In an op-ed for The Hill published Friday, Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz takes a closer look at the special counsel's problematic selective editing of a voicemail message from President Trump’s former attorney John Dowd which, as Dershowitz puts it, has "added fuel to the arguments against the appointment of special counsels." Robert Mueller's team's decision to "distort" the message, the esteemed legal analyst argues, is more evidence that it's time to "abolish" the special counsel.
The Mueller report says that after Gen. Michael Flynn withdrew from the joint defense agreement with President Trump, Dowd left a voicemail message for Flynn's attorney, Robert Kelner, asking for a "heads up" if "there's information that implicates the president."
"The report characterized the voicemail message as an attempt by the president’s counsel to obstruct Flynn’s cooperation with the Mueller probe, and that’s also how much of the press reported on it," Dershowitz notes.
Here's the passage that includes the selectively edited transcript of the voicemail provided in the Mueller report, as highlighted by Dershowitz:
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
6 Things to Know About the Hyde Amendment
Former Vice President Joe Biden came out Thursday against the Hyde Amendment, after previously supporting it.
“If I believe health care is a right, as I do, I can no longer support an amendment that makes that right dependent on someone’s ZIP code,” Biden said at a gala hosted by the Democratic National Committee in Atlanta.
For decades, Congress has kept taxpayer funds from paying for abortions due to the leadership of an Illinois congressman.
Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., was behind the amendment, first passed in 1976, that prohibits use of federal funds for most elective abortions.
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“If I believe health care is a right, as I do, I can no longer support an amendment that makes that right dependent on someone’s ZIP code,” Biden said at a gala hosted by the Democratic National Committee in Atlanta.
For decades, Congress has kept taxpayer funds from paying for abortions due to the leadership of an Illinois congressman.
Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., was behind the amendment, first passed in 1976, that prohibits use of federal funds for most elective abortions.
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Department of Transportation sued for documents related to Elaine Chao
A nonpartisan watchdog group sued the Department of Transportation on Monday for documents related to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
Restore Public Trust submitted two FOIA requests seeking information related to Chao earlier this year. The DOT acknowledged receiving the requests in April, but it has yet to hand over any documents.
The requests were in response to a New York Times report that disclosed ties between Chao’s family company and her official actions as secretary of transportation.
Chao’s family owns the Foremost Group, an American shipping company headquartered in China. While she holds no formal stake in the company, her high status as a U.S. official and her marriage to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest.
Chao has been accused of attempting to arrange government-funded transportation for relatives, using her status to promote the company, and allowing family members into high-profile meetings that could affect their business interests.
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Restore Public Trust submitted two FOIA requests seeking information related to Chao earlier this year. The DOT acknowledged receiving the requests in April, but it has yet to hand over any documents.
The requests were in response to a New York Times report that disclosed ties between Chao’s family company and her official actions as secretary of transportation.
Chao’s family owns the Foremost Group, an American shipping company headquartered in China. While she holds no formal stake in the company, her high status as a U.S. official and her marriage to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest.
Chao has been accused of attempting to arrange government-funded transportation for relatives, using her status to promote the company, and allowing family members into high-profile meetings that could affect their business interests.
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‘Operation Broken Heart’ Yields 58 Arrests In Maryland
The Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) was one of 61 task forces included in “Operation Broken Heart,” a two-month initiative. Members from the Maryland ICAC worked tirelessly throughout April and May, initiating 320 investigations. Investigators executed 110 search warrants with 58 arrests. There were also public outreach sessions, which reached nearly 1,300 people.
The coordinated effort by law enforcement represents more than 4,500 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies with the purpose of arresting child predators, along with internet safety education and outreach. During the course of the operation, the task forces delivered more than 2,150 presentations on Internet safety to over 201,000 youth and adults nationally.
The Maryland ICAC Task Force is comprised of police agencies statewide. They concentrated on those offenders who possess, manufacture, and distribute child pornography and who engage in online enticement of children for sexual purposes. They also targeted crimes including child prostitution and possible human trafficking.
The Task Force’s primary mission continues to be to protect children from computer-facilitated sexual exploitation. This goal is achieved by cooperation between law enforcement agencies and prosecutors as they combine resources to combat these crimes. Additionally, the Task Force also provides community awareness campaigns helping to prevent the spread of these crimes through education.
The Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit coordinates the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. This investigation was funded in part by grant funding provided by the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP) as a part of the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN), and a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. GOCCP provides grant funding and strategic support to MCIN partners to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal organizations through inter-agency collaboration and data sharing to make Maryland safer.
The Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention funded this project under subaward number, ICAC-2019-0017.
Pictures of some of those arrested can be found HERE at the bottom of the page.
ICE arrests 140 criminal aliens and immigration violators in 5-day enforcement surge in 6 Midwestern states
CHICAGO — Federal officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 140 criminal aliens and immigration violators in six Midwest states during a five-day enforcement action, which ended Thursday.
During this enforcement surge, ICE officers made arrests in the following states: Illinois (45), Indiana (13), Kansas (16), Kentucky (43), Missouri (12) and Wisconsin (11). Five women and 135 men were arrested.
Aliens arrested during this operation are from the following 14 countries: Benin (1), Cuba (1), Ecuador (3), El Salvador (3), Guatemala (26), Honduras (7), Jordan (1), Mexico (92), Micronesia (1), Moldova (1), Nicaragua (1), Poland (1), Saudi Arabia (1) and South Korea (1).
Nearly a third of the aliens arrested (42) by ICE deportation officers during this enforcement surge had prior criminal histories that included convictions for the following crimes: assault, battery, domestic violence, cruelty, driving under the influence, drug possession, drug trafficking, fraud, identity theft, larceny, illegal re-entry after deportation, resisting officers, obstruction of justice, hit and run, and illegally possessing weapons.
Fifty-three of those arrested were immigration fugitives; 20 others illegally re-entered the United States after having been previously deported, which is a felony.
‘I’ll shoot that mother f*****’ | Court docs show Capital Pride BB gun suspect claimed protesters hit his wife, maced him
WASHINGTON -- Newly released court documents show the man accused of pulling out a BB gun at the Capital Pride parade this past weekend claimed his wife was attacked by two people supposedly protesting the parade.
It happened in Dupont Circle on June 8.
According to court documents, Aftabjit Singh, 38, told police his wife bumped into one of the two people supposedly protesting the parade and they started to attack her.
“One of the individuals then sprayed the defendant's wife in the face with mace and the defendant’s wife jumped into the fountain in the Dupont Circle,” court documents said. “The defendant intervened, which is when he was struck and maced.”
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It happened in Dupont Circle on June 8.
According to court documents, Aftabjit Singh, 38, told police his wife bumped into one of the two people supposedly protesting the parade and they started to attack her.
“One of the individuals then sprayed the defendant's wife in the face with mace and the defendant’s wife jumped into the fountain in the Dupont Circle,” court documents said. “The defendant intervened, which is when he was struck and maced.”
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'Low-Cost' Renewable Energy Is Breathtakingly Expensive
How often do we hear proponents of renewable energy claiming that wind and solar power are the lowest-cost power sources on offer? Hardly a day goes by without these ideological zealots offering one or another discredited argument that their favored sources are not only necessary to save the planet from some existential climate catastrophe, but also lower-cost than conventional power sources. These outlandish claims got a major boost when a freshman House of Representatives member unveiled her "Green New Deal," which absurdly claimed that the world would end in 12 years unless the U.S. made a crash effort to radically transform its economy in the next ten years. That transformation would entail, in addition to a lengthy list of inane ideas, complete elimination of beef and dairy cattle, elimination of air travel in favor of high-speed ground transport options, and complete conversion of all power generation to renewable sources like wind and solar power. The contention, born out of economic illiteracy, is that this transformation was not only necessary for planetary survival, but would be so affordable that we would struggle to know what to do with all the newfound prosperity.
We don't need to wait around for decades to learn how this program would work in practice. At least some of these wild claims are testable today by examining energy prices in places that have already deployed large measures of renewable energy. Currently, 29 states have enacted laws called Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) requiring certain threshold levels of renewable energy to be used in the generation of electricity. Thus, it's a simple matter to compare the effect of high renewable energy penetration on system prices in those states that have integrated large amounts of renewable energy into their generation portfolios with those of adjacent places that have forgone this option.
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We don't need to wait around for decades to learn how this program would work in practice. At least some of these wild claims are testable today by examining energy prices in places that have already deployed large measures of renewable energy. Currently, 29 states have enacted laws called Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) requiring certain threshold levels of renewable energy to be used in the generation of electricity. Thus, it's a simple matter to compare the effect of high renewable energy penetration on system prices in those states that have integrated large amounts of renewable energy into their generation portfolios with those of adjacent places that have forgone this option.
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Clueless In Chicago
Another summer in the City of Chicago starts with a bang. No pun intended as 52 people were shot, 10 fatally in street violence. On Memorial Day it was 30 shot with five killed. That’s right. You read that correctly: 82 people shot leaving 15 dead—not in the first five months of the year—not in the last 30 days— not even in the previous week! Two weekends is all it took.
Several weeks ago a madman went on a rampage and killed 12 people in a Virginia municipal building. We were horrified hearing this. Everybody asked the same questions, such as: what caused this or what technical fix can be implemented to prevent this from happening again? We even got the usual blame-the-gun whining from the left. Yet, the violence in Chicago gets ignored. Why? Two reasons. First is the left’s casual attitude about ghetto violence and culture. Second is that Chicago’s political class is clueless on how to reduce the senseless killing.
Most violence in the American ghetto involves blacks killing other blacks. This is complicated for liberals and Democrats. They can’t blame this on “whitey,” systemic racism, the police or the National Rifle Association. The cultural rot involved in this violence has the left tied in knots.
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Several weeks ago a madman went on a rampage and killed 12 people in a Virginia municipal building. We were horrified hearing this. Everybody asked the same questions, such as: what caused this or what technical fix can be implemented to prevent this from happening again? We even got the usual blame-the-gun whining from the left. Yet, the violence in Chicago gets ignored. Why? Two reasons. First is the left’s casual attitude about ghetto violence and culture. Second is that Chicago’s political class is clueless on how to reduce the senseless killing.
Most violence in the American ghetto involves blacks killing other blacks. This is complicated for liberals and Democrats. They can’t blame this on “whitey,” systemic racism, the police or the National Rifle Association. The cultural rot involved in this violence has the left tied in knots.
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Why the Declining Marriage Rate Affects Everyone
Families are the building blocks of civilization.
They are personal relationships, but they greatly shape and serve the public good. Strong families make for strong communities. Conversely, family breakdown harms society as a whole.
That’s why America’s declining marriage rate is a real problem.
While on the surface this might not seem like an issue that you and I need to care about, the decline in marriage has a significant impact on each and every one of us—from the amount of taxes we pay to the level of crime in our neighborhoods.
How do we know?
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They are personal relationships, but they greatly shape and serve the public good. Strong families make for strong communities. Conversely, family breakdown harms society as a whole.
That’s why America’s declining marriage rate is a real problem.
While on the surface this might not seem like an issue that you and I need to care about, the decline in marriage has a significant impact on each and every one of us—from the amount of taxes we pay to the level of crime in our neighborhoods.
How do we know?
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Bill Marshall: Hillary Clinton Got ‘Royal Treatment’ from Obama FBI on Email Probe Docs
Judicial Watch announced today it received 218 pages of disgraced former FBI officials Peter Strzok-Lisa Page emails which show then-FBI General Counsel James Baker instructing FBI officials to expedite the release of FBI investigative material to Hillary Clinton’s lawyer, David Kendall in August 2016. Kendall and the FBI’s top lawyer discussed specifically quickly obtaining the “302” report of the FBI/DOJ interview of Mrs. Clinton.
The emails also show the FBI failed to document at least four interviews of witnesses in the Clinton email investigation.
The documents were obtained in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed after the Justice Department failed to respond to a December 4, 2017, FOIA request (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:18-cv-00154)) for:
All records of communications, including but not limited to, emails, text messages and instant chats, between FBI official Peter Strozk and FBI attorney Lisa Page;
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The emails also show the FBI failed to document at least four interviews of witnesses in the Clinton email investigation.
The documents were obtained in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed after the Justice Department failed to respond to a December 4, 2017, FOIA request (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:18-cv-00154)) for:
All records of communications, including but not limited to, emails, text messages and instant chats, between FBI official Peter Strozk and FBI attorney Lisa Page;
- All travel requests, travel authorizations, travel vouchers and expense reports of Peter Strozk;
- All travel requests, travel authorizations, travel vouchers and expense reports of Lisa Page.
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100 Days After Michael Cohen’s Testimony, House Democrats Ignore Possible Perjury
A top House Democrat issued a warning to Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer for President Donald Trump, early in a committee hearing.
“I’ve made it abundantly clear to Mr. Cohen if he comes here today and he does not tell the truth, I will be the first to refer those untruthful statements to the DOJ,” said House Oversight and Reform Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., referring to the Department of Justice.
That was Feb. 27, when Cohen—days before reporting to federal prison—told Cummings and the Oversight and Reform Committee at least seven things that were inaccurate, according to House Republicans.
Marking 100 days since Cohen’s high drama testimony, two leading House conservatives asked Friday why Cummings isn’t investigating Cohen for possible perjury.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, ranking member of the committee, and Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., ranking member of the panel’s operations subcommittee, refer to Cohen’s lawyer, Lanny Davis, as a “Democratic operative” in a letter to Cummings.
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“I’ve made it abundantly clear to Mr. Cohen if he comes here today and he does not tell the truth, I will be the first to refer those untruthful statements to the DOJ,” said House Oversight and Reform Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., referring to the Department of Justice.
That was Feb. 27, when Cohen—days before reporting to federal prison—told Cummings and the Oversight and Reform Committee at least seven things that were inaccurate, according to House Republicans.
Marking 100 days since Cohen’s high drama testimony, two leading House conservatives asked Friday why Cummings isn’t investigating Cohen for possible perjury.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, ranking member of the committee, and Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., ranking member of the panel’s operations subcommittee, refer to Cohen’s lawyer, Lanny Davis, as a “Democratic operative” in a letter to Cummings.
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‘It’s not even a raise’: AOC upset at congressional Democrats for tabling pay hike
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez showed frustration with Congressional Democrats after they pulled a bill to pay raises, calling the effort 'superficial.'
"Yep. Voting against cost of living increases for members of Congress may sound nice, but doing so only increases pressure on them to keep dark money loopholes open. This makes campaign finance reform *harder.* ALL workers deserve cost of living increases, incl min wage workers," the New York Democrat said in a tweet storm Tuesday in response to congressional Democrats tabling a pay raise for members.
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"Yep. Voting against cost of living increases for members of Congress may sound nice, but doing so only increases pressure on them to keep dark money loopholes open. This makes campaign finance reform *harder.* ALL workers deserve cost of living increases, incl min wage workers," the New York Democrat said in a tweet storm Tuesday in response to congressional Democrats tabling a pay raise for members.
Yep. Voting against cost of living increases for members of Congress may sound nice, but doing so only increases pressure on them to keep dark money loopholes open.
This makes campaign finance reform *harder.*
ALL workers deserve cost of living increases, incl min wage workers.
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Tanden’s CAP Takes Facebook Money Despite Personal Criticism
Neera Tanden, the president of the Center for American Progress, has repeatedly criticized Facebook on Twitter, but that didn't stop the progressive think tank from taking the company's money.
Tanden, a long-time ally of Hillary Clinton, has used her Twitter account to criticize Facebook on multiple occasions over the last couple years as Facebook has received increased scrutiny from Congressional Democrats for allowing hate speech and Russian propaganda to flourish on the social media platform during the 2016 campaign.
"I'm still amazed at Facebook's outrageous behavior," Tanden tweeted back in March, referring to a New York Times report on Facebook's controversial data-sharing deals being under criminal investigation.
"Facebook is in no position to lecture others. At least Apple is honest about what you pay and what you get. Facebook is selling our data behind our backs," Tanden tweeted in April 2018.
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Tanden, a long-time ally of Hillary Clinton, has used her Twitter account to criticize Facebook on multiple occasions over the last couple years as Facebook has received increased scrutiny from Congressional Democrats for allowing hate speech and Russian propaganda to flourish on the social media platform during the 2016 campaign.
"I'm still amazed at Facebook's outrageous behavior," Tanden tweeted back in March, referring to a New York Times report on Facebook's controversial data-sharing deals being under criminal investigation.
"Facebook is in no position to lecture others. At least Apple is honest about what you pay and what you get. Facebook is selling our data behind our backs," Tanden tweeted in April 2018.
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*Update* Suspect Donnie J. Bennett Located-Delmar
On June 11, 2019 members of the U.S. Marshals and the Maryland State Police apprehended Bennett without incident in Salisbury, Maryland. Two firearms, an AK47 and a Remington shotgun have been recovered.
Bennett remains in custody in Salisbury, Maryland pending his extradition back to Delaware.
https://dsp.delaware.gov/2019/06/06/troopers-attempting-to-locate-wanted-suspect-donnie-j-bennett-delmar/
BOOM! Jim Jordan ABSOLUTELY DESTROYS CNN Hack John Dean — Catches Him in Major Lie — Forces Him to Retract
On Monday CNN hack and former convicted Watergate operative John Dean was called in to testify before the House Judiciary Committee.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) blasted the Democrat witness former convicted Watergate official John Dean — an unhinged Trump-hater and CNN hack.
Jordan opened up his questioning by reading some of John Dean’s tweets back to him.
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Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) blasted the Democrat witness former convicted Watergate official John Dean — an unhinged Trump-hater and CNN hack.
Jordan opened up his questioning by reading some of John Dean’s tweets back to him.
More/Video
EPA Admin Rips Journalist For Misleading Tweet: ‘Most Reporters Are Lazy’
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler ripped into a Yahoo News reporter in a Friday interview over a tweet he believed took remarks he made out of context.
Yahoo national correspondent Alexander Nazaryan tweeted Monday that Wheeler had said during a National Press Club event that "‘The media does a disservice to the American public' by reporting on global warming."
"The media does a disservice to the American public" by reporting on global warming, says EPA head Andrew Wheeler. Wants more positive coverage.https://t.co/YYVs4vqTwi
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Yahoo national correspondent Alexander Nazaryan tweeted Monday that Wheeler had said during a National Press Club event that "‘The media does a disservice to the American public' by reporting on global warming."
"The media does a disservice to the American public" by reporting on global warming, says EPA head Andrew Wheeler. Wants more positive coverage.https://t.co/YYVs4vqTwi
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WCSO CAT Press Release - June 11, 2019
Incident: Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine/ Maintaining Common Nuisance
SBYNEWS
Date of Incident: May 31, 2019
Location: 26000 block of Norfolk Drive Delmar, MD 21875
Suspects:
- Robert Douglas Jones (50 years old)
- Johnny Lamont Kane (27 years old)
- Joshua Allen Elliott (34 years old)
- Raynard Percy Stanley (54 years old)
- Randy Lee Rathel (59 years old)
- Reginald Cornell Stanley (37 years old)
- Madeline Michele Burns (44 years old)
Charges:
Robert Jones: Possession with intent to distribute cocaine, Maintain Common Nuisance distribution, Maintain Common Nuisance Administer, and other CDS related charges
Johnny Kane: Possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of cocaine
Joshua Elliott: Possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of cocaine
Raynard Stanley: Possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of cocaine
Randy Rathel: Possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of cocaine
Reginald Stanley: Possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of cocaine
SBYNEWS
Madeline Burns: Poss of cocaine, providing a false name to avoid prosecution, obstructing and hindering, and 4 outstanding warrants
WCSO Press Releases - Jun. 10, 2019
Date of Incident: 31 May 2019
Location: Northwood Drive at Harford Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Sean Patrick O’Dea, 21, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 31 May 2019 at 7:35 AM, a deputy came across two individuals engaged in a physical confrontation on Northwood Drive. Upon investigating what was going on, the deputy learned that this escalated from a “road rage” incident that had occurred between Sean O’Dea and another driver. The deputy learned that O’Dea was upset because he believed the other driver had cut him off. The investigation also showed that O’Dea was the aggressor in the altercation.
The deputy placed O’Dea under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner released O’Dea on an unsecured bond of $10,000.00.
Charges: Assault 2nd Degree and Affray SBYNEWS
Date of Incident: 31 May 2019
Location: 2000 block of Goddard Parkway, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Brad Howard Lewis, 40, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 31 May 2019 at 9:30 PM, a deputy arrested Brad Lewis in connection with an assault that allegedly took place at a residence in the 2000 block of Goddard Parkway in Salisbury. In this incident, Lewis is accused of assaulting a subject he resides with during an argument. It is alleged that Lewis attempted to choke this other individual and then kicked him in the face while on the floor. During the investigation, the deputy observed signs of injury that corroborated the assault complaint.
Upon arrest, the deputy transported Lewis to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Lewis in the Detention Center without bond.
Charges: Assault 2nd Degree
Date of Incident: 1 June 2019
Location: U.S. 13 at Centre Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Oscar L. Drummond, 41, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 1 June 2019 at 11:30 AM, a deputy stopped a vehicle operated by Oscar Drummond with the knowledge that Drummond was currently wanted on an arrest warrant for child support. Upon making contact with Drummond and taking him into custody, the deputy discovered that Drummond was in possession of a baggie that held what was recognized as cocaine and a small plastic straw.
The deputy transported Drummond to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Drummond on Personal Recognizance on the CDS charge
Drummond was detained on the Child Support Warrant pending posting bond.
Charges: Possession of Cocaine
Date of Incident: 1 June 2019
Location: 1000 block of Beaglin Park Drive Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Kimberly N. Taylor, 42, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 1 June 2019 at 12:36 PM, a deputy responded to the 1000 block of Beaglin Park Drive for a reported disturbance in the parking lot of the apartment building there. Upon arrival, the deputy learned that Kimberly Taylor was arguing with her husband over marital issues when she allegedly assaulted him. During the investigation the deputy observed a sign of injury that supported that claim.
The deputy placed Taylor under arrest and transported her to the Central Booking Unit where she was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Taylor on a $25,000.00 unsecured bond.
Charges: Assault 2nd Degree
Date of Incident: 1 June 2019
Location: 1200 block of Pocahontas Drive, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Justin D. Jackson, 26, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 1 June 2019 at 9:30 PM, a deputy responded to a reported burglary that had just occurred in the 1200 block of Pocahontas Drive in Salisbury. According to the female victim in this incident, she was home and, in her bedroom, when he former boyfriend, Justin Jackson, arrived uninvited to the residence and pushed the window air conditioning unit in her bedroom window in before crawling through the now open window. According to the victim Jackson began yelling at her, wanting to know who she was talking to on the phone. The victim ran to another part of the residence and called for the Sheriff’s Office while Jackson damaged items in the victim’s bedroom before exiting the residence. During the investigation, the deputy observed that the bedroom was in disarray and it appeared someone had entered through the window.
The investigating deputy located Jackson at another location at which time he was taken into custody. Following his arrest, Jackson was transported to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Jackson on Personal Recognizance.
Charges: Burglary 3rd Degree, Burglary 4th Degree, Malicious Destruction of Property SBYNEWS
Date of Incident: 4 June 2019
Location: 1000 block of West Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Juan Marquis Williams, 25, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 4 June 2019 at 6:36 PM, a deputy responded to a residence in the 1000 block of West Road for a reported disturbance. Upon arrival, the deputy met with the female resident who advised that her son, Juan Williams, entered her bedroom and jumped on top of her while she was sleeping and demanded money. Further investigation revealed that Williams wanted $20 from his mother. The deputy observed that Williams’ mother was in pain as a result of this incident and was ultimately transported from the scene by EMS.
The deputy placed Williams under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Williams in the Detention Center without bond pending a District Court bond review.
Charges: Assault 2nd Degree
Date of Incident: 6 June 2019
Location: Carroll Street at Mill Street, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Theodore D. Graves, 45, Salisbury, MD
Narrative: On 6 June 2019 at 3:41 AM a deputy stopped a vehicle for a stop violation. Upon approach to the vehicle, the deputy observed furtive movement by the front seat passenger, Theodore Graves, along with overt nervousness by the occupants. Following a K9 scan that yielded a positive alert for the presence of the odor of illegal drugs, the deputy initiated a search of the vehicle and the occupants. During the search the deputy discovered what was identified as crack cocaine and ecstasy in Graves’ possession.
The deputy placed Graves under arrest and transported him to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner released Graves on Personal Recognizance.
Charges: Possession of Crack Cocaine and Possession of Ecstasy
Date of Incident: 7 June 2019
Location: Ocean Gateway at Hobbs Road, Salisbury, MD
Suspect: Brandon Lee Mongan, 29, Hagerstown, MD
Narrative: On 7 June 2019 at 11:00 PM, a deputy stopped to check on a vehicle on the shoulder of Ocean Gateway eastbound just prior to Hobbs Road in Salisbury. Upon contacting the operator, Brandon Mongan, the deputy detected that Mongan appeared under the influence of alcohol. Following sobriety testing, Mongan was placed under arrest for DUI. Following his arrest, the deputy discovered an open container of beer that Mongan had been drinking while traveling to Ocean City.
During subsequent processing, Mongan submitted to a breath sample with the result of .13.
The deputy transported Mongan to the Central Booking Unit where he was processed and taken in front of the District Court Commissioner. Following an initial appearance, the Commissioner detained Mongan in the Detention Center in lieu of $10,000.00 bond.
Charges: Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Per Se, Driving While Impaired by Alcohol, Consuming Alcohol While Operating a Vehicle
Pompeo: 45 days to see if U.S.-Mexico border deal is working
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that the U.S. and Mexico will know within 45 days whether the new border security deal the two countries hashed out is working.
He also discounted reports that there wasn’t much new in the deal, saying the declaration he and the Mexican foreign ministry announced late Friday is “fundamentally different” than anything the two sides had reached before.
Mr. Pompeo, speaking to reporters at the State Department, said the pressure is now on the U.S. and Mexico to make the agreement work in reducing the numbers of people streaming north from Central American, crossing Mexico and hoping to breach the U.S. border.
“We will evaluate this literally daily,” the secretary said, calling the declaration “a significant win.”
More here
He also discounted reports that there wasn’t much new in the deal, saying the declaration he and the Mexican foreign ministry announced late Friday is “fundamentally different” than anything the two sides had reached before.
Mr. Pompeo, speaking to reporters at the State Department, said the pressure is now on the U.S. and Mexico to make the agreement work in reducing the numbers of people streaming north from Central American, crossing Mexico and hoping to breach the U.S. border.
“We will evaluate this literally daily,” the secretary said, calling the declaration “a significant win.”
More here
US prosecutors say they won’t enforce strict abortion laws
A group of US prosecutors pledged on Friday not to enforce strict abortion laws in response to attempts to tighten access to the procedure in parts of the United States.
The 42 elected prosecutors — some of whom come from states that have restricted access, others from where the procedure remains easily available — wrote that the new laws would “violate constitutional rights that have been the law of the land for nearly 50 years.”
The lawyers added that “many of the laws are so vaguely written” anyone involved in the abortion process could be prosecuted.
The attorneys who signed the pledge come from 24 states and Washington, DC, with 12 being statewide attorneys general and the rest being local elected prosecutors who can make their own charging decisions.
More here
The 42 elected prosecutors — some of whom come from states that have restricted access, others from where the procedure remains easily available — wrote that the new laws would “violate constitutional rights that have been the law of the land for nearly 50 years.”
The lawyers added that “many of the laws are so vaguely written” anyone involved in the abortion process could be prosecuted.
The attorneys who signed the pledge come from 24 states and Washington, DC, with 12 being statewide attorneys general and the rest being local elected prosecutors who can make their own charging decisions.
More here
Trump: Mexico doing more to curb illegal immigration than Dems; they're 'doing NOTHING'
President Trump said Monday Democrats are doing less to prevent illegal immigration than Mexico.
“Now with our new deal, Mexico is doing more for the USA on Illegal Immigration than the Democrats. In fact, the Democrats are doing NOTHING, they want Open Borders, which means Illigal [sic] Immigration, Drugs and Crime,” he tweeted.
Mr. Trump added a “very important” portion of the bill will be revealed later and threatened tariffs if their deal doesn’t pass the Mexican legislature.
“We have fully signed and documented another very important part of the Immigration and Security deal with Mexico, one that the U.S. has been asking about getting for many years,” he tweeted.
“It will be revealed in the not too distant future and will need a vote by Mexico’s Legislative body! We do not anticipate a problem with the vote but, if for any reason the approval is not forthcoming, Tariffs will be reinstated,” he wrote.
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“Now with our new deal, Mexico is doing more for the USA on Illegal Immigration than the Democrats. In fact, the Democrats are doing NOTHING, they want Open Borders, which means Illigal [sic] Immigration, Drugs and Crime,” he tweeted.
Mr. Trump added a “very important” portion of the bill will be revealed later and threatened tariffs if their deal doesn’t pass the Mexican legislature.
“We have fully signed and documented another very important part of the Immigration and Security deal with Mexico, one that the U.S. has been asking about getting for many years,” he tweeted.
“It will be revealed in the not too distant future and will need a vote by Mexico’s Legislative body! We do not anticipate a problem with the vote but, if for any reason the approval is not forthcoming, Tariffs will be reinstated,” he wrote.
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Eight Hour Street Racing Initiative Leads To 120 Citations Issued in Baltimore County
(PIKESVILLE, Md.) – A joint law enforcement initiative to combat aggressive driving and illegal street racing on Friday night leads to 120 citations issued to motorists in Baltimore County.
Traffic enforcement efforts by Maryland state troopers and Baltimore County officers during the eight-hour operation resulted in 130 traffic stops on Friday, June 7, 2019. The initiative resulted in 130 traffic stops which led to troopers and officers issuing a combined total of 120 citations, 93 warnings and 58 safety equipment repair orders. Police also made one felony arrest on an outstanding warrant, and one arrest each for impaired driving and a suspended license.
Maryland State Police from the Golden Ring Barrack, Motor Unit, Automotive Safety Enforcement Division and the Criminal Enforcement Division joined forces with the Baltimore County Police Department to combat illegal street racing in areas known for the aggressive driving behavior. The joint enforcement effort took place in areas along Interstate 70, I-695, I-795, Baltimore National Pike, Security Boulevard and Pulaski Highway. In 2018, a similar joint operation on I-70 and I-695 resulted in 65 traffic stops which led to troopers and officers issuing 97 citations, 33 warnings and 23 safety equipment repair orders.
McAleenan: Trump's Tactics Worked, Brought Mexico to the Table
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan on Sunday credited President Donald Trump’s threat to slap tariffs on Mexico with bringing it “to the table with real proposals” to crack down on illegal immigration.
In an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” McAleenan said the proof of success was nearly immediate.
"People can disagree with the tactics,” he said. “Mexico came to the table with real proposals. We have an agreement that … will be effective."
"It brought them to the table,” he declared. “The foreign minister of Mexico arrived within hours … with real proposals on the table,” McAleenan said. “This is the first time we've heard anything like this kind of number of law enforcement being deployed in Mexico to address migrations. Not just at the southern border but also on transportation routes to the northern border and in coordinated patrols in key areas around our southwest border. "
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In an interview on “Fox News Sunday,” McAleenan said the proof of success was nearly immediate.
"People can disagree with the tactics,” he said. “Mexico came to the table with real proposals. We have an agreement that … will be effective."
"It brought them to the table,” he declared. “The foreign minister of Mexico arrived within hours … with real proposals on the table,” McAleenan said. “This is the first time we've heard anything like this kind of number of law enforcement being deployed in Mexico to address migrations. Not just at the southern border but also on transportation routes to the northern border and in coordinated patrols in key areas around our southwest border. "
More here
Vatican rejects transgenderism in official document
The Vatican issued an official document Monday rejecting the idea that people can choose or change their genders and insisting on the sexual “complementarity” of men and women to make babies.
The document, published during LGBT Pride Month, was immediately denounced by LGBT Catholics as contributing to bigotry and violence against gay and transgender people. Advocacy group New Ways Ministry said it would further confuse individuals questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation and at risk of self-harm.
The text, “Male and Female He Created Them,” was intended to help Catholic teachers, parents, students and clergy address what the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education called an “educational crisis” in the field of sex education.
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The document, published during LGBT Pride Month, was immediately denounced by LGBT Catholics as contributing to bigotry and violence against gay and transgender people. Advocacy group New Ways Ministry said it would further confuse individuals questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation and at risk of self-harm.
The text, “Male and Female He Created Them,” was intended to help Catholic teachers, parents, students and clergy address what the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education called an “educational crisis” in the field of sex education.
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Soros PAC Pumps Almost $1M Into Virginia Prosecutor Races
The Justice and Public Safety PAC funded by liberal billionaire George Soros has pumped nearly $1 million into the campaigns of two Democrat campaigns for prosecutor positions in Virginia in his continuing bid to overhaul the United States' justice system.
The PAC has donated $580,000 to Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, a candidate for commonwealth attorney in Arlington County and nearly $400,000 to Fairfax County candidate Steve Descana for their Tuesday primaries, reports The Washington Post. The donations mark the largest contributions in the races to date.
Soros' PAC funds local races nationwide that could impact the criminal justice system and typically sets up "pop up" groups in states to push money to back candidacies, notes The Washington Free Beacon. Money that is left over after the races is refunded, and the PAC is typically shut down.
Soros has poured millions into other races nationally as well, including in Philadelphia, where he helped Larry Krasner win the district attorney race through almost $2 million in contributions.
Krasner, a defense attorney had joked he couldn't get elected after representing Occupy Philadelphia and Black Lives Matter, and also after having sued the police department more than 75 times. However, he ended up defeating Republican challenger Beth Grossman by 40 percentage points after the contributions.
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[Flashback: The Soros Connection in the Minnesota Senate Race Vote Count]
The PAC has donated $580,000 to Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, a candidate for commonwealth attorney in Arlington County and nearly $400,000 to Fairfax County candidate Steve Descana for their Tuesday primaries, reports The Washington Post. The donations mark the largest contributions in the races to date.
Soros' PAC funds local races nationwide that could impact the criminal justice system and typically sets up "pop up" groups in states to push money to back candidacies, notes The Washington Free Beacon. Money that is left over after the races is refunded, and the PAC is typically shut down.
Soros has poured millions into other races nationally as well, including in Philadelphia, where he helped Larry Krasner win the district attorney race through almost $2 million in contributions.
Krasner, a defense attorney had joked he couldn't get elected after representing Occupy Philadelphia and Black Lives Matter, and also after having sued the police department more than 75 times. However, he ended up defeating Republican challenger Beth Grossman by 40 percentage points after the contributions.
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[Flashback: The Soros Connection in the Minnesota Senate Race Vote Count]
Justices reject challenge to 'In God We Trust' on U.S. money
The Supreme Court rejected a case Monday brought by an atheist who wanted to scrub “In God We Trust,” the U.S. motto, from the nation’s currency, claiming it was an entanglement of state and religion.
Michael Newdow, an activist who previous challenged reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in schools, had set his sights on money, but lost at the district, circuit and now Supreme Court levels.
On behalf of a group of atheists, Mr. Newdow argued America’s money lacked an reference to God until 1864, when it was added in. He said that amounted to an endorsement of religion.
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Michael Newdow, an activist who previous challenged reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in schools, had set his sights on money, but lost at the district, circuit and now Supreme Court levels.
On behalf of a group of atheists, Mr. Newdow argued America’s money lacked an reference to God until 1864, when it was added in. He said that amounted to an endorsement of religion.
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Desperate Joe: Biden Is Trying Really Hard to Get Obama’s Endorsement...Too Hard
Former President Barack Obama doesn't have any plans to endorse a candidate in the Democrat primary, making things awkward for his former Vice President Joe Biden.
When Biden jumped into the race in April, he insisted he didn't want Obama's blessing and claimed he called to ask him not to make the endorsement.
"I asked President Obama not to endorse me. He doesn't want to," Biden said during a trip to Delaware. "Whoever wins this nomination should win it on their own merits."
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When Biden jumped into the race in April, he insisted he didn't want Obama's blessing and claimed he called to ask him not to make the endorsement.
"I asked President Obama not to endorse me. He doesn't want to," Biden said during a trip to Delaware. "Whoever wins this nomination should win it on their own merits."
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Md. State Police, Montgomery Co. council member at odds over traffic stop
A first-term Montgomery County council member charges that he was unfairly stopped by Maryland State Police over the weekend.
Council member Will Jawando, who is African American, was heading to a Saturday morning game of basketball with friends when he was stopped not far from his Silver Spring home.
“This was a similar situation for me. I have been pulled over dozens of times over the years,” said Jawando, a former Obama administration official who was born and raised in Silver Spring and attended Catholic University Columbus School of Law.
On Twitter, Jawando said the Saturday morning traffic stop was among police tactics that “erode public trust in law enforcement and must stop.”
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Council member Will Jawando, who is African American, was heading to a Saturday morning game of basketball with friends when he was stopped not far from his Silver Spring home.
“This was a similar situation for me. I have been pulled over dozens of times over the years,” said Jawando, a former Obama administration official who was born and raised in Silver Spring and attended Catholic University Columbus School of Law.
On Twitter, Jawando said the Saturday morning traffic stop was among police tactics that “erode public trust in law enforcement and must stop.”
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Mark Levin, Ken Cuccinelli Engage in Virginia Primary Election
Republicans in northern Virginia are fighting over the soul of the Republican Party, as “the Great One” Mark Levin gets personally involved to help Geary Higgins win a state senate seat in an evenly divided legislature.
Once reliably red in presidential politics, Virginia shifted to purple around a decade ago and now could be described as indigo as the Old Dominion trends toward blue. This is driven by the leftward slide of Northern Virginia (NOVA), whose population is dominated by federal employees. “The Swamp” has gotten organized, desperately resisting President Donald Trump’s efforts to drain it.
Democrat wins in Virginia’s 2017 election showed how far a formerly conservative state has slipped. A transgender activist became the first transgender lawmaker in the nation, defeating Rep. Bob Marshall, a full-spectrum conservative lawmaker and devout Christian. The House majority whip was defeated by a Democrat endorsed by avowed socialists.
Overall, in the 100-seat House of Delegates, Republicans retained control only 51-49. That number would have been 50-50 except that both candidates in House District 94 received precisely 11,607 votes. The tiebreaker came from randomly drawing a name out of a canister.
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Once reliably red in presidential politics, Virginia shifted to purple around a decade ago and now could be described as indigo as the Old Dominion trends toward blue. This is driven by the leftward slide of Northern Virginia (NOVA), whose population is dominated by federal employees. “The Swamp” has gotten organized, desperately resisting President Donald Trump’s efforts to drain it.
Democrat wins in Virginia’s 2017 election showed how far a formerly conservative state has slipped. A transgender activist became the first transgender lawmaker in the nation, defeating Rep. Bob Marshall, a full-spectrum conservative lawmaker and devout Christian. The House majority whip was defeated by a Democrat endorsed by avowed socialists.
Overall, in the 100-seat House of Delegates, Republicans retained control only 51-49. That number would have been 50-50 except that both candidates in House District 94 received precisely 11,607 votes. The tiebreaker came from randomly drawing a name out of a canister.
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House Democrats appeal judge's ruling tossing out anti-border wall lawsuit
The House said Monday it is appealing a judge’s ruling that the chamber couldn’t sue to stop President Trump’s border wall emergency declaration.
Lawyers for the House filed a notice of appeal with Judge Trevor N. McFadden, saying they disagreed with his ruling that the House, as a single chamber of Congress, didn’t have standing to ask the court to step in and referee.
The case will go to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
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Lawyers for the House filed a notice of appeal with Judge Trevor N. McFadden, saying they disagreed with his ruling that the House, as a single chamber of Congress, didn’t have standing to ask the court to step in and referee.
The case will go to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
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New poll: A majority of women between 18 and 54 support socialism
A new Harris poll shows that 55% of women between the ages of 18 and 54 support socialism.
The poll made for “Axios on HBO” found that the majority of men would prefer capitalism. The poll found in total that 4 in 10 Americans support socialism.
The split on positive and negative views of socialism also seems to be affected by what Americans believe the word means. The poll found 49% of Americans believe socialism is a system dependent on a dictatorship while 46% of Americans think socialism means a democratic government.
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The poll made for “Axios on HBO” found that the majority of men would prefer capitalism. The poll found in total that 4 in 10 Americans support socialism.
The split on positive and negative views of socialism also seems to be affected by what Americans believe the word means. The poll found 49% of Americans believe socialism is a system dependent on a dictatorship while 46% of Americans think socialism means a democratic government.
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Van Hollen: Trump ‘Subject to Criminal Prosecution’ After Presidency
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) on Sunday suggested that once President Donald Trump is removed from office, he will “subject to criminal prosecution.”
MSNBC’s “Kasie DC” host Kasie Hunt asked Van Hollen if he agreed with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) assertion that Trump should be in prison rather than impeached, which Van Hollen said is something that needs to be decided by a jury.
“I believe the main event, in terms of removing President Trump from the White House is the election,” he told Hunt. “And, of course, if he’s removed after that, he is subject to criminal prosecution for any wrongdoing he’s engaged in.”
More woofin' here
MSNBC’s “Kasie DC” host Kasie Hunt asked Van Hollen if he agreed with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) assertion that Trump should be in prison rather than impeached, which Van Hollen said is something that needs to be decided by a jury.
“I believe the main event, in terms of removing President Trump from the White House is the election,” he told Hunt. “And, of course, if he’s removed after that, he is subject to criminal prosecution for any wrongdoing he’s engaged in.”
More woofin' here
Cummings announces contempt vote on William Barr
Just hours after the House Judiciary Committee said Monday it was postponing its contempt of Congress actions against Attorney General William P. Barr, another committee said it’ll take up the baton.
Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) said he’s frustrated that Mr. Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross have both stymied his attempts to get documents about the 2020 census, and he feels he has no choice but to hold a contempt vote on Wednesday.
“I did not want this to happen,” Mr. Cummings said.
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Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD) said he’s frustrated that Mr. Barr and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross have both stymied his attempts to get documents about the 2020 census, and he feels he has no choice but to hold a contempt vote on Wednesday.
“I did not want this to happen,” Mr. Cummings said.
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Pompeo: U.S. Will Send Migrants Back to Mexico ‘Full Throttle’
President Donald Trump’s deal with Mexico will allow officials to return migrants to Mexico at “full throttle,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared June 10.
He said:
Under the Trump deal, new migrants will be sent back to Mexico until they can be bussed to their asylum court hearings in the United States. The return policy will likely wreck the cartels’ labor trafficking business, which depends on migrants’ confidence that they can get U.S. jobs to repay their smuggling debts.
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He said:
Those crossing the U.S. southern border to seek asylum will be rapidly returned to Mexico where they may await their adjudication of their asylum claims. We’ve seen this before. We were able to do this to the tune of a couple of hundred people per day [before the deal].The Remain in Mexico policy allows Trump’s border agencies to bypass the “catch and release” policy imposed by Congress and the courts. In the last three months, this federal policy has allowed roughly 350,000 Central American adults and children into U.S. workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods while they wait for court dates to plead their weak legal cases for humanitarian asylum.
We now have the capacity to do this full throttle and engage this in a way that will make a fundamental difference in the calculus for those [migrants] deciding to transit Mexico to try to get into the United States. This full-blown effort under the Migration Protocols [Remain in Mexico] is a big deal and was something that we worked on very, very diligently with our Mexican counterparts over two days. And we will pursue other cooperative efforts too.
Under the Trump deal, new migrants will be sent back to Mexico until they can be bussed to their asylum court hearings in the United States. The return policy will likely wreck the cartels’ labor trafficking business, which depends on migrants’ confidence that they can get U.S. jobs to repay their smuggling debts.
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Antifa disruptor arrested in Washington after trying to chain College Republicans inside room
Last week, campus police at the University of Washington in Seattle arrested a masked individual after he attempted to chain the university’s College Republicans group inside a classroom.
The group was holding its last event of the spring term, and had invited the hosts of Operation Cold Front, a political YouTube channel, to speak at the meeting.
The June 3 event sparked enough controversy that a local chapter of Antifa tried to incite protesters to “de-platform” the invited speakers, Saleem Juma and Dion Thompson.
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The group was holding its last event of the spring term, and had invited the hosts of Operation Cold Front, a political YouTube channel, to speak at the meeting.
The June 3 event sparked enough controversy that a local chapter of Antifa tried to incite protesters to “de-platform” the invited speakers, Saleem Juma and Dion Thompson.
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100 DAYS SINCE MICHAEL COHEN’S TESTIMONY: WHEN WILL CHAIRMAN CUMMINGS HOLD COHEN ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS LIES?
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, 100 days since Micheal Cohen testified before the Committee on Oversight and Reform, Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH), Ranking Member of the Committee, and Congressman Mark Meadows (R-NC), Ranking Member of the Committee’s Government Operations Subcommittee, sent a letter to Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) urging him to uphold the integrity of the Committee and hold Michael Cohen accountable for his perjury-laden testimony. By letter dated May 22, 2019, Chairman Cummings informed Ranking Member Jordan that the Chairman did not believe Cohen lied and considered the matter “closed.”
Excerpts from the letter:
“Cohen was the first announced witness of your chairmanship, who you invited to testify during a made-for-cable-news hearing to attack President Trump for political gain. While your defense of Cohen’s testimony is perhaps unsurprising, it ignores information that does not support your analysis and fails to address the totality of lies that Cohen uttered under oath.”
“Today marks 100 days since Cohen’s testimony. We are deeply disappointed that you have declined to hold Cohen accountable, despite your forceful promises to do so and contrary to Vice Chair Katie Hill’s expectation that you would. We can only assume that you worry that acknowledging Cohen’s lies would undermine the investigations on which they are based and ultimately undercut your partisan attacks upon the President. We hope that you will reconsider your decision, put the institutional interests of the Committee ahead of your political goals, and do what you promised to do.”
“Your entire course of conduct with respect to Michael Cohen has been deeply troubling. You allowed a prominent Democrat operative to use the Committee for an orchestrated partisan attack on the President. You declined to follow up on your promises to hold Cohen accountable for his lies to the Committee. You declined to hold a Committee vote on Cohen’s lies. You deferred action on Cohen’s lies until you reviewed his HPSCI testimony, but you never requested access to HPSCI’s transcripts. You admitted to considering writing a letter of commendation on behalf of Cohen to reduce his prison sentence. You admitted to speaking on the phone with Cohen before he began his prison sentence, but you have not informed the Committee about the substance of your phone call.”
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Excerpts from the letter:
“Cohen was the first announced witness of your chairmanship, who you invited to testify during a made-for-cable-news hearing to attack President Trump for political gain. While your defense of Cohen’s testimony is perhaps unsurprising, it ignores information that does not support your analysis and fails to address the totality of lies that Cohen uttered under oath.”
“Today marks 100 days since Cohen’s testimony. We are deeply disappointed that you have declined to hold Cohen accountable, despite your forceful promises to do so and contrary to Vice Chair Katie Hill’s expectation that you would. We can only assume that you worry that acknowledging Cohen’s lies would undermine the investigations on which they are based and ultimately undercut your partisan attacks upon the President. We hope that you will reconsider your decision, put the institutional interests of the Committee ahead of your political goals, and do what you promised to do.”
“Your entire course of conduct with respect to Michael Cohen has been deeply troubling. You allowed a prominent Democrat operative to use the Committee for an orchestrated partisan attack on the President. You declined to follow up on your promises to hold Cohen accountable for his lies to the Committee. You declined to hold a Committee vote on Cohen’s lies. You deferred action on Cohen’s lies until you reviewed his HPSCI testimony, but you never requested access to HPSCI’s transcripts. You admitted to considering writing a letter of commendation on behalf of Cohen to reduce his prison sentence. You admitted to speaking on the phone with Cohen before he began his prison sentence, but you have not informed the Committee about the substance of your phone call.”
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