The Obama administration’s national security adviser played a central role in “unmasking” several Trump campaign officials who had been swept up in U.S. surveillance operations against foreign targets during last year’s presidential election campaign, according to current White House officials and sources on Capitol Hill.
Susan E. Rice requested that names be provided for otherwise unidentified U.S. people in dozens of raw intelligence reports relating to the Trump campaign, the sources told The Washington Times on Monday.
While Ms. Rice’s actions and alleged interest in the Trump campaign appear to have been within her legal authority as national security adviser, the potentially explosive revelation has touched a nerve in Washington and stirred speculation that she could be called to testify on Capitol Hill about Russian election meddling.
“Smoking gun found! Obama pal and noted dissembler Susan Rice said to have been spying on Trump campaign,” Sen. Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican, wrote Monday on his Twitter feed.
As of Monday night, Ms. Rice had made no public comment on the situation, first reported by Bloomberg View and confirmed by the sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity with The Times.
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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
Wednesday, April 05, 2017
Border Patrol Has Been Busy!
TUCSON, Ariz. – Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents seized two vehicles and more than $585,000 worth of marijuana on Saturday afternoon in Nogales. Agents assigned to the Nogales station mobile surveillance unit spotted a suspicious blue Chevy...
YUMA, Ariz. – Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Wellton Station seized more than 30 pounds of methamphetamine on Friday during a vehicle stop near Wellton, Arizona. A Border Patrol canine team led agentsto the discovery of 30 pounds...
NECHE, N.D. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection would like to inform the traveling public that Neche Port of Entry reopened to all traffic Tuesday at 8 a.m. U.S Highway 18 south of the Neche Port of Entry was closed due to overland flooding. The...
HAVRE, Mont. – Havre Sector Border Patrol welcomes retired Hill County Sheriff Donald Brostrom as a Former Hill County, Montana, SheriffDonald Brostrom was sworn in as aLaw Enforcement CommunicationAssistant by Havre Sector Deputy ChiefPatrol Agent...
TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of Nogales arrested one U.S. citizen and five Mexican nationals during weekend smuggling attempts involving a combined 169 pounds of cocaine and methamphetamine worth an...
DEL RIO, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents working checkpoint operations in Uvalde uncovered more than $1.7 million worth of methamphetamine hidden inside a vehicle. A thorough inspection of the vehiclerevealed 34 packages of crystalmethamphetamine...
1st U.S. city on brink of total Obamacare collapse
Tens of thousands to be left without option to buy subsidized insurance policy
(DAILYCALLER) — Knoxville, Tenn., could be the first city in the U.S. where Obamacare completely collapses, leaving tens of thousands of people without the option to buy a subsidized insurance policy.
Humana, the city’s only remaining insurance provider on its Obamacare exchange, announced it is exiting the market in 2018. If that happens, Knoxville citizens will be in a rough spot. Unless another insurance provider fills Humana’s place, some 40,000 people in the Knoxville area will likely be left without the option to purchase an Obamacare-subsidized insurance policy, CNN reports.
Knoxville is illustrative of one of the main problems with Obamacare: It doesn’t promote market-based competition. Insurers pull out of marketplaces where it is not cost-efficient for them to provide services, and, as a result, consumers are left with fewer options at higher prices.
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(DAILYCALLER) — Knoxville, Tenn., could be the first city in the U.S. where Obamacare completely collapses, leaving tens of thousands of people without the option to buy a subsidized insurance policy.
Humana, the city’s only remaining insurance provider on its Obamacare exchange, announced it is exiting the market in 2018. If that happens, Knoxville citizens will be in a rough spot. Unless another insurance provider fills Humana’s place, some 40,000 people in the Knoxville area will likely be left without the option to purchase an Obamacare-subsidized insurance policy, CNN reports.
Knoxville is illustrative of one of the main problems with Obamacare: It doesn’t promote market-based competition. Insurers pull out of marketplaces where it is not cost-efficient for them to provide services, and, as a result, consumers are left with fewer options at higher prices.
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Justice Department Cautions Employers Seeking H-1B Visas Not to Discriminate Against U.S. Workers
The anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) generally prohibits employers from discriminating against U.S. workers because of their citizenship or national origin in hiring, firing and recruiting. Employers violate the INA if they have a discriminatory hiring preference that favors H-1B visa holders over U.S. workers.
“The Justice Department will not tolerate employers misusing the H-1B visa process to discriminate against U.S. workers,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Civil Rights Division. “U.S. workers should not be placed in a disfavored status, and the department is wholeheartedly committed to investigating and vigorously prosecuting these claims.”
We’re on the brink of an epic Lyme disease outbreak
A bumper crop of acorns could be putting the US on the brink of an unprecedented outbreak of Lyme disease, experts warn.
An estimated 300,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, but the illness is now on track to being the worst in 2017, according to Rick Ostfeld, a disease ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, New York.
The acorn surge means mouse populations will climb — giving rise to more disease-carrying ticks.
“We predict the mice population based on the acorns and we predict infected nymph ticks with the mice numbers. Each step has a one-year lag,”Ostfeld told New Scientist magazine.
One mouse alone can carry hundreds of immature ticks, according New Scientist.
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An estimated 300,000 Americans are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, but the illness is now on track to being the worst in 2017, according to Rick Ostfeld, a disease ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, New York.
The acorn surge means mouse populations will climb — giving rise to more disease-carrying ticks.
“We predict the mice population based on the acorns and we predict infected nymph ticks with the mice numbers. Each step has a one-year lag,”Ostfeld told New Scientist magazine.
One mouse alone can carry hundreds of immature ticks, according New Scientist.
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UPDATE: Lost Dog 4-5-17
Salisbury Kidney Walk returns to Winterplace Park, May 7
SALISBURY — The National Kidney Foundation of Maryland (NKF-MD) will hold its annual Salisbury Kidney Walk, Sunday, May 7, at Winterplace Park (6737 Blue Ribbon Rd.).
Over 500 people are expected to attend this family-friendly event including kidney patients, friends and family members and others wanting to make an impact on a growing public health problem.
“Kidney disease currently affects 9,300 Marylanders, and with the increase in diabetes and high blood pressure, the numbers continue to climb,” said Returning Event Chair Stephanie Elliott, MS, BSN, CNN (renal services program manager with Peninsula Regional Medical Center).
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Over 500 people are expected to attend this family-friendly event including kidney patients, friends and family members and others wanting to make an impact on a growing public health problem.
“Kidney disease currently affects 9,300 Marylanders, and with the increase in diabetes and high blood pressure, the numbers continue to climb,” said Returning Event Chair Stephanie Elliott, MS, BSN, CNN (renal services program manager with Peninsula Regional Medical Center).
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Fresh evidence the Russia ‘scandal’ is a Team Obama operation
Do you suspect that the noise over Trump campaign contacts with the Russians is just a political hit arranged by Obama insiders before they left? You got fresh evidence of that Monday, with news thatthen-national security adviser Susan Rice was behind the “unmasking” of Trumpites in transcripts of calls with Russian officials.
Again, nothing on the public record so far shows that anyone on Team Trump said anything improper on those calls.
It’s no surprise that US spooks intercept foreign officials’ calls. But intelligence community reports don’t disclose the names of US citizens on the other end. To get that info, a high official must (but rarely does) push to “unmask” the Americans’ names.
Bloomberg’s Eli Lake now reports that Rice started doing just that last year.
That was perfectly legal. But we also know that the Obama administration later changed the classification of the “unmasked” transcripts, and other similar material, in order to spread the information as widely as possible within the government.
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Again, nothing on the public record so far shows that anyone on Team Trump said anything improper on those calls.
It’s no surprise that US spooks intercept foreign officials’ calls. But intelligence community reports don’t disclose the names of US citizens on the other end. To get that info, a high official must (but rarely does) push to “unmask” the Americans’ names.
Bloomberg’s Eli Lake now reports that Rice started doing just that last year.
That was perfectly legal. But we also know that the Obama administration later changed the classification of the “unmasked” transcripts, and other similar material, in order to spread the information as widely as possible within the government.
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Department Hosts Military and Veteran Personnel
Over Two Dozen Participate in Fishing Event
Tom Cotton: 'Susan Rice Is the Typhoid Mary of the Obama Administration'
Tuesday on Hugh Hewitt’s nationally syndicated radio show, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) commented on a report that former National Security Advisor Susan Rice for President Barack Obama was behind the unmasking of the identities of members of Donald Trump’s transition team.
Cotton noted Rice’s involvement in this story and her involvement in what he suggested were other Obama administration foreign policy missteps and likened her to “Typhoid Mary.”
“Susan Rice is the Typhoid Mary of the Obama administration foreign policy,” Cotton said. “Every time something went wrong, she seemed to turn up in the middle of it, whether it was these allegations of improper unmasking, intentional or improper surveillance, whether it’s Benghazi or the other fiascos over the eight years of the Obama administration.”
“If Eli Lake’s reporting is correct, it is hard to square what Susan Rice said in that PBS interview,” he added.
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Cotton noted Rice’s involvement in this story and her involvement in what he suggested were other Obama administration foreign policy missteps and likened her to “Typhoid Mary.”
“Susan Rice is the Typhoid Mary of the Obama administration foreign policy,” Cotton said. “Every time something went wrong, she seemed to turn up in the middle of it, whether it was these allegations of improper unmasking, intentional or improper surveillance, whether it’s Benghazi or the other fiascos over the eight years of the Obama administration.”
“If Eli Lake’s reporting is correct, it is hard to square what Susan Rice said in that PBS interview,” he added.
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Chronic Disease Self-Management classes to begin
Learn to cope with pain, fatigue of chronic disease
Hypertension and Chronic Disease Self-Management Programs will be offered Wednesdays, April 12 to May 24, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Lodges at Naylor Mill in Salisbury.
Offered through MAC Inc., the Area Agency on Aging, the program is led by trained peer leaders.
The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program also will be offered at the Christian Center in Nanticoke on Mondays, April 24 to June 5, from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
New bill would ban employers from asking about job candidates’ salary histories
The measure, announced in a news conference and sponsored by all 13 women in the General Assembly, seeks to ensure women are paid the same as men, the legislators said.
The American Association of University Women claims that women in Delaware make 11 percent less than men.
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WashPost: Blackwater Founder Secretly Met With Russian to Create Trump-Putin Link
The brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos reportedly met with someone close to Russian President Vladimir Putin in January in an effort to create an off-the-record communications link between Putin and President Donald Trump.
The Washington Post reports that Erik Prince, who founded the Blackwater security firm in 1997, traveled to the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean for the two-day meeting that began Jan. 11. The alleged encounter was organized by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates, and his brother, who serves as the UAE's national security adviser.
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The Washington Post reports that Erik Prince, who founded the Blackwater security firm in 1997, traveled to the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean for the two-day meeting that began Jan. 11. The alleged encounter was organized by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates, and his brother, who serves as the UAE's national security adviser.
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Teachers Union Unable to Win Outright at Leader’s Alma Mater
Randi Weingarten accuses Cornell of 'intimidating voters' after union fails to win majority of grad students
The American Federation of Teachers appears unable to win a majority vote of graduate students at its president's alma mater, although the final vote is still too close to call and may be appealed.
Graduate students at Cornell University voted 919-856 against organizing a union with the AFT on March 28. Eighty-one ballots remain uncounted as they are subject to challenge. Those ballots could shift the final tally, leading the union to cry foul.
Randi Weingarten, AFT president and Cornell Class of 1980, accused the university of meddling in the election in an email to graduate students the day before voting began. Weingarten said the university could reduce admissions and cut health care costs in the event of a union victory.
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The American Federation of Teachers appears unable to win a majority vote of graduate students at its president's alma mater, although the final vote is still too close to call and may be appealed.
Graduate students at Cornell University voted 919-856 against organizing a union with the AFT on March 28. Eighty-one ballots remain uncounted as they are subject to challenge. Those ballots could shift the final tally, leading the union to cry foul.
Randi Weingarten, AFT president and Cornell Class of 1980, accused the university of meddling in the election in an email to graduate students the day before voting began. Weingarten said the university could reduce admissions and cut health care costs in the event of a union victory.
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First US City Set To See Complete Obamacare Collapse
Humana, the city’s only remaining insurance provider on its Obamacare exchange, announced it is exiting the market in 2018. If that happens, Knoxville citizens will be in a rough spot. Unless another insurance provider fills Humana’s place, some 40,000 people in the Knoxville area will likely be left without the option to purchase an Obamacare-subsidized insurance policy, CNN reports.
Knoxville is illustrative of one of the main problems with Obamacare: It doesn’t promote market-based competition. Insurers pull out of marketplaces where it is not cost-efficient for them to provide services, and, as a result, consumers are left with fewer options at higher prices.
More
FLASHBACK: Susan Rice Said ‘I Know Nothing’ About Unmasking of Trump Officials
Susan Rice, former President Barack Obama's national security adviser, reportedly requested on several occasions the identities of "masked" U.S. persons in intelligence reports linked to President Trump's transition and campaign. The revelation contradicts Rice's past comments on March 22, when she claimed she knew "nothing" about the intelligence reports.
White House lawyers discovered Rice's dozens of requests last month, during a National Security Council review of the "government's policy on ‘unmasking' the identities of individuals in the U.S. who are not targets of electronic eavesdropping, but whose communications are collected incidentally," Eli Lake of Bloomberg reported Monday, citing U.S. officials.
But Rice, who Newsweek once called Obama's "right-hand woman," denied during a PBS interview last month having any knowledge of the intelligence community's alleged incidental surveillance of Trump's transition team.
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White House lawyers discovered Rice's dozens of requests last month, during a National Security Council review of the "government's policy on ‘unmasking' the identities of individuals in the U.S. who are not targets of electronic eavesdropping, but whose communications are collected incidentally," Eli Lake of Bloomberg reported Monday, citing U.S. officials.
But Rice, who Newsweek once called Obama's "right-hand woman," denied during a PBS interview last month having any knowledge of the intelligence community's alleged incidental surveillance of Trump's transition team.
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‘Populist’ VA Dem Gov Candidate Received Payment From Elite Ivy League Secret Society
Yale secret society paid Perriello's honorarium, according to 2009 disclosure
A self-styled populist Democratic candidate for the Virginia governorship received an honorarium payment from the alumni organization of an elite secret society at Yale University, according to financial disclosure forms.
Tom Perriello, a progressive who served as a representative from Virginia's 5th Congressional district from 2009 to 2010 but lost his congressional seat during the Tea Party wave, is running against Ralph Northam, the state's lieutenant governor, in June's Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Perriello attended Yale as an undergrad and again for law school and has described himself on numerous occasions as a "pragmatic populist."
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A self-styled populist Democratic candidate for the Virginia governorship received an honorarium payment from the alumni organization of an elite secret society at Yale University, according to financial disclosure forms.
Tom Perriello, a progressive who served as a representative from Virginia's 5th Congressional district from 2009 to 2010 but lost his congressional seat during the Tea Party wave, is running against Ralph Northam, the state's lieutenant governor, in June's Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Perriello attended Yale as an undergrad and again for law school and has described himself on numerous occasions as a "pragmatic populist."
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WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?!
Today I went to the grocery store and while at the checkout I dropped a $20 bill. The lady in front of me picked it up. I thanked her and told her that it was mine and she said "The things found on earth are kept by the collector" and walks away. I looked at the cashier who is as amazed as me and, in a loud voice, I say to the lady, "is this some kind of joke?! Give me back my $20!" I followed her into the parking lot, still shouting, but she would not stop. When she got to her car, she put her shopping bags on the ground to open her car door. So I ran up, grabbed the bags and ran off yelling "The things found on earth are kept by the collector!!" I went to my truck, nervous, shaken and agitated because I've never stolen anything in my life, I opened her bags...and what did I find inside????????????? All the lies that you just read.
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I Thought Some Of You People Need A Laugh!
I Thought Some Of You People Need A Laugh!
Black Lives Matter Bans White People From Attending 'Open Meeting' Event
A Black Lives Matter chapter in Philadelphia has banned white people from attending an event, claiming it’s a “black only space.”
According to the “April Open Meeting” event page on Facebook, the gathering, scheduled for April 15, is aimed at discussing future initiatives and projects of the movement in which only black people are allowed to participate. “Please note that BLM Philly is a Black only space,” claims the event description.
Some people supporting the movement but who happen to not be black have requested an explanation from the group. “Is it just your meetings that are black only spaces? or are all activities this way? I want to support but don’t want to overstep,” tweeted Esther Greenwood.
“Our meetings are black centered,” replied official Black Lives Matter Philly account.
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According to the “April Open Meeting” event page on Facebook, the gathering, scheduled for April 15, is aimed at discussing future initiatives and projects of the movement in which only black people are allowed to participate. “Please note that BLM Philly is a Black only space,” claims the event description.
Some people supporting the movement but who happen to not be black have requested an explanation from the group. “Is it just your meetings that are black only spaces? or are all activities this way? I want to support but don’t want to overstep,” tweeted Esther Greenwood.
“Our meetings are black centered,” replied official Black Lives Matter Philly account.
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Breaking News: President Trump, in an interview with The Times, said Susan Rice may have committed a crime, and he defended Bill O'Reilly
President Trump said on Wednesday that he thought that the former national security adviser Susan E. Rice may have committed a crime by seeking the identities of Trump associates who were mentioned on intercepted communications and that other Obama administration officials may also have been involved.
“I think it’s going to be the biggest story,” Mr. Trump said in an interview in the Oval Office, declining repeated requests for evidence for his allegations or the names of other Obama administration officials. “It’s such an important story for our country and the world. It is one of the big stories of our time.”
He declined to say if he had personally reviewed new intelligence to bolster his claim but pledged to explain himself “at the right time.”
“I think it’s going to be the biggest story,” Mr. Trump said in an interview in the Oval Office, declining repeated requests for evidence for his allegations or the names of other Obama administration officials. “It’s such an important story for our country and the world. It is one of the big stories of our time.”
He declined to say if he had personally reviewed new intelligence to bolster his claim but pledged to explain himself “at the right time.”
5 Susan Rice Scandal Facts Every American Must Know
It was revealed Monday that President Obama’s national security adviser Susan Rice allegedly ordered the unmasking of the identities of Trump campaign aides who were reportedly being surveilled during the 2016 election.
The recent reports further prove, at least in part, President Donald Trump’s claims that senior Obama officials had collected intelligence on Trump aids and disseminated it throughout the government. Rice’s involvement — as it relates to her reported role in the unmasking of Trump aids and circulating sensitive information — places the longtime Obama operative at the center of another major political scandal.
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The recent reports further prove, at least in part, President Donald Trump’s claims that senior Obama officials had collected intelligence on Trump aids and disseminated it throughout the government. Rice’s involvement — as it relates to her reported role in the unmasking of Trump aids and circulating sensitive information — places the longtime Obama operative at the center of another major political scandal.
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Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s Female Staffers Made $20,000 Less than Male Staffers
Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) female staffers made more than $20,000 less than their male counterparts last year, according to a new report.
The median annual salary for male staffers in Warren’s office amounted to $73,750 in 2016, while female staffers brought in a median of $52,750 in 2016 — a pay gap amounting to more than $20,000, the Washington Free Beacon reported.
Female staff in Warren’s office make 71 cents for every dollar that their male counterparts make.
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The median annual salary for male staffers in Warren’s office amounted to $73,750 in 2016, while female staffers brought in a median of $52,750 in 2016 — a pay gap amounting to more than $20,000, the Washington Free Beacon reported.
Female staff in Warren’s office make 71 cents for every dollar that their male counterparts make.
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Mainstream media on Susan Rice unmasking bombshell: ‘another fake scandal’
CNN anchor Chris Cuomo says the report that former Obama administration national security adviser Susan Rice tried to “unmask” Trump campaign officials caught up in surveillance of foreign targets is “another fake scandal” being pushed by the White House and conservative media.
“There is no evidence of any wrongdoing,” Mr. Cuomo said Tuesday on “New Day,” reported the Media Research Center’s Newsbusters. “And in fact, if anything, the NSA asking for identities was a reflection of exactly how much traffic there was involving Trump people and foreign players. The White House [is] blasting the press for another fake scandal being peddled by right-wing media.”
CNN national security correspondent Jim Sciutto doubled down on that talking point later in the show, calling the report nothing more than a “ginned up scandal.”
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“There is no evidence of any wrongdoing,” Mr. Cuomo said Tuesday on “New Day,” reported the Media Research Center’s Newsbusters. “And in fact, if anything, the NSA asking for identities was a reflection of exactly how much traffic there was involving Trump people and foreign players. The White House [is] blasting the press for another fake scandal being peddled by right-wing media.”
CNN national security correspondent Jim Sciutto doubled down on that talking point later in the show, calling the report nothing more than a “ginned up scandal.”
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Breaking News: President Trump removed Stephen Bannon from a top National Security Council post in a move driven by his national security adviser
President Trump reshuffled his national security organization on Wednesday, removing his chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, from a top policy-making committee and restoring senior military and intelligence officials who had been downgraded when he first came into office.
The shift was orchestrated by Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, who was tapped as Mr. Trump’s national security adviser after the resignation of Michael T. Flynn, who stepped down in February after being caught misleading Vice President Mike Pence and other White House officials about his contacts with Russia’s ambassador.
The shift was orchestrated by Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, who was tapped as Mr. Trump’s national security adviser after the resignation of Michael T. Flynn, who stepped down in February after being caught misleading Vice President Mike Pence and other White House officials about his contacts with Russia’s ambassador.
New Bill Allows Child Sex Abuse Victims To Sue Abusers
Ava-joye Burnett tells us the bill which had opposition for years, finally received majority support in Annapolis.
Victims of child sex abuse will now have up to the age of 38 to file a lawsuit against an abuser the bill finally passed this year after a consensus was reached with the catholic church.
The stigma of being sexually abused as a child is a battle this Maryland lawmaker says he knows all too well.
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Stanford Accepts Muslim Teenager Who Wrote 'BlackLivesMatter' 100 Times On Application
Stanford University, one of America’s most prestigious institutions of higher learning, has reportedly accepted the application of a Muslim teenager whose application included the repition of the slogan “blacklivesmatter” exactly 100 times.
According to The Independent, Muslim senior high school student Ziad Ahmed repeated the slogan in response to the following question in Stanford’s application process: “What matters to you, and why?”
Ahmed posted a picture of his acceptance letter from Stanford on Twitter. In the letter, a Stanford representative said everyone who reviewed his application was “inspired” by Ahmed’s “passion, determination, accomplishments, and heart.”
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According to The Independent, Muslim senior high school student Ziad Ahmed repeated the slogan in response to the following question in Stanford’s application process: “What matters to you, and why?”
Ahmed posted a picture of his acceptance letter from Stanford on Twitter. In the letter, a Stanford representative said everyone who reviewed his application was “inspired” by Ahmed’s “passion, determination, accomplishments, and heart.”
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Study: More Than Half of Car Crashes Involve Drivers Distracted by Cell Phones
A new study found that 52% of roadside accidents involved drivers distracted by their phones.
Apparently, being in sole control of one of the quarter-billion aluminum shells hurtling at high speed on America’s roads isn’t enough to hold drivers’ attention. Traffic deaths have jumped by 14% since 2014, according to Cambridge Mobile Telematics, which conducted the study. The research firm found that 52% of accidents involved drivers who were distracted by their phones.
Anti-cell phone use while driving laws have done little to curb the habits of its citizens. Only fourteen states have banned handheld use of phones while driving, and only twenty prohibit phone use by school bus drivers; a single state bans bus drivers from texting.
But Cambridge Mobile Telematics’ Chief Technology Officer, Hari Balakrishnan, has hope:
Distracted driving due to smartphone use is intuitively blamed for the increase in road crashes and claims. What’s less intuitive is that smartphones hold the solution to the problem they created. Drivers now have access to tools that analyze their driving and achieve real behavioral change through immediate and ongoing feedback.
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Apparently, being in sole control of one of the quarter-billion aluminum shells hurtling at high speed on America’s roads isn’t enough to hold drivers’ attention. Traffic deaths have jumped by 14% since 2014, according to Cambridge Mobile Telematics, which conducted the study. The research firm found that 52% of accidents involved drivers who were distracted by their phones.
Anti-cell phone use while driving laws have done little to curb the habits of its citizens. Only fourteen states have banned handheld use of phones while driving, and only twenty prohibit phone use by school bus drivers; a single state bans bus drivers from texting.
But Cambridge Mobile Telematics’ Chief Technology Officer, Hari Balakrishnan, has hope:
Distracted driving due to smartphone use is intuitively blamed for the increase in road crashes and claims. What’s less intuitive is that smartphones hold the solution to the problem they created. Drivers now have access to tools that analyze their driving and achieve real behavioral change through immediate and ongoing feedback.
More
Paul Craig Roberts On The Real Russiagate: "Obama's Stasi State"
Mike Whitney has written an excellent expose of the “Russiagate” cover story for Obama’s political use of national security to help his party oppose Republicans.
Covert surveillance of politicians on Obama’s Nixon-like “Enemies List” has been going on for many years, but is only now being unmasked as a result of the failure of Obama’s cover story–“We weren’t spying on political opponents; only on Russians to protect America.”
The presstitute media has passed on the cover story authored by former Obama-administration officials led by CIA director John Brennan, FBI director James Comey, the DNC, and Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff. The loose ends in this cover-up have now been so widely exposed as hearsay and political that only 13% of Republicans believe the fact-free story – but 67% of Democrats cling to it.
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Covert surveillance of politicians on Obama’s Nixon-like “Enemies List” has been going on for many years, but is only now being unmasked as a result of the failure of Obama’s cover story–“We weren’t spying on political opponents; only on Russians to protect America.”
The presstitute media has passed on the cover story authored by former Obama-administration officials led by CIA director John Brennan, FBI director James Comey, the DNC, and Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff. The loose ends in this cover-up have now been so widely exposed as hearsay and political that only 13% of Republicans believe the fact-free story – but 67% of Democrats cling to it.
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Governor Larry Hogan Signs Seven Bills Into Law
Legislation Includes Fracking Ban, Legal Protections for Victims of Sexual Abuse
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today was joined by Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller and Speaker of the House Mike Busch for a bill signing ceremony at the Maryland State House in Annapolis. Among the seven bills signed was HB 1325, which bans hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” in the State of Maryland.
The governor also signed HB 642 – Child Sexual Abuse – Civil Actions – Child Sexual Abuse – Statute of Limitations and Required Findings, sponsored by Delegate C.T. Wilson, which would extend the statute of limitations on civil actions arising out of an incident or incidents of sexual abuse that occurred while the victim was a minor.
The governor also signed the following bills into law:
SB 22 – Criminal Procedure – Criminal Injuries Compensation Board – Claimant Award Basis – Reducing the minimum eligibility threshold for an award of lost earnings or support from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board; establishing eligibility for a specified award of up to 2 weeks of lost average weekly wages for a parent, child, or spouse of a victim who died as a direct result of a crime or delinquent act; and prohibiting a specified lost wage claim from exceeding $2,000.
SB 24 – Public Safety – Eyewitness Identification Policies – Repeal of Submission Requirement – Repealing requirements that each law enforcement agency in the State file a copy of its written policy relating to eyewitness identification with the Department of State Police and that the Department of State Police compile and allow public inspection of the policies.
SB 37 – Funds – Obsolete Provisions – Repeal – Repealing provisions of law establishing the Maryland Drug and Alcohol Grants Program Fund; repealing the authorization for the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention to establish specified grant programs; repealing specified provisions of law establishing the Law Enforcement Equipment fund; etc.
SB 182 – Baltimore City and Charles, Prince George's, and Harford Counties – Recall of Former Judge for Temporary Assignment – Eligibility – Altering the eligibility requirements for recall of a former judge in Baltimore City, Charles County, Harford County, and Prince George's County for temporary assignment.
HB 1632 – Public Health – Certificates of Birth – Births Outside an Institution – Requiring the attending clinician or a designee of the attending clinician to prepare a certificate of birth, secure specified signatures, and file the certificate within 5 calendar days after a birth occurs outside an institution with an attending clinician; requiring the attending clinician, within 5 calendar days after the birth, to provide the date of birth and specified information that is required on a certificate of birth; etc.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today was joined by Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller and Speaker of the House Mike Busch for a bill signing ceremony at the Maryland State House in Annapolis. Among the seven bills signed was HB 1325, which bans hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” in the State of Maryland.
The governor also signed HB 642 – Child Sexual Abuse – Civil Actions – Child Sexual Abuse – Statute of Limitations and Required Findings, sponsored by Delegate C.T. Wilson, which would extend the statute of limitations on civil actions arising out of an incident or incidents of sexual abuse that occurred while the victim was a minor.
The governor also signed the following bills into law:
SB 22 – Criminal Procedure – Criminal Injuries Compensation Board – Claimant Award Basis – Reducing the minimum eligibility threshold for an award of lost earnings or support from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board; establishing eligibility for a specified award of up to 2 weeks of lost average weekly wages for a parent, child, or spouse of a victim who died as a direct result of a crime or delinquent act; and prohibiting a specified lost wage claim from exceeding $2,000.
SB 24 – Public Safety – Eyewitness Identification Policies – Repeal of Submission Requirement – Repealing requirements that each law enforcement agency in the State file a copy of its written policy relating to eyewitness identification with the Department of State Police and that the Department of State Police compile and allow public inspection of the policies.
SB 37 – Funds – Obsolete Provisions – Repeal – Repealing provisions of law establishing the Maryland Drug and Alcohol Grants Program Fund; repealing the authorization for the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention to establish specified grant programs; repealing specified provisions of law establishing the Law Enforcement Equipment fund; etc.
SB 182 – Baltimore City and Charles, Prince George's, and Harford Counties – Recall of Former Judge for Temporary Assignment – Eligibility – Altering the eligibility requirements for recall of a former judge in Baltimore City, Charles County, Harford County, and Prince George's County for temporary assignment.
HB 1632 – Public Health – Certificates of Birth – Births Outside an Institution – Requiring the attending clinician or a designee of the attending clinician to prepare a certificate of birth, secure specified signatures, and file the certificate within 5 calendar days after a birth occurs outside an institution with an attending clinician; requiring the attending clinician, within 5 calendar days after the birth, to provide the date of birth and specified information that is required on a certificate of birth; etc.
Illegal immigration plummets after Trump inauguration
Mr. Trump took a victory lap over the “record reductions” in illegal crossers, saying he is already saving Americans’ jobs by preventing them from having to compete with unauthorized workers.
“Down 61 percent since inauguration. Gen. Kelly is doing a fantastic job,” Mr. Trump told a labor union gathering in Washington, praising Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly, a retired Marine Corps general.
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Trump: ‘If China Is Not Going to Solve North Korea, We Will’
President Donald Trump signaled his willingness to take on North Korea, regardless of whether China was willing to help the United States.
“If China is not going to solve North Korea, we will. That is all I am telling you,” Trump said in an interview with the Financial Times.
When asked if he could do it without China’s help, Trump replied, “Totally.”
Trump’s remarks signal a tough stance on the rogue nation ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit at Mar-a-lago this weekend. In recent years, American presidents looked to China to help contain the threat posed by North Korea.
“China has great influence over North Korea and China will either decide to help us with North Korea, or they won’t,” Trump said. “And if they do that will be very good for China, and if they don’t it won’t be good for anyone.”
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“If China is not going to solve North Korea, we will. That is all I am telling you,” Trump said in an interview with the Financial Times.
When asked if he could do it without China’s help, Trump replied, “Totally.”
Trump’s remarks signal a tough stance on the rogue nation ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit at Mar-a-lago this weekend. In recent years, American presidents looked to China to help contain the threat posed by North Korea.
“China has great influence over North Korea and China will either decide to help us with North Korea, or they won’t,” Trump said. “And if they do that will be very good for China, and if they don’t it won’t be good for anyone.”
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BIPARTISANSHIP ALERT: Hometown Heroes Act
Both Chambers of Maryland General Assembly Vote Unanimously to Approve Important Legislation Providing Tax Relief to Maryland First Responders and Emergency Personnel
“But let’s get started moving toward that goal right now by passing the Hometown Heroes Act to eliminate income taxes on the pensions of those who have put their lives on the line for us: our retired military, police, fire, and first responders.” - Governor Larry Hogan, February 1, 2017
Governor Hogan Proposed The Hometown Heroes Act As Part Of His Robust 2017 Legislative Agenda
Under Governor Hogan’s Proposal, Retired Law Enforcement, Fire, Rescue And Emergency Response Personnel Would Be Exempted From State Tax On Their Retirement Income, Specific To Their Service As A First Responder.“The retirement income that is eligible under paragraph (1) of this subsection to be included in the subtraction under subsection (b) (1) of this section may not exceed an amount equal to: 50% of the amount of income that is eligible under paragraph (1) of this subsection for a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017, but before January 1, 2019; and 100% of the amount of income that is eligible under paragraph (1) of this subsection for a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2018.” (“Senate Bill 322,” Maryland General Assembly 1.20/17)
2017 Was The Second Time In Three Years In Which Governor Hogan Pushed For The Hometown Heroes Act. (“Senate Bill 594,” Maryland General Assembly, 11/20/15; “Senate Bill 322,” Maryland General Assembly, 2/23/17)
Governor Hogan’s Proposed 2017 Hometown Heroes Act Has Not Been Brought For An Up Or Down Vote.Senate Bill 322,” Maryland General Assembly, 2/23/17)
“But let’s get started moving toward that goal right now by passing the Hometown Heroes Act to eliminate income taxes on the pensions of those who have put their lives on the line for us: our retired military, police, fire, and first responders.” - Governor Larry Hogan, February 1, 2017
Governor Hogan Proposed The Hometown Heroes Act As Part Of His Robust 2017 Legislative Agenda
Under Governor Hogan’s Proposal, Retired Law Enforcement, Fire, Rescue And Emergency Response Personnel Would Be Exempted From State Tax On Their Retirement Income, Specific To Their Service As A First Responder.“The retirement income that is eligible under paragraph (1) of this subsection to be included in the subtraction under subsection (b) (1) of this section may not exceed an amount equal to: 50% of the amount of income that is eligible under paragraph (1) of this subsection for a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2017, but before January 1, 2019; and 100% of the amount of income that is eligible under paragraph (1) of this subsection for a taxable year beginning after December 31, 2018.” (“Senate Bill 322,” Maryland General Assembly 1.20/17)
2017 Was The Second Time In Three Years In Which Governor Hogan Pushed For The Hometown Heroes Act. (“Senate Bill 594,” Maryland General Assembly, 11/20/15; “Senate Bill 322,” Maryland General Assembly, 2/23/17)
Governor Hogan’s Proposed 2017 Hometown Heroes Act Has Not Been Brought For An Up Or Down Vote.Senate Bill 322,” Maryland General Assembly, 2/23/17)
Assateague Seeks Public’s Input On Campground Relocation Effort
In an open house last Thursday, park employees and officials presented community members with displays and timelines that showed the impact of recent storms and outlined options to move sites within the Oceanside Campground to other locations on the island.
Liz Clarke, contractor with the park, said the campground currently has 41 drive-in sites and more than 60 walk-in sites, many of which are consistently covered in sand and water after storms.
“It’s relentless,” she said.
Within recent years, pictures have documented the effects these storms have had on the island’s coastline and oceanfront campsites. For example, Winter Storm Jonas in January 2016 left many sites flooded and, in more recent weeks, a minor storm left nearly a foot of sand in its wake.
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Car review panel on fact-finding mission after councilman’s DUI
The three-member panel charged with examining the Prince George's County policy that issues county-owned cars to council members met for the third time on Monday. But at least one resident called for the county to end the policy of giving county-owned cars to council members, saying they don't need them and questioning the cost. The post Car review panel on fact-finding mission after councilman’s DUI appeared first on WTOP.
Child Abuse By Omission: How American Law Holds Mothers Responsible For Their Partners' Crimes
Are mothers responsible for the abuse their children suffer at the hands of their male partners? While most of us recognize the complexity involved in trying to protect a child or anyone else from an abuser, the law takes a far less nuanced view -- particularly when it concerns mothers. As a legal scholar who studies how the law is applied unevenly to men and women, I have pored over hundreds of gut-wrenching child abuse cases and observed patterns of prosecution that betray a striking gender asymmetry.
The law disproportionately criminalizes women for failing to protect their children from abuse at the hands of their male partners. It is comparatively rare that men are held legally accountable for not shielding their children from abuse perpetrated by their women partners. Since 1960, there have been 108 published appellate cases in which parents were convicted of child abuse or homicide based on failure to act. Eighty-seven of the defendants were mothers; eleven were fathers; and in ten additional cases, the defendants were either the spouse or live-in partner of the abusive parent.
While this may be a relatively small number, the cases tell us a great deal about the unfair and unrealistic expectations the law places on mothers. It also speaks to the law's indifference to structural factors, such as poverty, inadequate child care and social isolation, which are common in cases of child abuse and domestic violence, and profoundly affect a mother's ability to protect her child.
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The law disproportionately criminalizes women for failing to protect their children from abuse at the hands of their male partners. It is comparatively rare that men are held legally accountable for not shielding their children from abuse perpetrated by their women partners. Since 1960, there have been 108 published appellate cases in which parents were convicted of child abuse or homicide based on failure to act. Eighty-seven of the defendants were mothers; eleven were fathers; and in ten additional cases, the defendants were either the spouse or live-in partner of the abusive parent.
While this may be a relatively small number, the cases tell us a great deal about the unfair and unrealistic expectations the law places on mothers. It also speaks to the law's indifference to structural factors, such as poverty, inadequate child care and social isolation, which are common in cases of child abuse and domestic violence, and profoundly affect a mother's ability to protect her child.
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Workers, Black Lives Activists Join Forces To Continue Dr. King's Poor People's Campaign
The world knows April 4 as the day in 1968 when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, where he had come to support the city's striking sanitation workers. This year it will mark the day when the Movement for Black Lives and Fight For $15 will join in solidarity with actions across the country.
On the 49th anniversary of King's assassination, thousands of workers, elected officials, and national civil rights leaders will march to the Lorraine Motel to demand higher wages for the 52 percent of Black and 60 percent of Latino workers paid less than $15 an hour. Other "Fight Racism, Raise Pay" actions will be held in over two dozen cities across the country, including Atlanta; Tampa, Florida; and Durham, North Carolina.
This is the first time that the Fight For $15 is joining the Movement for Black Lives on a national scale. In doing so, they will continue the historic interlocking struggle between racism and classism -- a struggle that King was waging at the time of his death as part of his Poor People's Campaign that aimed to put a face on poverty in the United States and demand economic justice.
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On the 49th anniversary of King's assassination, thousands of workers, elected officials, and national civil rights leaders will march to the Lorraine Motel to demand higher wages for the 52 percent of Black and 60 percent of Latino workers paid less than $15 an hour. Other "Fight Racism, Raise Pay" actions will be held in over two dozen cities across the country, including Atlanta; Tampa, Florida; and Durham, North Carolina.
This is the first time that the Fight For $15 is joining the Movement for Black Lives on a national scale. In doing so, they will continue the historic interlocking struggle between racism and classism -- a struggle that King was waging at the time of his death as part of his Poor People's Campaign that aimed to put a face on poverty in the United States and demand economic justice.
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Following AG Sessions' Threat, NYC No Longer A Sanctuary City
In the wake of an announcement by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions that he would cut off funding if so-called sanctuary cities did not begin cooperating with the federal government regarding illegal aliens, it has been reported that the New York City Police Department [NYPD] alerts Immigration and Customs Enforcement [ICE] agents if immigrants facing deportation are due to appear in Criminal Court, thereby making it easier for them to be detained by the federal government.
Although many cities loudly proclaimed that they would not yield to these threats and yield even one inch on their sanctuary status, some observers, including public interest law professor John Banzhaf, predicted that Sessions’ threat, even if arguably unconstitutional, would successfully pressure at least some jurisdictions.
He noted that Florida’s largest county, Miami-Dade, long known for welcoming immigrants, has already ordered jails there to “fully cooperate” with Trump’s order regarding sanctuary cities, and others appear to be considering it.
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Although many cities loudly proclaimed that they would not yield to these threats and yield even one inch on their sanctuary status, some observers, including public interest law professor John Banzhaf, predicted that Sessions’ threat, even if arguably unconstitutional, would successfully pressure at least some jurisdictions.
He noted that Florida’s largest county, Miami-Dade, long known for welcoming immigrants, has already ordered jails there to “fully cooperate” with Trump’s order regarding sanctuary cities, and others appear to be considering it.
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Proposed Wind Farm Project Draws OC Opposition Due To Beach Visibility
The Mayor and Council on Monday heard an in-depth presentation from U.S. Wind Project Development Director Paul Rich on his company’s proposal to develop a wind energy farm off the coast of Ocean City totaling as many as 187 five-story tall wind turbines. The U.S. Wind project is one of two currently under consideration by the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC), which will decide by mid-May the company to ultimately develop the offshore wind farm.
The other candidate, Deepwater Wind, has proposed a project of a much smaller scale and that company will make a presentation to the Mayor and Council in a couple of weeks. On Monday, however, the focus was on the proposed U.S. Wind project and after seeing some visual renderings of what the project could look like from the beach in Ocean City, the town’s elected officials had seen enough and voted to send a letter of opposition, not directly to the U.S. Wind proposal specifically, but the prospect of having 480-foot tall wind turbines churning offshore in clear view from the beach in general.
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Gay Group Tries To Ban Speaker For Questioning If Trans Women Are 'Real' Women
A gay group at Oxford University unsuccessfully tried to ban a British commentator from their campus, because she once questioned whether a man who transitions to a woman is a “real” woman.
The school’s LGBTQ Society tried to prevent Jenni Murray, the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, from delivering a Sunday talk at the Oxford Literary Festival, reports The Daily Mail. The society circulated a petition that called for Murray to be condemned or removed from the event because of her comments on transgender women they deemed offensive.
Murray suggested that transgender women are not the same as women in a piece she was criticized for in March. Her article, “Be trans, be proud — but don’t call yourself a ‘real woman’,” questioned whether men who transitioned to women could really understand what it means to be a woman.
“India held firmly to her belief that she was a ‘real woman,’ ignoring the fact that she had spent all of her life before her transition enjoying the privileged position in our society generally accorded to a man,” Murray wrote.
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The school’s LGBTQ Society tried to prevent Jenni Murray, the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, from delivering a Sunday talk at the Oxford Literary Festival, reports The Daily Mail. The society circulated a petition that called for Murray to be condemned or removed from the event because of her comments on transgender women they deemed offensive.
Murray suggested that transgender women are not the same as women in a piece she was criticized for in March. Her article, “Be trans, be proud — but don’t call yourself a ‘real woman’,” questioned whether men who transitioned to women could really understand what it means to be a woman.
“India held firmly to her belief that she was a ‘real woman,’ ignoring the fact that she had spent all of her life before her transition enjoying the privileged position in our society generally accorded to a man,” Murray wrote.
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Idaho's $4.3 Million Solar Road Generates Enough Power To Run ONE Microwave
An expensive solar road project in Idaho can’t even power a microwave most days, according to the project’s energy data.
The Solar FREAKIN’ Roadways project generated an average of 0.62 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per day since it began publicly posting power data in late March. To put that in perspective, the average microwave or blow drier consumes about 1 kWh per day.
On March 29th, the solar road panels generated 0.26 kWh, or less electricity than a single plasma television consumes. On March 31st, the panels generated 1.06 kWh, enough to barely power a single microwave. The panels have been under-performing their expectations due to design flaws, but even if they had worked perfectly they’d have only powered a single water fountain and the lights in a nearby restroom.
Solar FREAKIN’ Roadways has been in development for 6.5 years and received a total of $4.3 million in funding to generate 90 cents worth of electricity.
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The Solar FREAKIN’ Roadways project generated an average of 0.62 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per day since it began publicly posting power data in late March. To put that in perspective, the average microwave or blow drier consumes about 1 kWh per day.
On March 29th, the solar road panels generated 0.26 kWh, or less electricity than a single plasma television consumes. On March 31st, the panels generated 1.06 kWh, enough to barely power a single microwave. The panels have been under-performing their expectations due to design flaws, but even if they had worked perfectly they’d have only powered a single water fountain and the lights in a nearby restroom.
Solar FREAKIN’ Roadways has been in development for 6.5 years and received a total of $4.3 million in funding to generate 90 cents worth of electricity.
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Trump To Keep Policy That Grants Citizenship Through Military Service
The Trump administration will keep in place a policy that allows immigrants to earn expedited U.S. citizenship by serving in the military, a Department of Defense (DOD) official confirmed to Fox News.
A 2002 executive order issued by former President George W. Bush opened the door for the military to recruit noncitizens and work with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to streamline citizenship processing for service members. DOD spokesman Lt. Col. Myles Caggins told Fox News that the administration has no plans to discontinue or change the policy.
“Law ensures that the sacrifice of noncitizens during a time of national need is met with an opportunity for early citizenship, to recognize their contribution and sacrifice,” Caggins wrote in an email, according to Fox News’s Monday article.
Under current law, all noncitizens who have served honorably in the U.S. military on or after Sept. 11, 2001 are eligible to immediately file for citizenship. The Naturalization at Basic Training Initiative, implemented by the Obama administration in 2009, allows immigrants to naturalize when they graduate from boot camp.
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A 2002 executive order issued by former President George W. Bush opened the door for the military to recruit noncitizens and work with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to streamline citizenship processing for service members. DOD spokesman Lt. Col. Myles Caggins told Fox News that the administration has no plans to discontinue or change the policy.
“Law ensures that the sacrifice of noncitizens during a time of national need is met with an opportunity for early citizenship, to recognize their contribution and sacrifice,” Caggins wrote in an email, according to Fox News’s Monday article.
Under current law, all noncitizens who have served honorably in the U.S. military on or after Sept. 11, 2001 are eligible to immediately file for citizenship. The Naturalization at Basic Training Initiative, implemented by the Obama administration in 2009, allows immigrants to naturalize when they graduate from boot camp.
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Trump Supporter Labeled 'Fake News' By '60 Minutes' Beats Everyone To Susan Rice Scoop
Mike Cernovich, a journalist who has promoted conspiracy theories and was deemed “fake news” by “60 Minutes,” was the first to break the news that Obama’s former national security advisor Susan Rice made requests to unmask the identities of Trump associates.
Cernovich said in his report Sunday that New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman knew about the Rice requests, and “has chosen to sit on it in an effort to protect the reputation of former President Barack Obama.” A New York Times spokeswoman told The Daily Caller, “Cernovich’s claim regarding Maggie Haberman is 100 percent false.”
Bloomberg’s Eli Lake confirmed Cernovich’s report Monday, but did not include any details about Haberman sitting on the story. Cernovich told TheDC in an interview that Lake also sat on the story over the weekend. Lake did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Bloomberg story didn’t give Cernovich any credit for his scoop and he said he wasn’t upset as he has more influence than Bloomberg.
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Cernovich said in his report Sunday that New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman knew about the Rice requests, and “has chosen to sit on it in an effort to protect the reputation of former President Barack Obama.” A New York Times spokeswoman told The Daily Caller, “Cernovich’s claim regarding Maggie Haberman is 100 percent false.”
Bloomberg’s Eli Lake confirmed Cernovich’s report Monday, but did not include any details about Haberman sitting on the story. Cernovich told TheDC in an interview that Lake also sat on the story over the weekend. Lake did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Bloomberg story didn’t give Cernovich any credit for his scoop and he said he wasn’t upset as he has more influence than Bloomberg.
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Maryland to check bridges to avoid repeat of Georgia fire, road collapse
The state’s Department of Transportation said Tuesday that it is identifying and relocating any flammable material that may be under a state-owned bridge.
The department “is doing everything we can to protect the safety of Marylanders as they use our road network ,” state tramsportation secretary Pete K. Rahn said.
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Black Lives Matter Bans White People From Next Meeting
Black Lives Matter Philly banned white people from an upcoming event, claiming it is a “black only space.”
The April 15 meeting plans to discuss projects and initiatives for the upcoming year and act as a place for people to “meet, strategize and organize.” While children are invited to attend, white people are explicitly banned from the meeting, according to the Facebook event page.
When people began questioning the ban on whites over Twitter, Black Lives Matter Philly stayed by their ban, explaining that their meetings are “black centered.”
Anyone who identifies as “African disapora” is allowed to attend, the group explained over Twitter.
More/Video
The April 15 meeting plans to discuss projects and initiatives for the upcoming year and act as a place for people to “meet, strategize and organize.” While children are invited to attend, white people are explicitly banned from the meeting, according to the Facebook event page.
When people began questioning the ban on whites over Twitter, Black Lives Matter Philly stayed by their ban, explaining that their meetings are “black centered.”
Anyone who identifies as “African disapora” is allowed to attend, the group explained over Twitter.
More/Video
Mexican Wife And Mother Of U.S. Citizens Won’t Be Deported By ICE
Alex DeMetrick reports, what were once routine hearings don’t feel routing anymore.
Outside the federal building in Baltimore, supporters of Veronica Castro gathered for her appearance at a hearing by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE for short.
“My husband and children are all U.S. citizens,” Castro said via a translator. But she is not. Her husband, an Army veteran left disabled by his service, and her four children, depend on her.
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The IRS Is Now Using Private Debt Collectors; Here’s What You Need To Know
After years of warning taxpayers that the IRS will never cold call you to collect a tax debt, things are about to change as the IRS begins handing over some of its debt-collection work to private firms who probably will call you.
This drastic change in practices for the IRS raises a number of concerns. Will taxpayers disregard these calls because they think they’re a scam? How can consumers tell the difference between someone collecting a legitimate tax debt and a con artist? What if the contracted debt collectors resort to bad behavior like threatening arrest or generally harassing people?
In an attempt to reduce the possibility of anyone confusing a scammer’s ploy to collect a fake debt with an actual collection attempt, the IRS has published a detailed webpage on this new program, along with tips for how to sniff out a scam call.
When Will These Debt Collectors Call?
This drastic change in practices for the IRS raises a number of concerns. Will taxpayers disregard these calls because they think they’re a scam? How can consumers tell the difference between someone collecting a legitimate tax debt and a con artist? What if the contracted debt collectors resort to bad behavior like threatening arrest or generally harassing people?
In an attempt to reduce the possibility of anyone confusing a scammer’s ploy to collect a fake debt with an actual collection attempt, the IRS has published a detailed webpage on this new program, along with tips for how to sniff out a scam call.
When Will These Debt Collectors Call?
Gorsuch Nomination -- You Better Act Now!
Are you sick and tired of partisan politics in Washington DC? I am!
The Supreme Court is nowhere for petty partisan fights and that’s what is going on in DC.
Please contact our two US Senators, Cardin and Van Hollen, and ask them to be reasonable about Neil Gorsuch’s nomination. Gorsuch is eminently qualified. He is supported by liberals, independents, conservatives and folks from different backgrounds who have all come out in strong support of Judge Gorsuch because he has proven he is a judge committed to all people. He is someone who can help bring back faith in the court and law.
Call to Action: Be respectful and brief and call or email both your senators TODAY! Ask them to vote YES to confirm Neil Gorsuch and no on the filibuster.
Update on our two Senators from CNN today:
Sen. Ben Cardin (Maryland) -- Cardin also hasn't announced whether he'll run for re-election. He told CNN last week that he plans to vote against Gorsuch's nomination in the end, but he hasn't made a decision on whether he'll vote to maintain the filibuster.
"I came out today against the nominee, so I'll be voting 'no' on the substance. I'm waiting to see what the Republican leadership (does), how they present the nomination on the floor and how they work with the Democrats. There's still a lot of anxiety out there because of the way they handled the Garland nomination. So I will wait to see how they handle this nomination before deciding what I will do on procedural votes." -- To CNN on 3/28/2017
https://www.cardin.senate.gov/contact/email-ben
Senator Van Hollen plans to vote no and filibuster:
https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/content/contact-senator
Thank you for making sure our voices are heard.
The Supreme Court is nowhere for petty partisan fights and that’s what is going on in DC.
Please contact our two US Senators, Cardin and Van Hollen, and ask them to be reasonable about Neil Gorsuch’s nomination. Gorsuch is eminently qualified. He is supported by liberals, independents, conservatives and folks from different backgrounds who have all come out in strong support of Judge Gorsuch because he has proven he is a judge committed to all people. He is someone who can help bring back faith in the court and law.
Call to Action: Be respectful and brief and call or email both your senators TODAY! Ask them to vote YES to confirm Neil Gorsuch and no on the filibuster.
Update on our two Senators from CNN today:
Sen. Ben Cardin (Maryland) -- Cardin also hasn't announced whether he'll run for re-election. He told CNN last week that he plans to vote against Gorsuch's nomination in the end, but he hasn't made a decision on whether he'll vote to maintain the filibuster.
"I came out today against the nominee, so I'll be voting 'no' on the substance. I'm waiting to see what the Republican leadership (does), how they present the nomination on the floor and how they work with the Democrats. There's still a lot of anxiety out there because of the way they handled the Garland nomination. So I will wait to see how they handle this nomination before deciding what I will do on procedural votes." -- To CNN on 3/28/2017
https://www.cardin.senate.gov/contact/email-ben
Senator Van Hollen plans to vote no and filibuster:
https://www.vanhollen.senate.gov/content/contact-senator
Thank you for making sure our voices are heard.
Ronco, Maker Of Veg-O-Matic & Mr. Microphone, Giving Away Rotisserie Ovens To Investors
For half a century, Ronco products — like the Veg-O-Matic, the Beef Jerky Machine, and Mr. Microphone — have been filling cheap, late-night and mid-afternoon commercial space on American TVs. Now the company that introduced “But wait — there’s more!” to the world is hoping it can sell the public on investing in the company by offering discounts and free stuff as rewards.
Ronco Brands Inc. says it filed IPO documents [PDF] with the Securities and Exchange Company last week outlining its plans to raise $30 million by selling five million shares. There’s a minimum investment of $120, which, at $6 per share, will get you 20 shares of the company.
Spend more than $1,000 on shares and you’ll also get a one-time 20% discount on Ronco.com purchases. If you’re willing to spend more than $5,000, Ronco will throw in a countertop rotisserie oven.
“We have millions of satisfied customers out there,” William Moore, Ronco’s president since 2011, tells The Wall Street Journal. “We are asking them to join us with another vote of confidence in the future of Ronco Brands.”
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Ronco Brands Inc. says it filed IPO documents [PDF] with the Securities and Exchange Company last week outlining its plans to raise $30 million by selling five million shares. There’s a minimum investment of $120, which, at $6 per share, will get you 20 shares of the company.
Spend more than $1,000 on shares and you’ll also get a one-time 20% discount on Ronco.com purchases. If you’re willing to spend more than $5,000, Ronco will throw in a countertop rotisserie oven.
“We have millions of satisfied customers out there,” William Moore, Ronco’s president since 2011, tells The Wall Street Journal. “We are asking them to join us with another vote of confidence in the future of Ronco Brands.”
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Worcester County Sheriff’s Office Press Release 4-5-17
On 03/28/2017 at approximately 1722 hours, a Worcester County Sheriff`s Office was on patrol when asked to respond to Second Street, Pocomoke City, Worcester County, Maryland to assist Pocomoke City Police Department in an attempt to apprehend an individual with two District Court warrants.
This individual was identified as Malinda Marie Sturgis, age 56, of Pocomoke City, who was wanted for failing to appear in court. Ms. Sturgis was seen by the Pocomoke City Police Department fleeing behind the rear of a residence. The Deputy later found an open door and made several announcements for Ms. Sturgis to come out of the house. Ms. Sturgis would not comply with repeated orders. The Deputy received consent to enter the house. Ms. Sturgis was found in the house and placed under arrest.
A search of Ms. Sturgis produced a glass pipe suspected to be drug paraphernalia.
Ms. Sturgis was charged with obstruction and hindering and possession of drug paraphernalia in addition to the two warrants. After an Initial Appearance was completed with a District Court Commissioner, Ms. Sturgis was released on her personal recognizance pending trial.
This individual was identified as Malinda Marie Sturgis, age 56, of Pocomoke City, who was wanted for failing to appear in court. Ms. Sturgis was seen by the Pocomoke City Police Department fleeing behind the rear of a residence. The Deputy later found an open door and made several announcements for Ms. Sturgis to come out of the house. Ms. Sturgis would not comply with repeated orders. The Deputy received consent to enter the house. Ms. Sturgis was found in the house and placed under arrest.
A search of Ms. Sturgis produced a glass pipe suspected to be drug paraphernalia.
Ms. Sturgis was charged with obstruction and hindering and possession of drug paraphernalia in addition to the two warrants. After an Initial Appearance was completed with a District Court Commissioner, Ms. Sturgis was released on her personal recognizance pending trial.
AIG Now Sells Cybersecurity Insurance That Covers Online Bullying, Extortion
Most big companies have some sort of insurance to cover their butts in a world where data breaches are an everyday occurrence, but now AIG is joining the ranks of insurers offering (wealthy) consumers coverage as a buffer against the threat of the internet.
AIG’s new “Family CyberEdge” product costs about 10%-15% of a homeowner’s premium and promises coverage for expenses related to online bullying, extortion, data restoration, and monitoring for cyber threats, reports Reuters.
Also included in the plan? Public relations and legal services, in the event that a data theft leads to sensitive information ending up in the public realm (something Ashley Madison’s 30 million customers could have used, perhaps?).
The product is aimed at wealthy, high-profile folks who may be vulnerable because of their social media presence and online accounts, an AIG executive tells Reuters. The company decided to offer CyberEdge based on customers’ requests, he says.
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AIG’s new “Family CyberEdge” product costs about 10%-15% of a homeowner’s premium and promises coverage for expenses related to online bullying, extortion, data restoration, and monitoring for cyber threats, reports Reuters.
Also included in the plan? Public relations and legal services, in the event that a data theft leads to sensitive information ending up in the public realm (something Ashley Madison’s 30 million customers could have used, perhaps?).
The product is aimed at wealthy, high-profile folks who may be vulnerable because of their social media presence and online accounts, an AIG executive tells Reuters. The company decided to offer CyberEdge based on customers’ requests, he says.
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Second teen cuffed in Facebook-streamed gang sexual assault of 15-year-old Chicago girl
A second teen has been arrested in the shocking gang sexual assault of a 15-year-old Chicago girl that was streamed over Facebook Live last month, police said.
The mother of the 15-year-old suspect brought her son to a Chicago police station on Monday afternoon after police had issued a warrant for his arrest.
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told reporters that the boy will be brought to a juvenile detention center, where a 14-year-old boy who wasarrested in the same case over the weekend is currently being held.
The teenagers have been slammed with felony counts of criminal sexual assault, manufacturing of child pornography and dissemination of child pornography for allegedly taking part in a March 19 sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl who was lured into a residence by one of the suspects. The entire assault was recorded and broadcasted live over Facebook, according to officials.
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The mother of the 15-year-old suspect brought her son to a Chicago police station on Monday afternoon after police had issued a warrant for his arrest.
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told reporters that the boy will be brought to a juvenile detention center, where a 14-year-old boy who wasarrested in the same case over the weekend is currently being held.
The teenagers have been slammed with felony counts of criminal sexual assault, manufacturing of child pornography and dissemination of child pornography for allegedly taking part in a March 19 sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl who was lured into a residence by one of the suspects. The entire assault was recorded and broadcasted live over Facebook, according to officials.
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Gun rights activists are on a political roll with four recent wins
Second Amendment advocates are on a bit of a political roll recently, with four major victories in just one week.
House Speaker Paul Ryan pulled an anti-gun healthcare proposal from consideration; the governor of North Dakota signed a bill letting residents carry a firearm without a permit; New Mexico lawmakers defeated a gun registry bill and the Supreme Court ruled for a defendant whom a gun rights group had supported.
“It gives us a lot of hope,” Erich Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, said to Fox News. “We just spent the past eight years on the defensive. Now we are playing offensive ball.”
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House Speaker Paul Ryan pulled an anti-gun healthcare proposal from consideration; the governor of North Dakota signed a bill letting residents carry a firearm without a permit; New Mexico lawmakers defeated a gun registry bill and the Supreme Court ruled for a defendant whom a gun rights group had supported.
“It gives us a lot of hope,” Erich Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America, said to Fox News. “We just spent the past eight years on the defensive. Now we are playing offensive ball.”
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‘VETERANS FOR CHILD RESCUE’: EX-NAVY SEAL LAUNCHES OPERATION TO EXPOSE PEDOPHILES
'The best anti-septic for corruption is sunlight!'
Update: The crowd-funding site YouCaring shut down Mr. Sawyer’s donation page following his appearance on the Alex Jones Show Friday and within 30 minutes of the publication of this article.
A YouCaring representative told Infowars the page was terminated for violating the site’s “terms of service,” though they would not identify the specific issue.
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Update: The crowd-funding site YouCaring shut down Mr. Sawyer’s donation page following his appearance on the Alex Jones Show Friday and within 30 minutes of the publication of this article.
A YouCaring representative told Infowars the page was terminated for violating the site’s “terms of service,” though they would not identify the specific issue.
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Ocean City Beach Replenishment Scheduled for Fall
Federal, State and Local Partnership to Restore Beaches and Berms
The Board of Public Works today unanimously approved $4.6 million in funding for regularly-scheduled beach and berm nourishment and repairs in Ocean City.
The Ocean City Beach Replenishment Project will be managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in close cooperation with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Worcester County and Town of Ocean City.“Replacing and restoring the beaches and berms is essential to the economic health and future of Ocean City,” Maryland Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton said. “The partnership between federal, state and local agencies demonstrates the importance of this project to the Eastern Shore, and the millions of tourists and visitors who flock to the sandy beaches of Ocean City each and every year.”
The repair project will include pumping approximately 371,000 cubic yards of sand onto the beach to replace and restore sand lost during the January 2016 winter storm (Jonas) and bringing the berm up to the minimum design template. Additionally, up to another 512,000 cubic yards of sand will be placed to replenish the beach and berm to bring the project up to full design template.
The sand for the project will be pumped from a borrow area located approximately 3 miles offshore of Ocean City in federal waters.
Work is expected to start after Labor Day and be completed in late winter 2017.
THE MASSIVE SPY AGENCY YOU HAVEN’T HEARD OF
The shadow agency that sees it all
If you’re one of the countless Americans who was distraught to learn of the revelations made by former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden, the mere idea that there might be yet another agency out there – perhaps just as powerful and much more intrusive – should give you goosebumps.
Foreign Policy reports that the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, or NGA, is an obscure spy agency former President Barack Obama had a hard time wrapping his mind around back in 2009. But as the president grew fond of drone warfare, finding a way to launch wars without having to go through Congress for the proper authorization, the NGA also became more relevant. Now, President Donald Trump is expected to further explore the multibillion-dollar surveillance network.
Like the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA), the NGA is an intelligence agency, but it also serves as a combat support institution that functions under the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).
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If you’re one of the countless Americans who was distraught to learn of the revelations made by former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden, the mere idea that there might be yet another agency out there – perhaps just as powerful and much more intrusive – should give you goosebumps.
Foreign Policy reports that the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, or NGA, is an obscure spy agency former President Barack Obama had a hard time wrapping his mind around back in 2009. But as the president grew fond of drone warfare, finding a way to launch wars without having to go through Congress for the proper authorization, the NGA also became more relevant. Now, President Donald Trump is expected to further explore the multibillion-dollar surveillance network.
Like the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA), the NGA is an intelligence agency, but it also serves as a combat support institution that functions under the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).
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CENSORED BY YOUTUBE: THE TRUTH ABOUT MODERN ART
This video was "age-restricted" by YouTube to prevent it going viral
When videos are age restricted, YouTube users have to login to see them, killing the momentum of the video.
While children are subjected to all kinds of degeneracy and trash on YouTube, including women grinding their genitals in music videos, criticizing modern art is deemed age inappropriate.
Beat the censors by sharing this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRWJcrRO0GM
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When videos are age restricted, YouTube users have to login to see them, killing the momentum of the video.
While children are subjected to all kinds of degeneracy and trash on YouTube, including women grinding their genitals in music videos, criticizing modern art is deemed age inappropriate.
Beat the censors by sharing this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRWJcrRO0GM
More/Video
Illegal alien posts viral selfie of herself paying taxes, then people notice something wrong with her tax form
Arizona State University junior, 23, Belen Sisa was born in Argentina, but came to the United States on a ‘family trip’ at 6 yrs-old. Belen is a ‘dreamer’ – her parents ILLEGALLY overstayed their visa after visiting the US from Argentina when she was still a youngster – that protects her from deportation by President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
Okay, she nearly grew up in the United States, so she gets to stay. But based on her snotty condescending posts on social media designed to slap the hands of taxpayers in America, she couldn’t have made herself appear further from a good cultured American.
She posted a picture of her 1040 claiming that she indeed paid $300 (I wish I had HER taxes to pay) in an attempt to teach Americans ‘What you’ve known all this time isn’t the truth.’ As a ‘Dreamer’, she is allowed to live, study and work in the US free from the threat of deportation for a specific renewable period of time, despite not holding a visa or green card. She feels misunderstood and mistreated as an undocumented immigrant (which she technically isn’t undocumented, she speaks for ‘dreamers’, not all illegals).
But being braggadocious about the fact that she allegedly paid $300 in taxes to the state of Arizona has turned against her. After she posted a selfie as “proof” of her contribution people started to investigate it…
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