will accept them however they come. They can be assisted (on your knees), incline (on a desk/wall), or if you physically are unable to do any, we'll even take air pushups."
Much like the Ice Bucket Challenge that went viral in 2014 and raised millions for the ALS Association, participants challenge a handful of others to do the push-ups afterwards, noted Fox News.
More here
Yes They Exist - Meet The Democrats For Trump
But here in Weirton — where Weirton Steel Company employed 12,000 people and now only 900 — many say they will cast their ballots for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. They talk about him over beers at local taverns and at church socials. For many of those in the unions, he’s the first Republican for whom they’ll vote — even as national unions, including the United Steelworkers and the AFL-CIO, have endorsed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
“When the steel industry was going good and the coal was good, it was blue,” said George Psaros, 76, a retired Weirton Steel engineer who voted for President Obama in 2008 and 2012. “Well, the world has changed.”
Now even one of the most reliably Democratic groups — union members — may be turning red, drawn by Trump’s free-trade bashing and resentful of Clinton’s past support for certain international trade agreements.
“I don’t know what Trump would do if he’s elected,” said Mark Glyptis, president of the United Steelworkers Local 2911 and a Trump supporter, who voted for Obama in the past two elections. “But I know what Hillary would do.”
Nationally, union households have increasingly voted for conservative candidates, data show. In 1996, only 30 percent of union households voted for Republican candidates. In 2012, that increased to 40 percent, and political analysts expect that rise this election cycle.
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New Gun Control Idea: Take Guns from Senior Citizens
Senior citizens have been among the most adamant Second Amendment advocates in recent years, such as the late Otis McDonald (above), who challenged Chicago’s handgun ban at the U.S. Supreme Court — and won.
But Frattaroli, who works at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, has expressed concern over what an grandparent with a gun might do to him or herself via suicide, or the danger that may befall a grandchild who finds the gun.
She indicates lawmakers in many states have enacted laws requiring older Americans to show proficiency before being allowed to continue driving, but points out that laws requiring proficiency in firearms are not a topic of discussion.
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Councilman’s Role With International Student Rentals Questioned; Long-Time Builder Believes Hartman Overstepped
George Harkins, the retired owner of Harkins Contracting and Harkins Concrete Construction, made a name and a fortune for himself in the region in the 80’s and 90’s specializing in mid- and high-rise buildings up and down the coast. He estimates he’s built well over 150 buildings and says that “you can’t go two blocks in Ocean City without running into a building where I did pour the structural concrete.”
Historically speaking, other than Purnell Jarvis, the late owner of Purnell Jarvis Builders Inc, there may be no builder along the coastline that made as much impact to its current look.
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Child Found At Bottom Of Pool In Ocean City
Iran ransom humiliates Obama
“We do not pay ransom. We didn’t here, and we won’t in the future.”
Barack Obama might like to have that one back this morning, to stick a pin in the moving finger that writes. But the finger done writ, and it won’t come back to cancel a single line of the president’s fatuous fib that the United States didn’t pay $400 million to ransom four hostages taken by the president’s friends in Tehran.
Perhaps the president can take some solace, thin as it is, in the fact that nobody believed him, anyway.
The lie fell apart Thursday when The Wall Street Journal reported that the money was withheld until the hostages were actually free, and provided details of how the swap took place. Rarely has a president been caught in such a big and brazen lie.
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Barack Obama might like to have that one back this morning, to stick a pin in the moving finger that writes. But the finger done writ, and it won’t come back to cancel a single line of the president’s fatuous fib that the United States didn’t pay $400 million to ransom four hostages taken by the president’s friends in Tehran.
Perhaps the president can take some solace, thin as it is, in the fact that nobody believed him, anyway.
The lie fell apart Thursday when The Wall Street Journal reported that the money was withheld until the hostages were actually free, and provided details of how the swap took place. Rarely has a president been caught in such a big and brazen lie.
More
And They Pay Cathy Bassett How Much Money To Write For The County, YEE HAAAA
Bob Culver Wicomico County Executive sharedSalisbury Wicomico Economic Development's photo.
"Stop out to the Wicomico Fair this weekend!"
Pat Caddell: ‘This Election Will Change Amazingly’ if Trump Makes the Issue ‘Who Runs America?’
Political analyst Pat Caddell offered his take on the latestBreitbart News/Gravis poll on Tuesday morning’s Breitbart News Daily with SiriusXM host Stephen K. Bannon.
The topline result of the poll had Hillary Clinton leading Donald Trump 42% to 37%, in a four-way race which also included Libertarian Gary Johnson at 9% and the Green Party’s Jill Stein at 3%.
Caddell said he was particularly interested in segment of the survey that asked both the conventional “Is America on the wrong track?” question, and also “Is America seriously on the wrong track?”
“A little less than half the country said we were seriously off on the wrong track, and another quarter basically said we were off-track,” he noted. “What’s interesting is, if you drill down in some of those numbers, you find that, for instance, among young people, very high numbers — almost 70% on the wrong track, which is really high for them.”
Bannon asked why this powerful sense of the country being on the wrong track hasn’t translated to a polling advantage for Donald Trump.
“It’s not yet, in part, because I don’t think the election has joined around the issues,” Caddell replied. “We’re still in a very loosely-framed election, in which, right now, the press, all their attention has been devoted to — if you will, I can portray it as ‘anti-Trump,’ but I think that’s a mild understatement. And the Democrats, of course, have been hammering him, to keep it an election on personality.”
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The topline result of the poll had Hillary Clinton leading Donald Trump 42% to 37%, in a four-way race which also included Libertarian Gary Johnson at 9% and the Green Party’s Jill Stein at 3%.
Caddell said he was particularly interested in segment of the survey that asked both the conventional “Is America on the wrong track?” question, and also “Is America seriously on the wrong track?”
“A little less than half the country said we were seriously off on the wrong track, and another quarter basically said we were off-track,” he noted. “What’s interesting is, if you drill down in some of those numbers, you find that, for instance, among young people, very high numbers — almost 70% on the wrong track, which is really high for them.”
Bannon asked why this powerful sense of the country being on the wrong track hasn’t translated to a polling advantage for Donald Trump.
“It’s not yet, in part, because I don’t think the election has joined around the issues,” Caddell replied. “We’re still in a very loosely-framed election, in which, right now, the press, all their attention has been devoted to — if you will, I can portray it as ‘anti-Trump,’ but I think that’s a mild understatement. And the Democrats, of course, have been hammering him, to keep it an election on personality.”
More
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