Greeting neighbors, this is a long post, but important and worth reading to the end. Please be aware that the Office of the Maryland Attorney General and other law enforcement agencies are receiving reports of a scam in which thieves posing as law enforcement are swindling money by threatening arrest for missing jury duty or failure to appear as a witness.
Anyone can fall victim to this sophisticated scam. Reports indicate that it is affecting Marylanders in several counties. Here is what consumers report.
The scammer calls a potential victim, claiming falsely to be calling from a local police department or sheriff’s office to tell them that they have missed a court date. The scammer may leave a message for a call back, and the caller ID often indicates a local area code. If the victim calls the number back, a recording suggests that they reached a legitimate law enforcement office. Once the caller is connected to a live person, that person tells the victim they missed jury duty, that a certified notice was signed by someone at their home, and that a bench warrant for their arrest has been issued for failure to attend jury duty and contempt of court.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Attention
Monday, June 03, 2019
Hogan Will not Challenge President Trump
Governor Hogan Is Obsessed with NOT challenging President Trump. In the last 2 days he has posted 9 times on facebook about him not running for President.
Stolen Car Crashes in Delaware during Pursuit out of Maryland – Florida Woman Charged
Newark – The Delaware State Police have charged 22 year old Quelinda Hallam, of St. Petersburg, FL, with multiple offenses stemming from a pursuit that came into Delaware from Maryland on I-95, late Sunday night.
At approximately 10:55 p.m., Sunday, June 2, 2019 Delaware Troopers were advised by Maryland authorities that the Maryland State Police and Maryland Transportation Authority Police were in pursuit of a red, Ford Focus that was traveling I-95 northbound heading towards Delaware. The Ford had been reported as stolen out of St. Petersburg, FL.
At approximately 11:11 p.m., Delaware State Police units arrived on scene with the stolen Ford and a Maryland State Police vehicle that had been involved in a collision, on I-95 northbound in the area of Christiana Rd. (DE Rt. 273), and had become disabled. Hallam along with a 22 year old St. Petersburg, FL man, who was a passenger in the vehicle, had already been taken into custody. It was determined that during the pursuit, Hallam intentionally drove her vehicle into the Maryland Troopers vehicle, causing the collision.
Hallam and the male passenger were turned over to the custody of the Delaware State Police and then transported to Troop 6 for further investigation.
The Maryland Trooper, who is assigned to the JFK Highway Barracks, sustained minor injuries as a result of the crash. Hallam and her passenger were not injured.
Hallam was charged with Reckless Endangering 1st Degree (F), Receiving Stolen Property Greater than $1500.00 (F) and Reckless Driving. She was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court #11 and then committed to the Dolores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution in lieu of $10,000.00 cash bail.
The 22 year old male passenger, who was not charged in regards to the pursuit, was charged with Criminal Contempt of a PFA (M), after it was determined that he had violated an order which had been issued out of the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Pinellas County, FL. He was subsequently committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $2500.00 cash bail.
At approximately 10:55 p.m., Sunday, June 2, 2019 Delaware Troopers were advised by Maryland authorities that the Maryland State Police and Maryland Transportation Authority Police were in pursuit of a red, Ford Focus that was traveling I-95 northbound heading towards Delaware. The Ford had been reported as stolen out of St. Petersburg, FL.
At approximately 11:11 p.m., Delaware State Police units arrived on scene with the stolen Ford and a Maryland State Police vehicle that had been involved in a collision, on I-95 northbound in the area of Christiana Rd. (DE Rt. 273), and had become disabled. Hallam along with a 22 year old St. Petersburg, FL man, who was a passenger in the vehicle, had already been taken into custody. It was determined that during the pursuit, Hallam intentionally drove her vehicle into the Maryland Troopers vehicle, causing the collision.
Hallam and the male passenger were turned over to the custody of the Delaware State Police and then transported to Troop 6 for further investigation.
The Maryland Trooper, who is assigned to the JFK Highway Barracks, sustained minor injuries as a result of the crash. Hallam and her passenger were not injured.
Hallam was charged with Reckless Endangering 1st Degree (F), Receiving Stolen Property Greater than $1500.00 (F) and Reckless Driving. She was arraigned in Justice of the Peace Court #11 and then committed to the Dolores J. Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution in lieu of $10,000.00 cash bail.
The 22 year old male passenger, who was not charged in regards to the pursuit, was charged with Criminal Contempt of a PFA (M), after it was determined that he had violated an order which had been issued out of the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Pinellas County, FL. He was subsequently committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $2500.00 cash bail.
Franklin Graham Leads 'Day of Prayer' for President Trump
Franklin Graham set aside Sunday as a "Special Day of Prayer" for President Donald Trump to protect him from his enemies, a move which brought re-tweets and thanks from the President.
"I don't believe any President in the history of this nation has been attacked more than Donald Trump," Evangelist Graham announced earlier this week. "He is our President and if he succeeds, we all benefit.
"But if his enemies are allowed to destroy him and pull down the presidency, it will hurt our entire nation."
President Trump re-tweeted a number of posts covering Graham's prayer day, tweeting Saturday:
"We will all stick together and WIN! Thank you Franklin."
More
"I don't believe any President in the history of this nation has been attacked more than Donald Trump," Evangelist Graham announced earlier this week. "He is our President and if he succeeds, we all benefit.
"But if his enemies are allowed to destroy him and pull down the presidency, it will hurt our entire nation."
President Trump re-tweeted a number of posts covering Graham's prayer day, tweeting Saturday:
"We will all stick together and WIN! Thank you Franklin."
More
American Soil Is Being Globalized: Nearly 30 Million Acres Of US Farmland Now Owned By Foreigners
All across America, U.S. farmland is being gobbled up by foreign interests. So when we refer to “the heartland of America”, the truth is that vast stretches of that “heartland” is now owned by foreigners, and most Americans have no idea that this is happening. These days, a lot of people are warning about the “globalization” of the world economy, but in reality our own soil is rapidly being “globalized”. When farms are locally owned, the revenue that those farms take in tends to stay in local communities. But with foreign-owned farms there is no guarantee that will happen. And while there is plenty of food to go around this is not a major concern, but what happens when a food crisis erupts and these foreign-owned farms just keep sending their produce out of the country? There are some very serious national security concerns here, and they really aren’t being addressed. Instead, the amount of farmland owned by foreigners just continues to increase with each passing year.
Prior to seeing the headline to this article, how much U.S. farmland would you have guessed that foreigners now own?
Personally, I had no idea that foreigners now own nearly 30 million acres. The following comes from NPR…
American soil.
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Prior to seeing the headline to this article, how much U.S. farmland would you have guessed that foreigners now own?
Personally, I had no idea that foreigners now own nearly 30 million acres. The following comes from NPR…
American soil.
Those are two words that are commonly used to stir up patriotic feelings. They are also words that can’t be be taken for granted, because today nearly 30 million acres of U.S. farmland are held by foreign investors. That number has doubled in the past two decades, which is raising alarm bells in farming communities.How did we allow this to happen?
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STUDY: FEW COMPANIES ACTUALLY GETTING BUSTED FOR HIRING ILLEGALS
A new study finds that, despite a record-setting number of immigrants illegally entering the country, relatively few employers are prosecuted for hiring undocumented aliens.
From April 2018 to March 2019, only 11 individuals were prosecuted for knowingly employing migrants without proper documentation, according to information compiled by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. No individuals have been prosecuted in the past two months, and no companies were prosecuted in the last year.
The low levels of legal reprimand appear as an oddity given the surge of illegal aliens appearing at the U.S. southern border — many of them claiming they emigrated in search of better work opportunities.
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From April 2018 to March 2019, only 11 individuals were prosecuted for knowingly employing migrants without proper documentation, according to information compiled by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. No individuals have been prosecuted in the past two months, and no companies were prosecuted in the last year.
The low levels of legal reprimand appear as an oddity given the surge of illegal aliens appearing at the U.S. southern border — many of them claiming they emigrated in search of better work opportunities.
More
GM Sends Manufacturing Jobs to South Korea as U.S. Workers Are Laid Off
General Motors (GM) executives announced this week that two of their vehicles will be produced in South Korea as American workers in Lordstown, Ohio are left jobless after their GM plant closure and other Americans’ jobs at the corporation hang in the balance.
At the end of last year, GM CEO Mary Barra announced that the corporation would soon lay off 14,700 workers in the United States and Canada. Meanwhile, the corporation’s production in China and Mexico have remained unaffected, much like Barra’s continued annual salary of $22 million.
While the Lordstown, Ohio Assembly Plant has already been idled by GM, also slated to close this year are GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck and Warren Transmission plants in Michigan and the Baltimore Operations plant in Maryland.
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At the end of last year, GM CEO Mary Barra announced that the corporation would soon lay off 14,700 workers in the United States and Canada. Meanwhile, the corporation’s production in China and Mexico have remained unaffected, much like Barra’s continued annual salary of $22 million.
While the Lordstown, Ohio Assembly Plant has already been idled by GM, also slated to close this year are GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck and Warren Transmission plants in Michigan and the Baltimore Operations plant in Maryland.
More
The History And Results Of America's Disastrous Public School System
All across the nation, students are being prodded like cattle into classrooms, and the one-size-fits-all approach is failing them.
There is a popular saying that “the proof is in the pudding.” In the first part of this article set, my colleague Mike Margeson spelled out the historical roots of the American schooling system. He clearly laid out the blueprint that men like Horace Mann used to build a system that does anything but “educates.” Factor in that trillions of dollars have been spent on schooling, and it makes it even harder to justify.
A Broken System
Yet we continue to hear the “Red for Ed” crowd scream for more funding. Here in the state of Indiana, the superintendent of public education is leading an assault on the state legislature for a meager 2 percent increase in state funding. Many educators are characterizing this as a decrease in funding! In no other walk of life would we continue to pour so many resources into a failed system. If you had any doubt about this after reading Part One, let me present you with some facts.
In what was one of many fiery speaking engagements, the late John Taylor Gatto delivered a line that has resonated with me as I have studied the effects the public schooling system has on children. In this particular speech, Gatto was recounting the story of Jaime Escalante, the educator who successfully taught calculus at Garfield High School in Los Angeles yet was forced to resign.
As he finishes describing the trials and fate of Escalante, Gatto explains that above racism and other forms of bigotry is the embedded idea that what really occurred was a deliberate attempt to stop genuine learning. Earlier in the speech, Gatto laid out a compelling case of how and why schooling is meant to keep citizens ignorant. This success at an inner city school was not going to be tolerated by the establishment. He implored his listeners to understand the real problem and to quit “fencing with shadows.”
More
There is a popular saying that “the proof is in the pudding.” In the first part of this article set, my colleague Mike Margeson spelled out the historical roots of the American schooling system. He clearly laid out the blueprint that men like Horace Mann used to build a system that does anything but “educates.” Factor in that trillions of dollars have been spent on schooling, and it makes it even harder to justify.
A Broken System
Yet we continue to hear the “Red for Ed” crowd scream for more funding. Here in the state of Indiana, the superintendent of public education is leading an assault on the state legislature for a meager 2 percent increase in state funding. Many educators are characterizing this as a decrease in funding! In no other walk of life would we continue to pour so many resources into a failed system. If you had any doubt about this after reading Part One, let me present you with some facts.
In what was one of many fiery speaking engagements, the late John Taylor Gatto delivered a line that has resonated with me as I have studied the effects the public schooling system has on children. In this particular speech, Gatto was recounting the story of Jaime Escalante, the educator who successfully taught calculus at Garfield High School in Los Angeles yet was forced to resign.
As he finishes describing the trials and fate of Escalante, Gatto explains that above racism and other forms of bigotry is the embedded idea that what really occurred was a deliberate attempt to stop genuine learning. Earlier in the speech, Gatto laid out a compelling case of how and why schooling is meant to keep citizens ignorant. This success at an inner city school was not going to be tolerated by the establishment. He implored his listeners to understand the real problem and to quit “fencing with shadows.”
More
Warren: Country ‘Broken’ Before Trump — ‘America that Elected Him’ a ‘Country with Serious Problems’
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) said on Saturday at the MoveOn Big Ideas Forum in San Francisco that the United States had “serious problems” before Trump was in the White House because of the people who voted for him.
“A lot of people want to talk about the guy in the White House,” Warren said. “We need to talk about an America that was broken long before he arrived there — the America that elected him — that is a broken country, that is a country with serious problems.”
“But here’s the deal,” Warren said. “We have the chance in 2020 to take it all and make this country work.”
Warrens “big idea” at the forum had to do with another problem she sees in Washington: corruption.
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“A lot of people want to talk about the guy in the White House,” Warren said. “We need to talk about an America that was broken long before he arrived there — the America that elected him — that is a broken country, that is a country with serious problems.”
“But here’s the deal,” Warren said. “We have the chance in 2020 to take it all and make this country work.”
Warrens “big idea” at the forum had to do with another problem she sees in Washington: corruption.
More
Report: Site of Virginia Beach Shooting Another Gun-Free Zone
The Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) unearthed information showing the site of the Virginia Beach shooting was a gun-free zone for city employees.
CPRC reports: “Virginia Beach bans employees from being able to carry guns. In addition, while it was indeed possible for a civilian to enter the ‘Operations Building’ where the attack occurred, the ‘Operations Building,’ as its name suggests, was a building where virtually only employees would be in.”
This incident comes just months after an Aurora, Illinois, attacker opened fire in Henry Pratt Company, which was also a gun-free zone.
CPRC examined mass public shootings for the time period of 1950 to May 2018 and found that 97.8 percent of them occurred in gun-free zones. Yet Democrat politicians respond to these shootings by pushing laws that make it even harder for law-abiding citizens to be armed to shoot back.
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CPRC reports: “Virginia Beach bans employees from being able to carry guns. In addition, while it was indeed possible for a civilian to enter the ‘Operations Building’ where the attack occurred, the ‘Operations Building,’ as its name suggests, was a building where virtually only employees would be in.”
This incident comes just months after an Aurora, Illinois, attacker opened fire in Henry Pratt Company, which was also a gun-free zone.
CPRC examined mass public shootings for the time period of 1950 to May 2018 and found that 97.8 percent of them occurred in gun-free zones. Yet Democrat politicians respond to these shootings by pushing laws that make it even harder for law-abiding citizens to be armed to shoot back.
More
Strip-joint extortion probe nets Chicago-area mayor's relatives, consultant, 2 police officers
Six people -- including police officers, a trusted consultant and relatives of the embattled mayor of a Chicago suburb -- were charged Wednesday amid a federal probe into the alleged shakedown of a strip-club owner and other various forms of corruption.
Harvey Mayor Eric Kellogg wasn’t charged but a criminal complaint implicates him in the alleged yearslong extortion of the strip joint. His brothers Rommell Kellogg and Derrick Muhammad, and his cousin, Corey Johnson, face several corruption charges. Rommell Kellogg and Johnson are accused of extorting regular cash payoffs from a Harvey strip club owner to protect the club’s prostitution business.
Donald Luster, the former mayor of Dixmoor, is accused of soliciting bribes from the owner of a towing company in a nearby suburb. Luster served as a consultant to Harvey. In a third criminal complaint, two Harvey police officers and Muhammad, 70, were charged with falsifying police reports.
More
https://www.foxnews.com/us/relatives-of-illinois-mayor-trusted-consultant-charged-in-extortion-bribery-probe
Harvey Mayor Eric Kellogg wasn’t charged but a criminal complaint implicates him in the alleged yearslong extortion of the strip joint. His brothers Rommell Kellogg and Derrick Muhammad, and his cousin, Corey Johnson, face several corruption charges. Rommell Kellogg and Johnson are accused of extorting regular cash payoffs from a Harvey strip club owner to protect the club’s prostitution business.
Donald Luster, the former mayor of Dixmoor, is accused of soliciting bribes from the owner of a towing company in a nearby suburb. Luster served as a consultant to Harvey. In a third criminal complaint, two Harvey police officers and Muhammad, 70, were charged with falsifying police reports.
More
https://www.foxnews.com/us/relatives-of-illinois-mayor-trusted-consultant-charged-in-extortion-bribery-probe
Workplace Deaths Fell 34% After Medical Cannabis Legalization
Critics who love to fret about legalization’s effect on workplace safety—you’re fired.
Medical cannabis laws are associated with a staggering 34% decline in workplace deaths for adults age 25 to 44, a new study finds. The reason? Those workers might be drinking less alcohol and taking less pills due to legalization.
Comparing Workplace Injuries and Cannabis Laws
Since 1996, a record 29 states have passed medical cannabis laws, many of them loose enough to attract recreational consumers. Along the way, Chambers of Commerce and other business groups have long-opposed reform, based on workplace safety concerns.
More
Medical cannabis laws are associated with a staggering 34% decline in workplace deaths for adults age 25 to 44, a new study finds. The reason? Those workers might be drinking less alcohol and taking less pills due to legalization.
Comparing Workplace Injuries and Cannabis Laws
Since 1996, a record 29 states have passed medical cannabis laws, many of them loose enough to attract recreational consumers. Along the way, Chambers of Commerce and other business groups have long-opposed reform, based on workplace safety concerns.
More
I Toured the Texas-Mexico Border. Here Are 8 Things I Learned.
LAREDO, Texas—Guarding this sector of the southern border involves a set of challenges that is quite different than nearby stations in the Lone Star State.
I learned this during a tour of the border last week that included this city of about 250,000 across from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, just a few hours away across the Rio Grande Valley station.
I traveled along the 171-mile stretch of border as a reporter for The Daily Signal, and here’s some of what I learned firsthand from Border Patrol agents who guard it.
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I learned this during a tour of the border last week that included this city of about 250,000 across from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, just a few hours away across the Rio Grande Valley station.
I traveled along the 171-mile stretch of border as a reporter for The Daily Signal, and here’s some of what I learned firsthand from Border Patrol agents who guard it.
More
Daily Beast Says Facebook Helped Them Dox Trump Supporter
The Daily Beast recently doxed a black forklift driver and reported Trump supporter for the alleged high crime of creating a parody video of Democrat speaker of the house Nancy Pelosi.
But there’s more to the story — it appears Facebook may have helped the left-wing journalists identify him.
The Daily Beast identified the video creator as Shawn Brooks, whom they described as a forklift driver and Trump supporter from the Bronx.
A Twitter account claiming to be Brooks disputed key details of the story, claiming he is not a Trump supporter, did not create the parody video, and does not live in the Bronx.
By doxing Brooks, The Daily Beast followed the example of CNN, which threatened to unmask an anonymous Trump supporter over a parody video, forcing to him apologize in exchange for not revealing his identity. The scandal caused “CNNBlackmail” to trend on Twitter.
But there’s another aspect to the Daily Beast story which has major implications for the privacy of Facebook users — according to the Daily Beast reporter himself, Facebook gave him information on Brooks’ activity on the platform.
More
But there’s more to the story — it appears Facebook may have helped the left-wing journalists identify him.
The Daily Beast identified the video creator as Shawn Brooks, whom they described as a forklift driver and Trump supporter from the Bronx.
A Twitter account claiming to be Brooks disputed key details of the story, claiming he is not a Trump supporter, did not create the parody video, and does not live in the Bronx.
By doxing Brooks, The Daily Beast followed the example of CNN, which threatened to unmask an anonymous Trump supporter over a parody video, forcing to him apologize in exchange for not revealing his identity. The scandal caused “CNNBlackmail” to trend on Twitter.
But there’s another aspect to the Daily Beast story which has major implications for the privacy of Facebook users — according to the Daily Beast reporter himself, Facebook gave him information on Brooks’ activity on the platform.
More
‘First large group’ from AFRICA wades across Rio Grande into US
A group of illegals from Angola, Cameroon and Congo waded across the Rio Grande River and into the United States, video from Customs and Border Protection shows.
The video shows male and female adults walking through the water and into Texas, several with children on their shoulders.
“This is the first large group apprehended in the Del Rio Sector and the first large group of people from Africa – including nationals from Angola, Cameroon and Congo – apprehended on the Southwest border this year,” according to CBP.
More
[Related: Congo Ebola deaths pass 1,000]
The video shows male and female adults walking through the water and into Texas, several with children on their shoulders.
“This is the first large group apprehended in the Del Rio Sector and the first large group of people from Africa – including nationals from Angola, Cameroon and Congo – apprehended on the Southwest border this year,” according to CBP.
More
[Related: Congo Ebola deaths pass 1,000]
New York Times Unmasks Honduran Community Members Fighting MS-13
The New York Times unmasked a group of freedom fighters in Honduras who dared to take on the much-feared MS-13 gang. The U.S. publication printed their names, published photographs of their faces, families, and homes — allegedly without permission — thus putting a target on the members of the self-defense group.
In outrage, an author in Honduras called out the New York Times in a column for the local publication Contra Corriente for exposing the community to the wrath of the brutal gang. Rather than simply tell their story, the foreign journalists from Times turned the freedom fighters into easy targets by outing their identities and printing photographs of the group and their loved ones as well as marking the location of their homes.
One of the women featured in the story told the Honduran publication that she never gave them consent to print their name or take their photographs. “I didn’t even know when he took [the photographs]. That man has put a price on my head,” she said.
More here
In outrage, an author in Honduras called out the New York Times in a column for the local publication Contra Corriente for exposing the community to the wrath of the brutal gang. Rather than simply tell their story, the foreign journalists from Times turned the freedom fighters into easy targets by outing their identities and printing photographs of the group and their loved ones as well as marking the location of their homes.
One of the women featured in the story told the Honduran publication that she never gave them consent to print their name or take their photographs. “I didn’t even know when he took [the photographs]. That man has put a price on my head,” she said.
More here
Soros, Wallace Help Bankroll Dark Money Fund Aimed at Midwestern Voters
Liberal billionaires George Soros and Scott Wallace are helping bankroll a new fund hosted by an intricate dark money organization and focused on helping Democrats make inroads with midwestern voters for the 2020 elections.
The deep-pocketed donors moved the money from the Open Society Foundations, Soros's foundation, and the Wallace Global Fund, Wallace's foundation, to the newly launched Heartland Fund, a collaborative effort focused on building "power across the divides of the American heartland" as overall Democratic efforts have veered towards the region.
The Heartland Fund recently disbursed $500,000 in its first round of grants to nine left-wing groups and will begin its efforts with organizing and issue advocacy. The initiative is housed at the Windward Fund, which falls under the auspices of Arabella Advisors, a major dark money "fiscal sponsor" network founded by Eric Kessler, a former Bill Clinton appointee.
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The deep-pocketed donors moved the money from the Open Society Foundations, Soros's foundation, and the Wallace Global Fund, Wallace's foundation, to the newly launched Heartland Fund, a collaborative effort focused on building "power across the divides of the American heartland" as overall Democratic efforts have veered towards the region.
The Heartland Fund recently disbursed $500,000 in its first round of grants to nine left-wing groups and will begin its efforts with organizing and issue advocacy. The initiative is housed at the Windward Fund, which falls under the auspices of Arabella Advisors, a major dark money "fiscal sponsor" network founded by Eric Kessler, a former Bill Clinton appointee.
More
Obama Administration Alumni Advising Iranian Regime on Dealing with Trump
The Daily Beast reported Friday that former members of former President Barack Obama’s administration are 'advising' the Iranian regime.
Betsy Woodruff noted (original quotes):
As the Trump administration sent warplanes and an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf, a small group of former Obama administration officials reached out to their contacts in the Iranian government, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Their message to Iran: Don’t take Trump’s bait. Stay calm.
Conversations between former Obama officials and Iranian government officials have been ongoing since November 2016.
Th Obama alumni are also reportedly passing messages from the Iranian regime to congressional Democrats:
Three Obama officials who worked closely on the Iran nuclear deal, one of whom is still in touch with Iranian government officials, traveled to Capitol Hill to brief congressional Democrats about the situation. Those former officials said would not say if they passed information from Iranian government officials to members of Congress. Rather, they said they focused on educating members about their experience working with Iranian leaders and how Tehran reacts to economic pressure.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein is already known to have met with Zarif, and was seen with his contact page open on her cell phone.
Former Secretary of State John Kerry, who led the negotiations that produced the Iran nuclear deal, is known to be meeting with Zarif as well — which President Donald Trump said earlier this month should have earned him prosecution under the Logan Act.
The Logan Act bars private citizens from conducting official diplomacy.
More
Betsy Woodruff noted (original quotes):
As the Trump administration sent warplanes and an aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf, a small group of former Obama administration officials reached out to their contacts in the Iranian government, including Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Their message to Iran: Don’t take Trump’s bait. Stay calm.
Conversations between former Obama officials and Iranian government officials have been ongoing since November 2016.
Th Obama alumni are also reportedly passing messages from the Iranian regime to congressional Democrats:
Three Obama officials who worked closely on the Iran nuclear deal, one of whom is still in touch with Iranian government officials, traveled to Capitol Hill to brief congressional Democrats about the situation. Those former officials said would not say if they passed information from Iranian government officials to members of Congress. Rather, they said they focused on educating members about their experience working with Iranian leaders and how Tehran reacts to economic pressure.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein is already known to have met with Zarif, and was seen with his contact page open on her cell phone.
Former Secretary of State John Kerry, who led the negotiations that produced the Iran nuclear deal, is known to be meeting with Zarif as well — which President Donald Trump said earlier this month should have earned him prosecution under the Logan Act.
The Logan Act bars private citizens from conducting official diplomacy.
More
Biden Present at Russia Collusion Briefing Documented in ‘Odd’ Susan Rice Email
Vice President Joe Biden was documented as being present in the Oval Office for a conversation about the controversial Russia probe between President Obama, disgraced ex-FBI chief James Comey, Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and other senior officials including Obama’s national security advisor Susan Rice.
In an action characterized as “odd” last year by then-Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, Rice memorialized the confab in an email to herself describing Obama as starting “the conversation by stressing his continued commitment to ensuring that every aspect of this issue is handled by the Intelligence and law enforcement communities ‘by the book.’”
Grassley, in a letter to Rice, commented: “It strikes us as odd that, among your activities in the final moments on the final day of the Obama administration, you would feel the need to send yourself such an unusual email purporting to document a conversation involving President Obama and his interactions with the FBI regarding the Trump/Russia investigation.”
Grassley noted the unusual timing of the email sent by Rice to herself more than two weeks after the January 5, 2017 White House meeting on the Russia investigation, but mere hours before she vacated the White House for the incoming Trump administration.
More here
In an action characterized as “odd” last year by then-Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, Rice memorialized the confab in an email to herself describing Obama as starting “the conversation by stressing his continued commitment to ensuring that every aspect of this issue is handled by the Intelligence and law enforcement communities ‘by the book.’”
Grassley, in a letter to Rice, commented: “It strikes us as odd that, among your activities in the final moments on the final day of the Obama administration, you would feel the need to send yourself such an unusual email purporting to document a conversation involving President Obama and his interactions with the FBI regarding the Trump/Russia investigation.”
Grassley noted the unusual timing of the email sent by Rice to herself more than two weeks after the January 5, 2017 White House meeting on the Russia investigation, but mere hours before she vacated the White House for the incoming Trump administration.
More here
Boy who donated $22K for President Trump's border wall celebrates at ribbon-cutting
SUNLAND PARK, N.M. — A 7-year-old boy who reportedly donated $22,000 toward a wall between the U.S. and Mexico border helped cut a ribbon in front of a newly-built section.
Benton Stevens joined organizers of "We Build The Wall" to celebrate the finished piece, complete with a ceremonial ribbon cutting, fireworks and plans for future projects, KFOX-TV reports.
"We Build the Wall" touted its efforts to build sections of the border wall on private property, with organizers claiming they have 10 properties ready to go. The mayor of Sunland Park, however, said they don't have the all-clear by the city to finish building the community.
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101-year-old WWII veteran flew 1,500 miles to commission grandson at Air Force Academy
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Joseph Kloc is among the 989 members of the US Air Force Academy's class of 2019 who graduated this week.
But a unique moment with family set his week apart.
His grandfather, 101-year-old World War II veteran Walter Kloc, flew from Amherst, New York to commission his grandson.
"I'm so excited for him," Joseph’s father William Kloc told WGRZ before the trip to Colorado. "He's fulfilling his dream and he was so excited that his grandfather, a World War II Air Force bombardier pilot, could come and commission him."
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But a unique moment with family set his week apart.
His grandfather, 101-year-old World War II veteran Walter Kloc, flew from Amherst, New York to commission his grandson.
"I'm so excited for him," Joseph’s father William Kloc told WGRZ before the trip to Colorado. "He's fulfilling his dream and he was so excited that his grandfather, a World War II Air Force bombardier pilot, could come and commission him."
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A Democratic 2020 contender denounces socialism - and gets booed by San Francisco crowd
SAN FRANCISCO - Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper found a way to stand out at a crowded gathering of California Democrats: He denounced "socialism," and got booed.
"If we want to beat Donald Trump and achieve big progressive goals, socialism is not the answer," Hickenlooper said at a Saturday afternoon session of the state party's annual convention. As the jeering grew louder, Hickenlooper added: "You know, if we're not careful, we're going to end up reelecting the worst president in American history."
Hickenlooper's presidential campaign had previewed the remarks hours before he spoke. The Coloradan, who was a geologist and a brewer before entering politics, has repeatedly argued for Democrats to embrace and reform capitalism.
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"If we want to beat Donald Trump and achieve big progressive goals, socialism is not the answer," Hickenlooper said at a Saturday afternoon session of the state party's annual convention. As the jeering grew louder, Hickenlooper added: "You know, if we're not careful, we're going to end up reelecting the worst president in American history."
Hickenlooper's presidential campaign had previewed the remarks hours before he spoke. The Coloradan, who was a geologist and a brewer before entering politics, has repeatedly argued for Democrats to embrace and reform capitalism.
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Veterans Walk out of Private Meeting With AOC: 'I Just Couldn't Hear Her BS Anymore'
The New York Post reports that two military veterans walked out of a private meeting with Democratic Socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez earlier this week after the freshman congresswoman began bashing US foreign policy. However, AOC's office claims the two men are lying.
“She knocks the country, she knocks the president. And that’s not what America is about,” Silvio Mazzella, a Vietnam War veteran and treasurer of Community Board 11, told the New York Post.
Another veteran, "Anthony Vitaliano — an Army veteran who worked in the NYPD for 38 years, and commanded the Bronx’s homicide detectives," was sitting right next to the congresswoman and her chief of staff as she made her remarks.
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“She knocks the country, she knocks the president. And that’s not what America is about,” Silvio Mazzella, a Vietnam War veteran and treasurer of Community Board 11, told the New York Post.
Another veteran, "Anthony Vitaliano — an Army veteran who worked in the NYPD for 38 years, and commanded the Bronx’s homicide detectives," was sitting right next to the congresswoman and her chief of staff as she made her remarks.
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WCSO CAT Press Release - Jun. 3, 2019
Incident: Possession with intent to distribute narcotics/Possession of a Firearm Drug Trafficking Crime
Date of Incident: May 22, 2019
Location: 100 Block of Winterborn Lane Salisbury, MD
Suspects:
Michael Shawn Brown (20 years of age)
Lamiah Chalea Gattis (20 years of age)
Narrative: Members of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Community Action Team conducted an investigation into illegal narcotics being sold from a residence located in the 100 block of Winterborn Lane Salisbury, MD. As result of the investigation a search and seizure warrant was authored and signed for the residence. On May 22, 2019 the Salisbury Police Department Tactical Team assisted the WCSO by executing the search and seizure warrant at the residence. The Community Action Team and Criminal Investigation Division conducted a search of the residence and located an amount of crack cocaine indicative of the intent to distribute. A loaded Beretta .40 caliber handgun was located near the crack cocaine. The handgun was determined to be stolen from a burglary that was reported to WCSO. As a result, Deputies arrested the target of the investigation, Michael Shawn Brown and Lamiah Chalea Gattis and charged them accordingly. Michael Brown is a convicted felon and not allowed to possess a regulated firearm.
Charges:
Brown: 1 count of possession with the intent to distribute narcotics, Possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by a person prohibited and possession not marijuana
Gattis: Possession not marijuana
WICOMICO COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ANNOUNCES KEY LEADERSHIP CHANGES
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Donna C. Hanlin, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Frederick Briggs, and the Board of Education are pleased to announce a number of key leadership changes for Wicomico County Public Schools, effective July 1:
District-Level Leadership Positions:
- Appointment of Mr. Micah Stauffer as Chief Finance and Operations Officer for Wicomico Schools.
- Appointment of Mr. Don R. Brady as the new Director of Secondary Education.
- Appointment of Ms. Melissa Eiler, Principal of Pemberton Elementary, to Supervisor of Early Childhood.
- Promotion of Mr. Aaron Deal, Central Office Technology Trainer, to Supervisor of Technology & New Teacher Induction.
- Retirement of longtime Comptroller and Chief Finance and Operations Officer E. Bruce Ford after 32 years with the school system.
School Leadership Positions:
- Promotion of Ms. Erin Nathan, currently Acting Principal at James M. Bennett High, to Principal of Bennett Middle.
- Transfer of Ms. Christel Savage, currently Principal of Bennett Middle, to Principal of James M. Bennett High.
- Promotion of Dr. Ryan Kessler, currently an Assistant Principal at Delmar Elementary, to Principal of Pemberton Elementary.
- Promotion of Mr. Kevin Smith from Acting Principal of Pinehurst Elementary to Principal of Pinehurst.
- Transfer of Ms. Kris Gosnell, currently Principal of Salisbury Middle, to Principal at Pittsville Elementary and Middle. Current Pittsville Principal Michael Cody is retiring.
- Promotion of Mr. Terance Dunn, currently an Assistant Principal at Salisbury Middle, to Principal of Salisbury Middle.
- Promotion of Mr. Ron Greene, currently an Assistant Principal of Wicomico High, to Principal of Wicomico High.
WCSO Press Release - Jun. 3, 2019
Incident: Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon X3
Date of Incident: May 24, 2019
Location: 500 Block of Dover Street Salisbury, MD
Suspects: Shaw, Leo Darnell (33 years of age)
Narrative: Members of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Community Action Team conducted an investigation into illegal narcotics being sold from a residence located in the 500 block of Dover Street Salisbury, MD. As result of the investigation a search and seizure warrant was authored and signed for the residence. On May 24, 2019 the Salisbury Police Department Tactical Team assisted the WCSO by executing the search and seizure warrant at the residence. The Community Action Team and Criminal Investigation Division conducted a search of the residence and located 3 firearms inside the residence. A stolen AR with a 60 round capacity drum style magazine loaded with 51 .556 caliber rounds were located. A loaded Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver was located. A loaded Colt 38 caliber revolver was located. Multiple scales, and packaging material, and items indicative of CDS distribution were located in the residence. Additionally, gang paraphernalia was observed at the residence. As a result, Deputies arrested the target of the investigation, Leo Darnell Shaw and charged him accordingly. Shaw is a convicted felon and not allowed to possess firearms.
Charges: 3 counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and numerous other gun related charges, possession not marijuana
'We've Had Enough'
President Donald Trump has ridiculed the Mexican diplomatic delegation which will arrive in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, saying, “We want action, not talk.”
“Mexico is sending a big delegation to talk about the Border,” he tweeted Sunday afternoon. “Problem is, they’ve been “talking” for 25 years. We want action, not talk. They could solve the Border Crisis in one day if they so desired. Otherwise, our companies and jobs are coming back to the USA!”
The Mexican delegation is trying to prevent Trump from imposing escalating tariffs on Mexico’s exports if the country does not stop its export of illegal migrant labor to the United States. In the 12 months up to October 2019, Mexico’s territory is expected to serve as the delivery route for roughly 800,000 Latin American migrants who will damage Americans’ blue-collar wages, neighborhoods, and schools.
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“Mexico is sending a big delegation to talk about the Border,” he tweeted Sunday afternoon. “Problem is, they’ve been “talking” for 25 years. We want action, not talk. They could solve the Border Crisis in one day if they so desired. Otherwise, our companies and jobs are coming back to the USA!”
The Mexican delegation is trying to prevent Trump from imposing escalating tariffs on Mexico’s exports if the country does not stop its export of illegal migrant labor to the United States. In the 12 months up to October 2019, Mexico’s territory is expected to serve as the delivery route for roughly 800,000 Latin American migrants who will damage Americans’ blue-collar wages, neighborhoods, and schools.
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Twitter Suspends Researcher Who Exposed Antifa-Journalist Connections
Twitter has suspended the account of Eoin Lenihan, a researcher who mapped out connections between mainstream journalists and the violent far-left Antifa movement on Twitter, following a mass-reporting campaign by left-wing activists.
Lenihan published the results of his research at Quillette, where he explained the twofold objective of his project — first, to discover the journalists who were most closely linked to Antifa via social media. Second, to discover if those journalists covered the extremist movement favorably or negatively.
The journalists included contributors to The Guardian, The New Republic, Al Jazeera, and the Huffington Post.
Unsurprisingly, Lenihan’s analysis of the journalists who mingle with Antifa on Twitter found that none of them covered the movement critically:
"That correlation turned out to be quite pronounced: Of all 15 verified national-level journalists in our subset, we couldn’t find a single article, by any of them, that was markedly critical of Antifa in any way."
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Lenihan published the results of his research at Quillette, where he explained the twofold objective of his project — first, to discover the journalists who were most closely linked to Antifa via social media. Second, to discover if those journalists covered the extremist movement favorably or negatively.
The journalists included contributors to The Guardian, The New Republic, Al Jazeera, and the Huffington Post.
Unsurprisingly, Lenihan’s analysis of the journalists who mingle with Antifa on Twitter found that none of them covered the movement critically:
"That correlation turned out to be quite pronounced: Of all 15 verified national-level journalists in our subset, we couldn’t find a single article, by any of them, that was markedly critical of Antifa in any way."
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Delaware Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking a 15-Year-Old Girl
“This Lengthy Sentence Should Send a Message that Sex Trafficking Will Not Be Tolerated in Maryland”
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Steven M. Williams, a/k/a “Brother Ray,” a/k/a “Ray,” age 39, formerly of Delaware, today to 25 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking of a child by force, fraud, and coercion. Upon his release from prison, Williams will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is employed, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Matthew Donnelly of the Elkton Police Department.
“Children cannot consent to have sex for money. Human traffickers such as Steven Williams compel their victims to work for little or no compensation, often using violence and threats to force their victims to engage in prostitution,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “This lengthy sentence should send a powerful message that sex trafficking will not be tolerated in Maryland. Through the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, law enforcement is working with non-profit organizations to help human trafficking victims and prosecute the traffickers. Working to end human trafficking is a priority for the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Trump has more women as top advisers than Obama, Bush, or Clinton
President Trump, often criticized for his stance toward women, employs more women as senior advisers than former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton did at the similar points in their presidencies.
Given the relative paucity of female senior presidential advisers prior to Clinton, Trump's employment of women as key advisers at this early point in his presidency may be higher than any other president's in history.
At the beginning of the third year of his first term as president, Trump has seven female top advisers, as compared to five for Obama, three for Bush, and five for Clinton at that point. He had eight as of December 2018, when United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley departed the administration.
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Given the relative paucity of female senior presidential advisers prior to Clinton, Trump's employment of women as key advisers at this early point in his presidency may be higher than any other president's in history.
At the beginning of the third year of his first term as president, Trump has seven female top advisers, as compared to five for Obama, three for Bush, and five for Clinton at that point. He had eight as of December 2018, when United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley departed the administration.
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Taxpayers footed the bill for state's tent at Preakness. Who got to go?
Maryland taxpayers footed a $145,500 bill for the governor and state agencies to entertain guests in a corporate tent at the 144th Preakness Stakes last month.
The tent was among a line of corporate tents ringing the track at one end of the infield at Pimlico Race Course in Northwest Baltimore.
Politicians and others streamed in and out all day, but reporters weren’t allowed inside. The governor’s office later said it was a mistake not to allow a reporter inside.
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The tent was among a line of corporate tents ringing the track at one end of the infield at Pimlico Race Course in Northwest Baltimore.
Politicians and others streamed in and out all day, but reporters weren’t allowed inside. The governor’s office later said it was a mistake not to allow a reporter inside.
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We Build The Wall
Our wall climbs 310 vertical feet and goes straight up a mountain that's equivalent to a double black diamond at a ski resort or a 31 story high rise building!
Most importantly, it cuts off the main smuggling route in this area. Cartels used to treck through this treacherous terrain knowing that border patrol couldn't catch them there. Now, with our innovative paved "road" that comes with the wall we built, agents can go from the bottom to the top in 30 seconds flat!
💥We've proven to do it for far less than the gov't can, which means that every donation really goes the distance!
🚧Please Donate: www.gofundme.com/TheTrumpWall
Foreman Mike has something to say about what We Build The Wall’s construction team just pulled off...Prepared to be impressed, he’s dropping facts like confetti!
He DEFINITELY knows what he’s doing...Let’s build more wall!!
Purdue Foods Recalling Nearly 32K Pounds Of Ready-To-Eat Chicken
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Perdue Foods are recalling nearly 32,000 lbs. of ready-to-eat chicken products because they could be contaminated with bone pieces.
The products range from chicken breast tenders to nuggets and patties.
Anyone who bought the affected products should throw them out or return them.
No illnesses have been reported yet.
The fully cooked chicken products were produced on March 21, 2019. The following products are subject to recall:
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MSP Salisbury Barrack DUI Arrests for May 2019
Troopers from the Maryland State Police Salisbury Barrack made the following arrests for DUI during the month of May, 2019:
Gerald Lewis Elston Jr. 38yoa Salisbury, MD
Kerry Wade Banks 37yoa Crisfield, MD
Kevin Moses Quintanilla 23yoa Germantown, MD
Kevin Charles Menzel 26yoa Salisbury, MD
Milton Lee Thomas 60yoa Salisbury, MD
There are 38 names on this list. Click "READ MORE' below to view entire list.
State Police Drug Investigation Leads to Multiple Arrests – Seaford
Seaford, Delaware – The Delaware State has arrested multiple suspects in connection with a drug investigation.
On Friday, May 31, 2019, members of the Delaware State Police Sussex Drug Unit (SDU) and the Governor’s Task Force (GTF) concluded a two-month drug investigation on Roy F. Nichols Jr. and the sale of illegal drugs at residences in the 20,000 block of Mellin Road and the 10,000 block of Sourwood Drive both of Seaford. Nichols was known to reside at and sell drugs from the residence on Sourwood Drive. The investigation also revealed he supplied the residence on Mellin Road with narcotics. Search and seizure warrants were obtained for the residences as a result of the investigation. The search warrants were executed with the assistance of the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team (SORT), Troop 5 PACE team and the probation officers assigned to the Governor’s Task Force.
Upon execution of the search warrant at Sourwood Drive, Seaford, Roy F. Nichols Jr. was taken into custody along with Jonathan Tunnell and Ruth Young. Tunnell was found to have marijuana, powder cocaine and currency on his person. As a result of the search of the property, the following items were seized:
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