Illinois residents are fleeing the state in record numbers. The most recent U.S. Census numbers showed Illinois netted a loss of 114,000 residents to other states in 2018. That means Illinois lost 114,000 more residents than it gained from other states.
Only New York, (-180,000) and California (-156,000) lost more residents on a net basis. New Jersey (-50,000) and Louisiana (-28,000) rounded out the top five largest losers of residents to other states.
Illinois residents are fleeing the state in record numbers. The most recent U.S. Census numbers showed Illinois netted a loss of 114,000 residents to other states in 2018. That means Illinois lost 114,000 more residents than it gained from other states.
Only New York, (-180,000) and California (-156,000) lost more residents on a net basis. New Jersey (-50,000) and Louisiana (-28,000) rounded out the top five largest losers of residents to other states.
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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
Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Operation “Old School” Nets Multiple Arrests
Kent County– A multi-jurisdictional investigation into the illegal drug trafficking organization involving multiple subjects conducted by the Delaware State Police, Dover Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Delaware Probation and Parole, and other assisting agencies has concluded with the arrest or indictment of 20 individuals on over 200 felony charges.
Operation “Old School” concluded on January 3, 2019 after over a two year investigation into this drug trafficking organization. The organization was responsible for a large scale distribution of cocaine and marijuana in and around Kent County Delaware. The investigation began in June 2016, when the Dover DEA Drug Task Force consisting of Drug Enforcement Administration, Dover Police Department, and Delaware State Police identified a large-scale cocaine trafficking origination being operated in Kent and New Castle County, Delaware. Through the investigation, detectives were able to establish that the illegal drug trafficking organization was headed by 44-year-old Ricardo L. Barnaby of New Castle, 44-year-old Barry V. Haith of Dover, and 39-year-old Lamont K. McCove of Harrington. Also identified were several lower level members of the organization.
During the investigation a total of 10 search warrants were executed. The following items were seized as a result of the investigation and execution of the search warrants:
- 3,061.95 grams of cocaine
- 694.98 grams of marijuana
- 3.3 grams of THC oil
- 33.6 grams of crack cocaine
- (1) 40 caliber Handgun
- (3) 9mm Handguns
- (1) AR-15
- $96,011.00 in suspected drug proceeds
- Assorted ammunition
- 2008 Dodge Ram pickup truck (valued at $5,000.00)
- 2018 moped (valued at $2,000.00)
- Assorted drug paraphernalia
Ricardo L. Barnaby was charged with the following:
- Racketeering
- Possession with Intent to Deliver (PWITD) a Controlled Substance (6 counts)
- Aggravated Possession (7 counts)
- Possession firearm/ammunition by person prohibited (2 counts)
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
Barnaby was arraigned and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution on $205,000.00 cash only bond.
Barry V. Haith was charged with the following:
- Racketeering
- Possession with Intent to Deliver (PWITD) a Controlled Substance (23 counts)
- Aggravated Possession (11 counts)
- Conspiracy 2nd (18 counts)
- Criminal Solicitation (5 counts)
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Reckless Endangering 2nd (4 counts)
- Resisting Arrest
- Tampering with Evidence
- Disregarding police signal
- Criminal Mischief over $5,000
Haith was arraigned and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution on $223,000.00 secured bond.
Lamont K. McCove was charged with the following:
- Racketeering
- Possession with Intent to Deliver (PWITD) a Controlled Substance (18 counts)
- Aggravated Possession (15 counts)
- Conspiracy 2nd (14 counts)
- Criminal Solicitation (4 counts)
- Possession Drug Paraphernalia (3 counts)
- Resisting Arrest
- Tampering with Evidence (2 counts)
- Disregarding a police signal
McCove was arraigned and committed to the Sussex Correctional Institution on $301,000.00 cash only bond.
In addition to the above three defendants, 17 other individuals were indicted and/or arrested as part of the drug distribution organization for a total of 244 felony and 34 misdemeanor charges. As of January 3, 2019 all suspects have been located and arrested.
Agencies that participated or assisted with the investigation included:
- Delaware Department of Justice
- US Attorney’s Office
- Delaware State Police
- Dover Police Department
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Delaware National Guard
- New Jersey National Guard
- Maryland National Guard
- Philadelphia Police Department
- Wicomico Narcotics Task Force
- Salisbury Police Department
“This investigation demonstrates that the collaborative efforts of law enforcement continues to target and dismantle drug organizations across our state. Through a variety of methods to include short term and long term investigations these efforts will continue as long as there are drug organizations that plague Delaware communities” said Colonel Nathaniel McQueen Jr., Superintendent of Delaware State Police. “Thank you to our Troopers, prosecutors and all of our federal and local partners for their commitment to this investigation”.
PG&E Former CEO To Collect Millions In Cash While Utility Files For Bankruptcy
With the second bankruptcy of PG&E looming and shareholders and bondholders both staring at massive losses...
... while some 16 million California residents are about to pay sharply higher utility prices, not every is suffering: as Bloombergreports, the utility's former CEO Geisha Williams, who abruptly left the sinking ship just hours before notifying the company's workers it would file for bankruptcy within weeks, is set to walk away with millions in cash.
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Thanks To Their Student Loans, Millennials Expect To Die In Debt
Adulting, the now common idiom goes, is hard. And to many millennials, the grim realization that debt will always be part of their lives is not making it any easier.
In some cases, their debt load is so soul-crushing they expect to die without ever paying what they owe back. So how much does this problem have to do with the higher-education crisis the country is facing? As it turns out, everything.
According to a study by Northwestern Mutual, educational loans are the leading source of debt for millennials ages 18 to 24. And according to a CreditCards.com report, over 60 percent of millennials aged 18 to 37 are completely unsure when, or if, they will be able to pay their debt off. Among those who responded they are uncertain about their ability to pay off debt, 20 percent said they expected to die in debt.
But to those with only credit card debt, the prospects aren’t as grim, as 79 percent of millennials said they had a plan to pay it all off, expecting to be completely debt-free by age 43.
While many of the news outlets reporting on these findings urge young people to get a plan in place so they can pay off their debt, the reality is that government’s push to give everyone a college education is what has greatly contributed to young people’s debt load. And what’s worse, degreesare not actually helping many young people get a job.
Will bureaucrats and those who pushed for more government-subsidized education ever admit they created a monster that has finally gotten out of control?
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In some cases, their debt load is so soul-crushing they expect to die without ever paying what they owe back. So how much does this problem have to do with the higher-education crisis the country is facing? As it turns out, everything.
According to a study by Northwestern Mutual, educational loans are the leading source of debt for millennials ages 18 to 24. And according to a CreditCards.com report, over 60 percent of millennials aged 18 to 37 are completely unsure when, or if, they will be able to pay their debt off. Among those who responded they are uncertain about their ability to pay off debt, 20 percent said they expected to die in debt.
But to those with only credit card debt, the prospects aren’t as grim, as 79 percent of millennials said they had a plan to pay it all off, expecting to be completely debt-free by age 43.
While many of the news outlets reporting on these findings urge young people to get a plan in place so they can pay off their debt, the reality is that government’s push to give everyone a college education is what has greatly contributed to young people’s debt load. And what’s worse, degreesare not actually helping many young people get a job.
Will bureaucrats and those who pushed for more government-subsidized education ever admit they created a monster that has finally gotten out of control?
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Gregg Jarrett: An FBI that is corrupt and dishonest -- Latest reports offer only more proof
Dishonesty and corruption are endemic at the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The latest proof comes in a New York Times report that the FBI initiated an investigation in May of 2017 into whether President Donald Trump was serving as a covert Russian agent. The accusation itself was ludicrous on its face. But from a legal standpoint, the FBI's probe constituted an egregious abuse of power. The Bureau had no probable cause, no evidence, and no reasonable suspicions. They investigated Trump because they could. They defied the law, ignored or perverted facts, and debased the integrity of a heretofore-respected law enforcement agency.
Why did these rogue officials commit such an outrageous act of malfeasance? In a word, vengeance. Already incensed that Trump had defeated their preferred candidate, Hillary Clinton, they grew furious when the president fired Director James Comey on May 9, 2017. In reaction, they sought retribution. What better way to avenge Comey's firing than to launch a counterintelligence investigation of Trump under the false pretense that he committed treasonous acts for the benefit of the Kremlin and at the direction of President Vladimir Putin. Absent credible proof, information could be manipulated to frame Trump while a compliant media would gobble up the leaks and report the damaging charge. The election results could then be undone when the president was driven from office.
To readers of my book, "The Russia Hoax: The Illicit Scheme To Clear Hillary Clinton And Frame Donald Trump,” this comes as no surprise. As detailed therein, Comey and his faithful confederates at the Bureau twisted facts and contorted the law to absolve Clinton of all criminal acts she most certainly committed in the mishandling of her classified emails while Secretary of State.
On the same day Comey exonerated Clinton, his FBI was furtively meeting with the author of the fictitious anti-Trump "dossier" funded by Clinton and the Democrats. Although nothing in the phony document was true or ever verified, the FBI used it as a pretext to commence and advance a malicious investigation into whether Trump "colluded" with Russia to steal the 2016 presidential election. They also exploited the "dossier" as the basis to gain a warrant to spy on the Trump campaign, concealing the truth from the intelligence court and deceiving the judges.
Over the next ten months, the FBI failed to corroborate anything in the "dossier." Bureau agents uncovered no evidence that Trump had somehow conspired or coordinated with Russia to influence the election. Then came the firing of Comey for just cause. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Comey's direct boss, volunteered to author a memorandum recommending his termination for multiple acts of misconduct and serious violations of Justice Department and FBI rules in the Clinton case. Six former Attorneys General and Deputy Attorneys General from different eras and both political parties endorsed his termination. Comey was canned for reasons that were entirely merited and had nothing whatsoever to do with the Russia probe. The president was constitutionally authorized to take such action, which Comey confirmed in a letter to his colleagues at the FBI.
As I noted in my book, "Almost immediately, demands for impeachment of President Trump were heard in the corridors of Congress. The liberal media were crazed with excitement over the prospect that the president had obstructed justice in trying to block the Russian investigation. In truth and in law, neither scenarios were remotely rational."
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The latest proof comes in a New York Times report that the FBI initiated an investigation in May of 2017 into whether President Donald Trump was serving as a covert Russian agent. The accusation itself was ludicrous on its face. But from a legal standpoint, the FBI's probe constituted an egregious abuse of power. The Bureau had no probable cause, no evidence, and no reasonable suspicions. They investigated Trump because they could. They defied the law, ignored or perverted facts, and debased the integrity of a heretofore-respected law enforcement agency.
Why did these rogue officials commit such an outrageous act of malfeasance? In a word, vengeance. Already incensed that Trump had defeated their preferred candidate, Hillary Clinton, they grew furious when the president fired Director James Comey on May 9, 2017. In reaction, they sought retribution. What better way to avenge Comey's firing than to launch a counterintelligence investigation of Trump under the false pretense that he committed treasonous acts for the benefit of the Kremlin and at the direction of President Vladimir Putin. Absent credible proof, information could be manipulated to frame Trump while a compliant media would gobble up the leaks and report the damaging charge. The election results could then be undone when the president was driven from office.
To readers of my book, "The Russia Hoax: The Illicit Scheme To Clear Hillary Clinton And Frame Donald Trump,” this comes as no surprise. As detailed therein, Comey and his faithful confederates at the Bureau twisted facts and contorted the law to absolve Clinton of all criminal acts she most certainly committed in the mishandling of her classified emails while Secretary of State.
On the same day Comey exonerated Clinton, his FBI was furtively meeting with the author of the fictitious anti-Trump "dossier" funded by Clinton and the Democrats. Although nothing in the phony document was true or ever verified, the FBI used it as a pretext to commence and advance a malicious investigation into whether Trump "colluded" with Russia to steal the 2016 presidential election. They also exploited the "dossier" as the basis to gain a warrant to spy on the Trump campaign, concealing the truth from the intelligence court and deceiving the judges.
Over the next ten months, the FBI failed to corroborate anything in the "dossier." Bureau agents uncovered no evidence that Trump had somehow conspired or coordinated with Russia to influence the election. Then came the firing of Comey for just cause. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, Comey's direct boss, volunteered to author a memorandum recommending his termination for multiple acts of misconduct and serious violations of Justice Department and FBI rules in the Clinton case. Six former Attorneys General and Deputy Attorneys General from different eras and both political parties endorsed his termination. Comey was canned for reasons that were entirely merited and had nothing whatsoever to do with the Russia probe. The president was constitutionally authorized to take such action, which Comey confirmed in a letter to his colleagues at the FBI.
As I noted in my book, "Almost immediately, demands for impeachment of President Trump were heard in the corridors of Congress. The liberal media were crazed with excitement over the prospect that the president had obstructed justice in trying to block the Russian investigation. In truth and in law, neither scenarios were remotely rational."
More
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/gregg-jarrett-an-fbi-that-is-corrupt-and-dishonest-latest-reports-offer-only-more-proof
Ex-lawmakers 'scrambling and looking' for lobbying gigs
So many former House Republicans are considering heading to K Street that not all of them are likely to find work.
When Sen. Heidi Heitkamp threw a party to thank friends and supporters at an Italian restaurant on Capitol Hill last month, Vic Fazio, a former congressman who’s now a lobbyist, saw an opportunity.
Fazio found the North Dakota Democrat, who’d just lost her bid for reelection, and pressed his card into her palm.
“We should talk,” Fazio told her, according to a person in the room.
Heitkamp has no plans to become a lobbyist, according to Tessa Gould, her former chief of staff. But the brief exchange was one of the countless quiet conversations taking place among many of the dozens of lawmakers who departed Congress earlier this month and the Washington lobbying firms eager to hire the best-connected among them.
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When Sen. Heidi Heitkamp threw a party to thank friends and supporters at an Italian restaurant on Capitol Hill last month, Vic Fazio, a former congressman who’s now a lobbyist, saw an opportunity.
Fazio found the North Dakota Democrat, who’d just lost her bid for reelection, and pressed his card into her palm.
“We should talk,” Fazio told her, according to a person in the room.
Heitkamp has no plans to become a lobbyist, according to Tessa Gould, her former chief of staff. But the brief exchange was one of the countless quiet conversations taking place among many of the dozens of lawmakers who departed Congress earlier this month and the Washington lobbying firms eager to hire the best-connected among them.
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New York senator Kirsten Gillibrand set to announce White House bid this week
Several people familiar with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's plans say the New York Democrat is expected to take steps toward launching a presidential campaign in the coming days by forming an exploratory committee.
One person says Gillibrand will likely announce her intentions ahead of a trip to Iowa this weekend. She will be a guest Tuesday night on CBS' 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.'
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak on Gillibrand's timing. Gillibrand's representatives didn't comment Monday on her plans.
Gillibrand was appointed to the Senate in 2009 to succeed Hillary Clinton, who became secretary of state. She easily won re-election in November and has $10.6 million in her campaign fund, which can be used to jump-start a presidential bid.
Her move comes as, after months of speculation and secrecy, the 2020 presidential primary season is about to explode.
With several Democrats already in the race, a half dozen more are locking down final travel, staffing and strategy to launch White House bids in the coming weeks.
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One person says Gillibrand will likely announce her intentions ahead of a trip to Iowa this weekend. She will be a guest Tuesday night on CBS' 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.'
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak on Gillibrand's timing. Gillibrand's representatives didn't comment Monday on her plans.
Gillibrand was appointed to the Senate in 2009 to succeed Hillary Clinton, who became secretary of state. She easily won re-election in November and has $10.6 million in her campaign fund, which can be used to jump-start a presidential bid.
Her move comes as, after months of speculation and secrecy, the 2020 presidential primary season is about to explode.
With several Democrats already in the race, a half dozen more are locking down final travel, staffing and strategy to launch White House bids in the coming weeks.
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HUGE REVELATION! DEEP STATE LIED! Investigated Trump Campaign with FOUR SEPARATE INDIVIDUAL PROBES - All With Separate Code Names!!
How many FBI investigations were there related to Trump? Based on evidence – one enterprise investigation and at least four separate investigations.
The individual investigations were likely set up against Carter Page, Papadopoulos, General Flynn and Manafort. This is why they went after these four with a vengeance after the election – to try and find anything on them so their illegal spying would not appear so illegal!
Below is a thread from Nick Weil on Twitter that presents a plausible analysis on the number of investigations that the FBI had on President Trump – all based on a fake dossier. Based on reports to date there is enough evidence to shut down the Mueller investigation and have the Obama far-left goons in the FBI and DOJ arrested and in jail –
There were four separate code names that we now know of but does this imply four separate investigations?
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The individual investigations were likely set up against Carter Page, Papadopoulos, General Flynn and Manafort. This is why they went after these four with a vengeance after the election – to try and find anything on them so their illegal spying would not appear so illegal!
Below is a thread from Nick Weil on Twitter that presents a plausible analysis on the number of investigations that the FBI had on President Trump – all based on a fake dossier. Based on reports to date there is enough evidence to shut down the Mueller investigation and have the Obama far-left goons in the FBI and DOJ arrested and in jail –
There were four separate code names that we now know of but does this imply four separate investigations?
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WATCH: Laura Loomer Brings Illegal Immigrants To Nancy Pelosi's Home. Pelosi Has Police Remove Them.
Self-described investigative journalist Laura Loomer brought a handful of illegal immigrants to the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Monday.
Pelosi — who has been unwavering in her opposition to funding a wall along the southern border, which she's classified as an "immorality" — reportedly had Loomer and the illegals removed from her property.
Loomer, accompanied by illegal immigrants from Guatemala and Mexico, lugged a tent onto Pelosi’s multimillion-dollar vineyard estate, freelance journalist Nick Monroe reported Monday. In large red letters, the word "immorality" was written across the tent; there were also photos of murder victims of illegal immigrants hanging from the front of the tent.
Livestreaming the event, Loomer took the time to read each of the victims’ names and reiterate that these folks were not welcome in "sanctuary state California."
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Pelosi — who has been unwavering in her opposition to funding a wall along the southern border, which she's classified as an "immorality" — reportedly had Loomer and the illegals removed from her property.
Loomer, accompanied by illegal immigrants from Guatemala and Mexico, lugged a tent onto Pelosi’s multimillion-dollar vineyard estate, freelance journalist Nick Monroe reported Monday. In large red letters, the word "immorality" was written across the tent; there were also photos of murder victims of illegal immigrants hanging from the front of the tent.
Livestreaming the event, Loomer took the time to read each of the victims’ names and reiterate that these folks were not welcome in "sanctuary state California."
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Smoking weed just ONCE could change a teenager's brain
Just one or two joints is enough to change the structure of a teenager's brain, scientists have warned.
And the drug could cause changes affecting how likely they are to suffer from anxiety or panic, according to a study.
Researchers found 14-year-old girls and boys exposed to THC – the psychoactive chemical in cannabis – had a greater volume of grey matter in their brains.
This means the tissue in certain areas is thicker, and it was found to be in the same areas as the receptors which marijuana affects.
Experts said thickening of brain tissue is the opposite of what usually happens during puberty, when teenagers' brain matter gets thinner and more refined.
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And the drug could cause changes affecting how likely they are to suffer from anxiety or panic, according to a study.
Researchers found 14-year-old girls and boys exposed to THC – the psychoactive chemical in cannabis – had a greater volume of grey matter in their brains.
This means the tissue in certain areas is thicker, and it was found to be in the same areas as the receptors which marijuana affects.
Experts said thickening of brain tissue is the opposite of what usually happens during puberty, when teenagers' brain matter gets thinner and more refined.
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11 charged in probe of triple homicide at Pennsylvania farm 2 years ago
Eleven people — including alleged members of the Black Guerrilla Family, described as a national criminal gang — have been charged in a triple homicide in Pennsylvania more than two years ago, allegedly to silence a police informant, according to reports.
Fox 43 reported that a federal grand jury indictment unsealed Friday said the accused were involved in the June 2016 slaying of Wendy Chaney, Brandon Cole and Phillip Jackson — who were tied up, shot and set on fire in a central Pennsylvania barn.
All 11 charged in the indictment are behind bars.
Lawyers for all the defendants either declined comment or did not return messages Monday.
The Dec. 20 indictment said two of the defendants, Kevin Coles and Devin Dickerson, were being investigated by the DEA and police in June 2016. They began to suspect Chaney, who faced pending criminal charges, was helping law enforcement with that probe.
One of the defendants was in a romantic relationship with Chaney at the time and persuaded her to go to Jackson’s farm near Mercersburg, according to the indictment. There, the victims’ hands were bound with plastic ties, and they were shot in the head or back before being set on fire, the grand jury alleged.
Chaney and Cole were dead when police arrived, and Jackson later died at a hospital, Penn Live reported.
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Fox 43 reported that a federal grand jury indictment unsealed Friday said the accused were involved in the June 2016 slaying of Wendy Chaney, Brandon Cole and Phillip Jackson — who were tied up, shot and set on fire in a central Pennsylvania barn.
All 11 charged in the indictment are behind bars.
Lawyers for all the defendants either declined comment or did not return messages Monday.
The Dec. 20 indictment said two of the defendants, Kevin Coles and Devin Dickerson, were being investigated by the DEA and police in June 2016. They began to suspect Chaney, who faced pending criminal charges, was helping law enforcement with that probe.
One of the defendants was in a romantic relationship with Chaney at the time and persuaded her to go to Jackson’s farm near Mercersburg, according to the indictment. There, the victims’ hands were bound with plastic ties, and they were shot in the head or back before being set on fire, the grand jury alleged.
Chaney and Cole were dead when police arrived, and Jackson later died at a hospital, Penn Live reported.
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/11-charged-in-probe-of-triple-homicide-at-pennsylvania-farm-2-years-ago
Charlie Kirk: Beware Democrat Efforts to Abolish the Electoral College
At military academies one studied battle tactic is that of the flanking maneuver. While there are variations, one of the forms taken is that of a “Pincer” where one force double envelopes an opposing army on both sides and then effectively crushes them in the middle.
The classic historical example was the use of the tactic by Hannibal in the Second Punic War against the Romans at the Battle of Cannae on August 2, 216 B.C.E. By drawing in the enemy and wrapping his forces around them to their flanks, by day’s end Hannibal’s men left 50-70,000 Roman soldiers lying dead in battle and nearly collapsed the then-tottering Roman Empire.
The Carthaginian Army lost only about 6,000.
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The classic historical example was the use of the tactic by Hannibal in the Second Punic War against the Romans at the Battle of Cannae on August 2, 216 B.C.E. By drawing in the enemy and wrapping his forces around them to their flanks, by day’s end Hannibal’s men left 50-70,000 Roman soldiers lying dead in battle and nearly collapsed the then-tottering Roman Empire.
The Carthaginian Army lost only about 6,000.
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Kamala Harris and Mazie Hirono deserve scorn for effort to establish an anti-Catholic religious test
Sen. Kamala Harris is running for president in a very crowded field. Maybe the need to distinguish herself drove her to take the lead on anti-Catholicism. Or maybe, along with some of her Democratic colleagues, Harris, D-Calif., is playing the long game and is simply trying to institute a religious test for office that places Catholic teaching beyond the bounds of tolerable opinions.
Harris this month went after Brian Buescher, President Trump’s nominee for a federal court vacancy in Nebraska, for belonging to the Knights of the Columbus. This is damning, Harris’ questions implied, because the Knights is “all-male,” because the organization’s president described Roe v. Wade as “a legal regime that has resulted in more than 40 million deaths” (fact check: true), and because the president described abortion as “the killing of the innocent” (ditto). Further, the Knights “opposed marriage equality,” Harris pointed out.
Harris’ colleague on the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, went further. She demanded that Buescher, if he is to be a federal judge, drop his membership in the Knights and recuse himself from every issue on which the Knights have taken an opinion.
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Harris this month went after Brian Buescher, President Trump’s nominee for a federal court vacancy in Nebraska, for belonging to the Knights of the Columbus. This is damning, Harris’ questions implied, because the Knights is “all-male,” because the organization’s president described Roe v. Wade as “a legal regime that has resulted in more than 40 million deaths” (fact check: true), and because the president described abortion as “the killing of the innocent” (ditto). Further, the Knights “opposed marriage equality,” Harris pointed out.
Harris’ colleague on the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, went further. She demanded that Buescher, if he is to be a federal judge, drop his membership in the Knights and recuse himself from every issue on which the Knights have taken an opinion.
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Rep. Steve King Releases Statement - Debunks New York Times Report and Outrageous Accusations of Racism!
On Thursday The New York Times published a hit piece on Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and Trump voters.
Reporter Trip Gabriel published the piece.
“Before Trump, Steve King Set the Agenda for the Wall and Anti-Immigrant Politics”
This quote by Rep. King is what got the most attention. According to reporter Gabriel, Steve reportedly said,
“White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?” Mr. King said. “Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?”
Of course, this caused an uproar in Washington and on all of the liberal networks — as you would expect if it were true.
King was lambasted by the media and political class for defending “white supremacy.” Democrats called to remove him from all congressional committees. Republican lawmakers discussed the possibility of disciplinary action. And, of course, Trump-hating Republicans immediately called for Steve to be censured.
Have any of these Republicans called for Rashida Tlaib to be censured for her vulgar and profane attacks on this president?
Rep. King released a statement on Friday:
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Reporter Trip Gabriel published the piece.
“Before Trump, Steve King Set the Agenda for the Wall and Anti-Immigrant Politics”
This quote by Rep. King is what got the most attention. According to reporter Gabriel, Steve reportedly said,
“White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?” Mr. King said. “Why did I sit in classes teaching me about the merits of our history and our civilization?”
Of course, this caused an uproar in Washington and on all of the liberal networks — as you would expect if it were true.
King was lambasted by the media and political class for defending “white supremacy.” Democrats called to remove him from all congressional committees. Republican lawmakers discussed the possibility of disciplinary action. And, of course, Trump-hating Republicans immediately called for Steve to be censured.
Have any of these Republicans called for Rashida Tlaib to be censured for her vulgar and profane attacks on this president?
Rep. King released a statement on Friday:
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Wisconsin Judge Rules in Favor of Religious Freedom
Religious institutions exempt from nondiscrimination ordinance addressing gender identity in public accommodation
A county judge in Wisconsin ruled last month that the city of De Pere's nondiscrimination ordinance infringed on the right of religious freedom, granting a victory to five churches and a religious broadcaster which brought a legal challenge against the statute.
In late 2017, De Pere adopted a nondiscrimination ordinance that, among other issues, addressed "gender identity and sexual orientation in housing, employment, advertising, and public accommodation," according to World magazine. The new policies were to apply to all "places of public accommodation."
Five churches and a local religious broadcaster challenged the ordinance. The plaintiffs' complaint argued that the city's ordinance differed from similar statutes in other states as "the De Pere ordinance does not clearly exempt religious organizations." They contended that "the ordinance is likely to be imposed on churches and other religious organizations in a manner that would mandate government orthodoxy in core religious functions, communication, and conduct."
More specifically, the churches asked the judge to determine whether they fell under the statute's definition of discrimination, given that the plaintiffs "hold views relative to family and marital status, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation for which they make employment and facilities-use decisions. Additionally, each of the religious institutions notices, promotes, publishes and otherwise disseminates their views relating to these topics on certain communication-platforms including their websites and for some, blogs, and the radio."
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A county judge in Wisconsin ruled last month that the city of De Pere's nondiscrimination ordinance infringed on the right of religious freedom, granting a victory to five churches and a religious broadcaster which brought a legal challenge against the statute.
In late 2017, De Pere adopted a nondiscrimination ordinance that, among other issues, addressed "gender identity and sexual orientation in housing, employment, advertising, and public accommodation," according to World magazine. The new policies were to apply to all "places of public accommodation."
Five churches and a local religious broadcaster challenged the ordinance. The plaintiffs' complaint argued that the city's ordinance differed from similar statutes in other states as "the De Pere ordinance does not clearly exempt religious organizations." They contended that "the ordinance is likely to be imposed on churches and other religious organizations in a manner that would mandate government orthodoxy in core religious functions, communication, and conduct."
More specifically, the churches asked the judge to determine whether they fell under the statute's definition of discrimination, given that the plaintiffs "hold views relative to family and marital status, religion, sex, gender identity and sexual orientation for which they make employment and facilities-use decisions. Additionally, each of the religious institutions notices, promotes, publishes and otherwise disseminates their views relating to these topics on certain communication-platforms including their websites and for some, blogs, and the radio."
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Anti-Israel Extremist Says He Was At Tlaib’s Private Dinner After Swearing-In
An anti-Israel extremist claimed he was at Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s swearing-in ceremony and attended a private dinner afterwards, according to a social media post published Saturday.
Abbas Hamideh, executive director and co-founder of Al-Awda, has repeatedly stated his belief that Israel does not have a right to exist.
He posted a photo of the newly elected official and himself holding up a painting of the freshman congresswoman. The caption of the post reads, “I was honored to be at Congresswoman @RashidaTlaib swearing in ceremony in #Detroit and private dinner afterward with the entire family, friends and activists across the country.”
Al-Awda is a non-partisan organization dedicated to “comprehensive public education on the rights of all Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and lands of origin, and to full restitution of all their confiscated and destroyed property.”
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Abbas Hamideh, executive director and co-founder of Al-Awda, has repeatedly stated his belief that Israel does not have a right to exist.
He posted a photo of the newly elected official and himself holding up a painting of the freshman congresswoman. The caption of the post reads, “I was honored to be at Congresswoman @RashidaTlaib swearing in ceremony in #Detroit and private dinner afterward with the entire family, friends and activists across the country.”
Al-Awda is a non-partisan organization dedicated to “comprehensive public education on the rights of all Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and lands of origin, and to full restitution of all their confiscated and destroyed property.”
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America Will “Collapse” With No Wall – Former Ariz. Governor
The United States is at risk of collapsing if the southern frontier is not secured and a barrier built, says former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer.
Brewer delivered the stark warning during an interview on Breitbart News Tonight, asserting a “crisis” has been unfolding at the border for a “long time.”
“I often used to say, a country without a border secured is like a house without walls, it collapses,” Brewer said. “You have to have your houses protected or it will collapse. And if you don’t have a wall on the border, our country is going to collapse. It’s as simple as that. And it doesn’t seem to be something that’s very hard to understand.”
“The Democrats — the left-leaning liberal Democrats — just want open borders. I think that’s very plain.”
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Brewer delivered the stark warning during an interview on Breitbart News Tonight, asserting a “crisis” has been unfolding at the border for a “long time.”
“I often used to say, a country without a border secured is like a house without walls, it collapses,” Brewer said. “You have to have your houses protected or it will collapse. And if you don’t have a wall on the border, our country is going to collapse. It’s as simple as that. And it doesn’t seem to be something that’s very hard to understand.”
“The Democrats — the left-leaning liberal Democrats — just want open borders. I think that’s very plain.”
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McAuliffe: I Don't Want Dems Making 'False Promises' Like Free College
Former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe (Va.) on Monday said he doesn't want Democrats going out on the campaign trail in 2020 making "false promises" like free college.
McAuliffe, who said he will make a decision on 2020 by the end of March, said Democrats don't need a "compulsive liar" running against President Donald Trump, but instead a "compulsive optimist" and a "compulsive realist," appearing to hint American voters need him.
Bloomberg's "Balance of Power" host Jason Kelly referenced McAuliffe's Washington Post op-edfrom last week, where he said Democrats must not "make unrealistic ideological promises." He then asked McAuliffe which policy proposal from his op-ed was the most "feasible."
"Americans are looking for a president who tells the truth … We don't need a compulsive liar. We need a compulsive optimist and a compulsive realist who will actually get things done, who will deal with the kitchen table issues that families are concerned about," McAuliffe said.
He then took a thinly veiled shot at Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), who has launched a 2020 exploratory committee, and Sens. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), Kamala Harris (D., Calif.), and Cory Booker (D., N.J.), who are mulling 2020 bids, for their support of free college.
"I don't want us Democrats going out and making false promises. As I said in the op-ed that I wrote, free college is not the answer. The Democratic Party should not support Terry McAuliffe's kids going to college. I can afford to send my kids," McAuliffe said. "What we oughta be doing, like we did in Virginia, is we oughta have a workforce performance development grant, make sure that we are giving the kids today an education with skills to match the seven million jobs that are open today in the United States of America."
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McAuliffe, who said he will make a decision on 2020 by the end of March, said Democrats don't need a "compulsive liar" running against President Donald Trump, but instead a "compulsive optimist" and a "compulsive realist," appearing to hint American voters need him.
Bloomberg's "Balance of Power" host Jason Kelly referenced McAuliffe's Washington Post op-edfrom last week, where he said Democrats must not "make unrealistic ideological promises." He then asked McAuliffe which policy proposal from his op-ed was the most "feasible."
"Americans are looking for a president who tells the truth … We don't need a compulsive liar. We need a compulsive optimist and a compulsive realist who will actually get things done, who will deal with the kitchen table issues that families are concerned about," McAuliffe said.
He then took a thinly veiled shot at Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), who has launched a 2020 exploratory committee, and Sens. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), Kamala Harris (D., Calif.), and Cory Booker (D., N.J.), who are mulling 2020 bids, for their support of free college.
"I don't want us Democrats going out and making false promises. As I said in the op-ed that I wrote, free college is not the answer. The Democratic Party should not support Terry McAuliffe's kids going to college. I can afford to send my kids," McAuliffe said. "What we oughta be doing, like we did in Virginia, is we oughta have a workforce performance development grant, make sure that we are giving the kids today an education with skills to match the seven million jobs that are open today in the United States of America."
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I’m A Senior Trump Official, And I Hope A Long Shutdown Smokes Out The Resistance
The Daily Caller is taking the rare step of publishing this anonymous op-ed at the request of the author, a senior official in the Trump administration whose identity is known to us and whose career would be jeopardized by its disclosure. We believe publishing this essay anonymously is the only way to deliver an important perspective to our readers. We invite you to submit a question about the essay or our vetting process here.
As one of the senior officials working without a paycheck, a few words of advice for the president’s next move at shuttered government agencies: lock the doors, sell the furniture, and cut them down.
Federal employees are starting to feel the strain of the shutdown. I am one of them. But for the sake of our nation, I hope it lasts a very long time, till the government is changed and can never return to its previous form.
The lapse in appropriations is more than a battle over a wall. It is an opportunity to strip wasteful government agencies for good.
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As one of the senior officials working without a paycheck, a few words of advice for the president’s next move at shuttered government agencies: lock the doors, sell the furniture, and cut them down.
Federal employees are starting to feel the strain of the shutdown. I am one of them. But for the sake of our nation, I hope it lasts a very long time, till the government is changed and can never return to its previous form.
The lapse in appropriations is more than a battle over a wall. It is an opportunity to strip wasteful government agencies for good.
More
Georgia Democrats Declare Kemp Illegitimate As He Prepares to Be Sworn In
The official Twitter account of the Georgia Democratic Party declared Republican Brian Kemp to be an "asterisk governor" who oversaw a "stolen election" as he prepares to take office.
Kemp, a conservative supporter of President Donald Trump replaces outgoing Republican Gov. Nathan Deal.
A day before Kemp's swearing-in ceremony set for Monday, the state's Democratic Party tweeted, "Brian Kemp is and will always be Georgia's Asterisk Governor."
It also wrote, using an emoji for excrement, that he will have to deal with, "A stolen election he oversaw," "failure to pay millions in loans," "copyright lawsuit from Braves' photog," "Cong. investigation into voter suppression," and a "Speaker from own party already derailing his agenda."
Kemp won the state's closest gubernatorial race in decades in a bitterly fought contest with Democrat Stacey Abrams, who accused Kemp of systematic voter suppression as Georgia's secretary of state and called the election an "erosion of our democracy."
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Kemp, a conservative supporter of President Donald Trump replaces outgoing Republican Gov. Nathan Deal.
A day before Kemp's swearing-in ceremony set for Monday, the state's Democratic Party tweeted, "Brian Kemp is and will always be Georgia's Asterisk Governor."
It also wrote, using an emoji for excrement, that he will have to deal with, "A stolen election he oversaw," "failure to pay millions in loans," "copyright lawsuit from Braves' photog," "Cong. investigation into voter suppression," and a "Speaker from own party already derailing his agenda."
Kemp won the state's closest gubernatorial race in decades in a bitterly fought contest with Democrat Stacey Abrams, who accused Kemp of systematic voter suppression as Georgia's secretary of state and called the election an "erosion of our democracy."
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Immigration loophole allows MS-13 gang members to go free
If the Trump administration had its way, Ramon Arevalo Lopez and Oscar Canales Molina would have been either in detention or deported.
Instead, they were out on the streets — thanks to judges’ orders — where, according to police, they and another illegal immigrant delivered an MS-13 gang beat-down to two high school students in New York.
All three of the illegal immigrants entered the U.S. in 2016 as unaccompanied alien children, meaning they crossed the border without parents — a status that earned them a quick release into the country, where they were quickly reunited with their family and began to live while awaiting deportations that never came.
For Homeland Security Department officials, it’s the latest sign of a legal system that stymies their efforts to oust dangerous figures.
“One of the loopholes we are imploring Congress to close could have prevented this gruesome attack,” said Katie Waldman, a Homeland Security spokeswoman.
Authorities didn’t have a specific motive for the attack but said the victims were inside eating, saw the boys they knew from high school giving them menacing looks, and decided to leave.
The three illegal immigrants were found with bloodstained hands and clothes, and their names popped up as MS-13 members in a check of a gang-records database.
Why they were in the country and out on the streets that day is one of the more bizarre twists of U.S. legal policy on illegal immigrants.
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Instead, they were out on the streets — thanks to judges’ orders — where, according to police, they and another illegal immigrant delivered an MS-13 gang beat-down to two high school students in New York.
All three of the illegal immigrants entered the U.S. in 2016 as unaccompanied alien children, meaning they crossed the border without parents — a status that earned them a quick release into the country, where they were quickly reunited with their family and began to live while awaiting deportations that never came.
For Homeland Security Department officials, it’s the latest sign of a legal system that stymies their efforts to oust dangerous figures.
“One of the loopholes we are imploring Congress to close could have prevented this gruesome attack,” said Katie Waldman, a Homeland Security spokeswoman.
Authorities didn’t have a specific motive for the attack but said the victims were inside eating, saw the boys they knew from high school giving them menacing looks, and decided to leave.
The three illegal immigrants were found with bloodstained hands and clothes, and their names popped up as MS-13 members in a check of a gang-records database.
Why they were in the country and out on the streets that day is one of the more bizarre twists of U.S. legal policy on illegal immigrants.
More
Digital First Offers to Buy Daily Times Owner Gannett for $1.36B
The publisher of USA Today has received a $1.36 billion takeover bid from a media group with a history of taking over struggling newspapers and slashing costs.
MNG Enterprises, better known as Digital First Media, said in a letter to Gannett Co. Monday that its leadership team has failed to show that it can run the company effectively.
The Wall Street Journal was first to report that the hedge-fund backed MNG has built up a 7.5 percent stake in Gannett, and that it has been rebuffed repeatedly by the company about a sale.
Gannett said Monday it received the letter, and its board will carefully review the proposal.
The McLean, Virginia-based publisher owns dozens of newspapers including [the Salisbury Daily Times,] the Record in New Jersey and the Arizona Republic in addition to USA Today.
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MNG Enterprises, better known as Digital First Media, said in a letter to Gannett Co. Monday that its leadership team has failed to show that it can run the company effectively.
The Wall Street Journal was first to report that the hedge-fund backed MNG has built up a 7.5 percent stake in Gannett, and that it has been rebuffed repeatedly by the company about a sale.
Gannett said Monday it received the letter, and its board will carefully review the proposal.
The McLean, Virginia-based publisher owns dozens of newspapers including [the Salisbury Daily Times,] the Record in New Jersey and the Arizona Republic in addition to USA Today.
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Coast Guard, partner agencies interdict 66 migrants in last 72-hours
MIAMI — The Coast Guard interdicted 66 migrants in the last 72-hours in five separate events near Puerto Rico.
The Coast Guard, and federal and Commonwealth of Puerto Rico law enforcement partners have interdicted more than 380 migrants and stopped several narcotics smuggling attempts since October of 2018.
“These recent migrant and drug interdiction cases, though smaller than what we see at our land borders, are a reminder of the constant threat toward the American citizens of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands,” said Rear Adm. Peter Brown, Coast Guard 7th District commander. “With the consistent danger these smuggling ventures present surrounding Puerto Rico and the USVI, our crews and partner agencies remain persistently vigilant to protect our fellow Americans.”
On Thursday at approximately 11 p.m., a Custom and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations DH-8 located a significantly overloaded 25-foot migrant vessel approximately 39 miles northeast of Cabo Engaño, Dominican Republic. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Heriberto Hernandez (WPC-1114) was diverted and embarked 25 Dominican migrants.
On Friday, the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless (WMEC-624) interdicted a 20-foot migrant vessel with 11 Dominican migrants approximately 35 miles northeast of Cabo Engaño, Dominican Republic. A Custom and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations DH-8 airplane crew located another migrant vessel approximately 92 miles northwest of Desecheo, Puerto Rico and the Coast Guard Cutter Winslow Griesser (WPC-1116) embarked nine Dominican migrants. A Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew located a third migrant vessel approximately 4 miles east of Mona Island, Puerto Rico and the cutter Winslow Griesser embarked an additional 17 Dominican migrants.
Antifa Group Doxxed More Than 30 Conservative UT Students for Attending Rallies and ‘Liking’ Ben Shapiro and Dinesh D'Souza
More than 30 students at the University of Texas have been doxxed by a student antifa group, typically for the crime of joining conservative clubs or being spotted at lectures held by conservative speakers.
The doxxers — calling themselves Austin Autonomous Media (AAM) — are a small collective of UT students. Since fall 2018, AAM members have snuck into conservative club meetings, taken photos of attendees, and posted students’ names and emails online.
The AAM also typically posts students’ phone numbers and employers. For example, one young woman was doxxed for the crime of attending a pro-Kavanaugh rally. "Call [employer redacted] to get her fired: (512) XXX-XXX" the post said.
Saurabh Sharma, 21, is the president of the UT chapter of Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT). Many of Sharma’s cabinet members have been doxxed, and he says the fallout has been immense. (PJ Media is not linking to the doxxing posts to protect students’ privacy).
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The doxxers — calling themselves Austin Autonomous Media (AAM) — are a small collective of UT students. Since fall 2018, AAM members have snuck into conservative club meetings, taken photos of attendees, and posted students’ names and emails online.
The AAM also typically posts students’ phone numbers and employers. For example, one young woman was doxxed for the crime of attending a pro-Kavanaugh rally. "Call [employer redacted] to get her fired: (512) XXX-XXX" the post said.
Saurabh Sharma, 21, is the president of the UT chapter of Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT). Many of Sharma’s cabinet members have been doxxed, and he says the fallout has been immense. (PJ Media is not linking to the doxxing posts to protect students’ privacy).
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Watch As This Worried WH Correspondent Changes Mueller Narrative As He Sees It Going Down in Flames
For at least the past two years now, a significant portion of the liberal and anti-Trump constituencies of the American populace have become convinced that President Donald Trump colluded with Russia to “steal” the 2016 election, and are just as convinced that Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigation will ultimately unveil that traitorous act and provide the groundwork for an impeachment and removal from office.
The predominantly liberal mainstream media has played a huge role in fueling those beliefs among the people, but even some in the media appear to have begun to realize they may have over-hyped the smoke they’ve been steadily fanning when there really wasn’t much of a fire beneath that smoke to begin with.
To date, virtually no verifiable evidence has been produced definitively linking Trump or any of his associates to any sort of Russian plot to undermine the election, and nothing seen or heard from Mueller’s investigation thus far would indicate that he has dug up any sort of evidence of such alleged “treason” either.
ABC News’ chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl appears to be one of those in the media who has come to the realization that Mueller’s eventual report won’t be the presidency-ending “bombshell” it has been hyped as for the past year, as evidenced by his commentary Sunday morning on ABC’s “This Week” with host George Stephanopoulos.
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The predominantly liberal mainstream media has played a huge role in fueling those beliefs among the people, but even some in the media appear to have begun to realize they may have over-hyped the smoke they’ve been steadily fanning when there really wasn’t much of a fire beneath that smoke to begin with.
To date, virtually no verifiable evidence has been produced definitively linking Trump or any of his associates to any sort of Russian plot to undermine the election, and nothing seen or heard from Mueller’s investigation thus far would indicate that he has dug up any sort of evidence of such alleged “treason” either.
ABC News’ chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl appears to be one of those in the media who has come to the realization that Mueller’s eventual report won’t be the presidency-ending “bombshell” it has been hyped as for the past year, as evidenced by his commentary Sunday morning on ABC’s “This Week” with host George Stephanopoulos.
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America's Youngest Black Legislator Is a Pro-Life, Pro-God Breath of Fresh Air
I despise identity politics. To reduce one’s worth or meaning to an arbitrary feature or characteristic like skin color is the antithesis of progress.
It’s no secret that leftists and Democrats love their identity politics. They’re always identifying things like racism or sexism under the cynical idea that it’ll help unite voters under their banner.
The truth of the matter is that identity politics, by definition, don’t unite. They divide.
Frankly, the content of one’s character and beliefs should always be more important than the color of one’s skin or ethnic background.
Those are just some of the reasons why seeing a legislator like Caleb Hanna rise in prominence is so exciting.
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It’s no secret that leftists and Democrats love their identity politics. They’re always identifying things like racism or sexism under the cynical idea that it’ll help unite voters under their banner.
The truth of the matter is that identity politics, by definition, don’t unite. They divide.
Frankly, the content of one’s character and beliefs should always be more important than the color of one’s skin or ethnic background.
Those are just some of the reasons why seeing a legislator like Caleb Hanna rise in prominence is so exciting.
More
Trump Waves Off Ocasio-Cortez Question: 'Who Cares? Geez'
President Donald Trump quickly waved off a question about Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) on Monday, waving his hand and saying "who cares."
Ocasio-Cortez said there was "no question" Trump was a racist in a recent "60 Minutes" interview, and a reporter asked Trump about it as he took questions at the White House.
"Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez called you a racist," a reporter said.
"Who did?" Trump asked.
"Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez," the reporter said.
"Who cares? Geez," Trump said, moving onto another question.
Trump answered questions from reporters for several minutes before leaving for New Orleans, where he will address a farmers' convention.
Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, is driving more Twitter conversation than any American politician other than Trump. A Democratic socialist with an ambitious agenda and quick to hit back at conservative and media critics, she has amassed a huge following since coming into the public's attention last summer with her upset primary victory over former Rep. Joe Crowley (D., N.Y.).
In spite of Trump's dismissiveness, she declared victory afterward on Twitter, saying it was clear she had gotten to him.
"I bartended for *years* in New York City. I understand guys like this like the back of my hand. We got under his skin," she tweeted.
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Ocasio-Cortez said there was "no question" Trump was a racist in a recent "60 Minutes" interview, and a reporter asked Trump about it as he took questions at the White House.
"Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez called you a racist," a reporter said.
"Who did?" Trump asked.
"Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez," the reporter said.
"Who cares? Geez," Trump said, moving onto another question.
Trump answered questions from reporters for several minutes before leaving for New Orleans, where he will address a farmers' convention.
Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, is driving more Twitter conversation than any American politician other than Trump. A Democratic socialist with an ambitious agenda and quick to hit back at conservative and media critics, she has amassed a huge following since coming into the public's attention last summer with her upset primary victory over former Rep. Joe Crowley (D., N.Y.).
In spite of Trump's dismissiveness, she declared victory afterward on Twitter, saying it was clear she had gotten to him.
"I bartended for *years* in New York City. I understand guys like this like the back of my hand. We got under his skin," she tweeted.
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President Trump Fires Back At ‘Insulting’ Questions Raised By NYT Article
President Donald Trump joined Fox News host Judge Jeanine Pirro by phone on Saturday, responding to a Friday New York Times report on the FBI’s Russia investigation.
Pirro brought up the topic during a wide-ranging interview, saying, “New York Times reported that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation the day after you fired James Comey in may of ’17. And the investigation was whether you were actively working for Russia or unwittingly. So I’m going to ask you, are you now or have you ever worked for Russia, Mr. President?”
Without hesitation, the president fired back, “I think it’s the most insulting thing I’ve ever been asked. I think it’s the most insulting article I’ve ever had written.”
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Pirro brought up the topic during a wide-ranging interview, saying, “New York Times reported that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation the day after you fired James Comey in may of ’17. And the investigation was whether you were actively working for Russia or unwittingly. So I’m going to ask you, are you now or have you ever worked for Russia, Mr. President?”
Without hesitation, the president fired back, “I think it’s the most insulting thing I’ve ever been asked. I think it’s the most insulting article I’ve ever had written.”
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Elizabeth Warren Signs Pledge Backed By Group Tied To Population Control Enthusiasts
Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren officially pledged to reject fossil fuel campaign donations, becoming the first 2020 presidential contender to do so.
While making her first visit to New Hampshire since announcing the launch of her presidential exploratory committee, Warren on Saturday called for “systemic change” that involves much more than just “change around the margins.” The progressive senatortouted her desire to legalize marijuana, boost estate taxes and expand affordable housing. Warren also set the pace on climate change by becoming the first Democratic presidential candidate to vow not to accept money from oil and gas interests.
Under the stipulations of the pledge, Warren cannot knowingly accept contributions above $200 from any political action committees, employees or front groups tied to fossil fuel companies. The senior senator from Massachusetts joins other possible presidential contenders — such as Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley and Washington Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee — in signing her name onto the pledge.
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While making her first visit to New Hampshire since announcing the launch of her presidential exploratory committee, Warren on Saturday called for “systemic change” that involves much more than just “change around the margins.” The progressive senatortouted her desire to legalize marijuana, boost estate taxes and expand affordable housing. Warren also set the pace on climate change by becoming the first Democratic presidential candidate to vow not to accept money from oil and gas interests.
Under the stipulations of the pledge, Warren cannot knowingly accept contributions above $200 from any political action committees, employees or front groups tied to fossil fuel companies. The senior senator from Massachusetts joins other possible presidential contenders — such as Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley and Washington Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee — in signing her name onto the pledge.
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Trump Has the Democrats Cornered
No sooner had the Democrats taken back the majority in the House of Representatives than they proved their harshest critics correct – the party no longer concerns itself with the interests of the American people. And by refusing to provide a dime for a physical barrier on our border, they did it in the starkest terms possible.
Led by far-left Nancy Pelosi, who held off a challenge to her leadership from the even farther left, the House Democrats promptly put themselves in the position of being seen taking the side of foreigners entering the country illegally over the security and economic prosperity of American citizens. They reduced themselves to the absurd position that "walls don't work."
I'm not one who necessarily believes that President Trump is a master negotiator or is playing 3D chess. But whether by design or because of pressure from his restive base, he now has the winning hand to build his wall and go on to re-election in 2020.
What's important now is that Trump plays his winning hand and resists the growing calls from the opposition media and cheap-labor Republicans to compromise with Nancy and Chuck. Doing so would just throw them a lifeline. Instead, Trump should use the power granted presidents by Congress, declare a national emergency, and begin construction of the wall.
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Led by far-left Nancy Pelosi, who held off a challenge to her leadership from the even farther left, the House Democrats promptly put themselves in the position of being seen taking the side of foreigners entering the country illegally over the security and economic prosperity of American citizens. They reduced themselves to the absurd position that "walls don't work."
I'm not one who necessarily believes that President Trump is a master negotiator or is playing 3D chess. But whether by design or because of pressure from his restive base, he now has the winning hand to build his wall and go on to re-election in 2020.
What's important now is that Trump plays his winning hand and resists the growing calls from the opposition media and cheap-labor Republicans to compromise with Nancy and Chuck. Doing so would just throw them a lifeline. Instead, Trump should use the power granted presidents by Congress, declare a national emergency, and begin construction of the wall.
More
Maryland Ensures Vulnerable Residents Receive SNAP Benefits In February During Ongoing Federal Government Shutdown
Recipients to receive February SNAP benefits earlier than usual in mid-January
BALTIMORE, MD – As the partial federal government shutdown continues, the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) is working to assist vulnerable Marylanders through this uncertain time. Today, the Department announced it will be able to provide February Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to recipients in Maryland.
Referred to as the Food Supplement Program (FSP) in Maryland, there are on average more than 650,000 Marylanders receiving approximately $75 million in FSP assistance each month.
“Our primary concern is supporting and providing relief to vulnerable Marylanders during this unpredictable time,” said DHS Secretary Lourdes Padilla. “We continue to explore the options available to the state in order to best support our residents and local communities.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the federal agency that funds SNAP/FSP program, has directed Maryland and other states to issue February benefits earlier than usual. As a result, FSP recipients will get both their January and February benefits on or before January 20. In advance of this federal disbursement, the Maryland Department of Human Services is taking a number of steps to ensure that its clients are notified and prepared for this change in service delivery.
As funding for SNAP has not been appropriated by the federal government beyond February, it is critical to understand the potential hardship that a prolonged federal shutdown could impose upon those in need. As state leaders continue to call for an end to the federal shutdown, the Maryland Department of Human Services stands ready to assist FSP recipients at this uncertain time. The department is mailing letters to all SNAP recipients in Maryland and will continue to provide information and updates as soon as they become available on its website, Facebook, and Twitter.
BALTIMORE, MD – As the partial federal government shutdown continues, the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) is working to assist vulnerable Marylanders through this uncertain time. Today, the Department announced it will be able to provide February Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to recipients in Maryland.
Referred to as the Food Supplement Program (FSP) in Maryland, there are on average more than 650,000 Marylanders receiving approximately $75 million in FSP assistance each month.
“Our primary concern is supporting and providing relief to vulnerable Marylanders during this unpredictable time,” said DHS Secretary Lourdes Padilla. “We continue to explore the options available to the state in order to best support our residents and local communities.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the federal agency that funds SNAP/FSP program, has directed Maryland and other states to issue February benefits earlier than usual. As a result, FSP recipients will get both their January and February benefits on or before January 20. In advance of this federal disbursement, the Maryland Department of Human Services is taking a number of steps to ensure that its clients are notified and prepared for this change in service delivery.
As funding for SNAP has not been appropriated by the federal government beyond February, it is critical to understand the potential hardship that a prolonged federal shutdown could impose upon those in need. As state leaders continue to call for an end to the federal shutdown, the Maryland Department of Human Services stands ready to assist FSP recipients at this uncertain time. The department is mailing letters to all SNAP recipients in Maryland and will continue to provide information and updates as soon as they become available on its website, Facebook, and Twitter.
WICOMICO COUNTY GOVERNMENT OFFICES
Salisbury, MD ... Wicomico County Government Offices will be closed Monday, January 21, 2019 for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE FOR CONVENIENCE CENTERS, LANDFILL, BRUSH PILE AND FERRIES
Salisbury, MD ... On Monday, January 21, 2019, the Landfill, Newland Park Convenience Center, and Upper Ferry will be open. The Brush Pile will be opened but unmanned. All other Convenience Centers will be closed. The Whitehaven Ferry will be closed due to repairs.
For more information, please contact the Newland Park Landfill at 410-548-4935. Ferry information is available by calling 410-543-2765.
HOLIDAY SCHEDULE FOR CONVENIENCE CENTERS, LANDFILL, BRUSH PILE AND FERRIES
Salisbury, MD ... On Monday, January 21, 2019, the Landfill, Newland Park Convenience Center, and Upper Ferry will be open. The Brush Pile will be opened but unmanned. All other Convenience Centers will be closed. The Whitehaven Ferry will be closed due to repairs.
For more information, please contact the Newland Park Landfill at 410-548-4935. Ferry information is available by calling 410-543-2765.
Governor's Challenge brings $1.5 million to Wicomico County 120 teams participated in 38th annual tournament
SALISBURY, Md. - Along with plenty of talent, the Governor's Challenge high school basketball tournament brought a $1.5 million economic impact to Wicomico County.
The Governor's Challenge, sponsored by The Bank of Delmarva, brought 120 teams together in competition from Dec. 26-29 at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, University of Maryland - Eastern Shore and area high schools.
Teams from Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia and Canada traveled to Salisbury for this year's tournament. As a result, an estimated 900 room nights were booked at Wicomico County hotels.
"We are thrilled with the success of the 2018 Governor's Challenge," said tournament director James Simmons. "Our community took a major step this year in coming together to put on a national event. I fully expect that in 2019 we will take another step in being considered one of the top high school basketball events in the country."
The Governor's Challenge continued to garner national recognition, being honored as a 2018 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management.
Simmons said he would like to continue to grow the tournament in 2019 by expanding to a five-day event, increasing the number of teams and pulling teams from new states. He also plans to introduce a National Showcase Championship Bracket.
For more information on the Governor's Challenge, visit http://www.GovChallenge.org.
The Governor's Challenge, sponsored by The Bank of Delmarva, brought 120 teams together in competition from Dec. 26-29 at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, University of Maryland - Eastern Shore and area high schools.
Teams from Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia and Canada traveled to Salisbury for this year's tournament. As a result, an estimated 900 room nights were booked at Wicomico County hotels.
"We are thrilled with the success of the 2018 Governor's Challenge," said tournament director James Simmons. "Our community took a major step this year in coming together to put on a national event. I fully expect that in 2019 we will take another step in being considered one of the top high school basketball events in the country."
The Governor's Challenge continued to garner national recognition, being honored as a 2018 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism by Sports Destination Management.
Simmons said he would like to continue to grow the tournament in 2019 by expanding to a five-day event, increasing the number of teams and pulling teams from new states. He also plans to introduce a National Showcase Championship Bracket.
For more information on the Governor's Challenge, visit http://www.GovChallenge.org.
Trump administration proposal would lift cap on colleges outsourcing higher ed programs
Proposal to lift cap on college programs offered through unaccredited entities stirs concerns about giving companies back door to federal student aid.
Dozens of colleges, including many with widely known brands, outsource parts of degree programs to other institutions or private companies. Under federal rules, colleges can offer degree programs in which up to 50 percent of instruction is outsourced, including through unaccredited entities.
A proposal from the Education Department would remove that cap entirely, potentially allowing colleges to completely outsource curriculum and instruction for degree programs. That possibility is alarming consumer advocates who worry it will give low-quality operators backdoor access to federal student aid money.
Amy Laitinen, director for higher education at New America’s education policy program, said it would basically allow colleges to rent out their names to third-party companies while pulling in federal aid.
“It raises questions about what it means to be an institution and what it means to have to get a degree from your university,” she said.
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Dozens of colleges, including many with widely known brands, outsource parts of degree programs to other institutions or private companies. Under federal rules, colleges can offer degree programs in which up to 50 percent of instruction is outsourced, including through unaccredited entities.
A proposal from the Education Department would remove that cap entirely, potentially allowing colleges to completely outsource curriculum and instruction for degree programs. That possibility is alarming consumer advocates who worry it will give low-quality operators backdoor access to federal student aid money.
Amy Laitinen, director for higher education at New America’s education policy program, said it would basically allow colleges to rent out their names to third-party companies while pulling in federal aid.
“It raises questions about what it means to be an institution and what it means to have to get a degree from your university,” she said.
More