DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Christine Blasey Ford’s Dad Supported Kavanaugh After She Made Accusation
Ralph Blasey, the father of Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford, reportedly offered repeated support last fall to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after Ford made her unsubstantiated allegations against Kavanaugh.
The Federalist reports that privately, "it appears the Blasey family had significant doubts about what Ford was trying to accomplish by coming forward and making unsubstantiated allegations against Brett Kavanaugh. Within days of Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, a fascinating encounter took place. Brett Kavanaugh’s father was approached by Ford’s father at the golf club where they are both members."
"Ford’s father went out of his way to offer to Ed Kavanaugh his support of Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, according to multiple people familiar with the conversation that took place at Burning Tree Club in Bethesda, Maryland," The Federalist continued. "'I’m glad Brett was confirmed,' Ralph Blasey told Ed Kavanaugh, shaking his hand. ... The conversation between the two men echoed a letter that Blasey had previously sent to the elder Kavanaugh."
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The Federalist reports that privately, "it appears the Blasey family had significant doubts about what Ford was trying to accomplish by coming forward and making unsubstantiated allegations against Brett Kavanaugh. Within days of Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, a fascinating encounter took place. Brett Kavanaugh’s father was approached by Ford’s father at the golf club where they are both members."
"Ford’s father went out of his way to offer to Ed Kavanaugh his support of Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, according to multiple people familiar with the conversation that took place at Burning Tree Club in Bethesda, Maryland," The Federalist continued. "'I’m glad Brett was confirmed,' Ralph Blasey told Ed Kavanaugh, shaking his hand. ... The conversation between the two men echoed a letter that Blasey had previously sent to the elder Kavanaugh."
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15 Shot, 2 Fatally, Tuesday in Democrat-Controlled Chicago
Fifteen people were shot, two fatally, on Tuesday in Democrat-controlled Chicago.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the shootings started around 12:45 a.m. Tuesday and resulted in the death of a 27-year-old man.
The day’s second homicide occurred less than an hour later near “the 1600 block of South Loomis Street.” An 18-year-old was killed in that shooting.
One of the 13 non-fatal shooting victims was a 16-year-old boy on a bicycle in Garfield Park. He was shot around 9:40 p.m. Tuesday “when someone pulled up in a gray SUV and unleashed gunfire.”
Breitbart News reported at least 34 were shot, 6 fatally, the weekend of September 6-8, 2019. At least 41 were shot, 7 fatally, during Labor Day weekend in Chicago.
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The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the shootings started around 12:45 a.m. Tuesday and resulted in the death of a 27-year-old man.
The day’s second homicide occurred less than an hour later near “the 1600 block of South Loomis Street.” An 18-year-old was killed in that shooting.
One of the 13 non-fatal shooting victims was a 16-year-old boy on a bicycle in Garfield Park. He was shot around 9:40 p.m. Tuesday “when someone pulled up in a gray SUV and unleashed gunfire.”
Breitbart News reported at least 34 were shot, 6 fatally, the weekend of September 6-8, 2019. At least 41 were shot, 7 fatally, during Labor Day weekend in Chicago.
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Gun sales surge 15%, driven by self-protection and Pelosi-Schumer demand for limits
The leading indicator of gun sales jumped in August, driven in part by Americans seeking self-protection and deep concerns congressional Democrats are going to push through expanded gun control legislation.
The overall number of background checks recorded in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System surged 15.5%, said the National Shooting Sports Foundation. That figure includes background checks done for security, concealed carry permits, and gun sales and was the highest August number ever recorded.
The industry group said that August FBI background checks adjusted for sales surged 15.2% over August 2018. The adjusted August number was second only to August 2016 during the heated presidential election.
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The overall number of background checks recorded in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System surged 15.5%, said the National Shooting Sports Foundation. That figure includes background checks done for security, concealed carry permits, and gun sales and was the highest August number ever recorded.
The industry group said that August FBI background checks adjusted for sales surged 15.2% over August 2018. The adjusted August number was second only to August 2016 during the heated presidential election.
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A disturbing trend affecting 5 million American children
In the Oval Office yesterday, President Donald J. Trump announced bold action from his Administration to combat a new type of addiction threatening American families.
“We have a problem in our country. It’s a new problem. It’s a problem nobody really thought about too much a few years ago, and it’s called ‘vaping,’” the President said. “And the parents don’t know too much about it.”
About 8 million adults use e-cigarettes today—but so do 5 million American children. “An entire generation of children risk becoming addicted to nicotine because of the attractiveness, appeal-ability, and availability of these vaping products,” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said.
Watch: Trump Administration removes all flavored e-cigarettes from the market.
To protect our children and ensure that e-cigarettes return to their original function—helping adults gradually overcome nicotine addiction from tobacco products—President Trump has authorized the Food and Drug Administration to finalize rules that ban the sale of all flavored e-cigarettes.
The President’s actions come as a result of new data, not yet released, from the National Youth Tobacco survey. Secretary Azar briefed the President and First Lady on the new report yesterday, which shows a surge in adolescent usage of e-cigarettes. It also confirmed that children are drawn to flavored e-cigarette products in particular.
The ban will cover all non-tobacco flavored e-cigarettes, which includes bubblegum, fruit, alcohol, mint, and menthol flavored products.
See the chart First Lady Melania Trump shared on child e-cigarette usage.
More: “Melania Trump calls for government action against e-cigarettes”
Michael Flynn Exonerated By Bombshell DoJ Memo Exposed During Hearing
A bombshell revelation was barely noticed at National Security Advisor Michael Flynn’s hearing Tuesday, when his counsel revealed in court the existence of a Justice Department memo from Jan. 30, 2017 exonerating Flynn of any collusion with Russia.
The memo, which has still not been made available to Flynn’s attorney Sidney Powell, is part of a litany of Brady material she is demanding from prosecutors. The memo is currently under protective order and Powell is working with prosecutors to get it disclosed, SaraACarter.com has learned.
U.S. District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan presided over the hearing Tuesday and set a tentative Dec. 18 sentencing date. He told the prosecution and defense that the sentencing date could be moved depending on the outcome of requests for Brady material requested by Powell and how the case will unfold in the upcoming months. Sullivan also noted during the hearing that the Brady order takes precedence over the plea agreement.
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The memo, which has still not been made available to Flynn’s attorney Sidney Powell, is part of a litany of Brady material she is demanding from prosecutors. The memo is currently under protective order and Powell is working with prosecutors to get it disclosed, SaraACarter.com has learned.
U.S. District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan presided over the hearing Tuesday and set a tentative Dec. 18 sentencing date. He told the prosecution and defense that the sentencing date could be moved depending on the outcome of requests for Brady material requested by Powell and how the case will unfold in the upcoming months. Sullivan also noted during the hearing that the Brady order takes precedence over the plea agreement.
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Anti-Gun Laws Will Never Solve Gun Violence in America
Despite of what the left-wing media wants you to believe, there is not an epidemic of mass shootings, or an epidemic of gun violence in general, in the United States. The data make this clear.
In fact -- and again, in spite of what many in the media would have us believe -- by many accounts, mass shootings are not even on the rise. Definitions of what constitutes a “mass shooting” vary, but using “standard definitions,” a recent piece in The Conversation -- an academic and research journal -- declares that “Mass shootings aren’t growing more common.”
In support of this conclusion, The Conversation article references data presented in USA Today:
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In fact -- and again, in spite of what many in the media would have us believe -- by many accounts, mass shootings are not even on the rise. Definitions of what constitutes a “mass shooting” vary, but using “standard definitions,” a recent piece in The Conversation -- an academic and research journal -- declares that “Mass shootings aren’t growing more common.”
In support of this conclusion, The Conversation article references data presented in USA Today:
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Republican Dan Bishop Wins Close Race in North Carolina’s Ninth District
Republican Dan Bishop defeated Democrat Dan McCready in a close special election in North Carolina’s ninth congressional district Tuesday night.
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Bishop defeated McCready by slightly more than two points, with 50.8 percent of the vote (94,984 votes) to McCready’s 48.6 percent (90,824 votes). Bishop’s total margin of victory was 4,160 votes.
Decision Desk HQ called the race for Bishop at 9:54 p.m. eastern, but no other media outlet had yet called the race.
Dave Wasserman, political editor of the Cook Report, called the race for Bishop at 9:55 p.m. eastern in this tweet:
Both parties and their related groups spent heavily in this hotly contested bellwether election in this key 2020 battleground state.
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With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Bishop defeated McCready by slightly more than two points, with 50.8 percent of the vote (94,984 votes) to McCready’s 48.6 percent (90,824 votes). Bishop’s total margin of victory was 4,160 votes.
Decision Desk HQ called the race for Bishop at 9:54 p.m. eastern, but no other media outlet had yet called the race.
Dave Wasserman, political editor of the Cook Report, called the race for Bishop at 9:55 p.m. eastern in this tweet:
Both parties and their related groups spent heavily in this hotly contested bellwether election in this key 2020 battleground state.
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Maryland State Police Investigate Small Plane Crash Into A Vehicle In Prince George’s County
(MITCHELLVILLE, MD) – Maryland State Police are investigating after a small plane crashed into at least one passenger vehicle on Route 50 late this morning in Prince George’s County.
Around 11:20 a.m. this morning, troopers from the Maryland State Police College Park Barrack responded to eastbound Route 50 at Church Road on a report of a small plane crash on the highway. The pilot of the plane, identified as Julius Tolson, Jr., 58, of Laurel, Maryland, and the passenger of the plane, Michael Garrah, 57, of Columbia, Maryland, were treated at the scene. The driver of the passenger vehicle, Ryan McClain, 29, of Washington D.C., and his passenger, Eric Diprospero, 31, of Baltimore, Maryland, were transported by Prince George’s County Fire and EMS crew members to an area hospital for treatment of their injuries.
Route 50 was partially closed in both eastbound and westbound directions following the crash. According to a preliminary investigation, the plane was attempting to take off from nearby Freeway Airport at the time of the crash. The exact cause of the crash has yet to be determined.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were heading to the scene to investigate the crash.
StarKist Ordered to Pay $100 Million Criminal Fine for Antitrust Violation
Leading Producer Receives Highest Corporate Fine in Packaged Seafood Investigation
StarKist Co. was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of $100 million, the statutory maximum, for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices for canned tuna sold in the United States. StarKist was also sentenced to a 13-month term of probation.
StarKist faced a criminal fine of up to $100 million, the statutory maximum, for its participation in a conspiracy to fix the prices of canned tuna fish from as early as November 2011 through at least as late as December 2013. As part of today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Edward M. Chen found that StarKist had not proven that its financial circumstances justified a lower criminal fine. The Antitrust Division opposed StarKist’s request for a fine reduction, arguing that StarKist had sufficient financial resources to pay a $100 million criminal fine. In addition to the criminal fine and term of probation, StarKist has also agreed to cooperate in the Antitrust Division’s ongoing investigation.
“Today’s result demonstrates our commitment to enforcing the antitrust laws aggressively against companies that fix prices,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Hard-working Americans deserve the benefits of open competition when they spend their hard-earned money on items that stock kitchen shelves. When a corporation cheats customers at the checkout line, the Antitrust Division will hold it accountable to the greatest extent.”
Lindsey Graham: My Goal Is To Declassify FISA Warrant Applications
“My goal is to explain to you and the American public how the system failed and make sure it never happens again,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham on ‘Hannity’ show on Wednesday night.
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“We’re going to pursue this in a transparent fashion,” Graham said.Graham said he will seek to release to the public as much information possible about former British spy Christopher Steele.
“We’re going to declassify as much as we can, including the FISA warrant applications.”
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Just When You Thought Colleges Could Not Spout Loonier Ideas...
Just when we thought colleges could not spout loonier ideas, we have a new one from American University.
They hired a professor to teach other professors to grade students based on their "labor" rather than their writing ability.
The professor that American University hired to teach that nonsense is Asao B. Inoue, who is a professor at the University of Washington in Tacoma in interdisciplinary arts and sciences. He is also the director of the university's writing center. Inoue believes that a person's writing ability should not be assessed, in order to promote "anti-racist" objectives. Inoue taught American University's faculty members that their previous practices of grading writing promoted white language supremacy. Inoue thinks that students should be graded on the effort they put into a project.
The idea to bring such a professor to American University, where parents and students fork over $48,459 a year in tuition charges, could not have been something thought up by saner members of its academic community. Instead, it was probably the result of deep thinking by the university's diversity and campus life officials. Inoue's views are not simply extreme but possibly hostile to the academic mission of most universities. Forgiving and ignoring a students' writing ability would mostly affect black students. White students' speaking and writing would be judged against the King's English, defined as standard, pure or correct English grammar.
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They hired a professor to teach other professors to grade students based on their "labor" rather than their writing ability.
The professor that American University hired to teach that nonsense is Asao B. Inoue, who is a professor at the University of Washington in Tacoma in interdisciplinary arts and sciences. He is also the director of the university's writing center. Inoue believes that a person's writing ability should not be assessed, in order to promote "anti-racist" objectives. Inoue taught American University's faculty members that their previous practices of grading writing promoted white language supremacy. Inoue thinks that students should be graded on the effort they put into a project.
The idea to bring such a professor to American University, where parents and students fork over $48,459 a year in tuition charges, could not have been something thought up by saner members of its academic community. Instead, it was probably the result of deep thinking by the university's diversity and campus life officials. Inoue's views are not simply extreme but possibly hostile to the academic mission of most universities. Forgiving and ignoring a students' writing ability would mostly affect black students. White students' speaking and writing would be judged against the King's English, defined as standard, pure or correct English grammar.
More
Charlottesville judge rules Confederate statues will stay
More than two years after the Feb. 2017 vote by the Charlottesville City Council to remove the statue of Lee, which prompted a lawsuit against the city and was the impetus for what eventually became a deadly white nationalist rally, Circuit Court Judge Richard Moore ruled the memorials can’t be touched.
“Even though the city wants to remove the statues, the judge said it can’t,” said reporter Hawes Spencer, who was in the courtroom during Wednesday’s first day of the civil trial.
Virginia law bans the removal or movement of war memorials erected in a locality.
“The judge’s opinion was not about the propriety or the goodness of having the statues in the downtown area,” Spencer said. “The judge’s opinion was simply about the fact that Virginia law makes it illegal to move them or encroach upon them.”
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Study: Lack of ‘economically attractive’ men to blame for marriage decline
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — There’s a steady decline in marriages in the United States, and a shortage of “economically attractive” men may be to blame.
That’s according to a new study by Cornell University published in the Journal of Marriage and Family by the National Council on Family Relations.
U.S. marriage rates have reached a 150-year low, according to the study, which was conducted between 2012 and 2017.
Researchers analyzed opposite-sex couples, comparing the incomes of “potential” male spouses with those of men who married women of a similar demographic and found that men who haven’t tied the knot earned 58% less than those who did get married.
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That’s according to a new study by Cornell University published in the Journal of Marriage and Family by the National Council on Family Relations.
U.S. marriage rates have reached a 150-year low, according to the study, which was conducted between 2012 and 2017.
Researchers analyzed opposite-sex couples, comparing the incomes of “potential” male spouses with those of men who married women of a similar demographic and found that men who haven’t tied the knot earned 58% less than those who did get married.
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Veterans with PTSD, anxiety turn to beekeeping for relief
"This is really cool," he said, pointing to a bee with blobs of orange pollen on its hind legs.
Ylitalo, who has battled PTSD after serving nearly 40 years in the military including two tours in Iraq, didn't seem bothered by the bees swarming around his head or crawling all over the entrance to their hive. Instead, the 57-year-old logistics expert said the several hours spent working on the two hives each week at the Manchester VA Medical Center in New Hampshire was a respite of sorts from his anxiety and depression. Known as an apiary, the hives are located next to a lilac garden off a busy street.
"I'm in this program to help me get out of the thought process of all those problems that I have," said Ylitalo, who has struggled since leaving the Army in 2017. "It helps me think of something completely different. ... I'm just thinking about bees."
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[Resource link: Lower Eastern Shore Beekeepers Association]
Pupils May Help Identify Alzheimer’s Decades Before Symptoms Appear
There’s an old saying that the eyes are the window to the soul. While that very well may be the case, a new study finds that they may also be a window to the mind and an accurate predictor of the onset of Alzheimer’s disease long before actual symptoms begin to appear.
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, say that measuring how quickly and drastically a person’s pupil dilates while solving a problem or thinking critically may serve as an accurate, low-cost, and low-invasive way to screen for Alzheimer’s decades before any symptoms appear.
Alzheimer’s disease, a devastating condition that results in cognitive deterioration and memory loss, only reveals itself late in life. However, the condition actually begins taking root and damaging the brain many years before symptoms appear. With this in mind, early detection is key to slowing the disease’s progression. If the research team’s findings about pupil behavior are accurate and reliable, it would represent a major breakthrough in the early detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s among genetically at risk patients all over the world.
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[Related: Gut Bacteria and Brains -- How the Microbiome Affects Alzheimer’s Disease]
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, say that measuring how quickly and drastically a person’s pupil dilates while solving a problem or thinking critically may serve as an accurate, low-cost, and low-invasive way to screen for Alzheimer’s decades before any symptoms appear.
Alzheimer’s disease, a devastating condition that results in cognitive deterioration and memory loss, only reveals itself late in life. However, the condition actually begins taking root and damaging the brain many years before symptoms appear. With this in mind, early detection is key to slowing the disease’s progression. If the research team’s findings about pupil behavior are accurate and reliable, it would represent a major breakthrough in the early detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s among genetically at risk patients all over the world.
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[Related: Gut Bacteria and Brains -- How the Microbiome Affects Alzheimer’s Disease]
A Former Abortionist Explains Her Change of Heart
For years, Dr. Kathi Aultman, an OB-GYN, performed abortions, believing she was helping women. Then, a trio of abortions she performed after having her first child left her unsettled–and put her on a different path. Now she is an advocate for giving medical care to abortion survivors, and a pro-life speaker. Read our interview with her, posted below, or listen on the podcast:
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DEA Proposes to Reduce the Amount of Five Opioids Manufactured in 2020, Marijuana Quota for Research Increases by Almost a Third
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is proposing to reduce the amount of five Schedule II opioid controlled substances that can be manufactured in the United States next year compared with 2019, per the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking being published in the Federal Register tomorrow and available for public inspection here today.
DEA proposes to reduce the amount of fentanyl produced by 31 percent, hydrocodone by 19 percent, hydromorphone by 25 percent, oxycodone by nine percent and oxymorphone by 55 percent. Combined with morphine, the proposed quota would be a 53 percent decrease in the amount of allowable production of these opioids since 2016.
DEA proposes to increase the amount of marijuana that can be produced for research by almost a third over 2019’s level, from 2,450 kilograms to 3,200 kilograms, which is almost triple what it was in 2018. This will meet the need created by the increase in the amount of approved research involving marijuana. Over the last two years, the total number of individuals registered by DEA to conduct research with marijuana, marijuana extracts, derivatives and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has increased by more than 40 percent, from 384 in January 2017 to 542 in January 2019.
Inside the Weather Channel’s quest to reinvent 'storm chasing'
It was an otherwise ordinary day. Meteorologist Jim Cantore was giving the weather report inside the Weather Channel studios. That was before the tornado hit. Suddenly, an electrical line dropped mere inches from Cantore’s feet. A car fell from the sky above him. As the studio lost power and he fled to the stairwell, the tornado struck with force, ripping the walls and roof off the building. The only thing left standing was a solitary American flag waving in the wreckage. No one was hurt, of course, because the scene never actually happened. It was generated as part of the Weather Channel’s new Immersive Mixed Reality broadcasting project.
While it only lasted for seven minutes, the segment was actually six years in the making. The project—which won a 2019 Innovation by Design award for best North American design—is part of an ongoing effort by the Weather Channel’s design team to reinvent its presentation.
More here
Related: Weather Channel's Mike Seidel bravely fights hurricane wind as 2 guys calmly walk behind him
While it only lasted for seven minutes, the segment was actually six years in the making. The project—which won a 2019 Innovation by Design award for best North American design—is part of an ongoing effort by the Weather Channel’s design team to reinvent its presentation.
More here
Related: Weather Channel's Mike Seidel bravely fights hurricane wind as 2 guys calmly walk behind him
Trump administration bars access to immigration tent courts
The Trump administration announced Wednesday that new immigration courts in tents on the Texas border with Mexico will be closed to legal observers, the media and the public.
Immigration lawyers condemned the restrictions as a violation of the due process rights of asylum-seekers.
Federal contractors built the two massive tents along the Rio Grande in the cities of Brownsville and Laredo this summer at a cost of $25 million.
The so-called “port courts” were designed to host hearings for the more than 42,000 asylum-seekers who were returned to Mexico while their cases proceed under the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” program that started in January, according to acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Mark Morgan.
Immigration judges in San Antonio will hear those cases over a video link, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security.
Members of the public, including reporters and legal observers, will be permitted to watch the proceedings over video from the San Antonio court, the statement said.
Immigration lawyers said they were told judges from the Texas cities of Harlingen and Port Isabel would also be hearing cases from the tent courts.
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Immigration lawyers condemned the restrictions as a violation of the due process rights of asylum-seekers.
Federal contractors built the two massive tents along the Rio Grande in the cities of Brownsville and Laredo this summer at a cost of $25 million.
The so-called “port courts” were designed to host hearings for the more than 42,000 asylum-seekers who were returned to Mexico while their cases proceed under the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” program that started in January, according to acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Mark Morgan.
Immigration judges in San Antonio will hear those cases over a video link, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security.
Members of the public, including reporters and legal observers, will be permitted to watch the proceedings over video from the San Antonio court, the statement said.
Immigration lawyers said they were told judges from the Texas cities of Harlingen and Port Isabel would also be hearing cases from the tent courts.
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Five things about that double–GOP congressional blowout in North Carolina
In the swing state of North Carolina, it was happy-dance time for the beleaguered Republicans. Two hotly contested congressional races both went solidly into the GOP camp, helping the Republicans in the crazies-run House. State senator Dan Bishop won in the 9th District, and Greg Murphy won in the 3rd District, and both will now get the opportunity to tell Reps. Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that they are out to lunch. It was a conservative blowout.
Five things stick out about it now.
First, straightforward conservatism, President Trump's stellar economy, and not being crazy all count for something.
Dan Bishop's campaign website highlights a blunt, straight conservative agenda, with rule of law at the border, support for the Second Amendment, and saying "yes" to life right there in the top row in red for his agenda. It's as blunt as it gets. The second and third rows resonate with a majority of voters, too, such as voter ID, low taxes, defense of freedom of faith, supporting the troops, and strong defense rounding it out. Pure conservatism with zero namby-pambyism — and sure enough, Bishop won.
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Five things stick out about it now.
First, straightforward conservatism, President Trump's stellar economy, and not being crazy all count for something.
Dan Bishop's campaign website highlights a blunt, straight conservative agenda, with rule of law at the border, support for the Second Amendment, and saying "yes" to life right there in the top row in red for his agenda. It's as blunt as it gets. The second and third rows resonate with a majority of voters, too, such as voter ID, low taxes, defense of freedom of faith, supporting the troops, and strong defense rounding it out. Pure conservatism with zero namby-pambyism — and sure enough, Bishop won.
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Loophole Used by 9/11 Hijackers Still Open with 6 Million Visa Overstays in U.S.
There are at least six million illegal aliens who arrived in the United States the same way seven of the 9/11 Islamic terrorist hijackers came to the country: by overstaying a visa.
All 19 terrorists from 9/11 — who murdered nearly 3,000 Americans and injured more than 6,000 others in 2001 — arrived in the U.S. legally, with 16 obtaining tourist visas and three others obtaining business and student visas.
In total, seven of the 19 terrorists overstayed their visas at some point either before the 9/11 attacks or at the time of the attacks and were supposed to be deported, but never were.
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All 19 terrorists from 9/11 — who murdered nearly 3,000 Americans and injured more than 6,000 others in 2001 — arrived in the U.S. legally, with 16 obtaining tourist visas and three others obtaining business and student visas.
In total, seven of the 19 terrorists overstayed their visas at some point either before the 9/11 attacks or at the time of the attacks and were supposed to be deported, but never were.
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VA May Have to Pay Billions in Vets' Emergency Care Bills
The government may be required to pay billions of dollars in emergency care claims to veterans after a federal court ruled this week that the Department of Veterans Affairs improperly denied reimbursements for such care received at non-VA facilities.
The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims said federal law mandated the VA to pay the emergency medical expenses if they are not covered by private insurance.
The VA said Wednesday it was aware of the decision and reviewing it. It was the second time the VA had been overruled on its interpretation of how veterans should be reimbursed on emergency claims, the first being in 2015.
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The ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims said federal law mandated the VA to pay the emergency medical expenses if they are not covered by private insurance.
The VA said Wednesday it was aware of the decision and reviewing it. It was the second time the VA had been overruled on its interpretation of how veterans should be reimbursed on emergency claims, the first being in 2015.
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Records Show DOJ Effort to Craft Response to Reports on Rosenstein Wearing Wire
Judicial Watch has released 14 pages of records from the Department of Justice showing officials’ efforts in responding to media inquiries centering on talks within the DOJ/FBI allegedly invoking the 25th Amendment to “remove” President Donald Trump from office and former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein offering to wear a “wire” to record his conversations with the president.
The records show that, following a September 21, 2018, report on Rosenstein suggesting he would wear a wire to secretly record Trump and his discussions on using the 25th Amendment, Rosenstein sought to ensure the media would have “difficulty” finding anyone in the DOJ to comment and a concerted effort within the DOJ to frame the reporting as “inaccurate” and “factually incorrect.”
The records show DOJ officials had also discussed characterizing Rosenstein’s reported offer of wearing a wire to record Trump as merely “sarcastic.”
Additionally, the records show DOJ Public Affairs officer Sarah Isgur Flores, after conferring with other top DOJ officials and Rosenstein’s office about her email exchange with New York Times reporter Adam Goldman, waited 12 hours to forward the email exchange to DOJ Chief of Staff Matthew Whitaker. Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly had referred to Whitaker as the president’s “eyes and ears” in the DOJ.
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The records show that, following a September 21, 2018, report on Rosenstein suggesting he would wear a wire to secretly record Trump and his discussions on using the 25th Amendment, Rosenstein sought to ensure the media would have “difficulty” finding anyone in the DOJ to comment and a concerted effort within the DOJ to frame the reporting as “inaccurate” and “factually incorrect.”
The records show DOJ officials had also discussed characterizing Rosenstein’s reported offer of wearing a wire to record Trump as merely “sarcastic.”
Additionally, the records show DOJ Public Affairs officer Sarah Isgur Flores, after conferring with other top DOJ officials and Rosenstein’s office about her email exchange with New York Times reporter Adam Goldman, waited 12 hours to forward the email exchange to DOJ Chief of Staff Matthew Whitaker. Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly had referred to Whitaker as the president’s “eyes and ears” in the DOJ.
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Trump-shaped 9th Circuit hands White House major win on asylum policy
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals – long a liberal bastion that has been aggressively reshaped into a more moderate court by the Trump administration – handed the president a major win late Monday, lifting a nationwide injunction on his asylum policy.
Earlier in the day, Obama-appointed U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar in California had reinstated a nationwide halt on the Trump administration's plan to prevent most migrants from seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border, if they first crossed through another country on the way.
But in an administrative order first obtained by Politico, the 9th Circuit rolled Tigar's ruling right back, saying that for now it should only apply to the confines of the 9th Circuit — which encompasses California, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, Idaho, Guam, Oregon and Washington.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/9th-circuit-hands-trump-major-win-on-asylum-policy
Earlier in the day, Obama-appointed U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar in California had reinstated a nationwide halt on the Trump administration's plan to prevent most migrants from seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border, if they first crossed through another country on the way.
But in an administrative order first obtained by Politico, the 9th Circuit rolled Tigar's ruling right back, saying that for now it should only apply to the confines of the 9th Circuit — which encompasses California, Arizona, Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, Idaho, Guam, Oregon and Washington.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/9th-circuit-hands-trump-major-win-on-asylum-policy
Trump Opening Tent Court on Border for US Asylum Seekers
The Trump administration is ready to open a tent court on the border to help handle tens of thousands of cases of asylum seekers forced to wait in Mexico, with hearings held entirely by video conference.
The court, or "soft-sided" facility as U.S. officials call it, is scheduled to begin operations Monday in Laredo, Texas. Another is expected to open soon in Brownsville in the Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.
The administration introduced its "Remain in Mexico" policy in San Diego in January and later expanded it to El Paso, but hearings there are conducted inside large buildings with normal courtrooms, and the judge usually appears in person.
The Laredo court will manage as many as 300 cases a day, said Alberto Flores, port director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said during a tour for journalists on Tuesday.
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The court, or "soft-sided" facility as U.S. officials call it, is scheduled to begin operations Monday in Laredo, Texas. Another is expected to open soon in Brownsville in the Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings.
The administration introduced its "Remain in Mexico" policy in San Diego in January and later expanded it to El Paso, but hearings there are conducted inside large buildings with normal courtrooms, and the judge usually appears in person.
The Laredo court will manage as many as 300 cases a day, said Alberto Flores, port director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said during a tour for journalists on Tuesday.
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AOC: We are breaking up the Green New Deal
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Tuesday her massive Green New Deal proposal will move forward — in pieces.
“One of the things I think is really exciting," said the first-term New York Democrat, is that "the legislation that we are planning on introducing is not one broad sweeping piece of legislation.”
Ocasio-Cortez said, “We are breaking it up into parts.”
The liberal Democrat said lawmakers are at work on different pieces of legislation derived from the Green New Deal, which calls for eliminating carbon emissions in the United States in 10 years.
One of the first measures will promote the transition to electric vehicles, she said.
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“One of the things I think is really exciting," said the first-term New York Democrat, is that "the legislation that we are planning on introducing is not one broad sweeping piece of legislation.”
Ocasio-Cortez said, “We are breaking it up into parts.”
The liberal Democrat said lawmakers are at work on different pieces of legislation derived from the Green New Deal, which calls for eliminating carbon emissions in the United States in 10 years.
One of the first measures will promote the transition to electric vehicles, she said.
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Another WaPo Pollaganda Whopper
Imagine, if you will, what the American political landscape would look like if our national mainstream-media outlets were actually neutral in their reporting — conducting themselves as journalists rather than ranting political puppets. It would look much more like what our Founders intended — a nation where protecting Liberty and the Rule of Law enshrined in our Republic’s founding documents was chief among the concerns of our people.
Unfortunately, we have ventured far from that landscape today, largely because of the influence of an unethical and prejudiced mass media.
In a single headline and its opening paragraph this week, The Washington Post provided the most blatant example of that subversive corruption I have seen this year — a case study of what we have defined as the “Pollaganda Effect.”
If you recently joined the ranks of our American Patriot readers, or even if you’re a seasoned veteran, allow me to share with you a couple definitions.
“Pollaganda” is a word we created to describe the most egregious Demo/MSM propaganda machine abuse of the First Amendment. It is defined as follows:
Pollaganda — n. 1. mainstream media (MSM) polling used to manipulate public opinion and advance a particular bias. 2. Outcome-based polling; instruments designed to generate a preferential outcome, which can be used to manipulate public opinion by advancing the perception that a particular issue, individual, or group has a majority of public favor or disfavor. 3. A “dezinformatsiya” (disinformation) campaign of political polling used for propaganda; polling masquerading as “objective journalism” designed to advance a liberal bias.
More here
Unfortunately, we have ventured far from that landscape today, largely because of the influence of an unethical and prejudiced mass media.
In a single headline and its opening paragraph this week, The Washington Post provided the most blatant example of that subversive corruption I have seen this year — a case study of what we have defined as the “Pollaganda Effect.”
If you recently joined the ranks of our American Patriot readers, or even if you’re a seasoned veteran, allow me to share with you a couple definitions.
“Pollaganda” is a word we created to describe the most egregious Demo/MSM propaganda machine abuse of the First Amendment. It is defined as follows:
Pollaganda — n. 1. mainstream media (MSM) polling used to manipulate public opinion and advance a particular bias. 2. Outcome-based polling; instruments designed to generate a preferential outcome, which can be used to manipulate public opinion by advancing the perception that a particular issue, individual, or group has a majority of public favor or disfavor. 3. A “dezinformatsiya” (disinformation) campaign of political polling used for propaganda; polling masquerading as “objective journalism” designed to advance a liberal bias.
More here
Baltimore prepares for Pres. Trump's visit Thursday
BALTIMORE (WBFF) - President Donald Trump's scheduled visit to Baltimore late Thursday to speak before House Republicans is expected create major traffic jams downtown.
The President is scheduled to speak before a retreat of House Republicans at a hotel in Harbor East.
Mr. Trump's visit comes two months after he blasted Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings calling his Baltimore district "rodent infested."
When Baltimore Mayor Jack Young was asked about the president's visit to Baltimore, he simply replied "We're a welcoming city and he's welcome to be here."
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The President is scheduled to speak before a retreat of House Republicans at a hotel in Harbor East.
Mr. Trump's visit comes two months after he blasted Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings calling his Baltimore district "rodent infested."
When Baltimore Mayor Jack Young was asked about the president's visit to Baltimore, he simply replied "We're a welcoming city and he's welcome to be here."
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Research: 600K Illegal Aliens Expected to Successfully Enter U.S. this Year
Nearly 600,000 illegal aliens will successfully enter the United States through the southern border this year, according to projections by Princeton Policy Advisors.
In August, Border Patrol agents encountered more than 50,600 border crossers and illegal aliens — a 62 percent drop compared to May’s peak illegal immigration levels when nearly 133,000 border crossers and illegal aliens were apprehended.
Researcher Steven Kopits projects that for Calendar Year 2019, about 843,000 border crossers and illegal aliens will have been apprehended by Border Patrol agents, including 309,000 child migrants and nearly 300,000 adult border crossers who arrive alone.
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In August, Border Patrol agents encountered more than 50,600 border crossers and illegal aliens — a 62 percent drop compared to May’s peak illegal immigration levels when nearly 133,000 border crossers and illegal aliens were apprehended.
Researcher Steven Kopits projects that for Calendar Year 2019, about 843,000 border crossers and illegal aliens will have been apprehended by Border Patrol agents, including 309,000 child migrants and nearly 300,000 adult border crossers who arrive alone.
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Supreme Court allows broad enforcement of asylum limits
The Supreme Court is allowing nationwide enforcement of a new Trump administration rule that prevents most Central American immigrants from seeking asylum in the United States.
The justices’ order late Wednesday temporarily undoes a lower-court ruling that had blocked the new asylum policy in some states along the southern border. The policy is meant to deny asylum to anyone who passes through another country on the way to the U.S. without seeking protection there.
Most people crossing the southern border are Central Americans fleeing violence and poverty. They are largely ineligible under the new rule.
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The justices’ order late Wednesday temporarily undoes a lower-court ruling that had blocked the new asylum policy in some states along the southern border. The policy is meant to deny asylum to anyone who passes through another country on the way to the U.S. without seeking protection there.
Most people crossing the southern border are Central Americans fleeing violence and poverty. They are largely ineligible under the new rule.
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