Not long ago, the Democratic Party's mantra on abortion was that the unfortunate practice ought to be "safe, legal and rare." Nobody is pro-abortion, they told us. Today, the party votes in virtual lockstep against any and all measures that would limit even the most extreme and unpopular forms of abortion, including recent legislation barring elective late-term abortions, and a bill to require medical care for infants born alive after failed abortions. Not a single Democrat running for president has even hinted that the 'right' to abortion should be curtailed or limited in any way, at any point, for any reason -- including the supposed "moderates" in the race.
Similarly, Democrats used to tell us that of course they were against illegalimmigration; the relevant policy question, they said, was how to humanely and fairly treat the millions of otherwise law-abiding illegal immigrants who have been living inside the United States for years. They at least made a show out of getting tough on border security, in exchange for other 'reforms' -- and they recoiled with indignation when Republicans accused them of supporting "open borders." Which brings us to today's rollout of an immigration plan from Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro, a former Obama cabinet secretary who's widely considered to be a Vice Presidential short-lister, and whose brother is likely to challenge John Cornyn in next year's Texas Senate race:
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Wednesday, April 03, 2019
Two men accused of taking turns testing bulletproof vest on each other
BENTON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA) -- Authorities arrested two men after they took turns shooting one another while wearing a bulletproof vest, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Charles Eugene Ferris, 50, and Christopher Hicks, 36, were arrested Monday, April 1, in connection with an aggravated assault.
They were released on a $5,000 bond and were issued a no-contact order from the Benton County Jail on Tuesday, April 2.
Benton County Sheriff's Deputy Dorian Hendrix went to Mercy Hospital around 11 p.m. Sunday, March 31, to investigate a male who had been shot multiple times while wearing a bulletproof vest, according to the affidavit.
Hendrix interviewed Ferris, who had a red spot on his chest, the affidavit states.
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Charles Eugene Ferris, 50, and Christopher Hicks, 36, were arrested Monday, April 1, in connection with an aggravated assault.
They were released on a $5,000 bond and were issued a no-contact order from the Benton County Jail on Tuesday, April 2.
Benton County Sheriff's Deputy Dorian Hendrix went to Mercy Hospital around 11 p.m. Sunday, March 31, to investigate a male who had been shot multiple times while wearing a bulletproof vest, according to the affidavit.
Hendrix interviewed Ferris, who had a red spot on his chest, the affidavit states.
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Woman buys out Payless store to help Nebraska flooding victims
A woman walked out of Payless with hundreds of new shoes, but none of them are for her.
Addy Tritt saw that all pairs of shoes were on sale for $1 at her local Payless in Hays, Kansas, last week, and something told her to go.
The retail value of the shoes was around $6,000, Tritt said. She said she negotiated for 2.5 hours until she could get all of the shoes in the store — 204 pairs — for pennies each, and only paid $100 for the bill.
The store needed to sell the shoes anyway. Payless announced in February that it was closing all its stores across the United States and started liquidation sales.
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Indiana school turning unused food into take-home meals for students
An Indiana school district is taking steps to make sure kids have enough to eat.
Students usually get breakfast and lunch at school, but on the weekends at home, they may be without food.
Elkhart Schools is teaming up with a South Bend-based food rescue, Cultivate, for a pilot program to provide weekend meals to a small group of students at Woodland Elementary.
"Mostly we rescue food that's been made, but never served by catering companies, large food service businesses, like the school system," said Jim Conklin. "You don't always think of a school system."
They'll rescue the unused food at the school.
"Over-preparing is just part of what happens," said Conklin. "We take that well-prepared food, combine it with other food and make individual frozen meals out of it."
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CBP Agent: Border Crisis ‘So Far Out of Hand You Wouldn’t Believe It’
Appearing Monday on CNN with anchor Jim Sciutto, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent Chris Cabrera defended President Donald Trump’s threat to close the U.S.-Mexico border amid rising illegal immigration, conceding, “It’s so far out of hand you guys wouldn’t believe it if you saw it.”
A partial transcript is as follows:
JIM SCIUTTO: The president has now issued a threat to close the border. I’ve been asking a lot of people the same question — in national security, I asked the former ambassador of Mexico a short time ago — I’m just curious. Did anyone in your agency call for, make the case for, request for the closing of the border that you’re aware of prior to the president’s threat to do so?
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A partial transcript is as follows:
JIM SCIUTTO: The president has now issued a threat to close the border. I’ve been asking a lot of people the same question — in national security, I asked the former ambassador of Mexico a short time ago — I’m just curious. Did anyone in your agency call for, make the case for, request for the closing of the border that you’re aware of prior to the president’s threat to do so?
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Troopers Seek Publics Assistance in Locating Burglary Suspect Josh Shelton
The incident occurred on March 29, 2019 at approximately 2:46 p.m., when Troopers responded to a residence in the 34000 block of Hudson Road, Laurel for a reported alarm. Upon arrival, it was determined that the residence had been burglarized and the rear door had been damaged. The suspect fled the residence without obtaining any items.
Through investigative measures, Troopers identified the suspect as Josh Shelton. Shelton currently has active warrants out of Troop 5 for the following:
- Burglary Second Degree Dwelling
- Possession of Burglar Tools
- Attempted to Commit Theft Under
- Criminal Mischief
As Mick Jagger heads for heart surgery, Keith Richards continues to defy the odds
Who thought he’d be the Stone to crack!
Mick Jagger will undergo heart surgery in New York City this week, sources told The Post — as his permanently pickled bandmate Keith Richards continues his march toward seeming immortality.
The 75-year-old Rolling Stones frontman will come to get his ticker fixed following the band’s announcement last week that it was pushing pause on the US leg of its No Filter tour, which had been set to kick off in a couple weeks.
Doctors will put in a stent to prop up at least one of his arteries, according to sources close to Jagger.
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Mick Jagger will undergo heart surgery in New York City this week, sources told The Post — as his permanently pickled bandmate Keith Richards continues his march toward seeming immortality.
The 75-year-old Rolling Stones frontman will come to get his ticker fixed following the band’s announcement last week that it was pushing pause on the US leg of its No Filter tour, which had been set to kick off in a couple weeks.
Doctors will put in a stent to prop up at least one of his arteries, according to sources close to Jagger.
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GOP House speaker says Democrats are blocking hearing on women's allegations against Fairfax
After emotional interviews with the two women who accused Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax of sexual assault aired on national television — including their pleas for a public hearing — House Republican leaders said Tuesday that Democrats are blocking efforts toward such a forum.
House Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, said in a statement that Democratic leader Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, has repeatedly spurned offers by House Courts Committee Chairman Rob Bell, R-Albemarle, to hold a bipartisan hearing that would allow the two women to testify.
“There should be no mistake about what has happened here: the alleged victims are seeking a bipartisan hearing; Republicans are seeking a bipartisan hearing; Democrats in the House of Delegates are refusing to allow that to happen,” Cox said.
In a letter to Filler-Corn dated March 25 and shared by Cox’s office, Bell said the subcommittee that would hold the hearing would consist of five Republicans and five Democrats. It would include testimony from the alleged victims, Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson, as well as Fairfax. Each would have a chance to present evidence.
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House Speaker Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, said in a statement that Democratic leader Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, has repeatedly spurned offers by House Courts Committee Chairman Rob Bell, R-Albemarle, to hold a bipartisan hearing that would allow the two women to testify.
“There should be no mistake about what has happened here: the alleged victims are seeking a bipartisan hearing; Republicans are seeking a bipartisan hearing; Democrats in the House of Delegates are refusing to allow that to happen,” Cox said.
In a letter to Filler-Corn dated March 25 and shared by Cox’s office, Bell said the subcommittee that would hold the hearing would consist of five Republicans and five Democrats. It would include testimony from the alleged victims, Vanessa Tyson and Meredith Watson, as well as Fairfax. Each would have a chance to present evidence.
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MALINVESTMENT: HAVE WE LEARNED ANYTHING SINCE THE LAST RECESSION?
A growing number of economists are predicting the current economic boom will turn to bust in 2019.
When recession does come, will economists simply call for more of the same — namely endless government spending?
After all, in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, most economists told us the problem was the private sector was not spending and investing enough. So, we were told, government must step in and make up the difference with deficit spending to get “idle resources” — like capital goods and labor — back to work.
But what should the government be spending on? Apparently, anything.
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When recession does come, will economists simply call for more of the same — namely endless government spending?
After all, in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, most economists told us the problem was the private sector was not spending and investing enough. So, we were told, government must step in and make up the difference with deficit spending to get “idle resources” — like capital goods and labor — back to work.
But what should the government be spending on? Apparently, anything.
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Sean Hannity says sources tell him 'extraordinarily damning' information coming out about DOJ, FBI
Fox News host Sean Hannity said Monday his sources are telling him information that could soon be released regarding alleged corruption at the Justice Department and FBI will be "extraordinarily damning."
He made the bold prediction about the so-called "five buckets of information" during an interview with Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., and Harvard Law School Professor Emeritus Alan Dershowitz, bringing up the upcoming criminal referral focusing on the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation.
"There are going to be criminal referrals issued this week by Chairman Nunes," Hannity said. "There are going to be — the president, I interviewed last week — there will be the FISA applications released. There will be [FBI] 302s released, [and] there will be Gang of Eight material. We've identified five buckets of information that will be extraordinarily damning. I know that to be the case, based on all of my sources."
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He made the bold prediction about the so-called "five buckets of information" during an interview with Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., and Harvard Law School Professor Emeritus Alan Dershowitz, bringing up the upcoming criminal referral focusing on the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation.
"There are going to be criminal referrals issued this week by Chairman Nunes," Hannity said. "There are going to be — the president, I interviewed last week — there will be the FISA applications released. There will be [FBI] 302s released, [and] there will be Gang of Eight material. We've identified five buckets of information that will be extraordinarily damning. I know that to be the case, based on all of my sources."
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Former Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon questions 2020 run on Facebook
BALTIMORE —Former Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon posted a campaign image on her Facebook campaign page implying she is considering a run for the position in 2020.
The "Sheila Dixon for Mayor 2020" image was posted to her Facebook page Wednesday morning with the caption, "What do you think Baltimore?" She has not officially announced her run for the seat.
The post comes as Mayor Catherine Pugh took an indefinite leave of absence amid controversy over her sales of books to the University of Maryland Medical System while she was a board member. Pugh resigned from UMMS as a board member last month, along with returning a $100,000 payment to the medical system, part of what she received for selling children's books to the system.
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The "Sheila Dixon for Mayor 2020" image was posted to her Facebook page Wednesday morning with the caption, "What do you think Baltimore?" She has not officially announced her run for the seat.
The post comes as Mayor Catherine Pugh took an indefinite leave of absence amid controversy over her sales of books to the University of Maryland Medical System while she was a board member. Pugh resigned from UMMS as a board member last month, along with returning a $100,000 payment to the medical system, part of what she received for selling children's books to the system.
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‘THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY DOES NOT SPEAK FOR ME’ — IMMIGRANT WOMAN SHREDS THE PARTY THAT THINKS IT OWNS HER VOTE
As “an immigrant, minority, Asian woman,” new Daily Caller video columnist Lisa Smiley understands why many people think she “should be a Democrat.”
However, as Smiley explains in this Daily Caller video, she’s not about to join a party that seeks to “reduce people to their group’s identity.” Sadly, the party that “claims to be the party of immigrants, minorities, the marginalized and women,” and to “represent the little guy, and stand up to those conservative Republicans against the evil white male privilege,” doesn’t speak for her or her values.
Smiley, a Chinese-descended two-time immigrant (to New Zealand and the United States) comes from a family that “came in legally” and went “through the process.” Democrats, on the other hand, say to “hell with the process,” insisting we “let anyone and everyone” in despite the “millions of dreamers who waited in line” to enter the United States legally.
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However, as Smiley explains in this Daily Caller video, she’s not about to join a party that seeks to “reduce people to their group’s identity.” Sadly, the party that “claims to be the party of immigrants, minorities, the marginalized and women,” and to “represent the little guy, and stand up to those conservative Republicans against the evil white male privilege,” doesn’t speak for her or her values.
Smiley, a Chinese-descended two-time immigrant (to New Zealand and the United States) comes from a family that “came in legally” and went “through the process.” Democrats, on the other hand, say to “hell with the process,” insisting we “let anyone and everyone” in despite the “millions of dreamers who waited in line” to enter the United States legally.
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Chicago Elects First Gay Black Woman Mayor
Former federal prosecutor and political neophyte Lori Lightfoot made Chicago history Tuesday night when she won a runoff nonpartisan election to become Chicago's first black woman, and first openly-gay candidate, ever elected mayor. Winning with a staggering 74% of the vote after parlaying her leadership of a task force on police killings, Lightfoot's outsider status gave her a huge edge over her opponent, Toni Preckwinkle, the head of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and a former boss of the city's Democratic Party, who was also a black woman.
After Mayor Rahm Emmanuel declared he would not seek reelection in September as the city's precarious finances and the appearance of a coverup of police misconduct tainted his image, 14 candidates vied for the position during a non-partisan election, which led to Tuesday's runoff after none of the candidates managed to secure a majority in the first round. Both Preckwinkle and Lightfoot beat out Bill Daley, the brother of Emmanuel's predecessor, Richard Daley, and a member of a Chicago political dynasty, a sign that voters were fed up with the city's political class and its reputation for self-dealing.
Lightfoot triumphed despite being outraised by Preckwinkle, who touted her status as a political "boss" during her campaign, with Lightfoot starting the runoff with just $731,000 on hand, compared with Preckwinkle's $3.9 million. In addition to securing the support of the city's powerful unions, Preckwinkle also won the endorsement of Chance the Rapper, one of the city's most prominent figures in the entertainment industry, according to Politico.
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After Mayor Rahm Emmanuel declared he would not seek reelection in September as the city's precarious finances and the appearance of a coverup of police misconduct tainted his image, 14 candidates vied for the position during a non-partisan election, which led to Tuesday's runoff after none of the candidates managed to secure a majority in the first round. Both Preckwinkle and Lightfoot beat out Bill Daley, the brother of Emmanuel's predecessor, Richard Daley, and a member of a Chicago political dynasty, a sign that voters were fed up with the city's political class and its reputation for self-dealing.
Lightfoot triumphed despite being outraised by Preckwinkle, who touted her status as a political "boss" during her campaign, with Lightfoot starting the runoff with just $731,000 on hand, compared with Preckwinkle's $3.9 million. In addition to securing the support of the city's powerful unions, Preckwinkle also won the endorsement of Chance the Rapper, one of the city's most prominent figures in the entertainment industry, according to Politico.
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Attorney General Frosh Joins 21 States and Territories in Opposing USDA Rule that Would Unlawfully Strip Residents of SNAP Benefits
Attorney General Frosh Joins 21 States and Territories in Opposing USDA Rule that Would Unlawfully Strip Residents of SNAP Benefits
Coalition Opposes Federal Attempt to Limit States’ Flexibility with SNAP Benefits
BALTIMORE, MD (April 3, 2019) – Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh today joined a coalition of 21 states and territories in opposing an unlawful Trump administration effort to strip residents of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposed rule, “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Requirements for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents,” would affect the SNAP program—the country’s most important anti-hunger program. The coalition filed a comment letter against the proposed rule that would limit states’ ability to extend SNAP benefits beyond a three-month period for certain adults. This means more than 750,000 people nationwide could lose their nutrition benefits. The coalition argues that this rule actively undermines Congress’ intent in creating the food-stamp program; violates federal law because it is being implemented arbitrarily and without sufficient justification; and would hurt the states’ economies and have a disproportionate impact on protected groups.
Read more in the full press release: http://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/press/2019/040319.pdf
Yale Law School Pulls Funding from Students Working with Christian Organizations
Yale University has decided to pull funding from students who work with Christian non-profit legal organizations including the Alliance Defending Freedom.
According to a report from The Federalist, Yale Law School announced a new policy in March that will effectively pull funding from students who work with Christian public interest groups. At law schools around the country, students that work for non-profit legal organizations are often eligible for a stipend from their university. This practice encourages students to pursue noble non-profit work despite the lack of pay.
Earlier this year, one of Yale University’s LGBT groups demanded that the law school pull financial support from students who work with Christian public interest groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). The push came in the aftermath of a campus event featuring an attorney from ADF who spoke about the Masterpiece Cakeshop case in which a Christian baker was asked to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding.
Federalist contributor and Yale Law School student Aaron Haviland reported on Monday that Yale had caved to the demands of the students. On March 25, the school announced that students who work with organizations that allegedly discriminate based on LGBTQ identity.
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According to a report from The Federalist, Yale Law School announced a new policy in March that will effectively pull funding from students who work with Christian public interest groups. At law schools around the country, students that work for non-profit legal organizations are often eligible for a stipend from their university. This practice encourages students to pursue noble non-profit work despite the lack of pay.
Earlier this year, one of Yale University’s LGBT groups demanded that the law school pull financial support from students who work with Christian public interest groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). The push came in the aftermath of a campus event featuring an attorney from ADF who spoke about the Masterpiece Cakeshop case in which a Christian baker was asked to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding.
Federalist contributor and Yale Law School student Aaron Haviland reported on Monday that Yale had caved to the demands of the students. On March 25, the school announced that students who work with organizations that allegedly discriminate based on LGBTQ identity.
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Fire co. house raffle hopes to raise funds
The popular “Cash & Bike Bash” event has annually been a profitable day for the Girdletree Volunteer Fire Company.
Yet the fundraiser’s 15th anniversary, set for June 1 at the firehouse on Snow Hill Road in Girdletree, features a grand prize four years in the making, literally and figuratively. Less than 10 miles south of this tiny Worcester County town, and just across the state line in Greenbackville, Va., lies a home that was built with one purpose — to help the fire company continue to protect the few hundred residents of Girdletree.
It took raising money through fundraisers since 2015 to construct the home that one lucky raffle ticket holder could win, which was difficult, fire company treasurer and fundraising committee chairman Jeff McMahon said, because “we don’t have a very big base to be able to raise funds.”
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Yet the fundraiser’s 15th anniversary, set for June 1 at the firehouse on Snow Hill Road in Girdletree, features a grand prize four years in the making, literally and figuratively. Less than 10 miles south of this tiny Worcester County town, and just across the state line in Greenbackville, Va., lies a home that was built with one purpose — to help the fire company continue to protect the few hundred residents of Girdletree.
It took raising money through fundraisers since 2015 to construct the home that one lucky raffle ticket holder could win, which was difficult, fire company treasurer and fundraising committee chairman Jeff McMahon said, because “we don’t have a very big base to be able to raise funds.”
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Healing Herbs From the Bible Conquer Modern Diseases Read Newsmax: Healing Herbs From the Bible Conquer Modern Diseases
Experts agree that natural remedies can often trump pharmaceutical drugs in the treatment of many ailments. Heart disease, diabetes and arthritis may benefit from using the healing herbs of the Bible that have been around for thousands of years and have tried-and-true benefits without the nasty side effects on many prescribed medications.
Suzy Cohen, RPh., also known as “America’s Pharmacist,” and author of “Drug Muggers,” tells Newsmax:
“I am keenly aware we need many medications and some have tremendous value. I credit some with saving lives. I’ve also come to realize the all the healing compounds we need to survive, and thrive, are actually present in natural herbs and spices.
“Pharma companies just take those herbs and spices and chemically adjust them to create a patentable compound. But this begs the question, ‘What is wrong with the original?’
“Before pharmaceuticals were patented, we had plants growing all over the planet that could help us with any ailment,” she adds. “We’ve simply forgotten about the healing power of these plants. After researching medications, herbs, essential oils and spices for more than two decades, I’ve noticed the similarities. You can really heal with God’s plants.”
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Suzy Cohen, RPh., also known as “America’s Pharmacist,” and author of “Drug Muggers,” tells Newsmax:
“I am keenly aware we need many medications and some have tremendous value. I credit some with saving lives. I’ve also come to realize the all the healing compounds we need to survive, and thrive, are actually present in natural herbs and spices.
“Pharma companies just take those herbs and spices and chemically adjust them to create a patentable compound. But this begs the question, ‘What is wrong with the original?’
“Before pharmaceuticals were patented, we had plants growing all over the planet that could help us with any ailment,” she adds. “We’ve simply forgotten about the healing power of these plants. After researching medications, herbs, essential oils and spices for more than two decades, I’ve noticed the similarities. You can really heal with God’s plants.”
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13-year-old son trades Xbox, earns money by doing yard work to buy his single mom a car
Krystal Preston is a single mother. She lives in Fernley, Nevada with her three children and three dogs. Her family is recently starting over from scratch.
Krystal's oldest son, 13-year-old William, was keenly aware of his mother's struggles.
"He was tired of seeing me cry," Krystal said to KOLO News.
William earns a little bit of extra money by doing yard and house work for people in his community. He says he had seen people on YouTube surprising their mothers with new cars, so he wanted to do something like that.
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Federal appeals court rules prisoners have no right to sex reassignment surgery
A transgender prisoner says she’ll pursue her fight to have Texas pay for gender reassignment surgery after suffering a loss at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
A lawyer for Vanessa Lynn Gibson, born as Scott Lynn Gibson, says she’ll ask the full 5th Circuit to rehear the case after a three-judge panel upheld the state’s policy that denies funding for the reassignment surgery.
The state will cover hormone and mental health care treatment.
In a 2-1 ruling published Friday, the court said refusing to facilitate the surgery does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment as defined by the Eighth Amendment.
“Under established precedent, it can be cruel and unusual punishment to deny essential medical care to an inmate. But that does not mean prisons must provide whatever care an inmate wants,” wrote Judge James C. Ho, a Trump-appointee, in the 23-page opinion.
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A lawyer for Vanessa Lynn Gibson, born as Scott Lynn Gibson, says she’ll ask the full 5th Circuit to rehear the case after a three-judge panel upheld the state’s policy that denies funding for the reassignment surgery.
The state will cover hormone and mental health care treatment.
In a 2-1 ruling published Friday, the court said refusing to facilitate the surgery does not constitute cruel and unusual punishment as defined by the Eighth Amendment.
“Under established precedent, it can be cruel and unusual punishment to deny essential medical care to an inmate. But that does not mean prisons must provide whatever care an inmate wants,” wrote Judge James C. Ho, a Trump-appointee, in the 23-page opinion.
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FIRMS TIED TO FUSION GPS, CHRISTOPHER STEELE WERE PAID $3.8 MILLION BY SOROS-BACKED GROUP
A nonprofit group partially funded by billionaire activist George Soros paid firms tied to Fusion GPS and dossier author Christopher Steele more than $3.8 million in 2017 to provide research and analysis to “government entities,” according to IRS filings.
The payments made by The Democracy Integrity Project are more than three times what the DNC and the Clinton campaign paid Fusion GPS and Steele during the 2016 presidential campaign to investigate Donald Trump’s possible ties to Russia.
Perkins Coie, the law firm that represented the DNC and Clinton campaign, paid $1 million to Fusion GPS in 2016 to investigate Trump. Fusion GPS in turn paid Steele, a former MI6 officer, nearly $170,000 for a project that resulted in the infamous Steele dossier.
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The payments made by The Democracy Integrity Project are more than three times what the DNC and the Clinton campaign paid Fusion GPS and Steele during the 2016 presidential campaign to investigate Donald Trump’s possible ties to Russia.
Perkins Coie, the law firm that represented the DNC and Clinton campaign, paid $1 million to Fusion GPS in 2016 to investigate Trump. Fusion GPS in turn paid Steele, a former MI6 officer, nearly $170,000 for a project that resulted in the infamous Steele dossier.
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Do you pay red-light camera tickets?
Cracking down on red-light runners in Texas has become a big business.
It has generated around $183 million for the state since red- light cameras became legal in 2007. And the cameras have generated millions for cities as well.
But a number of drivers no longer pay those tickets.
In Fort Worth last year, 224,307 tickets were mailed to motorists who run ran red lights or didn’t stop long enough before turning right. Of those, 106,580 were paid and 116,074 were sent to collections agencies, city records for the 2018 fiscal year showed.
This new data comes as proposals to turn the cameras off around the state are being considered by the Texas Legislature.
“This definitely violates due process. If your accuser is a camera, you cannot face him in court,” state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, the Bedford Republican who is helping lead this effort, recently told a legislative committee. “The most outrageous aspect of red-light cameras to me is how it turns our legal system upside down. You are guilty until you prove yourself innocent."
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It has generated around $183 million for the state since red- light cameras became legal in 2007. And the cameras have generated millions for cities as well.
But a number of drivers no longer pay those tickets.
In Fort Worth last year, 224,307 tickets were mailed to motorists who run ran red lights or didn’t stop long enough before turning right. Of those, 106,580 were paid and 116,074 were sent to collections agencies, city records for the 2018 fiscal year showed.
This new data comes as proposals to turn the cameras off around the state are being considered by the Texas Legislature.
“This definitely violates due process. If your accuser is a camera, you cannot face him in court,” state Rep. Jonathan Stickland, the Bedford Republican who is helping lead this effort, recently told a legislative committee. “The most outrageous aspect of red-light cameras to me is how it turns our legal system upside down. You are guilty until you prove yourself innocent."
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House Judiciary passes resolution to authorize subpoenas for full Mueller report
The House Judiciary Committee voted to authorize subpoenas for special counsel Robert Mueller's full report on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and potential ties between the Russian government and the Trump campaign. The resolution passed Wednesday morning 24-17 in a party line vote. The committee will now also move to subpoena all underlying documents related to Mueller's findings.
Before Wednesday's vote, Republicans largely blasted the Democratic-led effort as violating the law, claiming the public release of the full Mueller report would present national security issues as much of the report is expected to contain redacted materials pertaining to grand jury information.
Republican members on the committee also claimed the resolution was a continuing effort to undermine the Trump presidency, with some claiming Democrats were pursuing the subpoenas as an attack on the president.
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Before Wednesday's vote, Republicans largely blasted the Democratic-led effort as violating the law, claiming the public release of the full Mueller report would present national security issues as much of the report is expected to contain redacted materials pertaining to grand jury information.
Republican members on the committee also claimed the resolution was a continuing effort to undermine the Trump presidency, with some claiming Democrats were pursuing the subpoenas as an attack on the president.
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Gov. Northam signs law upping animal cruelty punishment
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- If you're charged with abusing an animal in Virginia, it will now be a felony.
Gov. Ralph Northam signed a bill that was dubbed "Tommie's Law", which ups the penalty from a misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony. The crime now carries a punishment of one to five years in prison.
The new law closes a loophole that allowed the perpetrator to only be charged with a misdemeanor if the animal survived the abuse, animal rights advocates say.
Tommie was a pit bull who died after being tied to a pole and intentionally set on fire in a Richmond park. No arrests have been made in the case.
Source
Gov. Ralph Northam signed a bill that was dubbed "Tommie's Law", which ups the penalty from a misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony. The crime now carries a punishment of one to five years in prison.
The new law closes a loophole that allowed the perpetrator to only be charged with a misdemeanor if the animal survived the abuse, animal rights advocates say.
Tommie was a pit bull who died after being tied to a pole and intentionally set on fire in a Richmond park. No arrests have been made in the case.
Source
Sen. Cotton Seeks IRS Investigation Into SPLC’s Tax-Exempt Status
Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.) is seeking an investigation into the tax-exempt status of the left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), according to a letter provided to the Washington Free Beacon.
Cotton sent the letter to the IRS April 2 and urges an investigation into whether the SPLC "should retain its classification as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization" amid news reports that have verified the "long-established fact that the SPLC regularly engages in defamation of its political opponents."
The SPLC has garnered massive amounts of cash for its operations. The Washington Free Beacon reported in early March that the group has $518 million in assets, with $120 million now offshore.
"The business model has paid well," Cotton writes in the letter. "The SPLC has accrued more than $500 million in assets. According to the group's most recent financial statement, it holds $121 million offshore in non-U.S. equity funds. The SPLC uses these assets to pay its executives lavish salaries far higher than the comparable household average."
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Cotton sent the letter to the IRS April 2 and urges an investigation into whether the SPLC "should retain its classification as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization" amid news reports that have verified the "long-established fact that the SPLC regularly engages in defamation of its political opponents."
The SPLC has garnered massive amounts of cash for its operations. The Washington Free Beacon reported in early March that the group has $518 million in assets, with $120 million now offshore.
"The business model has paid well," Cotton writes in the letter. "The SPLC has accrued more than $500 million in assets. According to the group's most recent financial statement, it holds $121 million offshore in non-U.S. equity funds. The SPLC uses these assets to pay its executives lavish salaries far higher than the comparable household average."
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Man seen in video jumping on pelican booked into Key West jail
Maryland State Police notified the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office on March 15 that they arrested William Hunter Hardesty, 31, on a warrant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Hardesty faces one count of intentional feeding of pelicans, two counts of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and two counts of animal cruelty.
The video shows Hardesty, of Davidsonville, Maryland, luring a pelican toward a dock with a fish. As the pelican approached, Hardesty jumped from the dock and grabbed the pelican in the water. The pelican struggled with Hardesty to get free and at one point the animal bit him.
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Nolte: Don’t Forget Joe Biden Exposed Himself to Female Secret Service Agents
It’s not okay that Harvey Weinstein did it. It’s not okay that Charlie Rose did it. But when we learned in 2014 that then-Vice President Joe Biden exposed his naked body to women in the Secret Service, the media didn’t care. And the media still don’t care because Orange Man Bad.
In his New York Times best-seller, The First Family Detail, award-winning investigative reporter Ronald Kessler revealed that “Biden has a habit of swimming in his pool nude. Female Secret Service agents find that offensive.”
He added, “Because of Biden’s lack of consideration as evidenced by that habit and his refusal to give agents advance notice of his trips back home, being assigned to his detail is considered the second worst assignment in the Secret Service after being assigned to protect Hillary Clinton.”
“Biden likes to swim nude both at his Vice President’s residence in Washington and also at his home in Wilmington which he goes back to several times a week … and this offends female Secret Service agents,” he told Fox News’s Sean Hannity. “They signed up to take a bullet for the President as you said but they didn’t sign up to — they certainly didn’t sign up to see Biden naked. It is offensive, it’s abusive.”
Who would do such a thing?
This is like hiring a maid and walking around the house nude because that’s what you did before you hired the maid.
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In his New York Times best-seller, The First Family Detail, award-winning investigative reporter Ronald Kessler revealed that “Biden has a habit of swimming in his pool nude. Female Secret Service agents find that offensive.”
He added, “Because of Biden’s lack of consideration as evidenced by that habit and his refusal to give agents advance notice of his trips back home, being assigned to his detail is considered the second worst assignment in the Secret Service after being assigned to protect Hillary Clinton.”
“Biden likes to swim nude both at his Vice President’s residence in Washington and also at his home in Wilmington which he goes back to several times a week … and this offends female Secret Service agents,” he told Fox News’s Sean Hannity. “They signed up to take a bullet for the President as you said but they didn’t sign up to — they certainly didn’t sign up to see Biden naked. It is offensive, it’s abusive.”
Who would do such a thing?
This is like hiring a maid and walking around the house nude because that’s what you did before you hired the maid.
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MD Auto Insurance Fund says it also made payment to 'Healthy Holly' deal
BALTIMORE (WBFF) - Another organization has reported making a payment to the "Healthy Holly" book deal.
Maryland Auto Insurance Fund issued a statement "in response to media inquiries," saying it discovered that its former executive director authorized a $7,500 check "payable to Healthy Holly, LLC, 326 St. Paul Place, Suite 300, Baltimore, MD 21202 for its outreach program with the Associated Black Charities” on August 20, 2012.
"The Board of Trustees of the Maryland Auto Insurance Fund and the former Executive Director parted ways in 2015. The current Board of Trustees and executive team were unaware of the payment until today," explained Maryland Auto Insurance spokesperson Dan Franko.
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Maryland Auto Insurance Fund issued a statement "in response to media inquiries," saying it discovered that its former executive director authorized a $7,500 check "payable to Healthy Holly, LLC, 326 St. Paul Place, Suite 300, Baltimore, MD 21202 for its outreach program with the Associated Black Charities” on August 20, 2012.
"The Board of Trustees of the Maryland Auto Insurance Fund and the former Executive Director parted ways in 2015. The current Board of Trustees and executive team were unaware of the payment until today," explained Maryland Auto Insurance spokesperson Dan Franko.
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Save The Eggs! This Saturday
We are getting egg-cited! Over 2000 space eggs are prepped to be hunted by children ages 12 and under. Two zone will be setup: ages 7 & under and ages 8 - 12.
Bring your own basket or bag!
NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center
Route 175, Wallops Island 23337
This Is The Face Of A Man Getting Pulled In The Seventh Inning Of A No-Hitter
Hess no-hit the Toronto Blue Jays for 6.1 innings last night, and after retiring the first batter of the seventh inning, he was pulled from the game by O’s manager Brandon Hyde. Hess had thrown just 82 pitches in the game, and he couldn’t hide the shock on his face as Hyde came striding towards him.
As Hyde explained after the game, Hess was pulled with such a low pitch count because he had thrown 42 pitches in relief on Opening Day. Hyde said that he “hated to do it,” but argued that he made the move to protect his pitcher’s health.
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Judge Rules Calif. Magazine Confiscation Law Unconstitutional
A federal judge struck down California's ban on the possession of magazines holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. On Friday Judge Roger T. Benitez of the District Court for the Southern District of California ruled the confiscation effort is unconstitutional.
"California Penal Code Section 32310, as amended by Proposition 63, burdens the core of the Second Amendment by criminalizing the acquisition and possession of these magazines that are commonly held by law-abiding citizens for defense of self, home, and state," he wrote. "The regulation is neither presumptively legal nor longstanding. The statute hits at the center of the Second Amendment and its burden is severe. When the simple test of Heller is applied, a test that persons of common intelligence can understand, the statute fails and is an unconstitutional abridgment. It criminalizes the otherwise lawful acquisition and possession of common magazines holding more than 10 rounds—magazines that law-abiding responsible citizens would choose for self-defense at home."
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"California Penal Code Section 32310, as amended by Proposition 63, burdens the core of the Second Amendment by criminalizing the acquisition and possession of these magazines that are commonly held by law-abiding citizens for defense of self, home, and state," he wrote. "The regulation is neither presumptively legal nor longstanding. The statute hits at the center of the Second Amendment and its burden is severe. When the simple test of Heller is applied, a test that persons of common intelligence can understand, the statute fails and is an unconstitutional abridgment. It criminalizes the otherwise lawful acquisition and possession of common magazines holding more than 10 rounds—magazines that law-abiding responsible citizens would choose for self-defense at home."
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Patricia Heaton: Twitter Would Not Let Me Follow ‘Unplanned’ Movie
In a tweet on her Twitter page on April 1, 2019 at 12:17 AM, actress Patricia Heaton, known for her roles on the TV series “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “The Middle,” asked why “Twitter won’t let” her follow the Unplanned movie on Twitter, saying on Monday morning that the “problem has been fixed.”
“Hey @jack - why aren’t you letting me follow @UnplannedMovie ?” asked Patricia Heaton in a tweet. “I’ve tried eight times to support my friend @AbbyJohnson and @Twitter won’t let me. Others are having the same issue. Please correct this. Thank you.”
Patricia Heaton’s tweet came after “[t]he page for the film ‘Unplanned’ was suspended on Twitter on March 30 by mistake, if Twitter is to be believed,” reported Corinee Weaver of MRCTechWatch. “The account, which at the time had 40,000 followers, was suspended without notice. It was only after public outcry that the account was restored, with the explanation that it was accidentally banned because it was mistakenly linked to another account.”
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“Hey @jack - why aren’t you letting me follow @UnplannedMovie ?” asked Patricia Heaton in a tweet. “I’ve tried eight times to support my friend @AbbyJohnson and @Twitter won’t let me. Others are having the same issue. Please correct this. Thank you.”
Patricia Heaton’s tweet came after “[t]he page for the film ‘Unplanned’ was suspended on Twitter on March 30 by mistake, if Twitter is to be believed,” reported Corinee Weaver of MRCTechWatch. “The account, which at the time had 40,000 followers, was suspended without notice. It was only after public outcry that the account was restored, with the explanation that it was accidentally banned because it was mistakenly linked to another account.”
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Pelosi: Accusations against Biden don't disqualify him
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Monday that a pair of allegations of inappropriate kissing and touching against former Vice President Joe Biden should “not at all” disqualify him from the 2020 race.
“No. No, I do not,” Pelosi told reporters when asked if she thinks the allegations from two women are disqualifying.
“I don’t think that this disqualifies him from being President,” she said while walking to the House chamber. “Not at all.”
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“No. No, I do not,” Pelosi told reporters when asked if she thinks the allegations from two women are disqualifying.
“I don’t think that this disqualifies him from being President,” she said while walking to the House chamber. “Not at all.”
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Dershowitz: There’s ‘No Legal Basis’ for a Court to Force Barr to Release Mueller Report
On Monday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom,” Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz stated that there isn’t any legal basis for a court to compel Attorney General William Barr to release the Mueller report, but he understands why people want to see the report.
Dershowitz said, “I think, even if Barr were hypothetically to refuse to issue anything, there would be no legal basis for a court to compel him to do that.”
He added, “The special counsel, under the rules, has an obligation to file a report with the attorney general. There’s nothing in the rules that require the attorney general to make the report public, particularly if it contains information critical of people who were not indicted. So, this is a political issue. This is a media issue. This is not a legal issue.”
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Dershowitz said, “I think, even if Barr were hypothetically to refuse to issue anything, there would be no legal basis for a court to compel him to do that.”
He added, “The special counsel, under the rules, has an obligation to file a report with the attorney general. There’s nothing in the rules that require the attorney general to make the report public, particularly if it contains information critical of people who were not indicted. So, this is a political issue. This is a media issue. This is not a legal issue.”
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Smithfield Foods to Establish Distribution Center in Cecil County, Create 240 Maryland Jobs
Smithfield Foods to Establish Distribution Center in Cecil County, Create 240 Maryland JobsGlobal Food Company Employs More than 40,000 in the United States
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Smithfield Foods, Inc., a U.S.-based global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer, is opening a new distribution center in Cecil County, Md., creating 240 new jobs. The 420,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility will be constructed in the Principio Business Park, which will allow the company to better support its daily operations and improve service to its customers in the Northeast.
“This new distribution center is an essential part of our efforts to streamline our national logistics network to optimize our operations, while advancing our ambitious sustainability goals,” said Kenneth M. Sullivan, president and chief executive officer for Smithfield Foods. “We are proud to become part of the business community in Maryland, a location that provides strategic advantages for our business and improves our ability to provide high-quality product to our customers and consumers.”
You can now make thousands of dollars reporting on idling vehicles in NYC
Thanks to a new law, any New Yorker with a cell phone and some time to kill can earn thousands of dollars reporting on idling commercial vehicles.
The law, enacted in January of 2018, lets anyone submit a complaint form to the city’s department of environmental protection if they document a bus, truck, or van with its engine on for at least three minutes. If the complaint goes through, whoever reported the idler gets a 25 percent cut of the fine, which can run anywhere from $300 to $2,000, for repeat offenders.
George Pakenham, a banker and clean air activist, knows that anti-idling laws have been on the books since the 1970s but were rarely enforced. He’s spent the last 10 years strolling through the city, asking drivers to turn off their engines. Now, with last year’s amendment to the law that lets anyone help to enforce it, he’s taken to the streets — and he’s making bank.
“I’ve submitted 120 times, and I got paid nine thousand dollars,” Pakenham said. “Cash in the bank.” According to a 2009 Environmental Defense Fund study, idling vehicles in New York City release 130,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year.
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The law, enacted in January of 2018, lets anyone submit a complaint form to the city’s department of environmental protection if they document a bus, truck, or van with its engine on for at least three minutes. If the complaint goes through, whoever reported the idler gets a 25 percent cut of the fine, which can run anywhere from $300 to $2,000, for repeat offenders.
George Pakenham, a banker and clean air activist, knows that anti-idling laws have been on the books since the 1970s but were rarely enforced. He’s spent the last 10 years strolling through the city, asking drivers to turn off their engines. Now, with last year’s amendment to the law that lets anyone help to enforce it, he’s taken to the streets — and he’s making bank.
“I’ve submitted 120 times, and I got paid nine thousand dollars,” Pakenham said. “Cash in the bank.” According to a 2009 Environmental Defense Fund study, idling vehicles in New York City release 130,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year.
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Democrats, the Media, and the Big Lie
For the past two and a half years this nation has been roiled by the incessant drumbeat of accusations that its newly elected President, Donald Trump, was a clandestine agent of Russia and colluded with them to alter the outcome of the 2016 election. On their face, these accusations were so preposterous that anyone with a modicum of common sense would have thought them totally unbelievable.
Nonetheless, within 7 months after Trump’s inauguration 54% of all Americans believed he had acted illegally or unethically in his dealings with Russia (80% of Democrats). Within 14 months after the inauguration 66% of Democrats believed Russia tampered with vote tallies in order to get Trump elected and 59% accepted the premise that there were improper relations between the Trump campaign and Russia before the 2016 election.
In what was a staged and unnecessary inquiry, and despite turning over every marginally relevant leaf and conducting a dogged 22-month investigation using partisan prosecutors, Robert Mueller was unable to link Donald Trump or his campaign to even the minutest degree of collusion with the Russian Government. Nonetheless the drumbeat of lies and insinuations was a major factor in the Democrats taking control of the House of Representatives in 2018.
The American citizenry now definitively knows that there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians during the presidential campaign of 2016. Further, based on the testimony of Rod Rosenstein and others involved in the Special Counsel probe, the Russians did not tamper with any vote tallies.
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Nonetheless, within 7 months after Trump’s inauguration 54% of all Americans believed he had acted illegally or unethically in his dealings with Russia (80% of Democrats). Within 14 months after the inauguration 66% of Democrats believed Russia tampered with vote tallies in order to get Trump elected and 59% accepted the premise that there were improper relations between the Trump campaign and Russia before the 2016 election.
In what was a staged and unnecessary inquiry, and despite turning over every marginally relevant leaf and conducting a dogged 22-month investigation using partisan prosecutors, Robert Mueller was unable to link Donald Trump or his campaign to even the minutest degree of collusion with the Russian Government. Nonetheless the drumbeat of lies and insinuations was a major factor in the Democrats taking control of the House of Representatives in 2018.
The American citizenry now definitively knows that there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians during the presidential campaign of 2016. Further, based on the testimony of Rod Rosenstein and others involved in the Special Counsel probe, the Russians did not tamper with any vote tallies.
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Feinstein Isn’t Happy About Trump’s Nominees to Ninth Circuit
The Senate is poised this week to consider two more conservative nominees selected by President Donald Trump to sit on the left-leaning 9th Circuit Court of Appeals — and the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee isn’t happy about it.
That’s because the nominees, Ken Lee and Dan Collins, were picked without any input from either Dianne Feinstein or Kamala Harris, California’s two Democrat senators.
Traditionally, the White House seeks to obtain a so-called “blue slip,” or approval, from a judicial nominee’s two home-state senators before pressing on with their nominations.
But the Trump administration, which has successfully nominated several conservative judges to the 9th Circuit already, has pointedly disregarded that process as it continues its push to transform the appellate court that the president repeatedly has derided as hopelessly biased and “disgraceful.”
“I take it that without notice or discussion, the blue slip is essentially dead,” Feinstein, the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in televised remarks on Thursday. “This change in practice not only harms the Senate, it harms the federal judiciary. And I wish we could’ve had an opportunity to discuss it. I really believe it’s a mistake.”
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That’s because the nominees, Ken Lee and Dan Collins, were picked without any input from either Dianne Feinstein or Kamala Harris, California’s two Democrat senators.
Traditionally, the White House seeks to obtain a so-called “blue slip,” or approval, from a judicial nominee’s two home-state senators before pressing on with their nominations.
But the Trump administration, which has successfully nominated several conservative judges to the 9th Circuit already, has pointedly disregarded that process as it continues its push to transform the appellate court that the president repeatedly has derided as hopelessly biased and “disgraceful.”
“I take it that without notice or discussion, the blue slip is essentially dead,” Feinstein, the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in televised remarks on Thursday. “This change in practice not only harms the Senate, it harms the federal judiciary. And I wish we could’ve had an opportunity to discuss it. I really believe it’s a mistake.”
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Dick’s CEO a Member of Michael Bloomberg’s Gun Control Group
Dick’s Sporting Goods CEO Ed Stack is a member of Everytown Business Leaders for Gun Safety, part of Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety.
Stack is also an active supporter of Congressional Democrats’ efforts to criminalize private gun sales via gun control bill H.R. 8.
Dick’s banned the sale of “assault rifles” and “high capacity” magazines two weeks after the February 14, 2018, attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. They also raised their minimum purchase age for long guns from 18 to 21. The company lost approximately $150 million because of the corporate gun control but Stack continues to stand his ground.
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Stack is also an active supporter of Congressional Democrats’ efforts to criminalize private gun sales via gun control bill H.R. 8.
Dick’s banned the sale of “assault rifles” and “high capacity” magazines two weeks after the February 14, 2018, attack on Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. They also raised their minimum purchase age for long guns from 18 to 21. The company lost approximately $150 million because of the corporate gun control but Stack continues to stand his ground.
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