FBI arrests Debbie’s IT aide trying to flee to Pakistan, but then it gets a whole lot worse

Imran Awan, a Pakistani-born IT aide, had access to all emails and files of dozens of members of Congress, as well as the password to the iPad that Wasserman Schultz used for Democratic National Committee business before she resigned as its head in July 2016.”

Conservatives continually scratch their heads in an effort to understand the odd relationship between liberals and Islam. We cannot understand how or why people who seem to despise those whom they see as religious zealots will go so far out of their way to embrace those who profess Allah, no matter how zealous they may be. And as a top aid for Debbie Wasserman-Schultz has just demonstrated, it’s not just an intellectual quest to embrace and understand. Liberal Democrats actually do their best to inform and empower Islamists. Sometimes, as in this case or as did Barack Obama when he sent chartered planes loaded with greenbacks on pallets to Iran, with cold hard cash.

This morning the Daily Caller has broken a story about Imran Awan, Wasserman-Schultz’s top information technology officer who has been arrested by the FBI after having wired nearly $300,000 to Pakistan and attempting to leave the USA en route to Pakistan – which just happens to be the same country his wife has already bolted America for with $12,000 of cash stashed in her suitcase!

“Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s top information technology (IT) aide was arrested Monday attempting to board a flight to Pakistan after wiring $283,000 from the Congressional Federal Credit Union to that country.

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ELTA North America to Open Cyber Center in Maryland

Israeli Company Adds Cyber Capabilities at Howard County Headquarters Following Negotiations During Governor’s 2016 Trade Mission

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today announced that ELTA North America, a global leader in the design, manufacture, and support of innovative electronic systems, has selected Maryland for its new Cyber Innovation Center. The announcement follows the May 2017 grand opening of ELTA’s new headquarters in Annapolis Junction, when the company upgraded from a 7,500-square-foot facility to a 21,500-square-foot-facility and announced plans to add as many as 50 new jobs. ELTA North America’s decision to locate the Cyber Innovation Center in Maryland is the direct result of negotiations between Governor Hogan and company leadership, including a site visit to ELTA’s Israeli headquarters, during the governor's economic development and trade mission to Israel in September 2016.

“Our administration is dedicated to making Maryland more business-friendly and building upon our already incredibly strong cybersecurity industry, and ELTA’s decision to open its Cyber Innovation Center here is another vote of confidence in the direction we are taking our state,” said Governor Hogan. “ELTA is a world-class defense company and we are proud that they have chosen to expand their operations and continue to manufacture the components for their cutting-edge defense systems here in Maryland.”

“We are pleased to establish our footprint for cyber in Maryland,” said Eric Womble, CEO and president of ELTA North America. “We look forward to tapping into the state’s strong cybersecurity market and well-trained workforce.”

“I want to thank Eric Womble and the entire ELTA North America team for your continued commitment to Maryland,” said Maryland Commerce Secretary Mike Gill. “Here in the nation’s center of cybersecurity, ELTA has access to federal agencies at the forefront of cyber efforts, as well as a vibrant community of cyber companies and highly-trained cyber warriors. We’re very pleased that ELTA chose Maryland for the Cyber Innovation Center.”

“ELTA continues to recognize the value that Howard County offers international firms seeking to start or grow in the United States,” said Howard County Executive Allan H. Kittleman. “With access to leading industry talent, a strategic Mid-Atlantic location and a great quality of life, Howard County has become an ideal location for international businesses.”

State and county incentives for which the project may be eligible include conditional loans, tax credits, and training grants.

114 arrested in New York ICE operation targeting criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants, immigration fugitives

NEW YORK – An Ecuadorian citizen convicted of rape is among the 114 foreign nationals arrested during a recently concluded 11-day operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) deportation officers in New York targeting at-large criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants, and immigration fugitives.

Of those arrested during the enforcement action which ended Saturday, 82 had criminal histories, including prior convictions for sex crimes, drug offenses, and fraud. 15 have pending criminal charges including assault, larceny and sexual exploitation of a minor. 37 individuals have final orders of removal. Nine of those arrested were released from local custody on an active detainer.

One has a pending dangerous drug charge and a final order of removal. Others taken into custody during the operation included:

• A Jamaican national arrested in Queens, NY with a prior conviction of forcible touching, robbery in the 1st degree, and act in manner to injure a child less than 17
• A Mexican national arrested in New York, NY whose criminal record includes manslaughter in the 1st degree

President Trump IGNITES Ohio MAGA Rally With An EPIC Speech

Wisconsin company to offer staff microchip implants: ‘The next evolution in payment systems’

Roughly 50 employees at Wisconsin-based Three Square Market (32M) will soon have microchips embedded between their thumb and forefinger.

Opening doors, logging in to computers, and paying for food in the 32M break room will now be handled by encrypted technology the size of a grain or rice. CEO Todd Westby says all of his River Falls staff will have the opportunity to have devices implanted under their skin starting Aug. 1.

“It’s the next thing that’s inevitably going to happen, and we want to be a part of it,” Mr. Westby told a local ABC affiliate on Monday.

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MSNBC Host Mocks Dems’ ‘Better Deal’ Rollout

A host on the left-wing MSNBC mocked Democrats like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Monday for the party’s lack of diversity that was on display when Democrats unveiled their new “better deal” plan in Virginia.

While guest-hosting MTP Daily, Chris Jansing told Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) that Democrats who were on stage “didn’t look tremendously diverse.”

Ten Democrats went to Virginia for the “better deal” rollout, and there were just two (Reps. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico and Hakeem Jeffries of New York) or three (Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts) Democrats of color on stage, depending on whether Warren is actually part Native American.

Jansing also noted that the Democrats’ new message—“better jobs, better wages, better future”—“doesn’t roll off the tongue.” She agreed with critics that the Democrats’ new message also does indeed sound like “the better ingredients, better pizza” slogan that Papa John’s Pizza uses.

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D.C.’s Strict Gun-Carry Law Again Declared Unconstitutional in Federal Court

'We are bound to leave the District as much space to regulate as the Constitution allows—but no more'

A federal court struck down the District of Columbia's gun-carry law as unconstitutional on Tuesday.

In a 2-to-1 ruling the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit said the city's requirement that those who apply for a gun-carry permit must show "good reason" beyond the desire for self-defense or residence in a high-crime area before being granted one runs afoul of the Second Amendment. The court said the Constitution guarantees a right to carry a firearm for self-protection for the law-abiding, even outside of the home. The ruling is the latest in a series of federal court rulings rebuking the nation's capital for unconstitutional gun laws that stretch back more than a decade and include a half dozen decisions against the city.

"Reading the Amendment, applying Heller I’s reasoning, and crediting key early sources, we conclude: the individual right to carry common firearms beyond the home for self-defense—even in densely populated areas, even for those lacking special self-defense needs—falls within the core of the Second Amendment’s protections," Judge Thomas Griffith wrote for the majority.

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Attorney General’s office issues warning about rental scams

The Consumer Protection Unit of the Delaware Department of Justice warned Delawareans to be careful when they are looking for a vacation rental.

The scams have been reported in the past in Delaware.

The scammers operating rental scam schemes find legitimate rental postings and capture the information and photos of the property, and then list properites on Craigslist or other online advertising platforms.

Unsuspecting consumers looking for a good deal on a vacation rental find the bogus posting, send a deposit, and receive confirmation of their rental only to arrive and find other people in the home, are unable to gain access, or are otherwise turned away from the property they believed they had rented.

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Feds Subsidized Housing for ‘Nonexistent Tenants’

Development spent over $500,000 on apartments for people who "did not exist," according to the agency's inspector general.

An audit released last month found that managers of Section 8 housing in Jefferson County, Texas, defrauded the government by stealing the identities of former tenants and falsifying incomes.

The government subsidizes the rent of 99 units at Beverly Place Apartments in Groves, Texas, and paid the complex $1.8 million between January 2013 and December 2015.

"Beverly Place's owner did not administer its project-based Section 8 program in accordance with HUD regulations," the inspector general said. "Specifically, the owner billed HUD for at least 97 tenants who did not exist or whose income eligibility was either falsified or unsupported."

The inspector general noted that "nonexistent tenants" were ghost tenants who either never lived in the apartment building or were past tenants who had moved out.

"This condition occurred because the managers defrauded the tenants, HUD, and the apartment owner, and because the owner did not implement sufficient internal controls to detect or prevent the fraud," the inspector general said.

"As a result, HUD paid the owner more than $800,000 in subsidies for units that were either vacant or no longer occupied by an approved tenant and for tenants with unconfirmed income," the inspector general added.

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MD 346 (OLD OCEAN CITY ROAD) TO CLOSE FOR ROADWORK IN WORCESTER COUNTY

MDOT SHA Replacing Damaged Pipe in Berlin; Motorists to be Detoured 

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) will replace a damaged drainage pipe under MD 346 (Old Ocean City Road) just south of Carey Road in Berlin beginning late July. The work will require MDOT SHA to close MD 346 between Cary Road and St. Martin’s Road for several weeks. Residents will have access to the roadway on both sides of the closure. Weather permitting, the $60,000 repair will be complete by mid-August

MDOT SHA’s contractor, ANA General Contractors of Ocean City, will implement the following detour for motorists: MD 346 to Carey Road to St. Martin’s Road and back to MD 346. Approximately 1,200 motorists use this section of MD 346 each day

In addition to installing a new culvert, crews will pave and re-stripe MD 346 at the repair site.

Missing Cat: UPDATE

Missing our cat around 714 Riverside Dr. Salisbury. It is a female turtle shell color. Black/with golden brown stripes, fat, spaded, last seen on 7-8-2017

If seen call 443-736-0423

Central Bankers 'Are' The Crisis

If there’s one myth - and there are many - that we should invalidate in the cross-over world of politics and economics, it‘s that central banks have saved us from a financial crisis. It’s a carefully construed myth, but it’s as false as can be. Our central banks have caused our financial crises, not saved us from them.

It really should -but doesn’t- make us cringe uncontrollably to see Bank of England governor-for-hire Mark Carney announce -straightfaced- that:

"A decade after the start of the global financial crisis, G20 reforms are building a safer, simpler and fairer financial system. “We have fixed the issues that caused the last crisis. They were fundamental and deep-seated, which is why it was such a major job.”

Or, for that matter, to see Fed chief Janet Yellen declare that there won’t be another financial crisis in her lifetime, while she’s busy-bee busy building that next crisis as we speak. These people are now saying increasingly crazy things, and that should make us pause.

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Slowing the revolving door of prison with corn bread, cabbage and chocolate

Aaron Arnold had just emerged from an appointment with his probation officer when he and his family came upon the bounty outside the court building: boxes of lettuce, cabbage and celery stacked high along a wall, cartons of cottage cheese piled on a table nearby and shining bars of chocolates.

Arnold and his family filled their bags with fresh food and goodies, without having to pay a dime. They were among the first to take advantage of a new mobile food pantry in Maryland designed to alleviate one of the pressures many on parole and probation face as they try to stay out of jail — feeding their families.

“It’s gonna help us out,” said Arnold, who was eyeing a bag of marshmallows. “A lot of people just don’t have the means.”

The mobile food pantry in Hyattsville on Monday was part of an effort to improve relationships between probation officers and their clients while lending a hand to those working to rebuild their lives, said Sabra Mastalski, a field supervisor for the state parole and probation office.

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Fruitland Little League Fundraiser

Troopers Arrest Rehoboth Man for 5th Offense DUI

Rehoboth Beach - State Troopers have arrested a 48-year-old Rehoboth man after he crashed his moped while son was sitting on his lap.

Anthony F. Taglienti was taken into custody by troopers yesterday, Tuesday July 25, 2017 after responding to a report of a traffic crash around 6:30 p.m. in the area of the 19000 block of Golden Avenue, Sea Air Mobile Home Park. The investigation revealed Taglienti was operating a 2012 Puma moped with his 2-year-old son on his lap in the park when he lost control causing both of them to fall to the ground.

The 2-year-old suffered several abrasions and was transported by EMS to Beebe Healthcare where he was treated for the non-life-threatening injuries.

Anthony Taglienti was also taken to Beebe by EMS where he was treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries. Upon transporting Taglienti back to Troop 7 in Lewes, a DUI investigation ensued and he was charged with 5th Offense Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol (four previous offenses: 01/26/1998, 08/01/2006, 08/06/2006 and 06/18/2014), Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Vehicular Assault 3rd, and Driving While Suspended or Revoked. He was arraigned at JP2 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution on $17,200.00 cash bond.

Conviction in death of Md. transgender woman

WASHINGTON — A Germantown, Maryland, man has been convicted in the 2015 killing of a transgender woman whom police say he had known for years.

Rico LeBlond, 22, was convicted of first-degree murder Tuesday in the killing of Zella Ziona, 21, behind the Lakeforest Mall, in Gaithersburg, on Oct. 15, 2015. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The Montgomery County police said in charging documents at the time that LeBlond and Ziona, who was born DeAndre Smith, had been friends since their school days, and that LeBlond had become upset when people found out about their friendship.

Not long before the night Ziona was killed, she had begun “acting flamboyantly” toward LeBlond, which embarrassed him in front of his crew, according to the charging documents at the time of his arrest.

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OCPD Reports Safe College Beach Weekend, Thanks Community for Support

OCEAN CITY, MD – (July 26, 2017): The Ocean City Police Department is reporting a nearly uneventful College Beach Weekend event and is thanking residents, visitors, and business owners for their support and cooperation in a true community effort to keep Ocean City safe this past weekend.

As citizens may have noticed, there was a heightened police presence this past weekend, particularly on the boardwalk. OCPD officers were assisted by the Maryland State Police (MSP) and Worcester County Sheriff’s Office as a precautionary measure to ensure that police were prepared for any isolated incidents that may have occurred. From Thursday, July 20, through Sunday, July 23, officers responded to a total of over 3,000 calls for service, 81 percent of which were initiated by officers. This reveals that citizens made very few calls to police throughout the weekend.

The success of the weekend can be attributed in large part to the business community and property owners. Business owners were quick to address large crowds or unruly behavior on their property helping police stay ahead of potential issues. Condominium owners that had large parties form in their units also acted fast to evict problem tenants. “We would not have seen such success this weekend without the help of the business community and property owners,” commented Chief Ross Buzzuro. “Many were able to address potential issues without police assistance allowing our officers to concentrate on the boardwalk and other public spaces in town.”

Many hotel and restaurant owners also assisted in the effort by providing lodging and meals to visiting MSP troopers. Their hospitality allows MSP to send more assistance without the added cost of hotels rooms and meals. The OCPD greatly appreciates the efforts of the Ocean City Hotel Motel Restaurant Association for coordinating this effort.

“The visitors that came to Ocean City for College Beach Weekend were very respectful to the town and of our laws and ordinances,” continued Chief Buzzuro.

The promoters of the event, however, misled several businesses in an attempt to hold private parties, all of which canceled the agreement when the business owners discovered events being promoted at their property. Ticket holders for College Beach Weekend were also misled by the College Beach Weekend promoters, as many of the planned events did not have confirmed locations or never materialized at all.

America 2017 = France 1789

We are looking more and more like France on the eve of its revolution in 1789. Our classes are distributed differently, but the inequity is just as sharp. America’s “aristocracy,” once based strictly on bank accounts, acts increasingly hereditary as the vapid offspring and relations of “stars” (in politics, showbiz, business, and the arts) assert their prerogatives to fame, power, and riches - think the voters didn’t grok the sinister import of Hillary’s “it’s my turn” message?

What’s especially striking in similarity to the court of the Bourbons is the utter cluelessness of America’s entitled power elite to the agony of the moiling masses below them and mainly away from the coastal cities. Just about everything meaningful has been taken away from them, even though many of the material trappings of existence remain: a roof, stuff that resembles food, cars, and screens of various sizes.

But the places they are supposed to call home are either wrecked — the original small towns and cities of America — or replaced by new “developments” so devoid of artistry, history, thought, care, and charm that they don’t add up to communities, and are so obviously unworthy of affection, that the very idea of “home” becomes a cruel joke.

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Authorities ID drivers killed in wrong-way crash on WB Route 50

ANNAPOLIS, Md. —Alcohol may be a factor in a deadly wrong-way crash that killed two people and injured two others along westbound Route 50, the Maryland State Police said. Authorities have identified the drivers killed in the crash.

Troopers were called shortly after 2 a.m. Wednesday to Route 50 at the Severn River Bridge after a report of a vehicle traveling east in the westbound lanes of Route 50.

Moments later, a trooper in the area came upon a crash scene at westbound Route 50 and Bay Dale Drive, police said. Three vehicles were involved in the crash.

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Last Orca Born In Captivity At SeaWorld Dies At Just 3 Months Old

The last orca to be born in captivity at SeaWorld died Monday after just three months of life, the company announced. The calf, named Kyara, succumbed to "some very serious and progressive health issues over the last week" at SeaWorld's park in San Antonio.

"Kyara had a tremendous impact on each of her care staff, not to mention all of the guests that had the chance to see her," trainer Julie Sigman said in a statement. "From late nights to early morning, rain or shine, we dedicate our lives to these animals, and this loss will be felt throughout the entire SeaWorld family."

Though the company refrained from offering an official cause of death, pending a postmortem conducted by the veterinarian team, it noted "we know that Kyara had an infection, likely pneumonia."

SeaWorld welcomed Kyara into the world in April, heralding the calf's birth to 25-year-old Takara as "an exciting and emotional day for us."

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Shooting In Princess Anne 7-26-17

PAPD is investigating a shooting that occurred on 7/25/17 during the early evening hours on Antioch Avenue. Two victims were taken to PRMC for non life threatening injuries. Anyone with any information concerning this incident is encouraged to contact PAPD at 410-651-1822. Callers can also contact Crime Solvers of the Lower Eastern Shore at 410-548-1776 to give anonymous tips concerning this incident. Information that leads to an arrest can result in monetary awards.

DUI sentencing a concern among some

When it comes to sentencing guidelines for a person who kills someone while driving under the influence of alcohol, attorneys on both sides of the courtroom agree there is a balancing act judges have to handle

According to Maryland code, homicide by motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol per se carries a maximum penalty of $5,000 and imprisonment up to five years for the first offense. A second offense bumps the maximum up to 10 years and $10,000. Homicide by motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol carries a maximum of three years on the first offense, five if it's the second or more offense.

Those are the maximums. Sentencing is decided by a judge, who can choose to impose far less than the maximum, and while a prosecutor and defense attorney might agree to a sentence, most pleas are nonbinding.

A recent case that brought sentencing for DUI homicide to the public's attention was one involving Michele Seibel, who received no active incarceration after she pleaded guilty last month to two counts of homicide by motor vehicle for driving after drinking and crashing into a car, killing two, in February 2016.

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Harris Introduces Bipartisan Bill Facilitating Medical Marijuana Research

WASHINGTON, DC: On July 25, Representatives Andy Harris, M.D. (R-MD-01), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-03), H. Morgan Griffith (R-VA-09), and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19) introduced the Medical Marijuana Research Act of 2017. This bill heeds the calls of the medical research community to address the burdensome processes that currently hinder medical research on marijuana. This bipartisan bill removes barriers inhibiting medical marijuana research.

“As a physician who has conducted NIH sponsored research, I cannot stress enough how critical this legislation is to the scientific community. Our drug policy was never intended to act as an impediment to conducting legitimate medical research. If we are going to label marijuana as medicine, we need to conduct the same rigorous scientific research on efficacy and safety that every other FDA approved treatment undergoes. This legislation will facilitate that research by removing the unnecessary administrative barriers that deter qualified researchers from thoroughly studying medical marijuana,” said Dr. Harris.

“In what world would such a backwards policy make sense? It’s insane,” said Rep. Blumenauer. “We need to stop blocking science and allow for patients to get the information they need to make decisions about their health care. Doctors, patient advocates, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree, and it’s past time the federal government caught up.”

“There are countless reports of marijuana’s medicinal benefits, but patients, doctors, pharmacists, and policymakers must have more to rely on than anecdotal evidence,” said Congressman Griffith. “Removing the barriers that prevent further research on marijuana’s medicinal benefits and possible side effects is the right thing to do, plain and simple.”

“Anecdotal evidence suggests that marijuana may have potential medical applications, from utilizing non-psychoactive marijuana to ease the symptoms of epileptic sufferers, or simply to fight nausea for those undergoing cancer treatments,” said Congresswoman Lofgren. “Unfortunately, under the current federal regulatory structure, marijuana researchers are limited by marijuana’s Schedule I classification. Enacting this bill will allow researchers and scientists the flexibility they need to fully study marijuana’s potential medical applications.”

The Medical Marijuana Research Act of 2017 addresses the major barriers currently faced by researchers who wish to conduct legitimate medical research with marijuana, a Schedule I drug. The bill creates a new, less cumbersome registration process specifically for marijuana research, reducing approval wait times, costly security measures, and additional, unnecessary layers of protocol review. This bill makes further reforms to both production and distribution regulations for marijuana, so once a scientist is approved to conduct medical marijuana research, the plant is easier to obtain. To this end, the bill also allows for the private manufacturing and distribution of marijuana solely for research purposes.

Missing Person: Cadesia Fields

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What's Happening 7-26-17

What's happening in the area?  Let everyone know.  The good, the bad, and the ugly!

Rexit? Tillerson Reportedly Considering Early Exit Amid Trump Administration Chaos

Perpetual chaos within the Trump administration is apparently starting to take it's toll on Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, at least according to some anonymous sources, and has prompted rumors that he may depart his post before the end of the year. According to various media outlets, Tillerson has grown frustrated with his lack of autonomy, constant internal policy contradictions and public disputes between the White House and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, among other things. Per Reuters:

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has told friends he will be lucky to last a year in his job, according to a friend, while two officials said national security adviser H.R. McMaster was frustrated by what he sees as disorganization and indiscipline on key policy issues inside the White House.

A source familiar with the situation told Reuters that Tillerson was "very upset at not having autonomy, independence and control over his own department and the ability to do the job the way the job ... is traditionally done."

The source said he had heard nothing about any possible departure, but added: "The situation doesn't seem to be getting any better, and in some respects appears to be getting worse."

According to CNN's anonymous sources, Tillerson has told friends outside of Washington that he'd like to remain in his post through the end of the year though those same sources question whether another 5 months will be possible.

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State Department Lawyers Removing References to ISIS ‘Genocide’ Against Christians

The State Department's top lawyers are systematically removing the word "genocide" to describe the Islamic State's mass slaughter of Christians, Yazidis, and other ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria from speeches before they are delivered and other official documents, according to human rights activists and attorneys familiar with the policies.

Additionally, Democratic senators are delaying confirmation of Mark Green, Trump's pick to head the U.S. Agency for International Development who has broad bipartisan support.

These efforts guarantee that Obama-era policies that worked to exclude Iraq's Christian and other minority religious populations from key U.S. aid programs remain in place, the activists said.

Richard Visek, who was appointed by President Obama as head the State Department's Office of Legal Adviser in October 2016, is behind the decision to remove the word "genocide" from official documents, according to Nina Shea, an international human rights lawyer who directs the Hudson Institute's Center for Religious Freedom.

"I don't think for a minute it's a bureaucratic decision—it's ideological," said Shea, who also spent 12 years as a commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, or CIRF, from 1999 to 2012.

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Medicaid, pension costs create budget complications for U.S. states

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A sluggish forecast for U.S. economic growth as well as an increase in U.S. states' Medicaid and pension contribution costs is creating a budgetary squeeze in many state capitols, according to a research report issued by S&P Global Ratings on Monday.

While the risk of a recession within the next 12 months has fallen into a 15-20 percent range from 20-25 percent, the rate of economic expansion "is expected to remain fairly anemic at 1.8 percent over the longer term (roughly 10 years), well below the 3.0 percent average growth rate that prevailed from 1980 to 2000," the report said.

"And while the risk that federal policy could trigger a recession has eased, the potential for a dramatic scaling-back of federal aid for Medicaid has never been greater," the report said.

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MARYLAND’S UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS WERE JUST RELEASED, AND…

The Department of Labor reported a decline in Maryland’s unemployment rates as of June. Maryland’s unemployment rate now is lower than the National Average.

In the past year, the state of Maryland has added 43,100 new jobs of which businesses in the state contributed 34,700 of those new jobs. The rise in the number of jobs has resulted in a lower unemployment rate. Maryland’s unemployment rate in May this year was down to 4.2 percent from the May 2016 rate of 4.3 percent, according to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Regulations: Blue Crab

Recreational Crabbing Reminders

A new crab trap is showing up at Maryland sport fishing retail stores under the name of CRAB ALERT. This trap is designed so that when a crab grabs the bait, a spring-loaded trap door closes automatically. Please be aware that a crab trap that automatically closes, without a manual force, is illegal to use in Maryland. Using illegal methods to catch crabs has a maximum penalty of $1,000 for the first offense.

According to Maryland regulation, a collapsible crab trap is defined as a manually operated, portable device having a flat bottom not more than 20 inches by 15 inches, and not more than four articulated sides. The trap shall be designed so that failure to apply manually exerted tension on the closing mechanism allows the crabs to escape. In other words, a crab trap must allow crabs to enter and exit the trap until the user pulls the line up to retrieve the trap. This pulling of the line manually closes the sides on the trap.

Recreational Crab Pot Requirements​ are available for all recreational waterfront property owners who set crab pots.

State Dept. in ‘Open War’ With White House

The State Department under Secretary Rex Tillerson has been locked in a growing power struggle with the White House that has angered officials in the West Wing and sparked claims that the Trump administration's top diplomatic organ is now in "open war" with the White House on a range of critical issues, including the Israeli-Palestinian impasse, Iran, the crisis with Qatar, and other matters, according to multiple sources who spoke to the Washington Free Beacon about the situation.

The State Department is said to be in a state of "massive dysfunction," with top officials working under Tillerson ignoring White House directives on critical staffing issues and key policy matters, according to multiple sources, including administration allies who are said to be increasingly frustrated with what is perceived as the White House's inability to control its own federal agencies.

The tensions have fueled an outstanding power battle between the West Wing and State Department that has handicapped the administration and resulted in scores of open positions failing to be filled with Trump confidantes. This has allowed former Obama administration appointees still at the State Department to continue running the show and formulating policy, where they have increasingly clashed with the White House's own agenda.

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CTE found in brains of 110 out of 111 deceased NFLers

Researchers studying the brains of 202 former football players discovered traces of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in nearly all of them, with the highest instances occurring in players who had reached the professional level.

While the report, which was published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, doesn’t confirm that the condition is common in all football players, the Boston brain bank researchers diagnosed CTE in 177 former players, or nearly 90 percent of the samples studied. Many donors or their families contributed to the studies because of the players’ repeated concussions and symptoms before death, The Associated Press reported.

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http://www.foxnews.com/health/2017/07/25/cte-found-in-brains-110-out-111-deceased-nflers.html

Court Rules For DC Concealed Carry

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit entered an injunction Tuesday against a Washington D.C. law limiting the right to carry firearms outside the home, concluding that it may violate the Second Amendment.

The ruling is at odds with other federal courts that have generally limited the right to gun possession outside the home.

The law is third gun control regulation promulgated by the D.C. Council that has struggled in the courts. In its latest iteration, the D.C. law strictly proscribed the circumstances under which concealed-carry licenses may be issued. The court concluded these provisions may be unconstitutional.

“Bans on the ability of most citizens to exercise an enumerated right would have to flunk any judicial test,” Judge Thomas Griffith wrote for the three-judge panel. His opinion was joined by Judge Stephen Williams. Judge Karen Henderson dissented.

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One Year Later, Journalists Exposed By WikiLeaks Carry On As Before

One year after WikiLeaks began publishing emails from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chair John Podesta that exposed prominent journalists as partisans, many of those journalists are continuing their careers without, it seems, any serious consequences.

Take Glenn Thrush, for example. Thrush, now with the New York Times, was exposed sending stories to the Clinton campaign for approval while at Politico.

“Because I have become a hack I will send u the whole section that pertains to [you],” he wrote in an April 30, 2015 email to Podesta, including five paragraphs from a story later titled “Hillary’s big money dilemma.”

“Please don’t share or tell anyone I did this,” Thrush added. “Tell me if I fucked up anything.”

“No problems here,” Podesta replied.

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Protesters, Skeptical Council Members Greet Gun Bill In Committee Hearing

A City Council committee on Tuesday weakened the gun bill championed by top city officials, including the city's police commissioner, in a hearing made all the more contentious by a number of the bill's critics.

The Judiciary and Legislative Investigations Committee held a hearing on a bill that would impose a one-year jail sentence for anyone illegally possessing a gun within 300 feet of a school park, public building or church. The committee unanimously approved an amendment that would exempt first-time offenders unless they are committing another crime.

The bill later passed the committee, 5-2, and now goes to the full council, where more amendments may await.

Mayor Catherine Pugh introduced the bill earlier this month with the support of Police Commissioner Kevin Davis and City Council President Jack Young.

Davis testified to the committee Tuesday. Asked how the 100-yard rule would work, he said police are drafting a map.

Councilman Ryan Dorsey, an opponent of the measure, asked Davis for a yes or no answer to the question, "Will this bill make crime worse?"

"Councilman, you don't decide the length of my answer," Davis responded.
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Lyft driver accused of raping passenger at knifepoint

Angelo McCoy, 48, was arrested last Wednesday on charges of aggravated criminal sexual assault, aggravated kidnapping, armed robbery and unlawful restraint in connection to the July 7 attack.

According to prosecutors, the 25-year-old victim ordered a car through the popular ride-sharing app after a bar outing with friends during which she had consumed a significant quantity of alcohol.

McCoy picked up the customer at around 11pm in the 400 block of North Clark Street, and shorty after the woman got in the backseat, she dozed off.

The Lyft app's system later showed that the driver dropped off the passenger at 11.11pm, just five minutes after pickup, but prosecutors said in reality, McCoy continued holding the woman hostage until 1am.

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OCPD Press Releases 7-26-17

Officers Charge Three in Early Morning Assault

 

OCEAN CITY, MD – : Three men were arrested early Tuesday morning after assaulting a victim in his vehicle and stealing the victim’s car keys in Ocean City.

On Tuesday, July 25, 2017, at 1:46 a.m. Ocean City police were dispatched to the area of Seabay Lane for a report of a strong arm robbery. The victim, who had visible signs of injury to his face, reported he was assaulted by one suspect while two other suspects stole his car keys from the ignition. The suspects then fled the area in their own vehicle.

Officers were able to locate the suspect vehicle moments later at a gas station in the 12800 block of Ocean Gateway (Route 50) in West Ocean City. The three suspects were arrested and identified as Avontai K. Bland, 21, of Laurel, DE, Khalil D. Carroll, 21, of Salisbury, MD, and Stephon L. Hammond, 22, of Seaford, DE.

Bland has been charged with robbery and second degree assault. Carroll has been charged with robbery and theft of less than $1,000. Hammond has been charged with robbery and possession of oxycodone. Each is currently being held at the Ocean City Public Safety Building awaiting an initial appearance before a Maryland District Court Commissioner.

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Officers Charge Six in Monday Morning Robbery

OCEAN CITY, MD –: A verbal altercation between two groups leads to a strong arm robbery and physical altercation early Monday morning in Ocean City.

Washington, D.C. Post Office Manager and Two Letter Carriers Found Guilty of Bribery and Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana

A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) post office manager and two letter carriers were convicted Friday after a week-long jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on one count each of conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery and conspiracy to distribute marijuana as a result of their roles in a scheme to use their positions at the USPS to deliver hundreds of pounds of marijuana to individuals in the District of Columbia in exchange for cash. Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division made the announcement.

According to the evidence presented at trial, Deenvaughn Rowe, 48, of Odenton, Md., was the Acting Manager of the River Terrace Post Office. Rowe used his USPS computer to track packages containing marijuana mailed from the West Coast to the Lamond-Riggs Post Office in Washington, D.C. The packages were typically addressed to fictitious individuals or non-existent addresses. The evidence at trial revealed that once the packages arrived at the Lamond-Riggs Post Office, Rowe would coordinate the delivery of the packages with Lamond-Riggs Post Office Letter Carrier Kendra Brantley, 32, of Washington, D.C., and Carrier Technician Alicia Norman, 39, also of Washington, D.C., by cell phone and text message. The evidence presented at trial showed that once the packages of marijuana arrived at the Lamond-Riggs Post Office, Brantley and Norman would load the packages into their postal vehicles, and,, in coordination with Rowe, deliver them to individuals they met on the street in exchange for cash.

Norman will be sentenced September 12, Brantley on September 15 and Rowe on October 2, before the Honorable Tanya S. Chutkan, U.S. District Judge for the District of Columbia.

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Kansas Man Sentenced 30 Years in Plot to Explode Car Bomb at Fort Riley

John T. Booker Jr., 22, of Topeka, Kan., was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for attempting to detonate a vehicle bomb on the Fort Riley military base in Manhattan, Kan. On Feb. 3, 2016, Booker pleaded guilty to one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and one count of attempted destruction of government property by fire or explosion.

Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall of the District of Kansas and Special Agent in Charge Darrin E. Jones of the FBI’s sKansas City Division made the announcement.

“With this sentence, John Booker is being held accountable for his plan to kill U.S. military personnel on American soil in the name of ISIS,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Boente. “The National Security Division’s highest priority is countering terrorist threats and protecting American lives by bringing to justice those who plot to attack us. I want to thank the many agents, analysts, and prosecutors who made this result possible.”

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Trump considers Rudy Giuliani for attorney general: Report

President Trump is reportedly considering the idea of nominating Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City and an ardent Trump defender, to serve as attorney general.

Axios reported Monday Trump is exploring the possibility of tapping Giuliani, and the news comes days after the president has publicly expressed frustration with the current attorney general, Jeff Sessions.

In a wide-ranging interview with the New York Times last week, Trump said he was angry with Sessions for recusing himself from the investigation into ties between Trump campaign officials from Russia.

The president said he never would've tapped Sessions for attorney general had he known the former senator would recuse himself from the probe.

"Sessions should have never recued himself, and if he was going to recuse himself, he should have told me before he took the job, and I would have picked somebody else," Trump told the New York Times in an interview.

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Brennan Calls For A Coup If Trump Fires Mueller

In the most vocal opposition to president Donald Trump yet, former CIA Director John Brennan said that if the White House tries to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, government officials should refuse to follow the president orders, as they would be - in his view - “inconsistent” with the duties of the executive branch.

"I think it's the obligation of some executive branch officials to refuse to carry that out. I would just hope that this is not going to be a partisan issue. That Republicans, Democrats are going to see that the future of this government is at stake and something needs to be done for the good of the future," Brennan told CNN's Wolf Blitzer at the Aspen Security Forum, effectively calling for a coup against the president should Trump give the order to fire Mueller.

Brennan appeared alongside his former colleague, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and both men who served in the Obama administration, told Blitzer they have total confidence in Mueller. "Absolutely. It was an inspired choice- they don't come any better, " Brennan said adding that "If Mueller is fired, I hope our elected reps will stand up and say enough is enough." Some have responded with questions where Brennan's devotion to the Constitution was in the aftermath of the events in Benghazi.

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[ 18 U.S. Code Chapter 115 - TREASON, SEDITION, AND SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES ]

Schweizer: 8,400 Double Voters in 2016 Election Should Be Prosecuted for Felony

Government Accountability Institute (GAI) President Peter Schweizer, also a Breitbart News senior editor-at-large, discussed a new report on Tuesday’s Breitbart News Daily. The report documents 8,400 cases of double voting in the 2016 election.

“We took an extremely conservative metric, and we hired a data company and said, “Let’s look at who actually voted in 2016, and can we find people that had the same first name, middle name, last name, date of birth, and the data company has access to partial Social Security numbers?” Schweizer said of the GAI’s methodology.

“Can we find examples of people who double voted, just using that
metric? Because if all those things line up, the data company tells you it’s basically 100 percent it’s the same person,” he said.

“We were able to get data from 20 states, and we found 8,400 examples where those metrics matched,” Schweizer revealed.

“This is the floor, Alex. The absolute number of double voters is
undoubtedly much, much higher,” he told SiriusXM host Alex Marlow.

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House Intelligence Committee met with Ben RhodesCountry

The House Intelligence Committee met with former Obama deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes, according to a report Tuesday.

It was already known that Jared Kushner, top adviser and son-in-law to President Trump, on Tuesday spoke with members of the panel, which is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible ties to the Trump campaign. CNN's Manu Raju tweeted Tuesday evening that the network's chief political analyst Gloria Borger had learned that Rhodes also spoke to the committee.

Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., who is not a member of the intelligence panel, has accused Rhodes of being a primary source of the leaks causing harm to the Trump administration and called on Trump to remove all Obama official holdovers from his administration.

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Philadelphia Woman Pleads Guilty to Charges of Causing False Statements to the Federal Election Commission

A Philadelphia woman pleaded guilty to a criminal information unsealed today charging her with causing false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) in connection with a 2012 congressional primary election. Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Louis D. Lappen for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania made the announcement.

According to the plea memorandum filed today, Carolyn Cavaness, 34, engaged in a falsification scheme involving payments to a candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. According to the plea memorandum, those payments came from the campaign committee of the candidate’s political opponent for the purpose of removing the candidate from the 2012 Democratic race for Pennsylvania’s First Congressional District. Cavaness was a member of the candidate’s campaign staff.

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Dem Rep. Luis Gutierrez Has Now Paid His Wife More Than $400,000 From His Campaign Funds

Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez (Ill.) has disbursed tens of thousands of dollars in campaign funds to his wife this year, bringing her total compensation to more than $400,000 since she first appeared on his campaign's payroll.

Gutierrez, who was first elected to Congress in 1992, recently grabbed headlines for saying that Democrats would "eliminate" Trump as president if they take back the House of Representatives. It appears the one thing Gutierrez won't eliminate anytime soon is the lucrative campaign payments to his wife.

Rep. Gutierrez's wife, Soraida Gutierrez, was a registered lobbyist in the state of Illinois from 2003 to 2009 before joining Gutierrez for Congress in 2010. Since this time, Soraida has been generously compensated for acting as the campaign's office manager, treasurer, and fundraiser. Soraida has also been the top recipient of cash from the committee on numerous occasions since she began receiving payments from her husband's campaign.

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How Many Days Will WBOC Continue To Milk This Story?

Reports: ​Piles of sediment trapped behind Conowingo Dam reach capacity

CONOWINGO, Md. —Mounting scientific reports reveal piles of pollution trapped behind the Conowingo Dam have reached capacity.

In a few weeks, Gov. Larry Hogan will convene a summit to examine one of the biggest environmental issues facing Maryland.

When the Conowingo Dam was built in 1928, it was one of the largest suppliers of hydroelectricity in the country, second only to Niagara Falls. It has been ahead of its time, supplying eco-friendly energy.

Ninety years later, the dam is holding back an ecological disaster.

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Some Will Get It, Some Won't

Two Dead In Rt. 50 Annapolis Crash (Route 50 Shut Down)

(ANNAPOLIS, MD) — Shortly after 2:00 a.m. today, troopers from the Annapolis Barrack were dispatched to Rt. 50 at the Severn River Bridge after a call was received reporting a vehicle traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of Rt. 50. Moments later, a trooper in the area came upon a crash scene at westbound Rt. 50 and Bay Dale Drive. Three vehicles were involved in the crash.

All lanes of westbound Rt. 50 were closed. Fire and rescue units responded. Two people were pronounced dead at the scene. They are believed to be the drivers of two of the vehicles involved. There were no other passengers in their vehicles. The driver and passenger of the third vehicle were both injured and transported to the Anne Arundel County Medical Center for treatment.

Due to the detailed investigation required and the extensive crash scene, all lanes of Rt. 50 at Bay Dale are closed and are expected to remain closed for the next several hours. MD Department of Transportation State Highway Administration personnel are on the scene and are detouring westbound traffic at Cape St. Clair Road.

The cause of the crash has not been confirmed at this time. Troopers from the MD State Police Crash Team are on the scene conducting a detailed reconstruction and investigation. Further details will be provided later today after the initial investigation has been completed and families have been notified.

Editor's Note: Route 50 Westbound is currently backed up to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s IT Guy Arrested For Bank Fraud While Trying To Leave Country

Over the past few weeks, we have been telling you about how Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s IT guy/staffer was apparently able to hack into the personal files of Debbie and other House Democrats.

Not only that, it appeared that the Pakistani born IT staffer was in a situation where he could possibly blackmail the liberal members of Congress.

Rather than help authorities, we told you yesterday that Debbie Wasserman Schultz or someone close to her appears to have smashed hard drives that authorities were requesting.

Today, a stunning new development.

Imran Awan, the IT guy in question, was arrested trying to flee the country.

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AMEN

Woman Seen Leaving The GOB After Having To Pay City of Salisbury Taxes

It's Nathans, I'd Wait

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Somerset County Sheriff's Office reports most recent arrests

Dennis Wade Robb Jr. of Marion, arrested 7-6-17 on a warrant for violation of probation. Robb was later held without bond.

Brian Eugene Beckley of Crisfield, arrested 7-7-17 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Beckley was later held on a $ 500.00 bond.

Nathaniel Lee Cimpher of Crisfield, arrested 7-10-17 on warrants for failing to appear in court, and violation of probation. Cimpher was later held on a 4 10,000 bond.

Mary Janine Avara of Fairmount, arrested 7-10-17 for possession of suspected cocaine, and drug paraphernalia. Avara was later released on an unsecured bond. The arrest was the result of a traffic stop conducted by Deputies in the area of south Somerset Ave, Princess Anne.

Gregory Lamont Cottman of Princess Anne, arrested 7-10-17 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Cottman was later held without bond.

Kalin Danae Williams of Princess Anne, arrested 7-14-17 on a warrant for violation of probation. Williams was later held without bond.

Danielle Renee Windsor of Westover, arrested 7-15-17 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Windsor was later released on personal recognizance.

Preston Alexander Scarborough of Marion, arrested 7-16-17 on a warrant for violation of probation. Scarborough was later held without bond.

Adrienne Rochelle Schoolfield of Princess Anne, arrested 7-16-17 on a warrant for failing to appear in court. Schoolfield was later held on a $ 250.00 bond.