Two Baltimore Men Sentenced to At Least 12 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Rob Undercover ATF Special Agents at Gunpoint

Agents Were Part of an Undercover Operation to Purchase Heroin from a Known Drug Dealer

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced Menard Hazelwood, age 29, and Donte Smith, age 34, both of Baltimore, to 13 years in federal prison and 12 years in federal prison, respectively, each followed by three years of supervised release, for assaulting a federal officer and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, in connection with the May 26, 2017, assault on two undercover Special Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The sentence were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the ATF Baltimore Field Division.

“These brave agents, like all law enforcement officers, put their lives on the line every day to identify and disrupt the drug dealers that bring violence to our streets. We are grateful that they were able to return home safely,” said United States Attorney Robert K. Hur. “These defendants thought they were robbing drug customers, which happens all often in Baltimore. Hopefully the sentences imposed today send a message to those who would commit violence that gun crime will lead to federal time, which has no parole – ever.”

“We are glad to see justice served today and are grateful that our dedicated Special Agents were unharmed,” said ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada. “ATF’s top priority in Baltimore is to identify and target the criminal organizations responsible for gun violence. Special Agents risk their personal safety each time they work undercover during an investigation, yet they do this because they know the importance of their mission to protect the community from these violent criminals.”

According to Smith and Hazelwood’s plea agreements, on May 26, 2017, during an ATF undercover operation, Smith and Hazelwood attempted to rob two ATF undercover Special Agents (UCs), who were working with a confidential informant (CI) to purchase $2,000 worth of heroin from a known heroin dealer. The UCs and the CI had picked up the heroin dealer, with one UC driving and the other UC in the front passenger seat, then drove to a location in West Baltimore to meet with the dealer’s supplier. The dealer got out of the car and told the CI and the UCs to wait; Smith and Hazelwood immediately walked up to the vehicle. Smith asked the UCs for a light and Hazelwood took advantage of the distraction and pointed a gun at the UC in the passenger seat. Smith then pointed a silver revolver at the other UC. Smith and Hazelwood demanded money. The UCs told Smith and Hazelwood, who continued to hold them at gunpoint, that there was cash in the vehicle. The UCs then gave the distress signal to the covert ATF team that was monitoring the operation. As the covert team arrived on the scene, the agents ordered Smith and Hazelwood to put their hands up. Smith fled, and the responding ATF Special Agents fired their service weapons, striking Smith. Hazelwood also broke away and ran to a nearby car, but was not able to get into the car. Special Agents arrested him at the scene.

Agents recovered the .44-caliber revolver brandished by Smith during the robbery, but did not recover the gun used by Hazelwood. Smith and Hazelwood admitted that they each participated in the robbery, but did not know that the undercover Special Agents were federal agents at the time of the robbery.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia C. McLane, who prosecuted the case.

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Attorney General Frosh Joins Coalition Opposing Education Department’s Refusal to Release Student Loan Information

Attorney General Frosh Joins Coalition Opposing Education Department’s Refusal to Release Student Loan Information

Longstanding Practice of Sharing Data Has Protected Student Loan Borrowers; New Policy Harms Students

BALTIMORE, MD (April 5, 2019) – Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh today joined a coalition of 21 state attorneys general sending a letter to Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos renewing their request that the Department reverse limitations placed on the routine disclosure of student loan information to state law enforcement agencies.

In June 2018, without notice or opportunity for public comment, the Department changed its longstanding policy of routinely disclosing information about student loan borrowers to state law enforcement agencies.  This includes state attorneys general working to protect students and student loan borrowers from predatory practices and to secure relief for those victimized by fraud and other unlawful conduct.

Read more in the full press release: http://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/press/2019/040519.pdf

NOI 4/4/19 Wicomico Outbuilding Fire Mohawk Ave.

NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION Date:   April 4, 2019 Time:    4:34 p.m. Location / Address:  811 Mohawk Ave., Salisbury, Wicomico Co. Type of Incident:   Fire Description of Structure / Property:  12’ x 12’ wood framed residential outbuilding Owner / Occupants:   Robert Cannon (owner) Injuries or Deaths:  n/a Estimated $ Loss: Structure:  $5,000                      Contents: $1,000 Smoke Alarm Status:  n/a Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status:  n/a Arrests(s):  None Primary Responding Fire Department:  Salisbury Fire Department # of Alarms:   1    # Of Firefighters:  15 Time to Control:  10 minutes Discovered By:  Occupant of residence Area of Origin:  Exterior rear of outbuilding Preliminary Cause:  Under Investigation Additional Information:  Anyone with information is asked to call the Salisbury Office of the Maryland State Fire Maryland at (410) 713-3780.

Man who tossed water balloons at Trump crowd ‘did what I had to do’

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Grand Rapids man who admitted to tossing water balloons into a crowd of President Donald Trump supporters pleaded guilty Thursday to a misdemeanor charge and says he might do it again.

“Actions are going to be louder than words these days,’’ a grinning Robert Dale Truax Jr. said after his appearance in Grand Rapids District Court. “Try to get three water balloons out this time. I only got out two.’’

Truax pitched the two water balloons into a sea of people gathered outside Van Andel Arena on March 28 as Trump addressed supporters inside. No injuries were reported.

“Even though in this gentleman’s mind it might seem as if it was harmless, it certainly can get someone injured,’’ Grand Rapids Police Sgt. Cathy Williams said. “And we’re not going to allow that to happen.’’

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Are the Dems about to Step in a Big Steaming Pile of Covfefe?

After overreaching on the Trump-Russia collusion attempted coup, rather than admitting they were wrong, humbling apologizing and moving on, Democrats (and I include the media here) are doubling down. They are hellbent on seeing the entire Mueller report, with the House Judiciary Committee voting on party lines to authorize a subpoena of the report without redactions sooner than AG Barr’s promised mid-April release.

In their minds, the 400-page report contains all manner of evidence of collusion and obstruction, despite the summary written by Barr and Rosenstein that says otherwise. Note that Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein was easily confirmed by the Senate and has been defended by Democrats since he appointed Robert Mueller to be special counsel, and yet now they apparently believe he is lying.

If Rosenstein and Barr were misrepresenting the report in their summary letter, one would think Mueller and his partisan team of attorneys would be outraged and speaking out to correct the record. Yet they are silent. This is the same gang that had no problem evidently leaking advance notice of Roger Stone’s commando-style arrest to CNN so they could be on site filming everything. If Barr and Rosenstein weren’t truthful in their summary, why isn’t CNN reporting on “unnamed officials” who dispute the summary?

Perhaps all is not what it seems...

Amazing video with a great message!

Electoral College: Republic vs. Democracy

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) became the latest public figure to jump on board the Left’s anti-Electoral College bandwagon this week. Gillibrand, a 2020 Democrat presidential candidate, opined, “Our democracy is built on the principle of one person, one vote. It can’t function until we restore that principle. It’s time to abolish the Electoral College.”

It appears that Gillibrand needs to brush up on her U.S. civics knowledge. The fact of the matter is the United States is not nor ever was a democracy; it’s a republic. In truth, Democrat leaders know this, but their instinct is to seek to change the rules when they don’t win rather than change themselves. And they cynically exploit ignorance among their constituents to achieve their ends.

Abolishing the Electoral College would require a constitutional amendment, and in leu of that, 12 blue states have colluded to send their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote rather than the winner of popular vote within their individual states. The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPV) is essentially designed as a means to get around the Democrats’ objection to federalism.

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Migrant Surge Overwhelming Resources Along U.S. Border, Say Charities

The surge of Central American migrant families and unaccompanied minors is overwhelming charitable organizations along the border who are tasked with providing shelter and aid. Recent changes in Border Patrol policies led to migrants being released directly to shelters instead of being turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

Directors of shelters are now scrambling for volunteers and resources to meet the demand for temporary housing and assistance to migrant families released by Border Patrol agents. One such organization, Annunciation House in El Paso, spent more than $1 million in the last five months to pay for hotel rooms after their two dozen shelters filled to capacity, director Ruben Garcia told Texas Monthly.

On March 27, the new catch and release policy went into effect. At that time, federal officials released about 1,100 migrants directly into El Paso. Texas Monthy reported that this came in addition to the 3,725 released by ICE at about the same time.

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Dems Double Down on Anti-Trump Witch Hunt

They say Barr is hiding Mueller evidence damaging to Trump, while demanding tax returns.

On Wednesday, the Democrat bagmen at The New York Times published a hit piece on Attorney General William Barr suggesting that his summary report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation “failed to adequately portray the findings of their inquiry.” The Times based its report on unnamed sources claiming that Barr’s summary left out information that is “potentially more damaging” for President Donald Trump than his summary indicated.

This serves as just the latest example of Democrats’ refusal to accept reality and facts. When they don’t like the truth, they simply reject it and spin a false narrative purely for their own political aims. In this instance, they still refuse to accept that Trump won the election fair and square or that his presidency is legitimate. For the two years of Mueller’s investigation, both Democrats and the Leftmedia repeatedly asserted that the investigation’s findings would prove to the nation that Trump was guilty of both collusion with Russia and obstruction of justice.

However, since Mueller found no evidence to support either of these two narratives, it has instead served to exonerate Trump, who has long insisted he was innocent and the victim of a Democrat-initiated witch hunt. Democrats are scrambling to save the narrative and their own credibility by demanding to see the full report immediately, as they assert that Barr is hiding something. In an attempt to give weight to the Democrats’ latest spurious claim, and to defend its own peddling of fake news about Russian collusion, the Times dropped this article obviously intended to undermine the credibility of Barr’s summary report.

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'Kidnapper', 20, is accused of holding teen captive for a YEAR, getting her pregnant and beating her until she had a miscarriage

A 20-year-old West Virginia man has been arrested for abducting a teenager, holding her hostage for a year, impregnating her and beating her so severely that she miscarried.

Brian Merchant-Jones, from Fairmont, is in custody on charges including murder of the fetus and kidnapping.

Court records say the juvenile girl had been a runaway since March 2018 and was found on March 27. She told authorities last week that she had been with Merchant-Jones the entire time.

She said Jones assaulted her almost daily and limited her contact with the outside world.

Court papers state that the girl 'believed severe physical harm would befall her if she attempted to leave'.

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Democrats Court Al Sharpton; Ignore Past of Racism, Antisemitism, Incitement

Democratic presidential candidates are descending on New York City to court Al Sharpton at his National Action Network (NAN) convention this week, ignoring Sharpton’s long history of racism, antisemitism, and incitement.

All of the major declared candidates for the 2020 Democratic nomination — and some potential candidates — are attending Sharpton’s conference, a remarkable fact at a time when many are also voicing concerns about extremism.

According to CBS News:

Presidential candidates speaking at the National Action Network convention on Wednesday include former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, businessman Andrew Yang and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro.

Stacey Abrams, who narrowly lost the gubernatorial race in Georgia last year and is currently mulling a presidential bid, is also speaking Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday, Rep. John Delaney and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg are speaking at the convention.

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Trump ready to pick Herman Cain for Federal Reserve seat

President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was ready to nominate former pizza-CEO and conservative talk radio host Herman Cain to a seat on the Federal Reserve, telling reporters at the White House that Cain was a "truly outstanding individual" who would 'do very well' at the Fed.

"He's a highly respected man, he's a friend of mine," President Trump told reporters during a photo op at the White House.

"He's somebody that gets it. I hope everything goes well," Mr. Trump added. "Herman Cain is a very good guy."

The selection of Cain had been rumored for months, as the former GOP candidate for President in 2012 had met at the White House with the President earlier this year.

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JORDAN AND MEADOWS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT DEMOCRAT CHAIRS DEMAND FOR PRESIDENT’S FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS HOLDINGS

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH), Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Congressman Mark Meadows (R-NC), Ranking Member of the Government Operations Subcommittee, sent a letter to Mr. Richard D. Fairbanks, Chair, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Capital One Financial Corporation expressing concerns related to a request from Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, Congressman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Chairman of the Committee on Financial Services, and Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chairman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Their broad request, which was sent on March 11, 2019, seeks 15 separate categories of financial materials and business holdings associated with the President. The letter also demands all documents provided to the Office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller III.

Excerpts from the letter: “This type of derivative request is not a best practice and has the veneer of a fishing expedition. Probes aimed simply at harming the electoral prospects of a future candidate for office are improper on their face.”

“As articulated by the Chairs, this inquiry does not appear to have a valid legislative purpose and instead appears to request information solely for the improper purpose of exposure and embarrassment. The Chairs did not consult with the Republican members of the Committee before initiating his inquiry.”

Full text of the letter can be found here.

Trump Administration's Census Citizenship Question Plans Halted By Third Judge

The Trump administration's plans to add a hotly contested citizenship question to the 2020 census have suffered another major blow in the courts.

The question asks, "Is this person a citizen of the United States?"

A third federal judge has found the decision to include it on forms for the national headcount to be unlawful.

In a 119-page opinion, U.S. District Judge George Hazel in Maryland concluded that the decision by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who oversees the census, to add the question violated administrative law. Federal judges in New York and California came to the same conclusion.

Similar to the earlier ruling in California, the judge also found including the question would be unconstitutional because, at a time of increased immigration enforcement and anti-immigrant rhetoric, it hinders the government's ability to count every person living in the U.S. once a decade as the Constitution requires.

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Dems Have Vastly More to Fear from Full Mueller Report than GOP (UPDATED)

Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler is huffing and puffing away about his committee's subpoena-in-waiting lest Attorney General William Barr not be sufficiently forthcoming about the details of the Mueller Report.

“But if we cannot reach an accommodation, then we will have no choice but to issue subpoenas for these materials,” Nadler warned. "And if the department still refuses, then it should be up to a judge — not the president or his political appointee — to decide whether or not it is appropriate for the committee to review the complete record.”

Methinks the chairman doth protest too much. In other words, it's all a charade for the faithful. He doesn't really want to do anything. Likely Nadler is secretly praying Barr redacts the whole damn thing or ties things up in the courts for long enough for the investigation to disappear at least somewhat down the memory hole.

The full text of the Mueller report is a booby-trap for the Democrats. And many of them not named Schiff must know or suspect it.

Sure there will be one or two tidbits to keep the heavy breathers at CNN distracted as their ratings continue to fall through the basement, but largely the report will be four hundred pages demonstrating what we all now know did not happen — i. e. collusion between Trump or anyone on his campaign and the Russians (not that we didn't know that over a year ago).

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Farrakhan claims to be Jesus in 'Saviours' Day' address: 'I am the Messiah'

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who has reportedly led a chant of "death to America" and recently called for a separate state for black Americans, has made more controversial comments, claiming to be Jesus and clarifying his "anti-termite" statement.

Farrakhan made many shocking claims during NOI's Saviours' Day keynote address in February at the United Center arena in Chicago. He told Rep. Ilhan Omar "you have nothing to apologize for," and he praised her fellow colleague freshman, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The preacher of Islam then appeared to mock one of the most famous passages from the Bible, John 3:16:

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https://www.foxnews.com/us/farrakhan-claims-to-be-jesus-in-saviours-day-address

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House Democrats are suing the Trump administration over the border wall

House Democrats plan to sue the Trump administration over the president’s attempts to reauthorize funds for a southern border wall, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on Thursday.

In February, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency in an effort to obtain roughly $8 billion in funding for the border wall, a last-ditch effort he made after Congress declined to fulfill an earlier spending request. House Democrats haven’t filed their suit yet, but they intend to take to the courts and argue that this move was unconstitutional, Pelosi said.

Trump has, after all, ignored the will of Congress — the body that’s authorized to approve federal spending by the Constitution — not once, but twice. After Congress rejected Trump’s initial demands for border wall money, it also passed a resolution aimed at blocking his national emergency — a clear sign that the majority of the body disagreed with his efforts. (Trump issued the first veto of his term to reject that resolution.)

“The President’s action clearly violates the Appropriations Clause by stealing from appropriated funds, an action that was not authorized by constitutional or statutory authority,” Pelosi said in a statement on Thursday. “Congress, as Article I — the first branch, co-equal to the other branches — must reassert its exclusive responsibilities reserved by the text of the Constitution and protect our system of checks and balances.”

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Maryland House Overrides Gov. Hogan's Veto On Oyster Sanctuaries

The House voted 96-43 on Friday to override Gov. Larry Hogan's veto on Thursday of a bill that would establish five sanctuaries to rebuild the state's oyster population.

This bill would ban catching oysters in Harris Creek, the Little Choptank River, the Tred Avon River, the St. Mary's River, and the Manokin River.

Supporters of the bill say that the sanctuaries would be critical in the recovery of the distressed oyster population, which are the primary foundation of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.

Johnny Mautz, an Eastern Shore Republican, criticized Democrats and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for ignoring science stating that sanctuaries are not needed in this case.

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Still Time to See Peter Pan at WIHI Auditorium Tonight and Tomorrow Afternoon

Tickets are also sold at the door

Statement from the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center regarding Jersey Boys

A performance of the Jersey Boys was scheduled to take place at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center on March 28. The show was a collaborative effort between the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center (the venue), Broadway in Salisbury (the promoter) and the Jersey Boys Touring Company/Dodger Theatricals (the producer of the show and employer of actors, musicians and technical staff).

The show was unexpectedly postponed the night of the performance.

To better inform the public regarding events related to the Jersey Boys show, the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center would like to address three items: the current status of the show, the events that led to the postponement of the show, and the County’s response to the public waiting outside.

Current Status

Immediately following the Jersey Boys postponement on March 28, the Civic Center offered several dates to Broadway in Salisbury, who in turn shared them with Jersey Boys Touring Company, in the hopes that the Jersey Boys Touring Company could add a reschedule date in the remainder of their North American tour. Since then, Civic Center staff has maintained close communication with Broadway in Salisbury to confirm a reschedule date.

In spite of Broadway in Salisbury’s best efforts, the Jersey Boys Touring Company has not confirmed a reschedule date. The Civic Center has no intention of keeping ticket holders in limbo for an unreasonable amount of time. We will continue to push for a resolution.

We will keep ticket holders informed of any news regarding a reschedule date.
 
Refunds are still available to customers who are not interested in a reschedule date – and will remain available for at least two weeks after a reschedule date is announced. Refund procedures can be found at http://bit.ly/JerseyBoysWYCC.

Show Postponement

On show day, County staff worked cooperatively with the Jersey Boys Touring Company production team to prepare for the show. During a lighting check, a motor inadvertently knocked out an overhead ceiling tile and slightly damaged the ceiling tile grid above the stage. Representatives of the show, citing a safety concern, called for a stop to production until the ceiling was inspected by a structural engineer. Within one hour, the Civic Center dispatched two professional engineers to the site who inspected the ceiling and certified that there was not a safety hazard.

After the inspection, the Civic Center anticipated production would resume and expected the show to take place with minimal delay. Unfortunately, the decision on whether or not to proceed with the performance was delayed by the Jersey Boys Touring Company until it became impractical for the show to take place. Both the Civic Center staff and Broadway in Salisbury staff made every effort to avoid a postponement / cancellation.

Response to Customers

The Civic Center’s communication with customers on show night was unacceptable; not to the level that we expect from ourselves and certainly not to the level that the public deserves. Customers were left largely uninformed and rightfully upset. We take responsibility for this lack of communication and will work diligently to ensure this never happens again.

Contractually, the venue was not approved by the Jersey Boys Touring Company to let ticket holders enter the building, leaving hundreds of customers waiting outside. Understandably, this was a large source of frustration, but was out of the venue’s control.

We will work to regain public confidence so that residents and guests can continue to enjoy the many events the Civic Center has to offer.

Meanwhile, the Civic Center continues to operate as normal, hosting the Faith Filled Women’s Conference on March 30 for 1,100 participants and the for King and Country concert on March 31 for 3,000 fans. The venue will also host the Mission of Mercy free dental clinic April 5-6, which attracts thousands of area residents.
For more information on the Civic Center, visit www.WicomicoCivicCenter.org.

Man who was berated over his MAGA hat speaks out

t’s rare to see someone wearing a Make America Great Again hat on the Peninsula. In fact, it’s so unusual that a longtime Palo Alto resident named Victor — who was harassed at a local Starbucks over his MAGA hat — says he’s never seen anyone else wearing one in town.

But Victor, a 74-year-old retired technical writer who frequents the Starbucks at 361 California Ave., wears his red MAGA hat over his yarmulke just about every day that it doesn’t rain.

Mostly people don’t remark on it, though he sometimes gets a thumbs up. Sometimes passersby tell him he’s brave to wear it, to which Victor responds that one “shouldn’t have to have guts” to wear a hat supporting the president.

Victor said there’s an “atmosphere of fear” in Palo Alto around openly identifying oneself as a conservative or a Trump supporter.

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Confrontation at Starbucks over ‘MAGA’ hat erupts

A south Palo Alto activist has been fired from her accounting job at Gryphon Stringed Instruments after chasing a man wearing a Make America Great Again cap out of Starbucks and then posting about the confrontation on Facebook.

Rebecca Parker Mankey, 46, was fired on Tuesday (April 2), the day after she yelled at a man with a bushy gray beard named Victor who regularly visits the Starbucks at 361 California Ave. in Palo Alto wearing a red MAGA hat. Mankey didn’t return the Post’s requests for comment.

“Anybody in Palo Alto know this freak?” Mankey asked in a widely shared Facebook post that included two photos of the man at Starbucks. “He will never forget me and will think seriously about wearing that hat in my town ever again. If you see him in this hat, please confront him.”

Mankey went on to write that she yelled at him, “called the entire Starbucks to order” and yelled at him again about hating Latinos.

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Editor's note:  A follow up with the man wearing the MAGA hat will be posted at 3:30pm.

Nearly 300 arrested in immigration raid at Texas tech company

Immigration agents have arrested nearly 300 people at a North Texas technology company in what authorities say is one of the largest enforcement actions of its kind in a decade.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says federal agents arrested 280 workers Wednesday at CVE Technology Group in Allen, a city about 15 miles (24 kilometers) northeast of Dallas.

The federal agency says the technology repair company employees were working in the United States illegally, but did not release details of who was detained.

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Norfolk hopes to move Confederate monument by having state law ruled unconstitutional

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) -- Another lawsuit that hopes to change the placement of Norfolk's Confederate monument is on the way, this one from the city itself.

The city's 80-foot tall Confederate monument has sat on Main Street since 1907.

"On top of a white, Vermont granite base stands a 15-foot figure of a Confederate soldier," according to Downtown Norfolk's website. "The monument commemorates the last reunion of surviving Confederate soldiers."

Norfolk City Attorney Bernard Pishko announced Thursday that the city would be filing a lawsuit challenging a state law that the say currently prohibits the removal or relocation of war memorials, according to Lori Crouch, a city spokeswoman.

The city plans to argue the state law violates the 1st and 5th amendments. Attorneys will argue the movement restriction violates the 1st because it is based on the content of the monument. The city plans to argue the law is in violation of the 5th Amendment because it controls the use of city property.

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WCSAO: Marcus Crawford Sentenced To Eleven Years

Daniel Henninger: Liberals are eating their own

“For me,” former ESPN vice president Roxanne Jones wrote on CNN’s website this week, “Biden, as chair of that all-white-male Senate committee -- intentionally, or not -- helped to uphold the misogynistic culture that would ultimately allow Donald Trump to win the presidency. Then there’s Biden’s mass incarceration problem.”

Maybe Joe Biden really has overstayed his welcome.

In simpler political times, the litmus test for being an acceptable Democrat was support for Roe v. Wade. The one certain thing we have learned about the politics of the modern Democratic Party is that if you are accused of having done, said or written anything that violates an array of recently identified progressive values, you are disqualified from public life. You will be denounced and shunned.

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https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/daniel-henninger-liberals-are-eating-their-own

WCSO Press Realeases - April 5, 2019

Spates and Copes

Incident: Possession with intent to distribute narcotics: school zone/ Possession of firearms in a drug trafficking crime

Date of Incident: April 3, 2019

Location: 1000 Block of John Street Salisbury, MD
Suspects:

1. Darell Lorenzo Spates, black male, 29 years old
2. Blankford Wallace Copes, black male, 50 years old

Narrative: On April 3, 2019, members of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Community Action Team and Criminal Investigation Division executed a search and seizure warrant at a residence on the 1000 block of John Street, Salisbury, Maryland. The execution of said warrant was the result of an investigation into the distribution of controlled dangerous substances and possession of stolen illegal firearms. As a result of the search warrant, Deputies located an amount of crack cocaine that is indicative of the intent to distribute. Deputies located an amount of marijuana individually packaged indicative of the intent distribute. The residence was located within 1000 feet of James M. Bennett High School. Deputies also located 3 firearms to include a Hi-Point 9mm semi-automatic handgun, a Mossberg 500 pistol grip 20 gauge shotgun, and a Remington 870 Magnum shotgun. The Remington 870 shotgun was reported stolen from a residential burglary in January 2019 that was investigated by the Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, a compound bow was recovered that was reported stolen from a residential burglary through the Salisbury Police Department. As a result, Deputies arrested the target of the investigation, Darell Lorenzo Spates and charged him accordingly. Spates was held without bond at the Wicomico County Detention Center.
Deputies located an amount of marijuana individually packaged indicative of the intent distribute. Blankford Wallace Copes was charged appropriately for the marijuana and released on $5,000 bond. 

Charges: 
 
Spates: Possession with intent to distribute narcotics within 1000 feet of a school zone, Possession with the intent to distribute narcotics, Possession of firearm during drug trafficking crime, Possession of firearm by prohibited person (felon) x3, along with other CDS/firearm related charges. 

Copes: Possession with intent to distribute marijuana within a 1000 feet of a school zone, possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.

Chicago says it's prepared to sue after 'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett misses deadline to repay $130K

Empire” actor Jussie Smollett missed a deadline to repay Chicago $130,000 for an alleged hate crime hoax, so outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration is planning to sue him over it, according to a statement issued Thursday.

The city notified Smollett’s attorneys by letter last week of its demand that he pay $130,106 — the cost of the police overtime hours expended in the investigation into his allegations. The letter warned that if Smollett did not pay by April 4, the city “may prosecute you for making a false statement to the city.”

City attorneys are preparing a lawsuit and plan to pursue “the full measure of damages” allowed by city law, according to a statement.

“Mr. Smollett has refused to reimburse the City of Chicago for the cost of police overtime spent investigating his false police report on January 29, 2019. The Law Department is now drafting a civil complaint that will be filed in the Circuit Court of Cook Country,” Law Department spokesman Bill McCaffrey said in the statement. “Once it is filed, the Law Department will send a courtesy copy of the complaint to Mr. Smollett’s Los Angeles-based legal team.”

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HOW AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN GRANDMOTHER ENRAGED 1,000 GOOGLE LEFTIES

As the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, Kay Coles James oversaw a federal civilian workforce of 1.8 million responsible for $650 billion. James chairs the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission and OPM recently celebrated her tenure as part of Women’s History Month.

She had also been Virginia’s Secretary of Health and Human Resources, she sits on three corporate boards, and is a member of the NASA Advisory Council.

She’s also an African-American conservative woman.

It’s hard to know which of these three elements of her identity attracted the most fury from leftists after Google appointed her to its external advisory council on AI. But the combination triggered a new level of rage. Gizmodo described one of the most successful African-American women in public life as a “ghoul”.

The insult came from Bryan Menegus, a white millennial hipster and aspiring internet comedian, toward an African-American woman who triumphed over segregation and challenges he couldn’t even imagine. 
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TX Assistant AG: 190K Illegal Aliens Jailed, 32K Committed Assaults in State in Last 8 Years

Jeff Mateer, first assistant attorney general in Texas, told Breitbart News that illegal aliens committed “over 32,000 assaults [and] 28,000 drug offenses” in the Lone Star state over the past eight years. He joined this week’s edition of SiriusXM’s Breitbart News Sunday for an interview with host Amanda House.

“Illegal aliens continue to cross the border,” said Mateer.” In the last eight years, 190,000 booked into Texas jails, over 32,000 assaults, 28,000 drug offenses. In Texas, we’re bearing the brunt — our state is bearing the brunt — of these illegal aliens who are crossing the border illegally and committing crimes.”

Mateer added, “It’s drawing on our resources at the state level. It’s drawing on resources at the federal level. We’ve got a serious problem, and someone needs to act. Fortunately, this president recognizes this serious problem and is willing to act.”

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Virginia lawmakers vote to end driver’s license suspension over unpaid fees

RICHMOND, Va. – The General Assembly voted Wednesday to end the practice of suspending driver’s licenses because of unpaid court fines and costs.

The budget amendment reinstates driving privileges for the more than 627,000 Virginians who currently have their licenses suspended.

The approval by the House of Delegates and the Senate is a win for Governor Ralph Northam who has long supported the legislation, calling the practice “inequitable” because a driver’s license is critical for individuals to maintain a job.

“We have taken another great step forward on criminal justice reform by eliminating the counterproductive practice of suspending driver’s licenses over unpaid court costs and fees, which currently impacts the daily lives of over 627,000 Virginians,” said Northam in a statement Wednesday. “This inequitable policy criminalizes poverty and a change was long overdue.”

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The ‘We’re Sorry’ Democrats

The candidates in the enormous (and growing) 2020 Democratic field have one thing in common: flip-flops, apologies, and a general effort to distance themselves from their past.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D., NY) has been dogged by her past conservative stances on issues ranging from gun control to immigration.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D., Hawaii) has faced scrutiny for her vocal opposition to same-sex marriage in the early 2000s. She has also acknowledged evolving views on health care and an assault weapons ban.

Former Texas congressman Robert Francis O'Rourke has had to apologize for comment about his marriage and his penchant for dropping F-bombs.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) has dealt with controversy over female staffers claiming there was sexual misconduct on his 2016 campaign.

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Alexander: Never Let a Serious Crisis Go to Waste

Democrats will hold the line, seeing the crisis on the border as a political opening to loosen immigration policy and grow their voter constituency pipeline.

When Donald Trump announced his candidacy on 16 June 2015, he made economic growth, fair trade, and border security/immigration reform the centerpieces of his campaign. In his now-familiar brash New York bravado, he declared, “I will build a great wall ― and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me ― and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall.”

After his election in November 2016, he clarified, “For certain areas I would [build a fence], but certain areas, a wall is more appropriate.”

On 25 January 2017, among his earliest initiatives as president, he signed Executive Order 13767, “Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements,” giving direction to the Department of Homeland Security as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection to enhance border barriers and security. He cited the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), the Secure Fence Act of 2006, and the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.

DHS estimated the cost of secure barriers, walls, and fencing along our southern border to be $21 billion — substantially more than the Trump administration’s estimate. DHS also estimated the project would take three years to complete.

In February, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto canceled a state visit to the White House, protesting, “Mexico does not believe in walls. I’ve said time again; Mexico will not pay for any wall.” Clearly not. Generations of American politicians have campaigned on curbing illegal immigration, but did little or nothing about it, believing it would be unpopular with Hispanic and Latino constituencies and bad for business. (In December 2018, Trump declared, “Mexico is paying for the wall because the trade deal is billions and billions of dollars better than the old NAFTA trade deal.”)

That was the beginning of the border debacle that now pits Trump against Democrat Party leaders who gave regular lip service to border security — until Trump made it a centerpiece of his presidential platform.

So, how did we arrive at the current deadlock?

Brandon Judd: DHS Can End Catch and Release by Empowering Border Patrol to Judge Asylum Claims

National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd says the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is considering a plan to allow U.S. Border Patrol agents to administer “credible fear” interviews to border crossers that would “exponentially” drive down soaring illegal immigration levels.

During an exclusive interview with SiriusXM Patriot’s Breitbart News Tonight, Judd said illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border could be quickly cut and the policy of Catch and Release could be ended if DHS authorized Border Patrol agents to conduct immediate interviews with illegal border crossers claiming asylum.

As Breitbart News has reported, less than ten percent of the Central American border crossers arriving at the southern border have legitimate asylum claims, DHS previously revealed. While nearly 90 percent of Central Americans passed an initial credible fear interview, only nine percent were actually granted asylum.

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Bill, Hillary Clinton frozen out of Democrat Party

How would you like to spend an evening with the Clintons? No?? You'd rather have a hot-sauce enema??

Huh.

Bill and Hill are hitting the road to prove their irrelevancy on a 13-stop tour, and the bakers dozen dates cover just enough time and real estate to bore audiences to tears as they deliver their own political eulogies.

The Clintons have always been Obama jelly beans, and I'm sure they're seething with envy over Michelle Obama's wildly successful "Becoming" book and tour, so they're trying to bottle a little of her magic lightning.

They might as well fart in a jar, because the whole thing is a putrid and empty exercise in lying as they'll gloss over Hillary's embarrassing 2016 loss when she blew the presidency at first and goal with two timeouts left, and they'll try to pretend his presidency was a progressive master class.

More herehttps://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/bill-and-hillary-clinton-have-been-frozen-out-of-the-democratic-party-kennedy

Baltimore businesses brace for possible Preakness move

BALTIMORE – After nearly 150 years of calling Baltimore home, the Preakness Stakes could be leaving the city in 2021, a move that would take one of the area’s biggest party days of the year – and a lot of money for the local economy – along with it.

Nestled in the heart of Charm City’s north side, Pimlico Race Course has hosted the second leg of the Triple Crown since 1873, but could be soon replaced by newer facilities in Laurel.

The Stronach Group, owner of the track, has recently expressed concern over the condition of Pimlico and favors the renovated facilities at Laurel Park, a site that the ownership group has been pouring significant money into since 2011.

Legislation that would shift state funding from Pimlico to Laurel Park is expected to die this week, according to Maryland Matters, but that has not stopped acting Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young from speaking out against the matter.

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Maryland General Assembly passes legislation barring the seizure of Baltimore homes over water bills

The General Assembly gave final approval Wednesday to legislation that would ban the city of Baltimore from placing liens against homes, churches and other properties over unpaid water bills.

The House of Delegates voted 138-0 to pass legislation by Sen. Mary Washington, a Baltimore Democrat, that had already passed the Senate unanimously. A companion bill sponsored by Democratic Del. Nick Mosby, also of Baltimore, passed the House of Delegates 138-0 in February.

“The Water Taxpayer Protection Act will serve as a permanent safeguard for our most vulnerable residents to ensure that they do not lose their homes or places of worship to tax sale for the most basic necessity of our lives — water,” Washington said in a statement. “After three years of fighting to end the practice of selling homes for unaffordable and incorrect water bills, we have finally passed the legislation our city needs.”

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Donald Trump Still Planning to Nominate Herman Cain to Fed

President Donald Trump still plans to name Herman Cain to fill the last vacant seat on the Federal Reserve’s board.

Cain has been under consideration for the position for several months. Trump administration officials began shepherding him through the process and clearing the way with Republican senators in January, according to someone familiar with the matter.

Since Bloomberg first reported the Cain news in January, White House officials have also said that Trump will nominate Stephen Moore to the Federal Reserve board’s other open seat.

Trump is ready to name Cain but is waiting for the vetting process to be completed, Jonathan Swan of Axios reported Thursday.

Cain, 73, served as a director on the board of the Kansas City Fed from 1992-1996. He eventually rose to become chairman of the board. He had been a board member of the Omaha branch of the Kansas City Fed since 1989.

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Princeton Professor to High Schools: Send Us Students Who Can Think for Themselves

Princeton University Professor Robert George is asking American high schools to send him students who able to think critically.

Conservative Princeton Professor Robert George spoke last week at an event hosted by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and Hoover Institution. As part of his lecture on the state of education in American, George urged American high schools to send students who can think critically to Princeton.

George complained about the presence of groupthink on the Princeton campus. He suggested that many students are uncritically accepting a progressive worldview, one that emerges from publications like the New York Times.

"Students who are diverse in a myriad ways and yet alike in their viewpoints and perspectives and prejudices. Students who have absorbed what I sometimes call, the New York Times view of the world. They think what, evidently, they think they are supposed to think. They seem to have absorbed uncritically progressive ideology and they embrace it zealously, obediently, and alas dogmatically as a faith, as a kind of religion. Challenging its presuppositions and tenets is regarded not merely as wrong or heretical but unthinkable. In other words, they come to us, these students, very diverse in so many ways, and yet already in groupthink."

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Ilhan Omar Urges Release Of Jailed Muslim Brotherhood Leader, Report Says

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Somalia) advocated on Tuesday for releasing a senior member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (MB) — which is designated by several nations as a terrorist organization.

"I recently met with @jkbadawy and @thefreedomi to talk about Hoda Abdelmonem, a political prisoner in Egypt," Omar tweeted from her official Congressional Twitter account. "I hope that Trump brings up her case in his meeting with the regime that has imprisoned her. We must work to #FreeHoda."

Conservative Review's Jordan Schachtel reported that Hoda Abdelmonem is "a senior member in the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood’s women’s affiliate," adding that she "remains an influential figure and a senior leader in the Islamist outfit, and the campaign for her release has been a top priority item for Muslim Brotherhood-aligned individuals, groups, and governments."

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You Don't See This Every Day

Thank God It's Friday 4-5-19

What will you be doing this weekend?

Caribbean Joe's Is The Place To Visit In West Ocean City

The Guard family said...

Our family came in tonight and between the five of us we tried a variety of the menu items. There was not one bad thing about any of the food we got. The burger was huge and juicy, the chicken quesadilla was delicious, the nachos grande were amazing , the steak and cheese was made with real sliced steak, the tacos were seasoned perfectly and the wings were delicious. The portions were huge and our waitress was very friendly. We will definitely be back, it was well worth it. Thanks for a great meal and atmosphere!

Publishers Notes: WOW, what an amazing experience this has become. Thank You, ALL of you! Not one bad thing has been said about my new establishment. The food truly is incredible and I get to hear this all day and night from so many customers. Even my own 80 year old Father opened the kitchen door last night and said, Joe, that was the best burger I've ever had in my entire life. Granted, that was my own Father but hey, after 80 year of being on this earth, that says a lot. 

Come on out and visit us, it's so well worth the trip. I'll tell you what, mention this article this weekend and I'll serve you a 1/2 pound burger for $5.00 just because I'm in a great mood and so happy everyone is enjoying it. 

Caribbean Joe's Is Looking For Cooks

With the summer season getting ready to kick into high gear, I need cooks. If you are interested in full time or part time work and you have experience, call me at 410-430-5349 to set up an interview. 

Large Maryland public-private projects may face delay

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland — The Maryland Board of Public Works would not be able to approve very large public-private joint projects in the state — including the governor’s planned highway widening project — until a credit check, environmental assessment and review from a committee are complete, under legislation advancing in the General Assembly.

House bill 1091, which passed the House on March 14, would require an independent credit rating report of companies participating in public-private partnership agreements — or P3s — costing over $500 million.

The report includes the credit strength of the private entity, impact on state and local government credit rating and a “recommendation of a minimum credit rating to be maintained by the private entity,” according to an analysis of the bill.

A Legislative Policy Committee would need to review all P3 agreements and an environmental impact statement would have to be completed before project approval, according to an analysis of the bill.

The state must be reimbursed for any design expenses and up-front payments, and the state or a successor will take on any toll revenue or other charges if they have to complete a P3 project, according to an analysis of the bill.

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Morning Funny

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN GUILTY OF LOOKING AT OTHERS YOUR OWN AGE AND THINKING, SURELY I CAN'T LOOK THAT OLD? WELL......YOU'LL LOVE THIS ONE!

MY NAME IS ALICE SMITH AND I WAS SITTING IN THE WAITING ROOM FOR MY FIRST APPOINTMENT WITH A NEW DENTIST. I NOTICED HIS DENTAL DIPLOMA, WHICH BORE HIS FULL NAME.

SUDDENLY, I REMEMBERED A TALL, HANDSOME, DARK HAIRED BOY WITH THE SAME NAME HAD BEEN IN MY SECONDARY SCHOOL CLASS SOME 30-ODD YEARS AGO.

COULD HE BE THE SAME GUY THAT I HAD A SECRET CRUSH ON, WAY BACK THEN?

UPON SEEING HIM, HOWEVER, I QUICKLY DISCARDED ANY SUCH THOUGHT.

THIS BALDING, GREY HAIRED MAN WITH THE DEEPLY LINED FACE WAS FAR TOO OLD TO HAVE BEEN MY CLASSMATE. AFTER HE EXAMINED MY TEETH, I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD ATTENDED MORGAN PARK SECONDARY SCHOOL .

'YES, YES I DID. I'M A MORGANNER! ' HE BEAMED WITH PRIDE.

'WHEN DID YOU LEAVE TO GO TO COLLEGE?' I ASKED

HE ANSWERED, IN 1965. WHY DO YOU ASK?

'YOU WERE IN MY CLASS!' I EXCLAIMED.

HE LOOKED AT ME CLOSELY.

THEN THAT UGLY,

OLD,

BALD,

WRINKLED,

FAT ARSED,

GREY HAIRED,

DECREPIT,

B*ST*RD ASKED.....

'WHAT DID YOU TEACH?'

Anything With Wheels Benefit Crusin This Saturday!

REMINDER: April 5th Oyster Fritter and/or Chicken Salad Dinner

The public is invited to join the Delmar VFW Auxiliary for an Oyster Fritter and/or Chicken Salad Dinner on Friday, April 5th, from 5:30 -8:00 p.m., at the Delmar VFW Post , 200 West State St., Delmar,MD.

The dinner includes a choice of 2 vegetables from these items: potato salad, greens, macaroni and cheese, pickled beets, string beans, or applesauce. Iced tea and a dinner roll are also included.Oyster fritter sandwiches will also be offered as a choice. A variety of desserts will be available.

Carry outs may be ordered in person only beginning at 5:30. The cost of the dinner is determined by which dinner or combo is chosen.

Proceeds benefit the many local charities and organizations supported by the Delmar VFW Auxiliary.

Creepy Joe