Congressional investigators looking into the origins of Special Counsel Mueller's Russia probe believe they've found a smoking gun thatcould justify the appointment of a special counsel to investigate whether the Obama administration exerted undue influence over the FBI.
A series of text messages between FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok and DOJ lawyer Lisa Page have revealed the involvement of Denis McDonough, Obama's chief of staff, John Brennan, Obama's CIA director, and former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in helping create an atmosphere of paranoia that gave them the political cover to launch the Russia probe back in the summer of 2016.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Friday, March 30, 2018
Fired VA boss Shulkin blasts 'ugliness' of Washington on his way out the door
Ousted Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin is ripping the “toxic, chaotic, disrespectful and subversive” environment of Washington after being canned by President Trump this week.
“As many of you know, I am a physician, not a politician,” Shulkin wrote in a blistering New York Times op-ed published after his firing. “I came to government with an understanding that Washington can be ugly, but I assumed that I could avoid all of the ugliness by staying true to my values.”
On Wednesday, the president announced plans to replace Shulkin with Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, the White House physician.
In February, the VA's internal watchdog found that Shulkin had improperly accepted Wimbledon tennis tickets and his then-chief of staff had doctored emails to justify his wife traveling to Europe with him at taxpayer expense. Shulkin agreed to reimburse the government more than $4,000 in that case.
But in his op-ed, Shulkin claimed to be the victim of “politically-based attacks.”
More here
“As many of you know, I am a physician, not a politician,” Shulkin wrote in a blistering New York Times op-ed published after his firing. “I came to government with an understanding that Washington can be ugly, but I assumed that I could avoid all of the ugliness by staying true to my values.”
On Wednesday, the president announced plans to replace Shulkin with Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, the White House physician.
In February, the VA's internal watchdog found that Shulkin had improperly accepted Wimbledon tennis tickets and his then-chief of staff had doctored emails to justify his wife traveling to Europe with him at taxpayer expense. Shulkin agreed to reimburse the government more than $4,000 in that case.
But in his op-ed, Shulkin claimed to be the victim of “politically-based attacks.”
More here
Trump Would Deny Legal Status to Immigrants Who Accept Public Benefits
The Trump administration is mulling a proposal that would penalize immigrants who accept public benefits, including tax credits, and could be used to deny them legal residency, The Washington Post reports.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposal would expand the parameters used to grant citizenship, such as Earned Income Tax Credit, health insurance subsidies and other benefits.
If approved, the policy would be a major barrier to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients who apply for full legal residency, the Post reports.
"The administration is committed to enforcing existing immigration law, which is clearly intended to protect the American taxpayer by ensuring that foreign nationals seeking to enter or remain in the U.S. are self-sufficient," DHS spokeswoman Katie Waldman told the Post in a statement.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposal would expand the parameters used to grant citizenship, such as Earned Income Tax Credit, health insurance subsidies and other benefits.
If approved, the policy would be a major barrier to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients who apply for full legal residency, the Post reports.
"The administration is committed to enforcing existing immigration law, which is clearly intended to protect the American taxpayer by ensuring that foreign nationals seeking to enter or remain in the U.S. are self-sufficient," DHS spokeswoman Katie Waldman told the Post in a statement.
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Trump Calls Roseanne Barr to Congratulate Her on Return of Show
President Donald Trump called Roseanne Barr to offer his congratulations on the return of her comedy series and to thank her for supporting him, The New York Times is reporting.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the call.
Barr has been a defender of Trump and her TV character plays a supporter of the president.
The ABC series, "Roseanne," returned to TV this week after more than two decades, the Times noted. The show, broadcast on Tuesday evening, average 18.2 million viewers, according to the newspaper.
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White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the call.
Barr has been a defender of Trump and her TV character plays a supporter of the president.
The ABC series, "Roseanne," returned to TV this week after more than two decades, the Times noted. The show, broadcast on Tuesday evening, average 18.2 million viewers, according to the newspaper.
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Delmarva Power Searching For Person Who Sent Us A Recent Complaint
Good Afternoon Mr. Albero,
It has come to our attention of a complaint published against Delmarva Power that we would like to follow up with. The published date was Wednesday March 28, 2018. If at all possible could you please provide me with any contact information you may have on Nana or the person who posted the complaint? If not, I would appreciate if you could kindly forward my contact information to them. We would like to assist the customers concerns immediately as it is essential for Delmarva Power to respond to the needs of all our customers.
It has come to our attention of a complaint published against Delmarva Power that we would like to follow up with. The published date was Wednesday March 28, 2018. If at all possible could you please provide me with any contact information you may have on Nana or the person who posted the complaint? If not, I would appreciate if you could kindly forward my contact information to them. We would like to assist the customers concerns immediately as it is essential for Delmarva Power to respond to the needs of all our customers.
Sincerely,
Renee Hambor
Senior Regulatory Assessor
Senior Regulatory Assessor
Regulatory/Executive Customer Relations
Atlantic City Electric/Delmarva Power
Administration Defends IRS Targeting of American Citizens
Department of Justice Argues in Favor of Lois Lerner and Paves the Way for Future Abuse
In a stunning turn of events involving the True the Vote v. IRS lawsuit, Department of Justice attorneys, representing the Internal Revenue Service, have filed a strident opposition to True the Vote’s petition for consideration of fees, claiming the IRS won.
Despite wholesale admissions of wrongdoing by the IRS and findings by the D.C. District Court that such wrongdoing is unlawful and unconstitutional, the DOJ now claims that conservative groups’ lawsuits did nothing to change the behavior of the Internal Revenue Service.
In their filing, the Department of Justice makes the following claims on behalf of the IRS:
all conservative groups lost
the IRS is legally free to resume its discriminatory practices targeting conservative groups
the IRS’s five-year legal battle against conservative groups was justified
It is impossible to distinguish the current DOJ’s arguments from the Obama DOJ’s actions that led to this litigation battle in the first place.
True the Vote will file our final response with the court on April 12, 2018. We remain hopeful US District Judge Reggie Walton will issue a decision that sets the record straight and holds the IRS accountable for their unlawful actions.
In this video, True the Vote founder Catherine Engelbrecht responds to the IRS’s denial of wrongdoing:
In a stunning turn of events involving the True the Vote v. IRS lawsuit, Department of Justice attorneys, representing the Internal Revenue Service, have filed a strident opposition to True the Vote’s petition for consideration of fees, claiming the IRS won.
Despite wholesale admissions of wrongdoing by the IRS and findings by the D.C. District Court that such wrongdoing is unlawful and unconstitutional, the DOJ now claims that conservative groups’ lawsuits did nothing to change the behavior of the Internal Revenue Service.
In their filing, the Department of Justice makes the following claims on behalf of the IRS:
all conservative groups lost
the IRS is legally free to resume its discriminatory practices targeting conservative groups
the IRS’s five-year legal battle against conservative groups was justified
It is impossible to distinguish the current DOJ’s arguments from the Obama DOJ’s actions that led to this litigation battle in the first place.
True the Vote will file our final response with the court on April 12, 2018. We remain hopeful US District Judge Reggie Walton will issue a decision that sets the record straight and holds the IRS accountable for their unlawful actions.
In this video, True the Vote founder Catherine Engelbrecht responds to the IRS’s denial of wrongdoing:
Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office selected as finalist for the 2018 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award
SALISBURY, Md: Maryland Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is pleased to announce that the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office has been selected as a finalist for the 2018 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.
The Freedom Award was created in 1996 to publicly recognize employers who provide exceptional support to their Guard and Reserve employees. It is the highest in a series of employer recognition awards given by the Department of Defense to recognize employers who provide the most outstanding support for their Guard and Reserve employees. The award is presented annually by the Secretary of Defense. To date only 250 employers have received this award.
Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office was selected as one of 30 finalists from the 2,350 nominations received from the 50 states, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. The finalists represent large employers, small employers, and public sector organizations. Fifteen 2018 Secretary of Defense Freedom Award recipients will be selected from the 30 finalists. Recipients are expected to be announced by mid-June.
The Freedom Award was created in 1996 to publicly recognize employers who provide exceptional support to their Guard and Reserve employees. It is the highest in a series of employer recognition awards given by the Department of Defense to recognize employers who provide the most outstanding support for their Guard and Reserve employees. The award is presented annually by the Secretary of Defense. To date only 250 employers have received this award.
Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office was selected as one of 30 finalists from the 2,350 nominations received from the 50 states, Guam-CNMI, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. The finalists represent large employers, small employers, and public sector organizations. Fifteen 2018 Secretary of Defense Freedom Award recipients will be selected from the 30 finalists. Recipients are expected to be announced by mid-June.
Activity Detected at North Korean Nuke Site Ahead of Trump-Kim Summit
Satellites have detected increased activity at North Korea’s Yongbyon nuclear test site, possibly indicating that one or two new nuclear reactors are close to coming online. If these findings are verified, the reactors could prove capable of creating weapons-grade nuclear material.
The Associated Press notes that these findings “come at a particularly sensitive time,” as North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un prepares for high-stakes denuclearization summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump. Refraining from nuclear or missile testing has been a vital condition for North Korea to observe as this fragile diplomatic process moves forward.
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The Associated Press notes that these findings “come at a particularly sensitive time,” as North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un prepares for high-stakes denuclearization summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump. Refraining from nuclear or missile testing has been a vital condition for North Korea to observe as this fragile diplomatic process moves forward.
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Liberty University Opens Gun Range for Student Use
Students at Liberty University, a conservative Christian university in Virginia, will be invited this week to enjoy their campus’s new $3.2 million gun range. The gun range, which has been in planning and construction stages for over a year, will also be open to the public following the conclusion of Liberty’s academic year in May.
Brad Butler, the planning coordinator in Liberty’s Planning and Construction department, said in December that Liberty will be the first American college campus that has venues for every Olympic shooting sport.
“We’re very excited and we have a great plan for the future,” Butler said. “What’s unique about this facility is it’s the only range on any college campus that has venues for all Olympic shooting sports. The rest of the world is moving away from the Second Amendment and the shooting sports. Liberty University, thanks to the bold leadership of President (Jerry) Falwell and Vice President (Trey) Falwell, is running to it. We are engaging our students, giving them safe and convenient opportunities to compete, and to learn the right way to handle a firearm.”
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Citizenship Question Has Been Included in Every Census Dating Back to 1965 Except 2010
The White House pushed back on liberal outrage that the Trump administration plans to include a citizenship question on the upcoming 2020 Census, saying that question has been included on every Census since 1965 with the exception of the 2010 Census, during the Obama administration.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked how the administration plans to address critics’ concerns that including the question will discourage immigrants from participating.
“This is a question that’s been included in every Census since 1965 with the exception of 2010 when it was removed. We’ve contained this question that’s provided data that’s necessary for the Department of Justice to protect voters and specifically to help us better comply with the Voting Rights Act, which is something that is important and a part of this process,” Sanders said.
“And again this is something that has been part of the Census for decades and something that the Department of Commerce felt strongly needed to be included again,” she added.
More here
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked how the administration plans to address critics’ concerns that including the question will discourage immigrants from participating.
“This is a question that’s been included in every Census since 1965 with the exception of 2010 when it was removed. We’ve contained this question that’s provided data that’s necessary for the Department of Justice to protect voters and specifically to help us better comply with the Voting Rights Act, which is something that is important and a part of this process,” Sanders said.
“And again this is something that has been part of the Census for decades and something that the Department of Commerce felt strongly needed to be included again,” she added.
More here
Obamacare HHS Mandate Dealt a Lethal Blow in Court
The Obamacare Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate forcing Catholic non-profits to provide coverage for abortion-inducing drugs, contraception, and sterilization, was dealt a lethal blow by U.S. District Court Judge David Russell.
He issued a permanent injunction stopping the federal government from enforcing the mandate against the Catholic Benefits Association (CBA). He also issued a declaratory judgment, holding that the mandate was illegal; it violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The CBA represents over 1,000 Catholic employers, including 60 dioceses and archdioceses, as well as many religious orders, colleges and universities, hospitals, and other ministries. Baltimore Archbishop William Lori chairs the CBA; serving with him are six other archbishops. Douglas G. Wilson is the CEO of the organization.
Judge Russell's ruling not only binds the Trump administration (which was opposed to the HHS mandate anyway), but all future administrations.
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He issued a permanent injunction stopping the federal government from enforcing the mandate against the Catholic Benefits Association (CBA). He also issued a declaratory judgment, holding that the mandate was illegal; it violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The CBA represents over 1,000 Catholic employers, including 60 dioceses and archdioceses, as well as many religious orders, colleges and universities, hospitals, and other ministries. Baltimore Archbishop William Lori chairs the CBA; serving with him are six other archbishops. Douglas G. Wilson is the CEO of the organization.
Judge Russell's ruling not only binds the Trump administration (which was opposed to the HHS mandate anyway), but all future administrations.
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In Nearly 70% Of US Counties, The Average Worker Can't Afford To Buy A Home
Housing, as we've pointed out in the past, is perhaps the most reliable bellwether of widening economic inequality in the US. And in its latest quarterly report on housing affordability in the US, ATTOM discovered that median-priced homes aren't affordable to average wage earners in an astounding 68% of US housing markets.
In its report, the company calculated affordability by incorporating the amount of income needed to make monthly home payments - including mortgage payments, property tax payments and insurance - on a median-priced home, assuming a 3% down payment and a 28% maximum "front-end" debt-to-income ratio.
That required income was then compared with the median home price.
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In its report, the company calculated affordability by incorporating the amount of income needed to make monthly home payments - including mortgage payments, property tax payments and insurance - on a median-priced home, assuming a 3% down payment and a 28% maximum "front-end" debt-to-income ratio.
That required income was then compared with the median home price.
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'Enough Is Enough': Nearly 400 Sheriffs Demand Congress Reduce Immigration, Criminalize Sanctuary Cities
Nearly 400 sheriffs across the country are calling on the Republican-controlled Congress to follow through on President Trump’s popular immigration agenda by securing the nation’s porous borders and criminalizing sanctuary cities.
Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson of Bristol County, Massachusetts, has gathered with about 380 sheriffs from across America, representing 40 states, to ask Congress to push Trump’s agenda that would help decrease and end illegal immigration to the United States.
“Enough is enough,” the sheriffs write. They continue, saying:
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Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson of Bristol County, Massachusetts, has gathered with about 380 sheriffs from across America, representing 40 states, to ask Congress to push Trump’s agenda that would help decrease and end illegal immigration to the United States.
“Enough is enough,” the sheriffs write. They continue, saying:
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Judge arrested for breaking into home, swiping woman’s panties
It’s first-degree panty larceny.
A Long Island judge got caught with his robes down Thursday after he broke into a neighbor’s house and took off in possession of a pair of women’s panties, a report said.
Suffolk County Judge Robert Cicale snuck into the East Islip home at around 9 a.m. but fled once he realized a 23-year-old women was inside, according to Newsday.
The woman called 911 and gave them a description of Cicale.
Cops then discovered the judge outside the home and with the undies on his person, the paper said.
“He was found with . . . soiled female undergarments. We don’t know if these were the proceeds from the burglary today or a previous break-in,” Acting Commissioner Stuart Cameron told Newsday.
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A Long Island judge got caught with his robes down Thursday after he broke into a neighbor’s house and took off in possession of a pair of women’s panties, a report said.
Suffolk County Judge Robert Cicale snuck into the East Islip home at around 9 a.m. but fled once he realized a 23-year-old women was inside, according to Newsday.
The woman called 911 and gave them a description of Cicale.
Cops then discovered the judge outside the home and with the undies on his person, the paper said.
“He was found with . . . soiled female undergarments. We don’t know if these were the proceeds from the burglary today or a previous break-in,” Acting Commissioner Stuart Cameron told Newsday.
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Want to lose weight? Time your meals
The timing of meals may be key to weight loss - not cutting out all carbs from your diet, researchers claim.
Evidence already shows slashing calories and exercising more can help overweight adults battle their bulging waistlines.
But an array of new trials is delving into the benefits of time-restricted feeding (TRF), which allows people to eat what they want within a time frame.
The process, deemed similar to fasting, has been proven to have a host of benefits for mice, including weight loss and a lower risk of diabetes.
Scientists paving the way now believe it could help humans - despite no such confirmation TRF works.
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Evidence already shows slashing calories and exercising more can help overweight adults battle their bulging waistlines.
But an array of new trials is delving into the benefits of time-restricted feeding (TRF), which allows people to eat what they want within a time frame.
The process, deemed similar to fasting, has been proven to have a host of benefits for mice, including weight loss and a lower risk of diabetes.
Scientists paving the way now believe it could help humans - despite no such confirmation TRF works.
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DeKalb teacher faces murder charges in 2016 gang retaliation killings
“You’re not prepared to say if White’s the trigger man?” Winne asked Daniel.
“It is still an open and pending investigation at this time,” Daniel said.
“More than one perpetrator, if you will, at the scene?” Winne asked Daniel.
“It appears that there is more than one,” Daniel said.
Daniel said a sketch of a man seen at the murder scene that was drawn by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s forensic artist, Kelly Lawson, helped Clayton police make a case against White.
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“It is still an open and pending investigation at this time,” Daniel said.
“More than one perpetrator, if you will, at the scene?” Winne asked Daniel.
“It appears that there is more than one,” Daniel said.
Daniel said a sketch of a man seen at the murder scene that was drawn by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s forensic artist, Kelly Lawson, helped Clayton police make a case against White.
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DMX gets one year in prison for tax fraud
He couldn’t beat the rap — but at least he got to play some.
Hip-hop icon DMX blared one of his songs for a federal judge Wednesday — before being sentenced to a year in the slammer for evading $1.7 million in taxes.
The 47-year-old rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, teared up as his lawyers played his 1998 track “Slippin,’” which talks about his “drama with my Mama” and overall feelings of helplessness.
And the beats may have moved something inside Manhattan federal Judge Jed Rakoff, who rejected the government’s request for five years in federal lockup, calling Simmons “a good man” who is “his own worst enemy.”
But the judge also said the rapper’s fraud was a “brazen and blatant” crime that could not go unpunished, and ordered Simmons to pay $2.3 million in restitution.
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Hip-hop icon DMX blared one of his songs for a federal judge Wednesday — before being sentenced to a year in the slammer for evading $1.7 million in taxes.
The 47-year-old rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, teared up as his lawyers played his 1998 track “Slippin,’” which talks about his “drama with my Mama” and overall feelings of helplessness.
And the beats may have moved something inside Manhattan federal Judge Jed Rakoff, who rejected the government’s request for five years in federal lockup, calling Simmons “a good man” who is “his own worst enemy.”
But the judge also said the rapper’s fraud was a “brazen and blatant” crime that could not go unpunished, and ordered Simmons to pay $2.3 million in restitution.
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Army Major: The 'March' We Need Is 'A March for Peace'... Or At Least, De-Escalation
Students march for gun control; women march for a variety of causes, and, well, against anything Trump; but who is marching for less American war in the Greater Middle East?
Why? Why isn’t there a passionate coalition willing to combat the American war machine? A machine that is, by now, on autopilot.
This weekend, hundreds of thousands of protesters marched to protest gun violence; in January, hundreds thousands of women – and their supporters – staged a second annual protest against all things Trump. Leaving aside the relative merits of each issue, the sheer number of marchers physically descending on various cities, rather than engaging in far easier social media activism, is impressive. Right or wrong in their convictions, these citizens, exercising their First Amendment rights, made this author proud…and then sad.
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Why? Why isn’t there a passionate coalition willing to combat the American war machine? A machine that is, by now, on autopilot.
This weekend, hundreds of thousands of protesters marched to protest gun violence; in January, hundreds thousands of women – and their supporters – staged a second annual protest against all things Trump. Leaving aside the relative merits of each issue, the sheer number of marchers physically descending on various cities, rather than engaging in far easier social media activism, is impressive. Right or wrong in their convictions, these citizens, exercising their First Amendment rights, made this author proud…and then sad.
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Murder of Jewish woman in Paris flat being treated as anti-Semitic
A man accused of stabbing an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor to death in herParis apartment screamed "Allahu Akbar" during the anti-Semitic attack, it has been claimed.
Two men, one a convicted paedophile and the other a vagrant burglar, have been charged with knifing Mireille Knoll to death at her home in the Frenchcapital then burning her body.
A source close to the investigation has revealed the two arrested men gave conflicting accounts to police. One told interrogators he heard the other shout the words 'God is greatest' in Arabic during the attack.
The pair also allegedly targeted her because her Jewishness meant she had money.
'The terrible thing is that one of the attackers told the other: 'She's a Jew, she must have money',' Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told parliament on Tuesday.
'There are the stereotypes we have to combat,' he said.
Ms Knoll lived at the flat alone, and had treated one of the alleged attackers 'as a son' for more than 20 years, according to a source close to the case.
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Two men, one a convicted paedophile and the other a vagrant burglar, have been charged with knifing Mireille Knoll to death at her home in the Frenchcapital then burning her body.
A source close to the investigation has revealed the two arrested men gave conflicting accounts to police. One told interrogators he heard the other shout the words 'God is greatest' in Arabic during the attack.
The pair also allegedly targeted her because her Jewishness meant she had money.
'The terrible thing is that one of the attackers told the other: 'She's a Jew, she must have money',' Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told parliament on Tuesday.
'There are the stereotypes we have to combat,' he said.
Ms Knoll lived at the flat alone, and had treated one of the alleged attackers 'as a son' for more than 20 years, according to a source close to the case.
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Pentagon Admits Billions In US Funds Disappeared in Afghanistan To “Fraud, Waste And Abuse”
A new report from the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General (DoD IG) exposes even more fraud, waste and/or corruption in America’s ongoing war in Afghanistan. This latest report reveals that more than $3.1 billion of U.S. taxpayer funds provided to the Afghan Armed Forces from 2014 through 2017 was grossly mismanaged.
According to the DoD IG, U.S. military leaders overseeing operations in Afghanistan "failed to accurately record" some 95,000 vehicles transferred to Afghan Armed Forces, along with fuel expenses and maintenance costs to keep the vehicles operational. The report issued last Wednesday was the last in a series of DoD IG audits that examined the Pentagon for “systemic challenges” in how senior officials oversee U.S. direct funding to the Afghan Armed Forces said the Military Times.
The DoD IG warned the lack of accountability via military leaders overseeing Afghanistan leaves U.S. taxpayer funds vulnerable to "fraud, waste, and abuse."
“Combined Security Transition Command–Afghanistan (CSTC-A) officials did not effectively manage and oversee the U.S. direct funding provided to the Ministries of Defense and Interior, which oversee Afghanistan’s Army and National Police, respectively,” the report stated.
“CSTC-A management and oversight of the direct funding is intended to increase [Afghan security forces] effectiveness and capabilities so the [forces] can become more professional and increasingly self-sustaining.”
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According to the DoD IG, U.S. military leaders overseeing operations in Afghanistan "failed to accurately record" some 95,000 vehicles transferred to Afghan Armed Forces, along with fuel expenses and maintenance costs to keep the vehicles operational. The report issued last Wednesday was the last in a series of DoD IG audits that examined the Pentagon for “systemic challenges” in how senior officials oversee U.S. direct funding to the Afghan Armed Forces said the Military Times.
The DoD IG warned the lack of accountability via military leaders overseeing Afghanistan leaves U.S. taxpayer funds vulnerable to "fraud, waste, and abuse."
“Combined Security Transition Command–Afghanistan (CSTC-A) officials did not effectively manage and oversee the U.S. direct funding provided to the Ministries of Defense and Interior, which oversee Afghanistan’s Army and National Police, respectively,” the report stated.
“CSTC-A management and oversight of the direct funding is intended to increase [Afghan security forces] effectiveness and capabilities so the [forces] can become more professional and increasingly self-sustaining.”
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Judicial Watch Sues for Records on Taxpayer-Funded Soros Projects Overseas
State Dept., USAID fail to respond to request for records on spending in Romania, Colombia
The conservative watchdog Judicial Watch has filed a lawsuit to try to obtain records from the State Department about the taxpayer-funded political activities of George Soros's groups in Colombia and Romania.
The watchdog said it took the action because the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) failed to respond to its Freedom of Information Act requests last fall for records relating to contracts, grants and other "allocations/disbursements of funds" by Open Society Foundation offices in Romania and Colombia.
The watchdog is also seeking information about Soros's activities in Macedonia and Albania.
"It is time for Americans to be allowed to see State Department documentation regarding the public funding of Soros' Open Society Foundations," Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said Wednesday. "The billionaire George Soros needs zero assistance from U.S. taxpayers to promote his far-left agenda abroad."
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The conservative watchdog Judicial Watch has filed a lawsuit to try to obtain records from the State Department about the taxpayer-funded political activities of George Soros's groups in Colombia and Romania.
The watchdog said it took the action because the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) failed to respond to its Freedom of Information Act requests last fall for records relating to contracts, grants and other "allocations/disbursements of funds" by Open Society Foundation offices in Romania and Colombia.
The watchdog is also seeking information about Soros's activities in Macedonia and Albania.
"It is time for Americans to be allowed to see State Department documentation regarding the public funding of Soros' Open Society Foundations," Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said Wednesday. "The billionaire George Soros needs zero assistance from U.S. taxpayers to promote his far-left agenda abroad."
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Scientists find class of drug that can kill the MRSA superbug
A new type of antibiotic that kills hospital superbugs has been developed by scientists.
In experiments, the drugs cured mice of notoriously difficult-to-treat, antibiotic-resistant MRSA infections.
The discovery comes as a scientists raise alarm over a global rise in antibiotic resistance, driven by over-prescription of common antibiotics.
The Brown University researchers' breakthrough medication may be one of a whole new group of compounds that, they hope, will have equal success in treating the dangerous infection in humans.
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In experiments, the drugs cured mice of notoriously difficult-to-treat, antibiotic-resistant MRSA infections.
The discovery comes as a scientists raise alarm over a global rise in antibiotic resistance, driven by over-prescription of common antibiotics.
The Brown University researchers' breakthrough medication may be one of a whole new group of compounds that, they hope, will have equal success in treating the dangerous infection in humans.
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Rep. Steve King: If You're Not Responsible Enough to Own Gun Until 21, Don't Vote Until 21 Either
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) observed that teenagers who believe people are not responsible enough to own guns until the age of 21 ought to be willing to wait until 21 before they vote.
King tweeted:
The responses to King’s tweet varied, some of which were marked by vitriol and/or personal attacks too vulgar to print.
Here are some examples of the milder responses:
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King tweeted:
Here are some examples of the milder responses:
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Check Out What's Going On In Annapolis
Maryland Republican Party
Senator Mathias just chose the political machine in Annapolis over YOU. He stood against Governor Hogan and Comptroller Franchot and chose to vote to support a backroom deal to give unelected bureaucrats and lobbyists control over billions in school construction funding.
You can learn more about HB 1781 here: https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/…/article_5f734940-32f0-11e…
How do you feel about this?
Senator Mathias just chose the political machine in Annapolis over YOU. He stood against Governor Hogan and Comptroller Franchot and chose to vote to support a backroom deal to give unelected bureaucrats and lobbyists control over billions in school construction funding.
You can learn more about HB 1781 here: https://www.heraldmailmedia.com/…/article_5f734940-32f0-11e…
How do you feel about this?
UPDATE: Senator Jim Mathias and Senator Kathy Klausmeier made the wrong choice. They caved to the peer pressure of their partisan leader and colleagues. In a party-line vote, they and 27 other senators have voted to give the responsibility of billions of school construction dollars - your tax money - to unelected, unaccountable political appointees and lobbyists. Call these senators and tell them that you are disappointed and disgusted with their actions:
THOMAS V. MIKE MILLER, JR., President of Senate
Democrat, District 27, Calvert, Charles & Prince George's Counties
State House, H-107
Annapolis, MD 21401 - 1991
(410) 841-3700, (301) 858-3700
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3700 (toll free)
e-mail: thomas.v.mike.miller@senate.state.md.us
fax: (410) 841-3910, (301) 858-3910
KATHERINE A. KLAUSMEIER
Democrat, District 8, Baltimore County
James Senate Office Building, Room 103
11 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 841-3620, (301) 858-3620
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3620 (toll free)
e-mail: katherine.klausmeier@senate.state.md.us
fax: (410) 841-3085, (301) 858-3085
JAMES N. MATHIAS, JR.
Democrat, District 38, Somerset, Wicomico & Worcester Counties
James Senate Office Building, Room 216
11 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 841-3645, (301) 858-3645
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3645 (toll free)
e-mail: james.mathias@senate.state.md.us
fax: (410) 841-3006, (301) 858-3006
THOMAS V. MIKE MILLER, JR., President of Senate
Democrat, District 27, Calvert, Charles & Prince George's Counties
State House, H-107
Annapolis, MD 21401 - 1991
(410) 841-3700, (301) 858-3700
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3700 (toll free)
e-mail: thomas.v.mike.miller@senate.state.md.us
fax: (410) 841-3910, (301) 858-3910
KATHERINE A. KLAUSMEIER
Democrat, District 8, Baltimore County
James Senate Office Building, Room 103
11 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 841-3620, (301) 858-3620
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3620 (toll free)
e-mail: katherine.klausmeier@senate.state.md.us
fax: (410) 841-3085, (301) 858-3085
JAMES N. MATHIAS, JR.
Democrat, District 38, Somerset, Wicomico & Worcester Counties
James Senate Office Building, Room 216
11 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 841-3645, (301) 858-3645
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3645 (toll free)
e-mail: james.mathias@senate.state.md.us
fax: (410) 841-3006, (301) 858-3006
Uneven Economy & The Hidden Depression
Are we in a depression?
The question seems absurd.
There has been GDP growth since 2009 and some mild inflation to go with it. In fact, this is the second longest economic expansion on record.
As Robert Shiller said over the weekend (though in the context of warning against complacency), “[i]f the economy manages to expand for 16 more months, the United States will have set a record.” Unemployment is the lowest in history, nothing like the 17% we had by a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimate a decade after the stock market crash in 1929 and the average of 18% in the 1930s. House prices have come screaming back across the nation. The stock market has increased by more than 15% annually beginning in 2009. And even middle-class wages have shown signs of picking up lately.
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The question seems absurd.
There has been GDP growth since 2009 and some mild inflation to go with it. In fact, this is the second longest economic expansion on record.
As Robert Shiller said over the weekend (though in the context of warning against complacency), “[i]f the economy manages to expand for 16 more months, the United States will have set a record.” Unemployment is the lowest in history, nothing like the 17% we had by a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimate a decade after the stock market crash in 1929 and the average of 18% in the 1930s. House prices have come screaming back across the nation. The stock market has increased by more than 15% annually beginning in 2009. And even middle-class wages have shown signs of picking up lately.
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Google Tracks Massive Amounts of Your Data – Here’s How to Find It
As many worry about the information that Facebook collects, due to the company’s recent user data scandal, we should not forget that Google also collects as much — if not more — of your data. Here is how to find out what the search giant knows about you.
Following Facebook’s latest user data scandal, Irish web developer and technical consultant Dylan Curran took to Twitter to explain why internet users should be equally worried about the data collected on them by Google. “Want to freak yourself out? I’m gonna show just how much of your information the likes of Facebook and Google store about you without you even realising it,” Curran tweeted.
Curran noted that Google stores your location data every time you turn on your phone.
Curran notes that Google actively stores every user’s search history across all devices, even if a user deletes their search history and phone history, Google collects it until the user actively goes deep into their Google account settings on every single device to delete it:
Curran described how users can get access to this data by visiting Google ‘Takeout’. When Curran went to download his data, he found that his personal file was 5.5 GB, or approximately 3 million Word documents, a massive increase in comparison to what Facebook collects on users.
More here
Following Facebook’s latest user data scandal, Irish web developer and technical consultant Dylan Curran took to Twitter to explain why internet users should be equally worried about the data collected on them by Google. “Want to freak yourself out? I’m gonna show just how much of your information the likes of Facebook and Google store about you without you even realising it,” Curran tweeted.
Curran noted that Google stores your location data every time you turn on your phone.
Curran notes that Google actively stores every user’s search history across all devices, even if a user deletes their search history and phone history, Google collects it until the user actively goes deep into their Google account settings on every single device to delete it:
Curran described how users can get access to this data by visiting Google ‘Takeout’. When Curran went to download his data, he found that his personal file was 5.5 GB, or approximately 3 million Word documents, a massive increase in comparison to what Facebook collects on users.
More here
Breaking News: What was billed as a peaceful protest along Gaza's border with Israel turned bloody. The Israeli military killed at least 8 Palestinians, Gaza officials say.
Rapper Who Performed at Gun Control March Arrested Last Year on Concealed Handgun Charge
Rapper Vic Mensa performed for Saturday’s student march for gun control, coined the March for Our Lives, although he was arrested last year on a concealed handgun charge.
Mensa was arrested in Beverly Hills after being found with a concealed handgun without a California concealed carry license.
On March 7, 2017, TMZ reported, “[Mensa] was stopped in Beverly Hills … for running a stop sign and having tinted windows … according to law enforcement sources. We’re told he informed cops he had a gun in his car and showed them his concealed carry permit. The problem is … cops say the permit is for another state.”
Mensa faced “felony” charges for the incident but was able to plead down to “two years probation.”
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Mensa was arrested in Beverly Hills after being found with a concealed handgun without a California concealed carry license.
On March 7, 2017, TMZ reported, “[Mensa] was stopped in Beverly Hills … for running a stop sign and having tinted windows … according to law enforcement sources. We’re told he informed cops he had a gun in his car and showed them his concealed carry permit. The problem is … cops say the permit is for another state.”
Mensa faced “felony” charges for the incident but was able to plead down to “two years probation.”
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A Comment Worthy Of A Post
https://twitter.com/DowntownSBY/status/979412846437191681
Downtown Salisbury "Jake Day's other Twitter Page"
Open for business? Lack of school funding says otherwise: Letter https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/opinion/readers/2018/03/29/open-business-lack-school-funding-says-otherwise-letter/460165002/ … via @MyDelmarvaNow
"Open for business? Lack of school funding says otherwise: Letter"
"Wicomico County Democratic Club President Gains Hawkins writes about economic harm caused by chronic underfunding of public education in th..."
Texas County Sued for Concealing Records of Non-citizens Registered to Vote
A Texas county has been hit with a lawsuit for concealing records in relation to non-citizens on voter rolls.
The Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), an election integrity group, filed a complaint on Thursday against the Office of the Harris County Voter Registrar in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas for its refusal to disclose documents or allow the inspection of its voter rolls in relation to registrants who were removed after it was discovered that they were non-citizens.
"The Foundation seeks a declaration that all of Defendant's records related to list maintenance, including but not limited to those explicitly requested by the Foundation, are subject to public inspection without encumbrance by any state public disclosure laws and must be preserved for such inspection purposes," the complaint reads. "The Foundation seeks an injunction to compel Defendant Bennett to comply with Subsection 20507(i) through an order commanding her to permit inspection and duplication of all records concerning the maintenance of registration lists."
Voter registration officials in Harris County previously testified that "thousands" of non-citizens were discovered on their rolls every year and then handed over to the District Attorney for prosecution. Houston, one of the largest cities in the United States, is located in Harris County.
More here
The Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), an election integrity group, filed a complaint on Thursday against the Office of the Harris County Voter Registrar in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas for its refusal to disclose documents or allow the inspection of its voter rolls in relation to registrants who were removed after it was discovered that they were non-citizens.
"The Foundation seeks a declaration that all of Defendant's records related to list maintenance, including but not limited to those explicitly requested by the Foundation, are subject to public inspection without encumbrance by any state public disclosure laws and must be preserved for such inspection purposes," the complaint reads. "The Foundation seeks an injunction to compel Defendant Bennett to comply with Subsection 20507(i) through an order commanding her to permit inspection and duplication of all records concerning the maintenance of registration lists."
Voter registration officials in Harris County previously testified that "thousands" of non-citizens were discovered on their rolls every year and then handed over to the District Attorney for prosecution. Houston, one of the largest cities in the United States, is located in Harris County.
More here
Trump tweets support of Second Amendment after Stevens' call for repeal
President Donald Trump took to Twitter early Wednesday to defend the Second Amendment just a day after retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens called for its repeal.
Stevens, 97, wrote in an essay on the New York Times website that a repeal would weaken the National Rifle Association’s ability to “block constructive gun control legislation.”
Trump, who has in the past appeared to change positions on tougher gun laws, took a firm stance in the tweet, and issued a warning if Republicans come up short at the polls.
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Stevens, 97, wrote in an essay on the New York Times website that a repeal would weaken the National Rifle Association’s ability to “block constructive gun control legislation.”
Trump, who has in the past appeared to change positions on tougher gun laws, took a firm stance in the tweet, and issued a warning if Republicans come up short at the polls.
More
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/03/28/trump-tweets-support-second-amendment-after-stevens-call-for-repeal.html
Dem Lawmaker: We Don't Want To Confiscate Guns, We Want To "Seize" Them
Likely missing a dictionary and basic common sense, Erica Thomas still expects us to believe that the government isn’t coming for our guns.
During an interview with Tucker Carlson, Thomas claims to not be talking about “taking the guns from law-abiding citizens, I’m talking about a ban on assault rifles. We are not trying to promote a militia. What war are we going at that we need assault rifles?”
But Carlson quotes the bill Thomas herself said she supported, which states,
“The Georgia Bureau of Investigation shall seize and take possession of any assault weapon, large capacity magazine, armor piercing bullet or incendiary fifty caliber bullet.”
Carlson then asks how that confiscation will be received by hundreds of thousands of law-abiding gun owners in her state and in typical democrat fashion, can’t answer what a “seizure” of guns from law-abiding citizens who don’t want to give up their morally acquired property would look like.
Then the conversation between Carlson and Thomas eventually drifted into gun statistics, and The Daily Caller co-founder wondered why Thomas wasn’t calling for a ban on handguns since they are responsible for the majority of gun deaths in America.
“Don’t demagogue it with me. I am not downplaying the significance of anyone’s death,” Carlson asserted.“Since assault rifles, relatively speaking, cause few deaths, handguns cause the overwhelming majority of deaths, why are you not calling for banning handguns and seizing and taking possession of handguns…if you care so much about gun violence?”
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During an interview with Tucker Carlson, Thomas claims to not be talking about “taking the guns from law-abiding citizens, I’m talking about a ban on assault rifles. We are not trying to promote a militia. What war are we going at that we need assault rifles?”
But Carlson quotes the bill Thomas herself said she supported, which states,
“The Georgia Bureau of Investigation shall seize and take possession of any assault weapon, large capacity magazine, armor piercing bullet or incendiary fifty caliber bullet.”
Carlson then asks how that confiscation will be received by hundreds of thousands of law-abiding gun owners in her state and in typical democrat fashion, can’t answer what a “seizure” of guns from law-abiding citizens who don’t want to give up their morally acquired property would look like.
Then the conversation between Carlson and Thomas eventually drifted into gun statistics, and The Daily Caller co-founder wondered why Thomas wasn’t calling for a ban on handguns since they are responsible for the majority of gun deaths in America.
“Don’t demagogue it with me. I am not downplaying the significance of anyone’s death,” Carlson asserted.“Since assault rifles, relatively speaking, cause few deaths, handguns cause the overwhelming majority of deaths, why are you not calling for banning handguns and seizing and taking possession of handguns…if you care so much about gun violence?”
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Documents suggest possible coordination between CIA, FBI, Obama WH and Dem officials early in Trump-Russia probe: investigators
Newly uncovered text messages between FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page suggest a possible coordination between high-ranking officials at the Obama White House, CIA, FBI, Justice Department and former Senate Democratic leadership in the early stages of the investigation into alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, according to GOP congressional investigators on Wednesday.
The investigators say the information provided to Fox News “strongly” suggests coordination between former President Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, then-Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, and CIA Director John Brennan — which they say would “contradict” the Obama administration’s public stance about its hand in the process.
Page texted Strzok on Aug. 2, 2016, saying: “Make sure you can lawfully protect what you sign. Just thinking about congress, foia, etc. You probably know better than me.”
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The investigators say the information provided to Fox News “strongly” suggests coordination between former President Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, then-Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, and CIA Director John Brennan — which they say would “contradict” the Obama administration’s public stance about its hand in the process.
Page texted Strzok on Aug. 2, 2016, saying: “Make sure you can lawfully protect what you sign. Just thinking about congress, foia, etc. You probably know better than me.”
More
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/03/28/documents-suggest-possible-coordination-between-cia-fbi-obama-wh-and-dem-officials-early-in-trump-russia-probe-investigators.html
Inspector General Confirms Probe Of FBI's Criminal FISA Warrant Abuse To Spy On Trump
The DOJ's Inspector General Michael Horowitz announced Wednesday that he is expanding his internal investigation into alleged FBI abuses surrounding Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) applications - and will be examining their relationship with former MI6 spy Christopher Steele. The announcement follows several requests from lawmakers and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
“The OIG will initiate a review that will examine the Justice Department’s and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s compliance with legal requirements, and with applicable DOJ and FBI policies and procedures, in applications filed with the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) relating to a certain U.S. person,” the statement reads
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“The OIG will initiate a review that will examine the Justice Department’s and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s compliance with legal requirements, and with applicable DOJ and FBI policies and procedures, in applications filed with the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) relating to a certain U.S. person,” the statement reads
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A Viewer Writes: "It's Disgusting And A Disgrace"
Matt claiming to be running a "clean" campaign is a joke! His true character is not what everyone is seeing on fb. His true character is one of lies, deceit and buying and begging for votes.
“The hardest thing about any political campaign is how to win without proving that you are unworthy of winning.” ~Adlai Stevenson
It has long been said that "Politics is a dirty business", while this is generally true and often expected, the plain truth is that it doesn't have to be this way!
Since I filed my candidacy to be YOUR next Sheriff of Worcester County on February 28, 2017, the first date allowable by law, I have promised to run a good, clean, upright campaign. I have kept this promise and I will continue to do so until Election Day!
There are many issues and challenges facing the next Sheriff. The residents of Worcester County deserve candidates who are focused on the issues and concerns at hand, not on petty insults or mudslinging. I am focused like a laser beam on making Worcester County the safest place to live, work, visit and do business in.
I have always said I will give you reasons why you should vote for me, but I will never give you a reason why you should not vote for another candidate. I invite all candidates running to follow my lead and give the citizens of Worcester County the best possible candidates on Election Day. We as candidates should strive to bring out the best in each other and not display the worst in ourselves.
The residents of Worcester County deserve nothing less than the best!
~Matt
It has long been said that "Politics is a dirty business", while this is generally true and often expected, the plain truth is that it doesn't have to be this way!
Since I filed my candidacy to be YOUR next Sheriff of Worcester County on February 28, 2017, the first date allowable by law, I have promised to run a good, clean, upright campaign. I have kept this promise and I will continue to do so until Election Day!
There are many issues and challenges facing the next Sheriff. The residents of Worcester County deserve candidates who are focused on the issues and concerns at hand, not on petty insults or mudslinging. I am focused like a laser beam on making Worcester County the safest place to live, work, visit and do business in.
I have always said I will give you reasons why you should vote for me, but I will never give you a reason why you should not vote for another candidate. I invite all candidates running to follow my lead and give the citizens of Worcester County the best possible candidates on Election Day. We as candidates should strive to bring out the best in each other and not display the worst in ourselves.
The residents of Worcester County deserve nothing less than the best!
~Matt
Bombshell New Audit Exposes Baltimore City's Mismanagement Of Federal, State Grants
This might not surprise you at the very least, but a new financial audit of how Baltimore City manages millions of dollar in federal and state grants has found top senior officials cannot account for how those dollars were spent.
The Baltimore Sun reports city auditors have unearthed some very troubling mismanagement concerns when it comes to Baltimore’s finances: “Grant money coming into government coffers is not balancing out with what city agencies are spending.”
This might not surprise you at the very least, but a new financial audit of how Baltimore City manages millions of dollar in federal and state grants has found top senior officials cannot account for how those dollars were spent.
The Baltimore Sun reports city auditors have unearthed some very troubling mismanagement concerns when it comes to Baltimore’s finances: “Grant money coming into government coffers is not balancing out with what city agencies are spending.”
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The Baltimore Sun reports city auditors have unearthed some very troubling mismanagement concerns when it comes to Baltimore’s finances: “Grant money coming into government coffers is not balancing out with what city agencies are spending.”
This might not surprise you at the very least, but a new financial audit of how Baltimore City manages millions of dollar in federal and state grants has found top senior officials cannot account for how those dollars were spent.
The Baltimore Sun reports city auditors have unearthed some very troubling mismanagement concerns when it comes to Baltimore’s finances: “Grant money coming into government coffers is not balancing out with what city agencies are spending.”
More
Democrat: Voters Are Too Stupid to Fill Out Ballots
The Democratic secretary of state in New Mexico thinks voters are incapable of filling out their ballot without help.
Maggie Toulouse Oliver penned an editorial in the Albuquerque Journal advocating for the return of straight-ticket voting, which would allow voters to check one box, such as Democrat, and vote for every Democrat on the ballot.
"New Mexico had long utilized a ‘straight party' voting option until 2012, when Dianna Duran, the first Republican secretary of state in New Mexico in 80 years, ended the practice behind closed doors with the stroke of her pen," Oliver writes. "There was no discussion, no public input and no transparency. Duran's was a clearly partisan decision—with the full support of her political party—that was part of an overall plan to both undermine trust in our election process and to make it more difficult to vote."
Oliver argues picking the candidates voters want is "long and complicated," and therefore they need to be told who to vote for based on party.
She said having voters choose every candidate they are voting for is "voter suppression."
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Maggie Toulouse Oliver penned an editorial in the Albuquerque Journal advocating for the return of straight-ticket voting, which would allow voters to check one box, such as Democrat, and vote for every Democrat on the ballot.
"New Mexico had long utilized a ‘straight party' voting option until 2012, when Dianna Duran, the first Republican secretary of state in New Mexico in 80 years, ended the practice behind closed doors with the stroke of her pen," Oliver writes. "There was no discussion, no public input and no transparency. Duran's was a clearly partisan decision—with the full support of her political party—that was part of an overall plan to both undermine trust in our election process and to make it more difficult to vote."
Oliver argues picking the candidates voters want is "long and complicated," and therefore they need to be told who to vote for based on party.
She said having voters choose every candidate they are voting for is "voter suppression."
More
Veteran kills himself in St. Louis VA hospital waiting room, report says
An unidentified U.S. military veteran committed suicide Monday in the waiting room of a Veterans Affairs hospital in St. Louis.
Michelle Woodling, a city police officer, said the 62-year-old killed himself inside the John Cochran VA Medical Center about 4:19 a.m., the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
A U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs spokeswoman told the paper that the agency was “grieved’ to confirm that the veteran was found deceased.
The agency did not immediately respond to an email and phone call from Fox News. The circumstances leading up to the death were unclear.
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Michelle Woodling, a city police officer, said the 62-year-old killed himself inside the John Cochran VA Medical Center about 4:19 a.m., the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
A U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs spokeswoman told the paper that the agency was “grieved’ to confirm that the veteran was found deceased.
The agency did not immediately respond to an email and phone call from Fox News. The circumstances leading up to the death were unclear.
More
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/03/28/veteran-kills-himself-in-st-louis-va-hospital-waiting-room-report-says.html
What Happens When the Government Lies About You in Court?
Is there a hole in our justice system where corruption is allowed to fester? Yes.
Sixty years ago, John Leo Brady was tried for murder in a Maryland court. Brady never denied helping to plan a robbery with his accomplice, Donald Boblit, but insisted that Boblit had pulled the trigger when the scheme went awry. Brady's lawyer argued that his client should therefore be sentenced to life in prison, not death. The jury disagreed and voted to execute him. It was only after Boblit himself was convicted and sentenced to death that Brady's lawyer learned that the prosecutor had intentionally kept hidden Boblit's admission to the crime.
Ruling on Brady's appeal, the Maryland Court of Appeals agreed that the suppression of exculpatory evidence was a 14th Amendment due-process violation, and remanded the case to the trial court on the question of punishment. In 1963, the Supreme Court affirmed in Brady v. Maryland that exculpatory evidence withheld from the defense by the prosecution violates constitutional protections. Ever since then "Brady violations" have resulted in sanctions against prosecutors and police, as well as overturned criminal convictions.
But what happens when the government withholds exculpatory evidence during the prosecution of a civil lawsuit against an individual or company?
Sixty years ago, John Leo Brady was tried for murder in a Maryland court. Brady never denied helping to plan a robbery with his accomplice, Donald Boblit, but insisted that Boblit had pulled the trigger when the scheme went awry. Brady's lawyer argued that his client should therefore be sentenced to life in prison, not death. The jury disagreed and voted to execute him. It was only after Boblit himself was convicted and sentenced to death that Brady's lawyer learned that the prosecutor had intentionally kept hidden Boblit's admission to the crime.
Ruling on Brady's appeal, the Maryland Court of Appeals agreed that the suppression of exculpatory evidence was a 14th Amendment due-process violation, and remanded the case to the trial court on the question of punishment. In 1963, the Supreme Court affirmed in Brady v. Maryland that exculpatory evidence withheld from the defense by the prosecution violates constitutional protections. Ever since then "Brady violations" have resulted in sanctions against prosecutors and police, as well as overturned criminal convictions.
But what happens when the government withholds exculpatory evidence during the prosecution of a civil lawsuit against an individual or company?
Weekly Fishing Report: March 28, 2018
It’s safe to say that more than a few trout fishermen will spend a restless Friday night glancing at their alarm clocks. Opening day holds all the promise and anticipation one can imagine, like something out of our youthful fantasies.
A carnival-type atmosphere will greet most anglers as they arrive at the more popular and heavily stocked locations. There can hardly be a better time to gather up young anglers and have them take part in such a great fishing opportunity, and find success in catching some stocked trout.
Here’s hoping everyone enjoys their opening day experience.
A carnival-type atmosphere will greet most anglers as they arrive at the more popular and heavily stocked locations. There can hardly be a better time to gather up young anglers and have them take part in such a great fishing opportunity, and find success in catching some stocked trout.
Here’s hoping everyone enjoys their opening day experience.
Tim Kaine’s Hometown Paper Rips Him Over Double Standard for the NRA
Democrat Sen. Tim Kaine's (Va.) hometown newspaper castigated him on Wednesday over his recent comments blaming the National Rifle Association for Congress not passing federal gun-control measures.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial board published a rebuke of Kaine, suggesting that the senator's claim Sunday that the NRA "has basically been able to gridlock everything in Congress now for nearly decades" was hypocritical and made in bad faith.
Kaine has also said that his colleagues on Capitol Hill are "afraid of the NRA."
The Times-Dispatch editorial hit Kaine for suggesting that the majority of Congress wants to pass gun control but fails to act on legislation because of the pervasive influence of the NRA and other Second Amendment groups. This view, the newspaper argued, implies that Kaine's colleagues have no ideas of their own and only serve to do "the bidding" of their donors.
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The Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial board published a rebuke of Kaine, suggesting that the senator's claim Sunday that the NRA "has basically been able to gridlock everything in Congress now for nearly decades" was hypocritical and made in bad faith.
Kaine has also said that his colleagues on Capitol Hill are "afraid of the NRA."
The Times-Dispatch editorial hit Kaine for suggesting that the majority of Congress wants to pass gun control but fails to act on legislation because of the pervasive influence of the NRA and other Second Amendment groups. This view, the newspaper argued, implies that Kaine's colleagues have no ideas of their own and only serve to do "the bidding" of their donors.
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College student pleads guilty to lying about rape on campus
A Michigan college student pleaded guilty to falsely reporting to campus police that she was attacked and raped.
Mary Zolkowski, 21, admitted in court Tuesday that she lied to authorities about being raped by a stranger in the parking lot of Delta College in Bay City, according to MLive.
“I called Delta College and falsely reported the rape on their campus,” Zolkowski told the judge, according to the site. “My mother made the initial call and I took the phone and continued to report.”
The student claimed she was silently suffering from a separate incident when she reported the bogus crime to her mom Feb. 22.
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Mary Zolkowski, 21, admitted in court Tuesday that she lied to authorities about being raped by a stranger in the parking lot of Delta College in Bay City, according to MLive.
“I called Delta College and falsely reported the rape on their campus,” Zolkowski told the judge, according to the site. “My mother made the initial call and I took the phone and continued to report.”
The student claimed she was silently suffering from a separate incident when she reported the bogus crime to her mom Feb. 22.
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Is the growth of the pharmaceutical industry making us sicker?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Members of the natural health movement (myself included) have long argued that despite acknowledged medical advances, today’s proliferation of pharmaceutical drugs threatens to undermine, rather than promote, the health of our populace. We’re often branded as Luddites, ignorant skeptics, even quacks.
So, this month, I was blown away by a scholarly article that seems precisely to support our assertion!
Entitled “Does Medical Expansion Improve Population Health?”, it was published in Journal of Health and Social Behavior.
Its authors, Hui Zheng and Linda K. George, are mainstream researchers, not known as firebrands of the integrative health community.
In their sober, academic prose they declare: “This is the first study to examine the relationship between multiple measures of socioeconomic development and medical expansion and multiple measures of mortality/longevity, using data from a sizable number of countries . . .”
The key question they address is whether or not the soaring medicalization of advanced nations has brought with it improvements in established metrics of health for their citizens.
“The Western world has observed skyrocketing healthcare costs, explosive growth in the number of hospitals and health facilities, a burgeoning and increasingly specialized medical workforce, expansion of the pharmaceutical industry, and the extension of medical treatments to non-medical problems.”
To cite but a few examples, think age-related bone loss (osteopenia), “overactive bladder” (OAB), shyness (now called “social phobia”), menopause, and erectile dysfunction (ED)—all amenable to heavily-marketed new drugs.
Zheng and George point out that it’s been argued that medical expenditures do not necessarily guarantee better outcomes. The U.S. is a case in point.
The question: Why does an over-sized pharmaceutical industry have detrimental effects on population health?
Members of the natural health movement (myself included) have long argued that despite acknowledged medical advances, today’s proliferation of pharmaceutical drugs threatens to undermine, rather than promote, the health of our populace. We’re often branded as Luddites, ignorant skeptics, even quacks.
So, this month, I was blown away by a scholarly article that seems precisely to support our assertion!
Entitled “Does Medical Expansion Improve Population Health?”, it was published in Journal of Health and Social Behavior.
Its authors, Hui Zheng and Linda K. George, are mainstream researchers, not known as firebrands of the integrative health community.
In their sober, academic prose they declare: “This is the first study to examine the relationship between multiple measures of socioeconomic development and medical expansion and multiple measures of mortality/longevity, using data from a sizable number of countries . . .”
The key question they address is whether or not the soaring medicalization of advanced nations has brought with it improvements in established metrics of health for their citizens.
“The Western world has observed skyrocketing healthcare costs, explosive growth in the number of hospitals and health facilities, a burgeoning and increasingly specialized medical workforce, expansion of the pharmaceutical industry, and the extension of medical treatments to non-medical problems.”
To cite but a few examples, think age-related bone loss (osteopenia), “overactive bladder” (OAB), shyness (now called “social phobia”), menopause, and erectile dysfunction (ED)—all amenable to heavily-marketed new drugs.
Zheng and George point out that it’s been argued that medical expenditures do not necessarily guarantee better outcomes. The U.S. is a case in point.
The question: Why does an over-sized pharmaceutical industry have detrimental effects on population health?
Toxic Progressivism Champions Toxic Masculinity
Seven states — California, Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Montana, Oregon and Wisconsin — have laws in place requiring the chemical castration of men convicted of violent sex crimes. Oklahoma is attempting to become the eighth state to enact a similar measure. Time magazine characterizes these laws as “controversial” and Oklahoma’s ACLU chapter spokeswoman Allie Shinn insists such laws may violate the Eighth Amendment prohibition of “cruel and unusual” punishment. No doubt most progressives would heartily agree. Yet many of those same progressives support the symbolic castration of American males, promulgated as “toxic masculinity.”
Unsurprisingly, college campuses are leading the charge. “Duke University is famous for its science and engineering programs, as well as its dominance in college basketball,” Fox News reported in 2016. “Now, it may also become known as a great place for men to gather and contemplate why they’re such horrible people.”
The Campus Women’s Center launched the project, targeting “male identified” students and subjecting them to discussions about “male privilege, patriarchy, ‘the language of dominance,’ rape culture, pornography, machismo and other topics,” Fox adds.
The term “male identified” is a window into this poisonous mindset, one that first denies biological and chromosomal reality and then presumes that the default position for any man or boy who refuses to abide progressive assertions of gender “fluidity” is toxic.
And like every leftist effort to promote their odious agenda, a full-scale, coordinated propaganda campaign is an essential part of the mix.
Unsurprisingly, college campuses are leading the charge. “Duke University is famous for its science and engineering programs, as well as its dominance in college basketball,” Fox News reported in 2016. “Now, it may also become known as a great place for men to gather and contemplate why they’re such horrible people.”
The Campus Women’s Center launched the project, targeting “male identified” students and subjecting them to discussions about “male privilege, patriarchy, ‘the language of dominance,’ rape culture, pornography, machismo and other topics,” Fox adds.
The term “male identified” is a window into this poisonous mindset, one that first denies biological and chromosomal reality and then presumes that the default position for any man or boy who refuses to abide progressive assertions of gender “fluidity” is toxic.
And like every leftist effort to promote their odious agenda, a full-scale, coordinated propaganda campaign is an essential part of the mix.
Most Recent ICE Arrests
ICE arrests 271 across the state of Florida, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands
MIAMI – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers arrested 271 aliens as part of an enforcement action targeting immigration violators and those who pose a threat to public safety. The enforcement action ran March 18 through 22. ERO officers made the arrests across the state of Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Of those arrested by ICE during the enforcement action, 99 had criminal records that included felony convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as 1st degree murder, attempted murder, vehicular manslaughter, rape, aggravated assault, attempted robbery, battery, burglary, child neglect, cruelty toward a child, domestic violence, drugs charges such as possession and trafficking, weapons offenses, abuse of the elderly. Additional convictions included driving under the influence, fraud, harboring aliens, illegal entry and re-entry to the United States, resisting an officer, traffic offenses, trespassing and workman’s compensation fraud. As part of the action, ERO officers apprehended 49 ICE fugitives and 39 individuals who were previously removed from the U.S., as well as two known gang members and one individual with an Interpol Red Notice.
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ICE arrests 89 in North Texas and Oklahoma areas during 3-day operation targeting criminal aliens and immigration fugitives
DALLAS — Federal officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 89 criminal aliens and immigration violators in North Texas and Oklahoma during a three-day enforcement action, which ended Thursday.
During this operation, ERO deportation officers made arrests in the following Texas cities and towns: Allen (1), Alvarado (2), Balch Springs (2), Cactus (3), Dallas (8), Denton (3), Dumas (1), Duncanville (1), Fort Worth (4), Friona (1), Garland (3), Gilmer (4), Greenville (3), Irving (1), Kilgore (1), Lewisville (2), Longview (1), Lubbock (15), Mt. Pleasant (1), Plano (3), Quitman (1), Rockwall (3) and Tyler (7). A total of 18 arrests were made in Oklahoma in the cities of Oklahoma City (10), El Reno (1), Norman (1), Stillwater (2) and Tulsa (3) and Woodward (1). Of the 89 arrested, 67 had criminal convictions; 88 men and one woman were arrested. They range in age from 19 to 60 years old.
Aliens arrested during this operation are from the following 10 countries: Mexico (59), Guatemala (12), Honduras (8), Colombia (3), Nigeria (2), El Salvador (1), Laos (1), Nicaragua (1), Pakistan (1) and Vietnam (1).
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MIAMI – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officers arrested 271 aliens as part of an enforcement action targeting immigration violators and those who pose a threat to public safety. The enforcement action ran March 18 through 22. ERO officers made the arrests across the state of Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Of those arrested by ICE during the enforcement action, 99 had criminal records that included felony convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as 1st degree murder, attempted murder, vehicular manslaughter, rape, aggravated assault, attempted robbery, battery, burglary, child neglect, cruelty toward a child, domestic violence, drugs charges such as possession and trafficking, weapons offenses, abuse of the elderly. Additional convictions included driving under the influence, fraud, harboring aliens, illegal entry and re-entry to the United States, resisting an officer, traffic offenses, trespassing and workman’s compensation fraud. As part of the action, ERO officers apprehended 49 ICE fugitives and 39 individuals who were previously removed from the U.S., as well as two known gang members and one individual with an Interpol Red Notice.
More
ICE arrests 89 in North Texas and Oklahoma areas during 3-day operation targeting criminal aliens and immigration fugitives
DALLAS — Federal officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 89 criminal aliens and immigration violators in North Texas and Oklahoma during a three-day enforcement action, which ended Thursday.
During this operation, ERO deportation officers made arrests in the following Texas cities and towns: Allen (1), Alvarado (2), Balch Springs (2), Cactus (3), Dallas (8), Denton (3), Dumas (1), Duncanville (1), Fort Worth (4), Friona (1), Garland (3), Gilmer (4), Greenville (3), Irving (1), Kilgore (1), Lewisville (2), Longview (1), Lubbock (15), Mt. Pleasant (1), Plano (3), Quitman (1), Rockwall (3) and Tyler (7). A total of 18 arrests were made in Oklahoma in the cities of Oklahoma City (10), El Reno (1), Norman (1), Stillwater (2) and Tulsa (3) and Woodward (1). Of the 89 arrested, 67 had criminal convictions; 88 men and one woman were arrested. They range in age from 19 to 60 years old.
Aliens arrested during this operation are from the following 10 countries: Mexico (59), Guatemala (12), Honduras (8), Colombia (3), Nigeria (2), El Salvador (1), Laos (1), Nicaragua (1), Pakistan (1) and Vietnam (1).
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National Vietnam War Veterans Day Today
The Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs are joining with VFW Posts across the nation to mark today, March 29, as the first anniversary of National Vietnam War Veterans Day. Almost 9 million men and women served in uniform during the Vietnam Era, with 3.4 million of them serving downrange. On the Vietnam Wall are the names of more than 58,000 Americans who died there, 47,000 battle-related, to include 1,600 names of those who remain missing in action
Each Memorial and Veterans Day here in Salisbury we have services remembering Vets from WW1 to today.
Each Memorial and Veterans Day here in Salisbury we have services remembering Vets from WW1 to today.
Bill that led Craigslist to cut personals 'gives police teeth'
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — People who looking for romance or casual sex on Craigslist will now be out of luck.
On Friday, the popular classifieds website removed its "personals" section, citing a federal antisex trafficking bill that would hold the website and others responsible for illegal activity.
While sites like Craigslist and Backpage have become a popular place for people to find casual hookups, they're also used to facilitate prostitution and sex trafficking.
"The internet has completely changed the face of these investigations," Kent County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Joel Roon told 24 Hour News 8 Monday.
For two years, Roon worked on a federal task force aimed at protecting kids. He said those trying to facilitate prostitution and sex trafficking have increasingly turned their focus to the internet.
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On Friday, the popular classifieds website removed its "personals" section, citing a federal antisex trafficking bill that would hold the website and others responsible for illegal activity.
While sites like Craigslist and Backpage have become a popular place for people to find casual hookups, they're also used to facilitate prostitution and sex trafficking.
"The internet has completely changed the face of these investigations," Kent County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Joel Roon told 24 Hour News 8 Monday.
For two years, Roon worked on a federal task force aimed at protecting kids. He said those trying to facilitate prostitution and sex trafficking have increasingly turned their focus to the internet.
More
Justice Department watchdog opens surveillance probe after allegations of abuse
A federal watchdog said it will launch a review of the process by which the Justice Department and FBI obtained a surveillance warrant on a "certain U.S. person" amid allegations from Republican lawmakers that the FBI relied improperly on campaign opposition research to justify the warrant.
Michael Horowitz, the Justice Department’s Inspector General, is already probing allegations of political bias in several investigations leading up to the 2016 presidential election.
In a statement, the IG said it will determine what the Justice Department and FBI knew “at the time the applications were filed from or about an alleged FBI confidential source.”
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Michael Horowitz, the Justice Department’s Inspector General, is already probing allegations of political bias in several investigations leading up to the 2016 presidential election.
In a statement, the IG said it will determine what the Justice Department and FBI knew “at the time the applications were filed from or about an alleged FBI confidential source.”
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Nikki Haley to UN: US ‘will not pay more than 25 percent of the peacekeeping budget’
U.S. taxpayers “will not pay more than 25 percent of the [United Nations] peacekeeping budget,” Ambassador Nikki Haley told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday.
“We pledge to work with member states and the organization to ensure we make this adjustment in a fair and sensible manner that protects U.N. peacekeeping,” Haley said during a meeting on the U.N. peacekeeping mission.
President Trump’s administration has sought to reduce U.S. spending on U.N. peacekeeping throughout his first year in office. It's part of an overall push to reduce spending, since Trump believes allies takes advantage of the United States in unfair agreements.
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“We pledge to work with member states and the organization to ensure we make this adjustment in a fair and sensible manner that protects U.N. peacekeeping,” Haley said during a meeting on the U.N. peacekeeping mission.
President Trump’s administration has sought to reduce U.S. spending on U.N. peacekeeping throughout his first year in office. It's part of an overall push to reduce spending, since Trump believes allies takes advantage of the United States in unfair agreements.
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Healey To Sue Trump — Again — Over Census Citizenship Question
BOSTON — Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said Tuesday she plans to sue President Donald Trump’s administration over plans to reintroduce a citizenship question to the 2020 federal census.
“The Census is supposed to count everyone,” Healey said in a Twitter post Tuesday morning. “This is a blatant and illegal attempt by the Trump administration to undermine that goal.
“We will sue to ensure a fair and accurate Census that counts the people of Massachusetts.”
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“The Census is supposed to count everyone,” Healey said in a Twitter post Tuesday morning. “This is a blatant and illegal attempt by the Trump administration to undermine that goal.
“We will sue to ensure a fair and accurate Census that counts the people of Massachusetts.”
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The ‘Roseanne’ Premiere Has a Serious Trump Problem
Of course Roseanne Conner would vote for Donald Trump. You could also imagine her voting for Hillary Clinton or not voting at all. Being a fictional character, it’s really up to the writers to justify what this sitcom character did in her Illinois voting booth in November 2016. ABC’s Roseannerevival, which picks up 20+ years after the show concluded, reveals that the feminist TV icon did not vote for the first major-party female candidate for president. She’s a Trump voter, and it’s really not much of a stretch.
The reason so many Roseanne fans are up-in-arms about this character twist is because they remember the way the character was during the original run, when she was in her 30s and early 40s (and she existed in the political landscape of the late ’80s and ’90s). That Roseanne was pro-choice, pro-gay, anti-racism, and unabashedly feminist with a firm grasp on the world’s patriarchal biases. And then Roseanne went off the air in 1997 (or 1996, because Season 9 doubly doesn’t count). Then Bill Clinton was impeached, tragedy struck on 9/11, Fox News ascended, wars broke out, and 2016 happened. There’s definitely an alternative narrative for Roseanne Conner post-lotto-fantasy wherein she called BS on Bill O’Reilly, rolled her eyes at conspiracy theories, and protested those in Washington calling for wars that ultimately left America’s working-class mourning thousands. But that’s not the narrative the revival went with, opting for one that is honestly more realistic.
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The reason so many Roseanne fans are up-in-arms about this character twist is because they remember the way the character was during the original run, when she was in her 30s and early 40s (and she existed in the political landscape of the late ’80s and ’90s). That Roseanne was pro-choice, pro-gay, anti-racism, and unabashedly feminist with a firm grasp on the world’s patriarchal biases. And then Roseanne went off the air in 1997 (or 1996, because Season 9 doubly doesn’t count). Then Bill Clinton was impeached, tragedy struck on 9/11, Fox News ascended, wars broke out, and 2016 happened. There’s definitely an alternative narrative for Roseanne Conner post-lotto-fantasy wherein she called BS on Bill O’Reilly, rolled her eyes at conspiracy theories, and protested those in Washington calling for wars that ultimately left America’s working-class mourning thousands. But that’s not the narrative the revival went with, opting for one that is honestly more realistic.
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Democrats More Okay With Adultery, Envy, and Dishonoring Parents
According to a nationwide poll released Wednesday, Republicans are much more likely than Democrats to honor seven of the Ten Commandments. It may not be surprising that Republicans are more likely to say the first four more religious commandments are important principles to live by, but they are also more likely to uphold fidelity in marriage, obedience to parents, and not being envious of others.
"Regardless of whether you're religious or not, which of the Ten Commandments from the Bible do you believe are still important principles to live by?" the poll, commissioned by Deseret News and conducted by YouGov, asked 1,523 Americans.
Republicans, Democrats, and independents all agreed on the importance of the commandments against stealing (95 percent, 93 percent, and 96 percent, respectively), murder (94 percent, 95 percent, and 95 percent), and bearing false witness (94 percent, 90 percent, and 94 percent). After those three, the consensus fell apart.
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"Regardless of whether you're religious or not, which of the Ten Commandments from the Bible do you believe are still important principles to live by?" the poll, commissioned by Deseret News and conducted by YouGov, asked 1,523 Americans.
Republicans, Democrats, and independents all agreed on the importance of the commandments against stealing (95 percent, 93 percent, and 96 percent, respectively), murder (94 percent, 95 percent, and 95 percent), and bearing false witness (94 percent, 90 percent, and 94 percent). After those three, the consensus fell apart.
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Sweden Paying Transsexuals Who Were 'Forced' to Be Sterilized
Europe's chickens are coming to home to roost. And Sweden is the latest European country to be punished for past decisions that contradict the new leftist dogma. The country is offering payouts to transsexuals who were forcibly sterilized beginning in the 1970s.
Sweden's Gender Recognition Act of 1972 required those who wanted to change their gender to undergo sexual sterilization. Interestingly, as progressive as many believe Sweden to be, the law was enforced until as late as 2013. It was declared unconstitutional and a violation of the EU's Convention on Human Rights by Sweden's Administrative Court of Appeals. Since that ruling in 2013, trans-activists have been seeking payment from the Swedish government for those who were forcibly sterilized.
However, it should be pointed out that, technically, Sweden never forced anyone to be sterilized. Those who chose to deny science were required to be sterilized. They were not required to make that initial anti-science choice. Regardless, eugenics is troubling and much of Europe has an inglorious history with eugenics. In fact, this isn't the first time that Sweden has confronted its eugenics past. According to The Local:
Sweden's Gender Recognition Act of 1972 required those who wanted to change their gender to undergo sexual sterilization. Interestingly, as progressive as many believe Sweden to be, the law was enforced until as late as 2013. It was declared unconstitutional and a violation of the EU's Convention on Human Rights by Sweden's Administrative Court of Appeals. Since that ruling in 2013, trans-activists have been seeking payment from the Swedish government for those who were forcibly sterilized.
However, it should be pointed out that, technically, Sweden never forced anyone to be sterilized. Those who chose to deny science were required to be sterilized. They were not required to make that initial anti-science choice. Regardless, eugenics is troubling and much of Europe has an inglorious history with eugenics. In fact, this isn't the first time that Sweden has confronted its eugenics past. According to The Local:
Cambridge Analytica Whistleblower: Facebook Able to Listen to You at Home and Work
Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Christoper Wylie, appearing before a committee of British MPs on Tuesday, said that Facebook has the ability to spy on users in their homes and offices.
The British parliament is investigating Cambridge Analytica's involvement in the Brexit election. MP Damian Collins, who chaired the committee, asked Wylie whether Facebook has the ability to listen to what people are talking about in order to better target them with ads.
"There's been various speculation about the fact that Facebook can, through the Facebook app on your smartphone, listen in to what people are talking about and discussing and using that to prioritize the advertising as well," Collins said. "Other people would say, no, they don't think it's possible. It's just that the Facebook system is just so good at predicting what you're interested in that it can guess." He asked for Wylie's thoughts on the possibility.
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The British parliament is investigating Cambridge Analytica's involvement in the Brexit election. MP Damian Collins, who chaired the committee, asked Wylie whether Facebook has the ability to listen to what people are talking about in order to better target them with ads.
"There's been various speculation about the fact that Facebook can, through the Facebook app on your smartphone, listen in to what people are talking about and discussing and using that to prioritize the advertising as well," Collins said. "Other people would say, no, they don't think it's possible. It's just that the Facebook system is just so good at predicting what you're interested in that it can guess." He asked for Wylie's thoughts on the possibility.
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Judge allows emoluments lawsuit against Trump to go forward
A federal judge has denied the Trump administration’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging President Trump has violated the U.S. Constitution’s emoluments clause because of his ties to his Washington hotel.
U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte in Maryland ruled the plaintiffs — Washington and Maryland — have standing. The judge limited the case to the Trump International Hotel in Washington only, excluding Trump organization activity outside of the District of Columbia.
In his 47-page order, Messittee said the plaintiffs have standing “to challenge the actions of the president with respect to the Trump International Hotel and its appurtenances in Washington, D.C., as well as the Trump Organization with respect to them."
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U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte in Maryland ruled the plaintiffs — Washington and Maryland — have standing. The judge limited the case to the Trump International Hotel in Washington only, excluding Trump organization activity outside of the District of Columbia.
In his 47-page order, Messittee said the plaintiffs have standing “to challenge the actions of the president with respect to the Trump International Hotel and its appurtenances in Washington, D.C., as well as the Trump Organization with respect to them."
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