There is serious talk on Capitol Hill about the appointment of a second special counsel amid several new bombshell revelations swirling around the Trump/Russia probe.
First, there are the allegations of shocking and substantial government surveillance abuses under President Obama outlined in the FISA abuse memo.
Secondly, the FBI lost five months of key text messages between the anti-Trump/pro-Clinton FBI officials Peter Strzok and his mistress Lisa Page.
And now there's talk of a "secret society" of officials within the FBI that apparently met the day after the election of Donald J. Trump to plot against the president-elect.
More here
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
House Republicans reject bipartisan Senate immigration plan, push for tougher border measures
The Republican Study Committee on Tuesday called for a vote on a conservative border security bill, and warned it would reject a more moderate measure some Senate lawmakers are trying to advance.
The RSC is the largest group of House Republicans, and is made up of more than half of the GOP conference and includes mostly conservative lawmakers.
The bill endorsed by the group was introduced this month by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and others. It would protect so-called Dreamers from deportation but would also implement significant border security and immigration reforms including an end to chain migration and new funding for a southern border wall.
The RSC statement comes a day after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., promised to bring up an immigration reform bill in the Senate by Feb. 8 if a deal on the issue is not reached by a bipartisan group of lawmakers and the Trump administration.
Among the Senate bills waiting in the wings is a measure authored by Sens. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., which includes far more 'moderate' border security provisions than the Goodlatte measure.
More
The RSC is the largest group of House Republicans, and is made up of more than half of the GOP conference and includes mostly conservative lawmakers.
The bill endorsed by the group was introduced this month by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and others. It would protect so-called Dreamers from deportation but would also implement significant border security and immigration reforms including an end to chain migration and new funding for a southern border wall.
The RSC statement comes a day after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., promised to bring up an immigration reform bill in the Senate by Feb. 8 if a deal on the issue is not reached by a bipartisan group of lawmakers and the Trump administration.
Among the Senate bills waiting in the wings is a measure authored by Sens. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., which includes far more 'moderate' border security provisions than the Goodlatte measure.
More
Secret Newt Gingrich memo helped save Trump's agenda
President Trump was floundering at the halfway point in his first year in office, and longtime supporter and cheerleader Newt Gingrich was worried about the GOP agenda and maybe even the survival of the new administration itself.
Concerns about Russian election meddling and White House fumbling had led to the failure to overturn Obamacare, institute sweeping immigration changes, and pass massive tax reform. And worse for the headline-seeking president, the media had become the “opposition party.”
The former House speaker had seen it all before: President Ronald Reagan caught up in the Iran-Contra Affair, scandal-plagued President Bill Clinton being impeached over the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal.
But they found a way to survive, and now, a new book from noted media pundit Howard Kurtz reveals that Gingrich set to get Trump and his agenda back on track with a “secret memo.”
According to Kurtz’s “Media Madness,” which will be released by Regnery Publishing on Jan. 29, the Gingrich memo was titled, “Breaking out of the Gridlock,” and aimed at recharging the Trump White House and dodging bad press.
Himself a master of the media, Gingrich included a section he headlined, “Communications Strategy in the Middle of a Distraction.” Under that, he wrote, “We are being sucked into stupid fights about stupid attacks and being distracted from arousing and organizing the American people on big topics that will change history.”
Gingrich, the architect of the 1994 “Contract With America” that gave the GOP control of Congress, suggested a four-month Trump blitz on jobs, wages, and economic growth that would prove the Republicans could get things done.
And he pushed for a public relations campaign that would “shrink the media attacks into irrelevancy.”
More
Concerns about Russian election meddling and White House fumbling had led to the failure to overturn Obamacare, institute sweeping immigration changes, and pass massive tax reform. And worse for the headline-seeking president, the media had become the “opposition party.”
The former House speaker had seen it all before: President Ronald Reagan caught up in the Iran-Contra Affair, scandal-plagued President Bill Clinton being impeached over the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal.
But they found a way to survive, and now, a new book from noted media pundit Howard Kurtz reveals that Gingrich set to get Trump and his agenda back on track with a “secret memo.”
According to Kurtz’s “Media Madness,” which will be released by Regnery Publishing on Jan. 29, the Gingrich memo was titled, “Breaking out of the Gridlock,” and aimed at recharging the Trump White House and dodging bad press.
Himself a master of the media, Gingrich included a section he headlined, “Communications Strategy in the Middle of a Distraction.” Under that, he wrote, “We are being sucked into stupid fights about stupid attacks and being distracted from arousing and organizing the American people on big topics that will change history.”
Gingrich, the architect of the 1994 “Contract With America” that gave the GOP control of Congress, suggested a four-month Trump blitz on jobs, wages, and economic growth that would prove the Republicans could get things done.
And he pushed for a public relations campaign that would “shrink the media attacks into irrelevancy.”
More
Michael Barone's Guide to Government: Free speech
The First Amendment to the Constitution does not impose, as some believe, “a wall of separation between church and state.” That phrase comes from a letter by Thomas Jefferson in 1802 to Connecticut Baptists, cited approvingly by Supreme Court decisions in 1878 and 1947.
The First Amendment begins, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; ..." In 1940 the Supreme Court, by invalidating a law requiring solicitors of a religion to obtain a license, ruled unanimously in Cantwell v. Connecticut that the free exercise clause was applied to the states by the 14th Amendment.
Other decisions followed in which the court ruled that citizens could be exempt from otherwise unobjectionable laws because of their right to freely exercise their religious beliefs: A Seventh Day Adventist could collect unemployment benefits even though unwilling to work on her Sabbath (1963), Amish parents could refuse to send their children to school beyond the eighth grade (1972).
More here
The First Amendment begins, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; ..." In 1940 the Supreme Court, by invalidating a law requiring solicitors of a religion to obtain a license, ruled unanimously in Cantwell v. Connecticut that the free exercise clause was applied to the states by the 14th Amendment.
Other decisions followed in which the court ruled that citizens could be exempt from otherwise unobjectionable laws because of their right to freely exercise their religious beliefs: A Seventh Day Adventist could collect unemployment benefits even though unwilling to work on her Sabbath (1963), Amish parents could refuse to send their children to school beyond the eighth grade (1972).
More here
'Educators' and 'journalists' may say what they want, but they can't rewrite history
Left-wing anger is cool now. Did you see all those photos of "brave" activists at the Women's March?
Glamour Magazine dedicated their Instagram stories to highlighting marchers and praising their outspokenness. Vogue produced a video on the New York City Women’s March as if the participants were gliding down a catwalk and not crowding the sidewalk. Elle Magazine praised “All the Best Celebrity Instagrams from the 2018 Women's March;” showing up with a witty sign is good PR for Hollywood stars.
The March for Life got no such treatment. I guess those dreadful pink pussy hats are just so stylish that the fashion magazines couldn’t stay away. I’m sure it’s purely incidental that the marchers in Vogue’s video were chanting “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go.” (Y’all had a year to plan this, and you couldn’t come up with a better chant?)
Never mind that the co-chair of the Women’s March, Linda Sarsour, is a card-carrying Democratic Socialist, who joined the party officially last fall. She’s angry at the GOP, and that’s all that matters to the fawning press. In fact, that might make her even more appealing to the media.
More here
Glamour Magazine dedicated their Instagram stories to highlighting marchers and praising their outspokenness. Vogue produced a video on the New York City Women’s March as if the participants were gliding down a catwalk and not crowding the sidewalk. Elle Magazine praised “All the Best Celebrity Instagrams from the 2018 Women's March;” showing up with a witty sign is good PR for Hollywood stars.
The March for Life got no such treatment. I guess those dreadful pink pussy hats are just so stylish that the fashion magazines couldn’t stay away. I’m sure it’s purely incidental that the marchers in Vogue’s video were chanting “Hey hey, ho ho, Donald Trump has got to go.” (Y’all had a year to plan this, and you couldn’t come up with a better chant?)
Never mind that the co-chair of the Women’s March, Linda Sarsour, is a card-carrying Democratic Socialist, who joined the party officially last fall. She’s angry at the GOP, and that’s all that matters to the fawning press. In fact, that might make her even more appealing to the media.
More here
Flu Season Continues to Worsen
The number of people sick with the flu is continuing to climb, and transmission is now the most intense it has been since the 2009 pandemic, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials said Monday.
The federal agency continued to track and respond to the epidemic despite the government shutdown. Its flu laboratories were working Monday, and “we are continuing to look at data we have received from states so that public-health officials can know about their community and influenza,” CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald said in an interview.
CDC officials said earlier this month that they had hoped flu cases were peaking. But the percentage of outpatient visits for flu-like illnesses climbed in the week ending Jan. 13, according to the agency’s weekly update, released Friday. The level surpassed every season except 2009-2010, when a new strain of flu to which no one had immunity swept around the world.
The influenza virus behind most infections this year, called H3N2, is notorious for causing bad flu seasons, and the flu is widespread in every state in the continental U.S. The District of Columbia is an exception. H3N2 usually hits the very young and elderly hard; this season, many people between the ages of 50 and 65 are also sick, for reasons that aren’t clear. “People in that age range should be very careful to protect themselves from being exposed,” Dr. Fitzgerald said.
More here
The federal agency continued to track and respond to the epidemic despite the government shutdown. Its flu laboratories were working Monday, and “we are continuing to look at data we have received from states so that public-health officials can know about their community and influenza,” CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald said in an interview.
CDC officials said earlier this month that they had hoped flu cases were peaking. But the percentage of outpatient visits for flu-like illnesses climbed in the week ending Jan. 13, according to the agency’s weekly update, released Friday. The level surpassed every season except 2009-2010, when a new strain of flu to which no one had immunity swept around the world.
The influenza virus behind most infections this year, called H3N2, is notorious for causing bad flu seasons, and the flu is widespread in every state in the continental U.S. The District of Columbia is an exception. H3N2 usually hits the very young and elderly hard; this season, many people between the ages of 50 and 65 are also sick, for reasons that aren’t clear. “People in that age range should be very careful to protect themselves from being exposed,” Dr. Fitzgerald said.
More here
Trump Immigration Policy Scores Among Hispanics, Blacks
A new poll shows the GOP is more trusted than Democrats to handle the hot-button immigration issue — and large percentages of Hispanic and African-American voters are backing President Donald Trump’s “Buy American, Hire American” immigration policy.
The respondents were asked” “Who do you trust more to handle the following issue?” The answer for immigration was 40 percent for Democrats, 41 percent for the GOP and a huge 20 percent for “Don’t know” or “No answer.” That is a large percentage of non-answers, and likely hides a block of pro-Trump supporters who fear to respond truthfully.
More here
The respondents were asked” “Who do you trust more to handle the following issue?” The answer for immigration was 40 percent for Democrats, 41 percent for the GOP and a huge 20 percent for “Don’t know” or “No answer.” That is a large percentage of non-answers, and likely hides a block of pro-Trump supporters who fear to respond truthfully.
More here
As FBI Director Mueller Helped Cover Up Fla. 9/11 Probe, Court Docs Show
Court documents recently filed by the government further rock the credibility of Russia Special Counsel Robert Mueller because they show that as FBI Director Mueller he worked to cover up the connection between a Florida Saudi family and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The documents reveal that Mueller was likely involved in publicly releasing deceptive official agency statements about a secret investigation of the Saudis, who lived in Sarasota, with ties to the hijackers. A Florida journalism nonprofit uncovered the existence of the secret FBI investigation that was also kept from Congress.
Under Mueller’s leadership, the FBI tried to discredit the story, publicly countering that agents found no connection between the Sarasota Saudi family and the 2001 terrorist plot. The reality is that the FBI’s own files contained several reports that said the opposite, according to the Ft. Lauderdale-based news group’s ongoing investigation. Files obtained by reporters in the course of their lengthy probe reveal that federal agents found “many connections” between the family and “individuals associated with the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001.” The FBI was forced to release the once-secret reports because the news group sued in federal court when the information wasn’t provided under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
The disingenuous statements were issued by FBI officials in Miami and Tampa in a desperate effort to disparage a 2011 story exposing the agency’s covert investigation of the Sarasota Saudis as well as reporting that it had been concealed from Congress. Mueller is referenced in a document index that was ordered by a federal judge to be created in late November 2017. The south Florida judge, William J. Zloch, a Ronald Reagan appointee, asked the FBI to explain where it had discovered dozens of pages of documents in the public-records case filed six years ago. The index reference to then-FBI Director Mueller appears in an item involving an agency white paper written a week after the publication of a news story about the abrupt departure of Saudis Abdulaziz and Anoud al-Hijji from their Sarasota area home about two weeks before 9/11. The couple left behind their cars, clothes, furniture, jewelry and other personal items. “It was created to brief the FBI Director concerning the FBI’s investigation of 4224 Escondito Circle,” the al-Hijjis’ address, the index says.
Though the recently filed court documents reveal Mueller received a briefing about the Sarasota Saudi investigation, the FBI continued to publicly deny it existed and it appears that the lies were approved by Mueller.
Under Mueller’s leadership, the FBI tried to discredit the story, publicly countering that agents found no connection between the Sarasota Saudi family and the 2001 terrorist plot. The reality is that the FBI’s own files contained several reports that said the opposite, according to the Ft. Lauderdale-based news group’s ongoing investigation. Files obtained by reporters in the course of their lengthy probe reveal that federal agents found “many connections” between the family and “individuals associated with the terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001.” The FBI was forced to release the once-secret reports because the news group sued in federal court when the information wasn’t provided under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
The disingenuous statements were issued by FBI officials in Miami and Tampa in a desperate effort to disparage a 2011 story exposing the agency’s covert investigation of the Sarasota Saudis as well as reporting that it had been concealed from Congress. Mueller is referenced in a document index that was ordered by a federal judge to be created in late November 2017. The south Florida judge, William J. Zloch, a Ronald Reagan appointee, asked the FBI to explain where it had discovered dozens of pages of documents in the public-records case filed six years ago. The index reference to then-FBI Director Mueller appears in an item involving an agency white paper written a week after the publication of a news story about the abrupt departure of Saudis Abdulaziz and Anoud al-Hijji from their Sarasota area home about two weeks before 9/11. The couple left behind their cars, clothes, furniture, jewelry and other personal items. “It was created to brief the FBI Director concerning the FBI’s investigation of 4224 Escondito Circle,” the al-Hijjis’ address, the index says.
Though the recently filed court documents reveal Mueller received a briefing about the Sarasota Saudi investigation, the FBI continued to publicly deny it existed and it appears that the lies were approved by Mueller.
The Deep State 'Secret Society'
Adding yet another chapter to the deep state corruption narrative, more news has come out regarding the FBI’s handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation courtesy of text messages from those two FBI love-birds, agent Peter Strzok and lawyer Lisa Page. Since the discovery of the text messages between these two, both of whom worked on the Clinton investigation and were later a part of Robert Mueller’s investigation into supposed collusion between Donald Trump and Russia, clear implications of deep state politicization and corruption have come to light.
This is what is known thus far.
Strzok and Page were both clearly politically biased. They were pro-Hillary and anti-Trump. That’s not a crime, but questions have been raised as to whether they acted within the FBI in support of Clinton and against Trump. Investigators who have been combing over 50,000 text messages sent between the two have unearthed some interesting and rather troubling revelations, including references to a “secret society” presumably within the FBI that plotted against Trump. Rep. John Radcliffe (R-TX) states, “We learned today about information that in the immediate aftermath of [Trump’s] election, there may have been a ‘secret society’ of folks within the Department of Justice and the FBI, to include Page and Strzok, working against him. I’m not saying that actually happened, but when folks speak in those terms, they need to come forward to explain the context.”
Strzok and Page’s texts also indicate that the decision to exonerate Clinton was determined well before the investigation was concluded and that Barack Obama’s Attorney General Loretta Lynch was privy to the outcome.
More here
This is what is known thus far.
Strzok and Page were both clearly politically biased. They were pro-Hillary and anti-Trump. That’s not a crime, but questions have been raised as to whether they acted within the FBI in support of Clinton and against Trump. Investigators who have been combing over 50,000 text messages sent between the two have unearthed some interesting and rather troubling revelations, including references to a “secret society” presumably within the FBI that plotted against Trump. Rep. John Radcliffe (R-TX) states, “We learned today about information that in the immediate aftermath of [Trump’s] election, there may have been a ‘secret society’ of folks within the Department of Justice and the FBI, to include Page and Strzok, working against him. I’m not saying that actually happened, but when folks speak in those terms, they need to come forward to explain the context.”
Strzok and Page’s texts also indicate that the decision to exonerate Clinton was determined well before the investigation was concluded and that Barack Obama’s Attorney General Loretta Lynch was privy to the outcome.
More here
Watch Your Language
Language is critically important when it comes to understanding other people. It’s one of the things that separates man from beast. But perhaps ever since the Tower of Babel, we humans are destined to misunderstand each other. Unfortunately, sometimes, that misunderstanding is due to people deliberately reshaping language for political ends. Time and space won’t permit a comprehensive list, but here are a few prominent examples.
Much of the current debate in Washington revolves around immigration, where there’s no shortage of manipulated and deceitful terminology. The technical and legal term “illegal alien” has been not just discarded but rejected with prejudice by leftist open-borders advocates, who for years now have referred to illegals as “undocumented.” Sometimes for good measure they add “workers,” so we don’t think these folks are taking from the system. News flash: they are.
“Dreamer” is another one. Granted, that’s actually derived from an unpassed bill called the DREAM Act (an acronym for Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act), but that title too was a clever spin on the language to make amnesty for certain illegals sound as appealing as possible. Who could possibly oppose “dreamers”? Hence the word play.
In days past, “racism” meant prejudice against another race. Now it’s a catch-all term for conservative policies on taxes, “welfare” (another distorted word), immigration, etc. Leftists don’t argue policy merits, they shout “racism” and spike the football, thinking they’ve won the argument.
The homosexual agenda, too, is rife with redefinitions...
More
Much of the current debate in Washington revolves around immigration, where there’s no shortage of manipulated and deceitful terminology. The technical and legal term “illegal alien” has been not just discarded but rejected with prejudice by leftist open-borders advocates, who for years now have referred to illegals as “undocumented.” Sometimes for good measure they add “workers,” so we don’t think these folks are taking from the system. News flash: they are.
“Dreamer” is another one. Granted, that’s actually derived from an unpassed bill called the DREAM Act (an acronym for Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act), but that title too was a clever spin on the language to make amnesty for certain illegals sound as appealing as possible. Who could possibly oppose “dreamers”? Hence the word play.
In days past, “racism” meant prejudice against another race. Now it’s a catch-all term for conservative policies on taxes, “welfare” (another distorted word), immigration, etc. Leftists don’t argue policy merits, they shout “racism” and spike the football, thinking they’ve won the argument.
The homosexual agenda, too, is rife with redefinitions...
More
‘Dreamers’ Storm Schumer’s New York City Home, Demand Amnesty ‘Now’
Dozens of illegal aliens surrounded Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) home in New York on Tuesday demanding that Congress pass legislation immediately to give millions of people in the United States illegally amnesty and a pathway to citizenship.
“We want a Clean Dream Act,” the crowd chanted.
“When do we want it?” they chanted.
“Now!” they chanted.
The crowd chanted in Spanish and English to Schumer; “If he won’t let us dream, we won’t let him sleep.”
The group that organized the protests in New York and on Capitol Hill, United We Dream, is funded by a slew of social justice and open borders organizations, including George Soros’s Open Society Foundation.
More here
“We want a Clean Dream Act,” the crowd chanted.
“When do we want it?” they chanted.
“Now!” they chanted.
The crowd chanted in Spanish and English to Schumer; “If he won’t let us dream, we won’t let him sleep.”
The group that organized the protests in New York and on Capitol Hill, United We Dream, is funded by a slew of social justice and open borders organizations, including George Soros’s Open Society Foundation.
More here
Breaking News: President Trump said he's willing to speak under oath to Robert Mueller, the Russia inquiry's special counsel: "I'm looking forward to it"
White House fires back at Schumer's 'phony' and 'bogus' negotiations
The White House is firing back at Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer for offering, then rescinding, a “phony” and “bogus” deal to support border wall funding in return for an immigration package that protects illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children.
“He comes over here with a phony plan and a fake promise,” White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said Tuesday on Fox News’ “Outnumbered Overtime.”
A Schumer aide confirmed to Fox News on Tuesday that the leader withdrew his offer of a boost in funding for the president’s proposed border wall. It was initially made during negotiations over the government spending bill with the president last Friday, the aide said.
Schumer’s office says he 'pulled the wall offer' on Sunday.
But Gidley said they didn’t take the offer seriously, saying the Democrat offered less than one-tenth of what was needed to secure the border in his “bogus negotiation.” The administration wants $18 billion dollars for a border wall.
“You can't rescind money you never really offered in the first place,” he said.
More
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/01/23/white-house-fires-back-at-schumers-phony-and-bogus-negotiations-after-wall-funding-offer-withdrawn.html
“He comes over here with a phony plan and a fake promise,” White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said Tuesday on Fox News’ “Outnumbered Overtime.”
A Schumer aide confirmed to Fox News on Tuesday that the leader withdrew his offer of a boost in funding for the president’s proposed border wall. It was initially made during negotiations over the government spending bill with the president last Friday, the aide said.
Schumer’s office says he 'pulled the wall offer' on Sunday.
But Gidley said they didn’t take the offer seriously, saying the Democrat offered less than one-tenth of what was needed to secure the border in his “bogus negotiation.” The administration wants $18 billion dollars for a border wall.
“You can't rescind money you never really offered in the first place,” he said.
More
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/01/23/white-house-fires-back-at-schumers-phony-and-bogus-negotiations-after-wall-funding-offer-withdrawn.html
Save the Children offices in Afghanistan hit by attack
Attackers have detonated explosives before storming the offices of the Save the Children charity in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad.
At least two people have been killed and 12 injured, officials say. It is believed about 50 staff were in the building at the time.
At least three gunmen are involved in the attack, reports say, with fighting continuing on the upper floor.
No group has yet said it was behind the attack.
What's the latest?
The attack started at about 09:10 local time (04:40 GMT) on Wednesday when a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle explosive at the entrance to the Save the Children compound, Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province, told the BBC.
An eyewitness who was inside the compound at the time told AFP news agency that he saw a gunman hitting the main gate with a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG).
More
At least two people have been killed and 12 injured, officials say. It is believed about 50 staff were in the building at the time.
At least three gunmen are involved in the attack, reports say, with fighting continuing on the upper floor.
No group has yet said it was behind the attack.
What's the latest?
The attack started at about 09:10 local time (04:40 GMT) on Wednesday when a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle explosive at the entrance to the Save the Children compound, Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province, told the BBC.
An eyewitness who was inside the compound at the time told AFP news agency that he saw a gunman hitting the main gate with a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG).
More
Police: Baltimore Drug Dealer Linked To 'Several' Md. Overdoses, 23, Arrested
Authorities say the Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant on Peoples’ car and residences in December. He was arrested December 7 after the search of his vehicle uncovered 70 grams of suspected heroin, and the search of a West Lexington Street residence uncovered paraphernalia, 900 grams of heroin with a street value of $110,000 and $405,000 in currency.
More/Video
Chelsea Manning could face another court-martial for running for Congress — here’s why
Chelsea Manning officially announced a Senate campaign last week. Military lawyers say the decision has made Manning vulnerable to new prosecution.
What’s going on?
In the days after Manning announced her candidacy, many questioned whether she fulfilled the constitutional requirements to become a senator, given that she has multiple felony convictions.
Manning silenced critics on Thursday when she obtained her certificate of candidacyfrom the Maryland State Board of Elections.
However, Manning’s decision has made her susceptible to future prosecution, military law experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation. That’s because Manning is still considered an active-duty military member — who is non-paid and on excess-leave while she appeals her convictions — and active-duty military are prohibited from participating in partisan political activities, such as running for Congress as a Democrat.
More
What’s going on?
In the days after Manning announced her candidacy, many questioned whether she fulfilled the constitutional requirements to become a senator, given that she has multiple felony convictions.
Manning silenced critics on Thursday when she obtained her certificate of candidacyfrom the Maryland State Board of Elections.
However, Manning’s decision has made her susceptible to future prosecution, military law experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation. That’s because Manning is still considered an active-duty military member — who is non-paid and on excess-leave while she appeals her convictions — and active-duty military are prohibited from participating in partisan political activities, such as running for Congress as a Democrat.
More
Glenn: Here’s what we know about Uranium One, Hillary Clinton, and Russia
The Department of Justice has issued an 11-count indictment against the former co-president of a nuclear fuel transportation company in an alleged bribery scheme connected with Uranium One. Of course, that’s just the latest development in the convoluted mess now known as the ‘Uranium One scandal’ which involves former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Obama administration, and Russia.
Catch me up
During the Obama administration, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) voted to appropriate the sale of Uranium One to Russia’s government-run nuclear company, Rosatom. As it happens, then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton served on CFIUS at the time the committee unanimously voted to approve the Uranium One sale, a deal that would hand 20 percent of America’s uranium supply over to Russia. Uranium One investors donated $ millions to the Clinton Foundation over the same time-period.
Uranium One 101
Glenn launched a new, week long chalkboard series today to take an in-depth look into the controversial Uranium One deal and it’s alleged connections with Hillary Clinton, Putin and Russia.
“A uranium pellet the size of a pencil eraser produces the same amount of energy as 149 gallons of oil, or 1780 pounds of coal … that’s pretty valuable stuff,” said Glenn. “It is huge business. In 2016, the US power companies … bought 51 million pounds … selling at a price of $42 per pound. Do the math … it’s $2.1 billion. So that sets the stage. Uranium: vital national resource for both weapons and energy.”
More
Catch me up
During the Obama administration, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) voted to appropriate the sale of Uranium One to Russia’s government-run nuclear company, Rosatom. As it happens, then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton served on CFIUS at the time the committee unanimously voted to approve the Uranium One sale, a deal that would hand 20 percent of America’s uranium supply over to Russia. Uranium One investors donated $ millions to the Clinton Foundation over the same time-period.
Uranium One 101
Glenn launched a new, week long chalkboard series today to take an in-depth look into the controversial Uranium One deal and it’s alleged connections with Hillary Clinton, Putin and Russia.
“A uranium pellet the size of a pencil eraser produces the same amount of energy as 149 gallons of oil, or 1780 pounds of coal … that’s pretty valuable stuff,” said Glenn. “It is huge business. In 2016, the US power companies … bought 51 million pounds … selling at a price of $42 per pound. Do the math … it’s $2.1 billion. So that sets the stage. Uranium: vital national resource for both weapons and energy.”
More
Left-winger Rob Reiner’s theory on shutdown: ‘GOP frightened to death of the browning of America’
“They will lose this last big battle of the Civil War,” the filmmaker added in his Sunday tweet. “Diversity is our strength.”
By Monday, Senate Democrats agreed to a deal with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to end the shutdown in exchange for a vote on immigration — and 81 senators approved a temporary spending bill that reopened the government through Feb. 8.
#MeToo Movement Has Lawmakers Talking About Consent
Fueled by accusations against titans of Hollywood, industry and politics, the #MeToo movement will prompt state lawmakers across the country this year to consider bills that could fundamentally change the culture of dating and sex.
States are expected to grapple with legislation to establish affirmative consent — known as “yes means yes” — and rewrite rape and sexual assault laws. Legislatures already are considering more than two dozen bills that would strengthen laws against rape, teach students that both participants must consent to sexual activity, and extend the time to prosecute or sue those accused of sexual assault. They also will weigh measures to clarify sexual assault survivors’ rights, improve rape kit testing, and change the rules for sexual harassment settlements.
State lawmakers have debated such bills in the past. But this year a slew of accusations of sexual assault, misconduct and harassment — along with accounts such as the anonymous accusation against comedian Aziz Ansari — have given legislators greater momentum in pursuing policies that do more to crack down on abusers and support survivors. The bills have been introduced primarily by Democrats, but many have Republican co-sponsors.
“I’m hoping we are just reaching a time where people realize this is not a fad,” said Maine state Sen. Mattie Daughtry, a Democrat who introduced a bill this year to teach consent as part of sex education. “There is a wave. This is women stepping up for change, and this cannot be put on the back burner.”
More
States are expected to grapple with legislation to establish affirmative consent — known as “yes means yes” — and rewrite rape and sexual assault laws. Legislatures already are considering more than two dozen bills that would strengthen laws against rape, teach students that both participants must consent to sexual activity, and extend the time to prosecute or sue those accused of sexual assault. They also will weigh measures to clarify sexual assault survivors’ rights, improve rape kit testing, and change the rules for sexual harassment settlements.
State lawmakers have debated such bills in the past. But this year a slew of accusations of sexual assault, misconduct and harassment — along with accounts such as the anonymous accusation against comedian Aziz Ansari — have given legislators greater momentum in pursuing policies that do more to crack down on abusers and support survivors. The bills have been introduced primarily by Democrats, but many have Republican co-sponsors.
“I’m hoping we are just reaching a time where people realize this is not a fad,” said Maine state Sen. Mattie Daughtry, a Democrat who introduced a bill this year to teach consent as part of sex education. “There is a wave. This is women stepping up for change, and this cannot be put on the back burner.”
More
What Happens When Suburban Police Departments Don't Have Enough Money?
In suburbs just outside the city of Chicago, some police officers are paid fast-food wages; they work part-time patrolling high crime areas, just so they can use their badge to get better paying security jobs.
Many police chiefs say the low-wages and part-time positions are consequences of inadequate funding. That means departments can't pay for ongoing training, can't afford to fire problem officers and don't have the capacity to investigate police shootings.
Experts say it's created a system where there's often no accountability for bad actions, and no real effort to learn from policing mistakes.
Lack of resources leads to lack of accountability
Two years ago, Robert Collins took over as police chief in the Chicago suburb of Dolton — population 22,000.
"When I first came aboard, one of my first things to do was to look at the history of the department," he says. "And I did notice that there were quite a few officer-involved shootings."
Dolton has had nine police shootings since 2005 — tied for the most in suburban Cook County.
"To be honest with you, I don't know how we would explain it to people," Collins says.
More
Many police chiefs say the low-wages and part-time positions are consequences of inadequate funding. That means departments can't pay for ongoing training, can't afford to fire problem officers and don't have the capacity to investigate police shootings.
Experts say it's created a system where there's often no accountability for bad actions, and no real effort to learn from policing mistakes.
Lack of resources leads to lack of accountability
Two years ago, Robert Collins took over as police chief in the Chicago suburb of Dolton — population 22,000.
"When I first came aboard, one of my first things to do was to look at the history of the department," he says. "And I did notice that there were quite a few officer-involved shootings."
Dolton has had nine police shootings since 2005 — tied for the most in suburban Cook County.
"To be honest with you, I don't know how we would explain it to people," Collins says.
More
Bill Cosby Makes Surprise Stand-Up Appearance Ahead Of Retrial
Taking the stage at the LaRose Jazz Club in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood to a mostly African-American crowd of about 50 people, Cosby wore a grey hoodie with the words "hello friend" written in colorful letters. The freewheeling performance had him scat-singing with upright bass accompaniment. He played the drums in a jam session with the jazz band. And he did storytelling while sitting on a wooden stool and wearing a headset microphone.
More
Mystery Solved
CRIMINAL DEFENSE & DWI LAWYER RICHARD BRUECKNER
Ocean City, Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney:
When you are facing a complex legal issue, it is imperative to have an experienced attorney on your side who knows the justice system, the laws surrounding your issues, and is committed to taking swift action to protect you. Whether you need assistance with a criminal legal issue, estate planning or the Justice Reinvestment Act, the right lawyer is an advocate for you from day one.
You deserve an attorney who will provide you with a personalized focus and answer your questions surrounding your legal issue. You deserve to be kept informed about the status of your case as it unfolds and you will need to rely on your attorney’s experience and individual perception of your unique situation to move forward.
Publishers Notes: Mr. Brueckner just contacted me to let me know that while he served the public for almost 10 years, he and his Wife made a Family decision to finally go into private practice in criminal defense, estate planning, DWI cases and such. His office will be in Ocean City but he'll be serving the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
As for the nol pros cases, I've been informed when a states attorney resigns their position cases are normally no prose and re filed under the new attorney.
Budweiser drops to 4th most Popular Beer in US
Bud Light knocked Budweiser to second place in 2001. Both beers are made by Anheuser-Busch InBev, which has its U.S. headquarters in St. Louis. Last year, A-B featured St. Louis in its Super Bowl ad, touting Budweiser’s local roots that date back to 1876.
Budweiser has grown its international sales but its U.S. sales have been declining for decades.
Anheuser-Busch’s flagship Budweiser beer now sells less than a third as much as it did in 1988, when the market was less crowded, according to Eric Shepard, the executive editor of Beer Marketer’s Insights, a trade publication focused on beer industry statistics and trends.
In response to the lower ranking, Budweiser vice president Ricardo Marques noted Budweiser’s leading position in the lager category. “Budweiser remains the leader of the classic lager segment — and continues to see consistent improvements in brand health and consideration, with consideration being the number one indicator of future sales,” Marques said in a statement to the Post-Dispatch. “Budweiser is in a strong position for the future, and we are very confident in our current plans and the year ahead of us.”
More
Budweiser has grown its international sales but its U.S. sales have been declining for decades.
Anheuser-Busch’s flagship Budweiser beer now sells less than a third as much as it did in 1988, when the market was less crowded, according to Eric Shepard, the executive editor of Beer Marketer’s Insights, a trade publication focused on beer industry statistics and trends.
In response to the lower ranking, Budweiser vice president Ricardo Marques noted Budweiser’s leading position in the lager category. “Budweiser remains the leader of the classic lager segment — and continues to see consistent improvements in brand health and consideration, with consideration being the number one indicator of future sales,” Marques said in a statement to the Post-Dispatch. “Budweiser is in a strong position for the future, and we are very confident in our current plans and the year ahead of us.”
More
Breaking News: Larry Nassar, the ex-U.S.A. Gymnastics doctor, was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison. Over 150 women testified that he sexually abused them.
William & Mary Is Honoring James Comey
Comey ’82 To Speak Feb. 9
The College announced Friday that James B. Comey ’82, the former deputy U.S. attorney general, will be the guest speaker for this year’s Charter Day ceremony Feb. 9 where he will also receive an honorary doctorate of law.
Also in attendance will be retired Supreme Court Justice and current Chancellor of the College Sandra Day O’Connor, as well as Harriet Mayor Fulbright, president of the J. William & Harriet Fulbright Center, and James C. Rees ’74, executive director of Mount Vernon, the plantation home of George Washington. Both Fulbright and Rees will also be awarded honorary degrees at the ceremony, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall.
Though the ceremony is almost a month away, Comey has some ideas for his speech.
“I’d like to talk about public service, and how William and Mary prepared me,” Comey said. Comey graduated as a double major in chemistry and religious studies, but during his time at the College, which he describes as “four of the most important years of [his] life,” he realized that he wanted to explore his interest in reading, writing and public service.
“I thought I wanted to be a doctor. I took biology, chemistry, all the hard things.” Comey said. While on his way to one such class, he stumbled upon an opportunity to take a religion class titled Death.
“I took it, and it was taught by this amazing ethicist who recently retired. So I took another class, another class and another, until I had enough for a major,” Comey said. “What I liked most about religion is that it offered classes in ethics — ethics in warfare, religion, ecology. It taught me about ethical decisions, and how to make hard decisions in life.”
Comey applied this education to his career, and following a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School, he became a federal prosecutor, serving as a U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He also served as Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Richmond Division of the U.S. Attorney’s office. Currently, he is the senior vice president and general counsel of the Lockheed Martin Corporation, where he acts as legal counsel for the corporation’s Board of Directors.
Comey hopes to apply the lessons he learned at the College to his speech Feb. 9. “Not to sound sappy, but [the College] had a huge impact on my life. Anybody’s college education is a huge part of who they are.”
More
The College announced Friday that James B. Comey ’82, the former deputy U.S. attorney general, will be the guest speaker for this year’s Charter Day ceremony Feb. 9 where he will also receive an honorary doctorate of law.
Also in attendance will be retired Supreme Court Justice and current Chancellor of the College Sandra Day O’Connor, as well as Harriet Mayor Fulbright, president of the J. William & Harriet Fulbright Center, and James C. Rees ’74, executive director of Mount Vernon, the plantation home of George Washington. Both Fulbright and Rees will also be awarded honorary degrees at the ceremony, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall.
Though the ceremony is almost a month away, Comey has some ideas for his speech.
“I’d like to talk about public service, and how William and Mary prepared me,” Comey said. Comey graduated as a double major in chemistry and religious studies, but during his time at the College, which he describes as “four of the most important years of [his] life,” he realized that he wanted to explore his interest in reading, writing and public service.
“I thought I wanted to be a doctor. I took biology, chemistry, all the hard things.” Comey said. While on his way to one such class, he stumbled upon an opportunity to take a religion class titled Death.
“I took it, and it was taught by this amazing ethicist who recently retired. So I took another class, another class and another, until I had enough for a major,” Comey said. “What I liked most about religion is that it offered classes in ethics — ethics in warfare, religion, ecology. It taught me about ethical decisions, and how to make hard decisions in life.”
Comey applied this education to his career, and following a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School, he became a federal prosecutor, serving as a U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He also served as Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Richmond Division of the U.S. Attorney’s office. Currently, he is the senior vice president and general counsel of the Lockheed Martin Corporation, where he acts as legal counsel for the corporation’s Board of Directors.
Comey hopes to apply the lessons he learned at the College to his speech Feb. 9. “Not to sound sappy, but [the College] had a huge impact on my life. Anybody’s college education is a huge part of who they are.”
More
Portsmouth teacher of the year gets house arrest for Medicaid fraud
Casheba Cannon’s full-time job was as an elementary school teacher but she was also employed by Just by 5, Inc. (JB5), as a Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP).
The Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), which administers the Medicaid program in Virginia, reimburses JB5 for mental health support services.
Cannon received an hourly wage by JB5 for the hours she documented that she spent with her clients. But, according to court documents, Cannon was inflating that time, saying she was with clients when she was actually teaching. She was also accused of recording sessions that never occurred and documenting that she was meeting with two clients in different locations at the same time.
Between January and December 2013, DMAS paid JB5 more than $50,000 for services on behalf of Cannon’s clients.
Cannon pleaded guilty to the charges in May 2015.
More
Page and Strzok Referenced 'Secret Society' that Met Day After Election
There is serious talk on Capitol Hill about the appointment of a second special counsel amid several new bombshell revelations swirling around the Trump/Russia probe. First, there are the allegations of shocking and substantial government surveillance abuses under President Obama outlined in the FISA abuse memo. Secondly, the FBI lost five months of key text messagesbetween the anti-Trump/pro-Clinton FBI officials Peter Strzok and his mistress Lisa Page. And now there's talk of a "secret society" of officials within the FBI that apparently met the day after the election of Donald J. Trump to plot against the president-elect.
Top Republicans now believe there may be real grounds for a second special counsel, Fox News reported Monday evening.
More
The thousands of texts @TGowdySC and I reviewed today revealed manifest bias among top FBI officials against @realDonaldTrump. The texts between Strzok and Page referenced a "secret society."
More
A Viewer Writes: When free really isn't free
Vol 4 No 10. January 2018
Front page article - National Folk Festival coming to Salisbury in September, continued on page 6 - second column bottom paragraph - and I quote -
" It's not just about getting bands on stage, said Bottinelli (Lora Bottinelli, Executive Director of the Ward Museum), "we saw how the sites were mapped, tents raised and food trucks organized and HOW THE BUCKET BRIGADE WORKED"
"THE BUCKET BRIGADE IS A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO COLLECT DONATIONS IN A BUCKET TO OFFSET SOME OF THE COSTS OF THIS FREE EVENT."
This bucket begging was initiated when one community could not meet its financial obligations to put on the Folk Festival. I guess now it is a normal procedure when putting on a FREE festival. I have never, ever, gone to a free festival and then been asked to donate money to a person holding a bucket. I just can not believe this community could stoop so low as to badger attendees for money. What a turn off.
FBI Agents Discussed "Secret Society" Within DOJ And FBI Working To Undermine Trump
Congressional investigators learned from a new batch of text messages between anti-Trump FBI investigators that a "secret society of folks" within the Department of Justice and the FBI may have come together in the "immediate aftermath" of the 2016 election to undermine President Trump, according to Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) who has reviewed the texts.
The new texts were included in a 384-page DOJ document release to Congressional investigators last Friday - during which Congress was notified in the cover letter that that five months of text messages from December 14, 2016 to May 17, 2017 have gone missing (If only the NSA had copies).
Ratcliffe was joined by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) to discuss the latest developments with Fox News host Martha McCallum, when Ratcliffe said:
What we learned today in the thousands of text messages that we've reviewed that perhaps they may not have done that (checked their bias at the door). There's certainly a factual basis to question whether or not they acted on that bias. We know about this insurance policy that was referenced in trying to prevent Donald Trump from becoming president.
We learned today from information that in the immediate aftermath of his election that there may have been a secret society of folks within the Department of Justice and the FBI to include Page and Strzok to be working against him.
Watch:
The new texts were included in a 384-page DOJ document release to Congressional investigators last Friday - during which Congress was notified in the cover letter that that five months of text messages from December 14, 2016 to May 17, 2017 have gone missing (If only the NSA had copies).
Ratcliffe was joined by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) to discuss the latest developments with Fox News host Martha McCallum, when Ratcliffe said:
What we learned today in the thousands of text messages that we've reviewed that perhaps they may not have done that (checked their bias at the door). There's certainly a factual basis to question whether or not they acted on that bias. We know about this insurance policy that was referenced in trying to prevent Donald Trump from becoming president.
We learned today from information that in the immediate aftermath of his election that there may have been a secret society of folks within the Department of Justice and the FBI to include Page and Strzok to be working against him.
Watch:
We Ask Again, What Happened To Rick Bruekner At Wicomico States Attorneys Office?
Mum seems to be the word in Wicomico County.
Former Prosecutor: CNBC's 'Airport Bomb' Crew May Face Prison
The CNBC news crew that allegedly attempted to smuggle a fake bomb through security at Newark Liberty International Airport last week could go to prison for the misguided stunt, a top New Jersey criminal defense attorney says.
"Keep in mind, the prosecutor's office could have decided not to file charges," the lawyer, Remi Spencer, told NJ Advance Media.
"They chose to take the case, so they must believe they have evidence to support these charges … [The crew was] purposefully trying to incite widespread fear and hysteria and hoping to capture that on camera, assuming the state's allegations are true."
More
"Keep in mind, the prosecutor's office could have decided not to file charges," the lawyer, Remi Spencer, told NJ Advance Media.
"They chose to take the case, so they must believe they have evidence to support these charges … [The crew was] purposefully trying to incite widespread fear and hysteria and hoping to capture that on camera, assuming the state's allegations are true."
More
Disney Hands Out $125 Million in Employee Bonuses, Credits Trump Tax Cuts
The one-time $1,000 cash bonus will be distributed in two payments of $500, the first in March and the second in September. All U.S.-based Disney employees, either hourly or salaried, who have been with The Walt Disney Company since Jan. 1 of this year will be eligible. In accordance with federal law, the company said it will work separately with union representatives to determine possible distribution plans for union employees.
More
Does SBYNews Damage Our Democracy, NO
Our goal is to support the Conservative Party. However, I firmly stand behind who I feel is the best qualified person to represent our district and country. A prime example is my recent support, (for now) for Senator Jim Mathias.
So to those who want to come here and express your anger towards what I/We do, click the big red "X" on the top right hand corner of your screen, it's really that simple. I'm not out to please everyone. I'm not, (nor have I ever been) out to garnish more hits/traffic then anyone else. It just happened, period. Now you might understand why I am surprised we garnish what we do. It's important to also know, ANY Liberal can start their own local Blog and compete/counter what we say and do. They don't because I'm usually right.
All that being said, Democrats are not my enemy. Many of them are basically good-hearted people and are very sincere in what they believe. I simply disagree with a lot of their agenda. You see, I believe we created a Constitution, a Declaration of Independence, A Bill of Rights and many other pieces of legislation we as Americans stand by and believe in. It, (to me) is a kind of Master Plan for how we as Americans believe and ultimately act. The bastardization of rejecting, breaking and most importantly changing by the Liberal Party infuriates me. Sending children off to public schools where our children are being brainwashed with just how wrong AMERICA is any more puts me over the top.
It's a shame that the geniuses within our Founding Fathers are all rolling over in their graves. We as Americans are becoming way too soft. Most of you can't say that you are not ashamed of who we've become as a Country. Many of Americans now threaten to leave this Country if so and so is elected. What A Divide!
When someone, (a non politician) comes along and says we need to "Make America Great Again" the job really isn't as difficult as most might think. You see, all we need to do is go back to what our Founding Fathers created, eliminate many of the new laws, (since then) and STOP our elected officials from here on out from creating stupid and ignorant legislation that includes new fines and taxes while treating us like law breakers 24/7. Example, a $100.00 fine for not removing snow from our sidewalks within 24 hours all the way up to not having Health Insurance and beyond. If you want to challenge me by saying these aren't criminal acts, think again. If you challenge them in court, (which I have) it ends up on your record.
Salisbury News is here to challenge our elected officials. The ONLY damage our democracy is experiencing are those elected officials taking away our original foundation. We are not criminals. We are LEGAL Americans. We are TAXPAYERS and in the end we are VOTERS. Funny how it's not against the law to not VOTE. Go Figure! I support President Donald Trump with the hope he does "Make America Great Again".
Governor Larry Hogan Announces the Completion of State Center Study
Governor Reaffirms Commitment to State Center Redevelopment, Study Concludes Strong Potential for Retail, Housing, Grocery Store, Schools, and Office Space
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today announced the completion of the Baltimore State Center Site Alternative Land Use Study conducted by the Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA). State Center is a government complex in Midtown Baltimore that has been set for redevelopment for more than a decade. Since taking office, the governor has aggressively advocated and pushed for progress on this long-delayed project. The former developers of this project, who have since legally forfeited any right to develop this site, have continued to pursue excessive financial demands, totaling more than $100 million, for their failed development concept.
“Since day one, our administration has been committed to the development of State Center,” said Governor Hogan. “Unfortunately, our repeated efforts to get this project off of the ground have been delayed by a group of developers who have sought to force the state to pay outrageous sums for leases that weren’t executed and who have failed in their commitments to the state, and more importantly, the citizens of Baltimore City. We remain fully committed to working with Mayor Pugh and community stakeholders to bring the full potential of this project to fruition.”
As was detailed at a meeting of the Board of Public Works (BPW) in December 2016, the state’s longtime real estate consultant advised that the proposed State Center development leases would be characterized as capital leases, which the BPW could not legally approve without prior authorization from the legislature. As capital leases, they would have counted towards the state’s debt affordability, very likely breaching the debt ceiling and jeopardizing Maryland's coveted AAA bond rating. The legislature’s budget committees have raised these same concerns over the past several years.
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today announced the completion of the Baltimore State Center Site Alternative Land Use Study conducted by the Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA). State Center is a government complex in Midtown Baltimore that has been set for redevelopment for more than a decade. Since taking office, the governor has aggressively advocated and pushed for progress on this long-delayed project. The former developers of this project, who have since legally forfeited any right to develop this site, have continued to pursue excessive financial demands, totaling more than $100 million, for their failed development concept.
“Since day one, our administration has been committed to the development of State Center,” said Governor Hogan. “Unfortunately, our repeated efforts to get this project off of the ground have been delayed by a group of developers who have sought to force the state to pay outrageous sums for leases that weren’t executed and who have failed in their commitments to the state, and more importantly, the citizens of Baltimore City. We remain fully committed to working with Mayor Pugh and community stakeholders to bring the full potential of this project to fruition.”
As was detailed at a meeting of the Board of Public Works (BPW) in December 2016, the state’s longtime real estate consultant advised that the proposed State Center development leases would be characterized as capital leases, which the BPW could not legally approve without prior authorization from the legislature. As capital leases, they would have counted towards the state’s debt affordability, very likely breaching the debt ceiling and jeopardizing Maryland's coveted AAA bond rating. The legislature’s budget committees have raised these same concerns over the past several years.
A Study of America’s Violent Past and Projections for Our Future
A recent Gallup poll determined that the level of concern about crime and violence is at its highest point in 15 years, with 53% of American adults reporting that they worry “a great deal” about their safety and their family’s safety.
But why are Americans so afraid? Is it the news that has reported 345 mass shooting incidents (in which 4 or more people were killed or wounded) in 2017 alone? Is it violent movies and video games? Maybe the reason Americans have a heightened fear of being harmed is because 1 in 3 households have a gun, and almost half of Americans know someone who has been shot.
No matter the catalyst for worry, one thing is certain: Americans are looking for information about their risk of harm, and solutions for how they can protect themselves and their loved ones. That’s why safety app developer SOS Apps, Inc., completed a comprehensive study on violent crimes, hate crimes, mass shootings, terrorist attacks, and riots from 1995 to 2016 (the last year for which complete FBI data are available)—to determine trends nationally and by state to see where violence in America is headed.
But why are Americans so afraid? Is it the news that has reported 345 mass shooting incidents (in which 4 or more people were killed or wounded) in 2017 alone? Is it violent movies and video games? Maybe the reason Americans have a heightened fear of being harmed is because 1 in 3 households have a gun, and almost half of Americans know someone who has been shot.
No matter the catalyst for worry, one thing is certain: Americans are looking for information about their risk of harm, and solutions for how they can protect themselves and their loved ones. That’s why safety app developer SOS Apps, Inc., completed a comprehensive study on violent crimes, hate crimes, mass shootings, terrorist attacks, and riots from 1995 to 2016 (the last year for which complete FBI data are available)—to determine trends nationally and by state to see where violence in America is headed.
GO HERE to read more and view interactive map for Maryland.
Man gets life for murder of teen returning Redbox movie
A Texas man was sentenced to life in prison forkilling a young woman he kidnapped while she was returning a Redbox movie.
Antonio Cochran, 36, was sentenced Monday for the 2015 murder of 18-year-old Zoe Hastings, who was abducted from a Walgreens parking lot in Lake Highlands, according to the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.
Hastings stopped at the pharmacy to return a movie when Cochran got into her minivan and kidnapped her, prosecutors said.
Cochran allegedly sexually assaulted the young woman before stabbing her to death.
Hastings was found dead with her throat slashed the next morning near a local creek bed, according to officials.
More
Antonio Cochran, 36, was sentenced Monday for the 2015 murder of 18-year-old Zoe Hastings, who was abducted from a Walgreens parking lot in Lake Highlands, according to the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.
Hastings stopped at the pharmacy to return a movie when Cochran got into her minivan and kidnapped her, prosecutors said.
Cochran allegedly sexually assaulted the young woman before stabbing her to death.
Hastings was found dead with her throat slashed the next morning near a local creek bed, according to officials.
More
Suspect acquitted in shooting of homeless man as Norfolk prosecutors lose another murder trial
Terrence “Chill” Booth escaped a second murder conviction Monday when jurors acquitted him of shooting a homeless man in the head while he slept.
It’s the third murder trial Norfolk prosecutors have lost in the past two months. Six of the past seven murder cases they’ve taken to trial have ended in acquittal.
Prosecutors accused Booth, 41, of executing Addison “Hollywood” Shearin in July 2016 while the 46-year-old homeless man slept under a gazebo in Lafayette Park.
“He is a cold-blooded killer,” prosecutor Cindy Collard told jurors.
More
It’s the third murder trial Norfolk prosecutors have lost in the past two months. Six of the past seven murder cases they’ve taken to trial have ended in acquittal.
Prosecutors accused Booth, 41, of executing Addison “Hollywood” Shearin in July 2016 while the 46-year-old homeless man slept under a gazebo in Lafayette Park.
“He is a cold-blooded killer,” prosecutor Cindy Collard told jurors.
More
SPD Crime Reports 1-15-18 thru 1-22-18
Numbers From Last week
17 Violent Crimes
26 Property Crimes
3 Quality of Life Crimes
3 Other Crimes
SPD Crime Reports 1-15-18 thru 1-22-18
Violent Crimes (16)
Robbery
600 Block FITZWATER ST
00347-ROBBERY: STNGARM, MISC
Jan 22, 2018
around 8 PM
Assault
100 Block TRUITT ST
00450-ASSAULT: SIMPLE, NOT AGG
Jan 22, 2018
around 7 PM
Assault
400 Block MOSS HILL LN
00450-ASSAULT: SIMPLE, NOT AGG
Jan 22, 2018
around 11 AM
Assault
200 Block NEWTON ST
00440-ASSAULT: HANDS, INJURY
Jan 22, 2018
around 9 AM
Robbery
1100 Block MT HERMON RD
00316-ROBBERY: FIREARM, BANK
Jan 22, 2018
around 7 AM
Assault
800 Block S SALISBURY BLVD
00440-ASSAULT: HANDS, INJURY
Jan 21, 2018
around 4 PM
Assault
100 Block W MARKET ST
00450-ASSAULT: SIMPLE, NOT AGG
Jan 21, 2018
around 2 AM
Assault
2600 Block N SALISBURY BLVD
00450-ASSAULT: SIMPLE, NOT AGG
Jan 20, 2018
around 10 AM
Robbery
EASTERN SHORE DR & S DIVISION ST
00347-ROBBERY: STNGARM, MISC
Jan 20, 2018
around 10 AM
Assault
100 Block POPLAR HILL AV
00450-ASSAULT: SIMPLE, NOT AGG
Jan 20, 2018
around 9 AM
Assault
300 Block S SALISBURY BLVD
00450-ASSAULT: SIMPLE, NOT AGG
Jan 20, 2018
around 7 AM
Assault with Deadly Weapon
500 Block S SALISBURY BLVD
00410-ASSAULT: FIREARM
Jan 19, 2018
around 8 PM
Assault with Deadly Weapon
100 Block NAYLOR ST
00420-ASSAULT: KNIFE
Jan 18, 2018
around 11 AM
Assault
100 Block TIMES SQ
00450-ASSAULT: SIMPLE, NOT AGG
Jan 17, 2018
around 1 AM
Robbery
200 Block HOLLAND AV
00347-ROBBERY: STNGARM, MISC
Jan 16, 2018
around 10 PM
Assault
600 Block N DIVISION ST
00450-ASSAULT: SIMPLE, NOT AGG
Jan 15, 2018
around 4 PM
**********
Property Crimes (38)
South Carolina pushes for cell phone jamming technology in prisons
Former corrections officer Robert Johnson was shot six times in the chest and stomach in his Sumter, S.C. home after an incarcerated Crips gang member used a contraband cell phone to order a hit on his life.
“He probably would’ve killed my wife – off of this cell phone they shouldn’t even have," Johnson told Fox News about the 2010 shooting.
Now Johnson, who retired after the shooting, has become the face of a national effort to get cell phones out of the hands of inmates – by using jamming technology that blocks cell phone use in prisons.
“My goal is to stop this,” Johnson said.
As much as jails and prisons try to keep out cell phones through sophisticated metal detectors, inmates keep figuring out a way to smuggle them in. Experts say the only way to keep inmates from using them to conduct criminal activity is through cell phone jamming technology in state and local corrections facilities. They are currently illegal in jails and prisons.
More
“He probably would’ve killed my wife – off of this cell phone they shouldn’t even have," Johnson told Fox News about the 2010 shooting.
Now Johnson, who retired after the shooting, has become the face of a national effort to get cell phones out of the hands of inmates – by using jamming technology that blocks cell phone use in prisons.
“My goal is to stop this,” Johnson said.
As much as jails and prisons try to keep out cell phones through sophisticated metal detectors, inmates keep figuring out a way to smuggle them in. Experts say the only way to keep inmates from using them to conduct criminal activity is through cell phone jamming technology in state and local corrections facilities. They are currently illegal in jails and prisons.
More
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/01/22/south-carolina-pushes-for-cell-phone-jamming-technology-in-prisons.html
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids
When I'm an old lady, I'll live with each kid,
And bring so much happiness just as they did.
I want to pay back all the joy they've provided.
Returning each deed! Oh, they'll be so excited!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.
I'll write on the walls with reds, whites and blues,
And I'll bounce on the furniture wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, how they'll shout!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.
When they're on the phone and just out of reach,
I'll get into things like sugar and bleach.
Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head,
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.
When they cook dinner and call me to eat,
I'll not eat my green beans or salad or meat,
I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table,
And when they get angry I'll run if I'm able!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.
I'll sit close to the TV, through channels I'll click,
I'll cross both eyes just to see if they stick.
I'll take off my socks and throw one away,
And play in the mud 'til the end of the day!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids.
And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh,
I'll thank God in prayer and then close my eyes.
My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping,
And say with a groan, "She's so sweet when she's sleeping!"
-by Joanne Bailey Baxter
Destroying, Suppressing Evidence Is FBI Standard Procedure
Congressional investigators were rocked this weekend when the FBI notified them that five months of text messages from a top FBI investigator into the Trump campaign’s Russian connections had mysteriously vanished.
The FBI-issued cell phone of Peter Strzok, whose previous texts to his mistress (also an FBI employee) showed fierce hostility to Trump, suddenly had problems due to “software upgrades” and other issues — and voila — all the messages between the two from Dec. 14, 2016, to May 17, 2017 vanished. Strzok, who oversaw the Trump investigation from its start in July 2016, was removed from Mueller’s Special Counsel investigation last summer after the Justice Department Inspector General discovered his anti-Trump texts.
Stephen Boyd, the assistant attorney general for legislative affairs, notified a Senate committee that “data that should have been automatically collected and retained for long-term storage and retrieval was not collected.” The missing texts could have obliterated the remnants of credibility of the FBI’s investigation of the Trump campaign.
Conservatives are caterwauling about the vanished evidence but this type of tactic has long been standard procedure for the FBI. Acting FBI chief Patrick Gray was forced to resign in 1973 after it was revealed that he had burned incriminating evidence from the White House in his fireplace shortly after the Watergate break-in by Nixon White House “plumbers.” Gray claimed he was resigning to preserve the “reputation and integrity” of the FBI — but that hasn’t worked out so well.
The FBI has a long history of “losing” evidence that would tarnish its halo. And for most of the agency’s history, judges and Congress have let the FBI sweep its dirt under the rug.
In the Ruby Ridge case, when an FBI sniper gunned down an Idaho mother holding her baby in 1992, the chief of the FBI’s Violence Crimes division was sent to prison for destroying evidence. When a Senate committee held hearings three years later, four FBI agents took the Fifth Amendment rather than tell the incriminating truth about their activities on the Ruby Ridge case. A subsequent Senate report concluded that the five successive FBI reports of internal investigations of the episode "are variously contradictory, inaccurate, and biased. They demonstrate a reluctance on the part of the FBI initially to take the incidents at Ruby Ridge seriously.” Sen. Herbert Kohl (D-Wis.)complained, "I would be asked by the FBI to believe (Ruby Ridge) was almost a model of (good) conduct. The conclusion, is drawn, from ... all the people we've heard, that no one did anything wrong of significance or consequence."
More
The FBI-issued cell phone of Peter Strzok, whose previous texts to his mistress (also an FBI employee) showed fierce hostility to Trump, suddenly had problems due to “software upgrades” and other issues — and voila — all the messages between the two from Dec. 14, 2016, to May 17, 2017 vanished. Strzok, who oversaw the Trump investigation from its start in July 2016, was removed from Mueller’s Special Counsel investigation last summer after the Justice Department Inspector General discovered his anti-Trump texts.
Stephen Boyd, the assistant attorney general for legislative affairs, notified a Senate committee that “data that should have been automatically collected and retained for long-term storage and retrieval was not collected.” The missing texts could have obliterated the remnants of credibility of the FBI’s investigation of the Trump campaign.
Conservatives are caterwauling about the vanished evidence but this type of tactic has long been standard procedure for the FBI. Acting FBI chief Patrick Gray was forced to resign in 1973 after it was revealed that he had burned incriminating evidence from the White House in his fireplace shortly after the Watergate break-in by Nixon White House “plumbers.” Gray claimed he was resigning to preserve the “reputation and integrity” of the FBI — but that hasn’t worked out so well.
The FBI has a long history of “losing” evidence that would tarnish its halo. And for most of the agency’s history, judges and Congress have let the FBI sweep its dirt under the rug.
In the Ruby Ridge case, when an FBI sniper gunned down an Idaho mother holding her baby in 1992, the chief of the FBI’s Violence Crimes division was sent to prison for destroying evidence. When a Senate committee held hearings three years later, four FBI agents took the Fifth Amendment rather than tell the incriminating truth about their activities on the Ruby Ridge case. A subsequent Senate report concluded that the five successive FBI reports of internal investigations of the episode "are variously contradictory, inaccurate, and biased. They demonstrate a reluctance on the part of the FBI initially to take the incidents at Ruby Ridge seriously.” Sen. Herbert Kohl (D-Wis.)complained, "I would be asked by the FBI to believe (Ruby Ridge) was almost a model of (good) conduct. The conclusion, is drawn, from ... all the people we've heard, that no one did anything wrong of significance or consequence."
More
Google Suspends ‘Fact Check’ Program After Being … Fact Checked
Google has suspended its recently-rolled out “fact check” feature, which displayed messages from a range of partisan fact-checkers next to “disputed” stories in search results, after it was revealed that it almost exclusively targeted conservative news sites.
The widget, which was rolled out late last year, added a “reviewed claims” tab to search results for news outlets. For example, a search for Breitbart News would bring up a range of allegedly “reviewed” stories.
Research from the Daily Caller found that the widget, which included a range of partisan fact-checkers including the Washington Post and Snopes, displayed the “reviewed” tab next to a wide range of conservative sites while largely ignoring leftist and mainstream outlets.
In addition to bias in their targeting, the feature also made false claims about stories from conservative outlets.
For example, the fact-checker claimed that Breitbart incorrectly reported that an illegal alien had been charged with starting a California wildfire, when in fact the story claimed that an illegal alien was arrested on suspicion of arson — a completely different claim.
More
The widget, which was rolled out late last year, added a “reviewed claims” tab to search results for news outlets. For example, a search for Breitbart News would bring up a range of allegedly “reviewed” stories.
Research from the Daily Caller found that the widget, which included a range of partisan fact-checkers including the Washington Post and Snopes, displayed the “reviewed” tab next to a wide range of conservative sites while largely ignoring leftist and mainstream outlets.
In addition to bias in their targeting, the feature also made false claims about stories from conservative outlets.
For example, the fact-checker claimed that Breitbart incorrectly reported that an illegal alien had been charged with starting a California wildfire, when in fact the story claimed that an illegal alien was arrested on suspicion of arson — a completely different claim.
More