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NOTICE OF INVESTIGATION
Date: January 18, 2020
Time: 10:06 p.m.
Location / Address: 900 Manoa Blvd., Salisbury, Wicomico Co.
Type of Incident: Fire
Description of Structure / Property: One story wood frame single family dwelling
Owner / Occupants: Marva Purnell-Greene (Owner) Victoria Maddox (Occupant)
Injuries or Deaths: None
Estimated $ Loss: Structure: $65,000 Contents: $15,000
Smoke Alarm Status: Present, did not activate
Fire Alarm / Sprinkler Status: n/a
Arrests(s): None
Primary Responding Fire Department: Salisbury Fire Department
# of Alarms: 1 # Of Firefighters: 25
Time to Control: 1 hour
Discovered By: Occupant
Area of Origin: Living room
Preliminary Cause: Under Investigation
Additional Information:
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Monday, January 20, 2020
NOI 1/18/20 Wicomico Dwelling Fire Manoa Blvd.
‘Come and take it’: Thousands rally in Virginia against new gun-control laws (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
Thousands of gun-rights supporters and militia members have gathered at the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, in an armed show of defiance against a slew of gun laws proposed by Governor Ralph Northam.
Northam – who shot to international infamy last year when a yearbook picture of him in blackface surfaced – has proposed a bevy of new gun laws in the wake of a mass shooting at Virginia Beach last May. Democrats took control of the state’s House of Representatives and Senate in November, giving Northam the political path to passing these laws. The proposed measures include universal background checks, ‘red flag’ laws, and a restriction on handgun purchases. A highly controversial ban on AR-style semi-automatic rifles was struck out by the State Senate last week.
Thousands of gun rights activists descended on the State Capitol in Richmond on Monday to protest these laws. Bearing placards reading “Come and take it,” and chanting “Northam out,” hordes of demonstrators poured through security checkpoints and onto Capitol grounds. Northam had declared a state of emergency on Friday and banned weapons from the grounds, citing a threat of “extremist” violence.
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Northam – who shot to international infamy last year when a yearbook picture of him in blackface surfaced – has proposed a bevy of new gun laws in the wake of a mass shooting at Virginia Beach last May. Democrats took control of the state’s House of Representatives and Senate in November, giving Northam the political path to passing these laws. The proposed measures include universal background checks, ‘red flag’ laws, and a restriction on handgun purchases. A highly controversial ban on AR-style semi-automatic rifles was struck out by the State Senate last week.
Thousands of gun rights activists descended on the State Capitol in Richmond on Monday to protest these laws. Bearing placards reading “Come and take it,” and chanting “Northam out,” hordes of demonstrators poured through security checkpoints and onto Capitol grounds. Northam had declared a state of emergency on Friday and banned weapons from the grounds, citing a threat of “extremist” violence.
More
Rod Rosenstein says he authorized release of Strzok-Page texts
Former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said he made the decision to release to the media text messages between two FBI employees who criticized President Trump during the 2016 presidential election.
Rosenstein said in a court filing late Friday that he made the call in part to protect the FBI from selective leaks by Congress.
FBI agent Peter Strzok and FBI attorney Lisa Page, who were having an affair, disparaged Trump in their exchanges and tried to reassure one another that he couldn’t be elected. The two also discussed an “insurance policy” to prevent Trump’s win. Trump and his supporters have used the messages to argue that there were efforts to prevent him from taking office, but Strzok and Page denied their messages were anything other than venting.
Both Page and Strzok are suing over the release, saying it invaded their privacy.
Until Friday, it was unclear who had authorized the release of hundreds of their text messages to journalists in December 2017.
Rosenstein said he approved the disclosure because he was set to testify to the House Judiciary Committee the next day and the release of the text messages by members of Congress, who had requested the messages, was inevitable.
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Rosenstein said in a court filing late Friday that he made the call in part to protect the FBI from selective leaks by Congress.
FBI agent Peter Strzok and FBI attorney Lisa Page, who were having an affair, disparaged Trump in their exchanges and tried to reassure one another that he couldn’t be elected. The two also discussed an “insurance policy” to prevent Trump’s win. Trump and his supporters have used the messages to argue that there were efforts to prevent him from taking office, but Strzok and Page denied their messages were anything other than venting.
Both Page and Strzok are suing over the release, saying it invaded their privacy.
Until Friday, it was unclear who had authorized the release of hundreds of their text messages to journalists in December 2017.
Rosenstein said he approved the disclosure because he was set to testify to the House Judiciary Committee the next day and the release of the text messages by members of Congress, who had requested the messages, was inevitable.
More
Former Iranian crown prince says Tehran regime on the brink of collapse
Former Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi estimated that the Islamic Republic regime could be months away from collapse but emphasized the importance of Western democracies providing aid in achieving that goal.
At an event hosted by the Hudson Institute, a Washington-based think tank, the son of Iran’s late Shah said on Wednesday that the present atmosphere in his home country reminds him of the days before his father was overthrown in 1978.
“People smell the opportunity for the first time in 40 years,” he said as cited by The Jerusalem Post.
“This time is very different from 2009, even very different from 1997. The people have had it. Today's generation of young Iranians cannot take it anymore. They want to have an opportunity for a better future. They want to be on the path of modernity and freedom. The only thing that stands between them and the free world is this regime.”
Pahlavi further outlined his plan for regime change, which would see Iran turn into a “multi-party system.” He urged Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to stand back in order to “facilitate a smoother transition based on my strategy of nonviolent civil disobedience.”
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At an event hosted by the Hudson Institute, a Washington-based think tank, the son of Iran’s late Shah said on Wednesday that the present atmosphere in his home country reminds him of the days before his father was overthrown in 1978.
“People smell the opportunity for the first time in 40 years,” he said as cited by The Jerusalem Post.
“This time is very different from 2009, even very different from 1997. The people have had it. Today's generation of young Iranians cannot take it anymore. They want to have an opportunity for a better future. They want to be on the path of modernity and freedom. The only thing that stands between them and the free world is this regime.”
Pahlavi further outlined his plan for regime change, which would see Iran turn into a “multi-party system.” He urged Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to stand back in order to “facilitate a smoother transition based on my strategy of nonviolent civil disobedience.”
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The Secretive Company That Might End Privacy as We Know It
Until recently, Hoan Ton-That’s greatest hits included an obscure iPhone game and an app that let people put Donald Trump’s distinctive yellow hair on their own photos.
Then Mr. Ton-That — an Australian techie and onetime model — did something momentous: He invented a tool that could end your ability to walk down the street anonymously, and provided it to hundreds of law enforcement agencies, ranging from local cops in Florida to the F.B.I. and the Department of Homeland Security.
His tiny company, Clearview AI, devised a groundbreaking facial recognition app. You take a picture of a person, upload it and get to see public photos of that person, along with links to where those photos appeared. The system — whose backbone is a database of more than three billion images that Clearview claims to have scraped from Facebook, YouTube, Venmo and millions of other websites — goes far beyond anything ever constructed by the United States government or Silicon Valley giants.
Federal and state law enforcement officers said that while they had only limited knowledge of how Clearview works and who is behind it, they had used its app to help solve shoplifting, identity theft, credit card fraud, murder and child sexual exploitation cases.
Until now, technology that readily identifies everyone based on his or her face has been taboo because of its radical erosion of privacy.
More
Then Mr. Ton-That — an Australian techie and onetime model — did something momentous: He invented a tool that could end your ability to walk down the street anonymously, and provided it to hundreds of law enforcement agencies, ranging from local cops in Florida to the F.B.I. and the Department of Homeland Security.
His tiny company, Clearview AI, devised a groundbreaking facial recognition app. You take a picture of a person, upload it and get to see public photos of that person, along with links to where those photos appeared. The system — whose backbone is a database of more than three billion images that Clearview claims to have scraped from Facebook, YouTube, Venmo and millions of other websites — goes far beyond anything ever constructed by the United States government or Silicon Valley giants.
Federal and state law enforcement officers said that while they had only limited knowledge of how Clearview works and who is behind it, they had used its app to help solve shoplifting, identity theft, credit card fraud, murder and child sexual exploitation cases.
Until now, technology that readily identifies everyone based on his or her face has been taboo because of its radical erosion of privacy.
More
Nearly 500 terrorists have been freed from jail over past decade - with many Islamists living back in communities where they were radicalised
Hundreds of terrorists have been freed from prison over the past decade, with many allowed to return to the communities where they were radicalised, it has been claimed.
A friend of London Bridge attacker Usman Khan called Mohammed Shahjahan, 34, is now living in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, where he said he wanted to plant bombs.
Kazi Islam, 25, a loyal follower of Anjem Choudary, was allowed to go and live next to his uncle Kazi Rahman, 43, who is also a convicted terrorist, in Manor Park, east London, reports the Sun on Sunday.
In December it was revealed that one in seven Islamist extremists have had their jail time reduced on appeal.
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A friend of London Bridge attacker Usman Khan called Mohammed Shahjahan, 34, is now living in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, where he said he wanted to plant bombs.
Kazi Islam, 25, a loyal follower of Anjem Choudary, was allowed to go and live next to his uncle Kazi Rahman, 43, who is also a convicted terrorist, in Manor Park, east London, reports the Sun on Sunday.
In December it was revealed that one in seven Islamist extremists have had their jail time reduced on appeal.
More
BREAKING: Explosions Heard Near U.S. Embassy In Baghdad
IRAQ — Multiple rockets hit near the United States embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday, according to multiple reports.
The was no initial word on injuries or who was responsible for the attack.
#Breaking
“Rocket attack alarms sounding off multiple times on the #US #Baghdad Embassy Complex and Union III. Heard the booms myself on Union III. Speakers telling all to take shelter immediately.” pic.twitter.com/F1lpbWm9RE
— Nafiseh Kohnavard (@nafisehkBBC) January 20, 2020
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The was no initial word on injuries or who was responsible for the attack.
#Breaking
“Rocket attack alarms sounding off multiple times on the #US #Baghdad Embassy Complex and Union III. Heard the booms myself on Union III. Speakers telling all to take shelter immediately.” pic.twitter.com/F1lpbWm9RE
— Nafiseh Kohnavard (@nafisehkBBC) January 20, 2020
More
30 pups rescued from Puerto Rico earthquakes arrive in Delaware
GEORGETOWN, Del. (NBC/BVSPCA) —A Delaware animal shelter is taking in rescued dogs from Puerto Rico.
Thirty pups were flown to Delaware Coastal Airport Sunday.
The animals were saved from a series of earthquakes that have recently rocked Puerto Rico. They're currently up for adoption at the Brandywine Valley SPCA.
Wings of Rescue, greatergood.org and The Sato Project all took part in the emergency evacuation.
Watch video
Thirty pups were flown to Delaware Coastal Airport Sunday.
The animals were saved from a series of earthquakes that have recently rocked Puerto Rico. They're currently up for adoption at the Brandywine Valley SPCA.
Wings of Rescue, greatergood.org and The Sato Project all took part in the emergency evacuation.
Watch video
NM sheriffs force lawmakers to abandon red flag bill: We refuse to enforce unconstitutional laws
New Mexico – The New Mexico Sheriffs Association was able to help stop red flag gun laws from passing in 2019. Now, lawmakers are trying again.
But the sheriffs are dedicated once again to ensuring their state doesn’t join the other 17, and the District of Columbia, in adding the legislation. The group says that the laws would be both ineffective and unconstitutional.
The legislation would allow law enforcement or relatives to petition the court to take a person’s firearms if they’re in danger of hurting themselves or others. A sworn affidavit would be required to be submitted to the court explaining the reasoning for the request. Guns and ammunition would be returned upon expiration of the order.
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But the sheriffs are dedicated once again to ensuring their state doesn’t join the other 17, and the District of Columbia, in adding the legislation. The group says that the laws would be both ineffective and unconstitutional.
The legislation would allow law enforcement or relatives to petition the court to take a person’s firearms if they’re in danger of hurting themselves or others. A sworn affidavit would be required to be submitted to the court explaining the reasoning for the request. Guns and ammunition would be returned upon expiration of the order.
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Rally organizer: ‘Specific threats’ against pro-gun speakers in Virginia
The group organizing today’s gun rally in Richmond, Virginia, has issued a last-minute alert warning of threats against its speakers.
“One of our members with access to police intelligence has advised us that specific threats have been uncovered to three of the speakers at the rally. Yet, just a few days ago, when specifically asked about any such threats, the Capitol Police denied knowing of any and have not shared any such information to date,” said the alert from the Virginia Citizens Defense League.
The VCDL also warned that despite a big police presence in the city, police may have underestimated the size of the pro-gun crowd headed to state capitol grounds to protest sweeping gun control legislation moving through the newly elected, Democratic-majority General Assembly.
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“One of our members with access to police intelligence has advised us that specific threats have been uncovered to three of the speakers at the rally. Yet, just a few days ago, when specifically asked about any such threats, the Capitol Police denied knowing of any and have not shared any such information to date,” said the alert from the Virginia Citizens Defense League.
The VCDL also warned that despite a big police presence in the city, police may have underestimated the size of the pro-gun crowd headed to state capitol grounds to protest sweeping gun control legislation moving through the newly elected, Democratic-majority General Assembly.
More
Baltimore DA blames cops - not criminals - for vicious assault of police sergeant
Maryland – Can we just acknowledge that Baltimore state’s attorney Marilyn Mosby does not particularly care for police officers?
After a police sergeant was shown on video being viciously attacked by a mob of miscreants while trying to make an arrest on Friday, one would think that Mosby would have taken to the microphone and condemned the dirtbags who attacked the officers.
Not Mosby. Who did she criticize? The police union representing Baltimore police officers. She accused the police union of “fanning the very flames they then call on me to put out,” saying the union responded to the attack on the sergeant with “inappropriate political rhetoric.”
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After a police sergeant was shown on video being viciously attacked by a mob of miscreants while trying to make an arrest on Friday, one would think that Mosby would have taken to the microphone and condemned the dirtbags who attacked the officers.
Not Mosby. Who did she criticize? The police union representing Baltimore police officers. She accused the police union of “fanning the very flames they then call on me to put out,” saying the union responded to the attack on the sergeant with “inappropriate political rhetoric.”
More
Suspect with 78 priors arrested for 16 new burglaries. NYC: No bail.
New York – “I want to be a part of it…New York, New York.” Frank Sinatra loved New York. And now, criminals are loving New York as well. However, likely not for the same reason.
Anthony Manson is a serial burglar. During the Christmas shopping season, Manson did his shopping by stealing packages from Brooklyn apartment buildings, helped in no small way by the Andrew Cuomo Criminal Enhancement Act, otherwise known as the new bail reform law.
Manson, 50, was arrested for nine burglaries in Prospect Lefferts-Gardens and Crown Heights on Dec. 23, according to police. He appeared before a judge on Christmas and was released—only to be arrested again for six more burglaries on Jan. 3, police said. Of course, he was released once again, and then decided to visit a Manhattan sunglass store on Wednesday and rip that business off.
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Anthony Manson is a serial burglar. During the Christmas shopping season, Manson did his shopping by stealing packages from Brooklyn apartment buildings, helped in no small way by the Andrew Cuomo Criminal Enhancement Act, otherwise known as the new bail reform law.
Manson, 50, was arrested for nine burglaries in Prospect Lefferts-Gardens and Crown Heights on Dec. 23, according to police. He appeared before a judge on Christmas and was released—only to be arrested again for six more burglaries on Jan. 3, police said. Of course, he was released once again, and then decided to visit a Manhattan sunglass store on Wednesday and rip that business off.
More
Alabama Student Starts ‘Prayer Locker’ at High School
Brianna Farris, who attends Pell City High School, said she heard about the concept from other high schools and wanted to start a prayer locker at her own high school, the Dothan Eagle reported.
WBRC reported that the administration had no problem with her request because it was a student-initiated activity.
“Within the first week, I probably got ten prayers in the locker, which is more than I expected,” Farris said. “So, I take them home and I’d pray for them and then on Sundays, my church also has a prayer request thing. So I write the prayer requests down and put them in the basket at church.”
The locker is located outside the library, and instructions by the locker state that students can submit prayer requests anonymously.
“I keep all the prayers that I get in a little bag. So I’ll just like have them with me at all times so if it hasn’t happened yet, I can still be praying for it,” according to Farris.
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WBRC reported that the administration had no problem with her request because it was a student-initiated activity.
“Within the first week, I probably got ten prayers in the locker, which is more than I expected,” Farris said. “So, I take them home and I’d pray for them and then on Sundays, my church also has a prayer request thing. So I write the prayer requests down and put them in the basket at church.”
The locker is located outside the library, and instructions by the locker state that students can submit prayer requests anonymously.
“I keep all the prayers that I get in a little bag. So I’ll just like have them with me at all times so if it hasn’t happened yet, I can still be praying for it,” according to Farris.
More
Doug Collins: Steny Hoyer's remark about letting Trump 'prove innocence' should alarm Americans
House Judiciary Committee ranking member Doug Collins, R-Ga., said Democrats are exposing their true contempt for the Constitution and the individual rights therein with how they are conducting the impeachment of President Trump.
In an interview airing Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on "Life, Liberty & Levin," Collins said Trump was overtly denied the same due process afforded to every other American under the Constitution, adding that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., made an alarming statement to that effect.
Hoyer, the number-two Democrat in the House, defended the House's impeachment inquiry last month by remarking that Trump was afforded "every opportunity to prove his innocence."
Collins told host Mark Levin that no American has to prove their innocence -- in fact, the burden of proof falls on the opposite party.
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https://www.foxnews.com/media/trump-impeachment-doug-collins-mark-levin-steny-hoyer-innocence
In an interview airing Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on "Life, Liberty & Levin," Collins said Trump was overtly denied the same due process afforded to every other American under the Constitution, adding that House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., made an alarming statement to that effect.
Hoyer, the number-two Democrat in the House, defended the House's impeachment inquiry last month by remarking that Trump was afforded "every opportunity to prove his innocence."
Collins told host Mark Levin that no American has to prove their innocence -- in fact, the burden of proof falls on the opposite party.
More
https://www.foxnews.com/media/trump-impeachment-doug-collins-mark-levin-steny-hoyer-innocence
Trump teases plan to roll back key Obama-era water rule, limiting protections for waterways
President Trump announced his administration's plan for a major rollback to an Obama-era water rule on Sunday, a move the White House believes could pay dividends with the farm vote in this year's presidential election.
Speaking to the crowd at the American Farm Bureau Federation conference in Austin, Texas, Trump said he would be scaling back the scope of waters that farmers, manufacturers and other industries must ensure are in compliance with EPA guidelines.
"I am proud to announce that I am taking another step to protect the water rights of American farmers and ranchers," Trump told the room of Texas farmers.
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Speaking to the crowd at the American Farm Bureau Federation conference in Austin, Texas, Trump said he would be scaling back the scope of waters that farmers, manufacturers and other industries must ensure are in compliance with EPA guidelines.
"I am proud to announce that I am taking another step to protect the water rights of American farmers and ranchers," Trump told the room of Texas farmers.
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Electoral College Is on Trial at the Supreme Court—Just in Time for 2020 Election
The Supreme Court agreed to decide a case on Friday that could upset the Electoral College. The decision will likely come just as the 2020 campaign accelerates to a fever pitch.
NBC reports:
NBC reports:
The answer to the question could be a decisive one: Are the electors who cast the actual Electoral College ballots for president and vice president required to follow the results of the popular vote in their states? Or are they free to vote as they wish?While pundits and talking heads always complain about a nightmare scenario where a "faithless elector" could upend a presidential election by refusing to vote the way the state did, it has never actually happened, at least not where it made a difference.
More than half the states have laws requiring electors to obey the results of the popular vote in their states and cast their ballots accordingly. The problem of what are known as "faithless electors" has not been much of an issue in American political history, because when an elector refuses to follow the results of a state's popular vote, the state usually simply throws the ballot away.More
Accident in Berlin
Berlin fire/EMS dispatched to the area of rt.50.east bound near the state police barracks for a motor vehicle accident, vehicle overturned.use caution in the area
House Democrats: Trump must be removed to protect 2020 election
House Democrats argued in their legal brief filed Saturday that President Trump must be convicted in the Senate’s upcoming impeachment trial and removed from office to safeguard the 2020 election.
“President Trump’s conduct is the Framers’ worst nightmare,” said the House impeachment managers, who will act as prosecutors during the trial next week.
“President Trump abused the power of his office to solicit foreign interference in our elections for his own personal political gain, thereby jeopardizing our national security, the integrity of our elections, and our democracy,” the impeachment managers said in a joint statement.
House Democrats also argued that Mr. Trump’s request for an investigation into Ukraine meddling in the 2016 election would benefit him by adding “legitimacy” to his presidency.
They argued that an investigation of Ukraine meddling would obscure the fact that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.
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“President Trump’s conduct is the Framers’ worst nightmare,” said the House impeachment managers, who will act as prosecutors during the trial next week.
“President Trump abused the power of his office to solicit foreign interference in our elections for his own personal political gain, thereby jeopardizing our national security, the integrity of our elections, and our democracy,” the impeachment managers said in a joint statement.
House Democrats also argued that Mr. Trump’s request for an investigation into Ukraine meddling in the 2016 election would benefit him by adding “legitimacy” to his presidency.
They argued that an investigation of Ukraine meddling would obscure the fact that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.
More
Two deceptions at the heart of Democrats' impeachment brief
In a newly released impeachment brief, Democratic House managers argue that President Trump must be removed "immediately" to protect the integrity of the current presidential race. "The Senate must use that remedy now to safeguard the 2020 U.S. election," the managers write.
"The Senate should immediately remove President Trump from office to prevent further abuses," they continue. "He is an immediate threat to the nation and the rule of law. It is imperative that the Senate convict and remove him from office now."
Democrats insist on Trump's immediate removal because, they argue, he was the knowing beneficiary of Russian help in the 2016 election, and if he is not thrown out of office right now, he will do it again. But in making their argument, Democrats make two critical mis-characterizations about Trump, Republicans, and 2016. One is flat-out wrong, while the other is misleading.
The one that is flat wrong is the Democrats' assertion that Trump wanted Ukraine to investigate "a debunked conspiracy theory that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 presidential election to aid President Trump, but instead that Ukraine interfered in that election to aid President Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton."
The problem is, the theory does not hold that Russia "did not interfere" in the 2016 election. There is a mountain of evidence that Russia interfered, and that has been the conclusion of every investigation into the matter, beginning with the first congressional probe, by the House Intelligence Committee under then-chairman Devin Nunes. The theory is that in addition to Russian interference, some people in Ukraine, including some government officials, also tried to influence the U.S. election. It was not a government-run effort, and it was on a far smaller scale than the Russian project, but it happened.
More
"The Senate should immediately remove President Trump from office to prevent further abuses," they continue. "He is an immediate threat to the nation and the rule of law. It is imperative that the Senate convict and remove him from office now."
Democrats insist on Trump's immediate removal because, they argue, he was the knowing beneficiary of Russian help in the 2016 election, and if he is not thrown out of office right now, he will do it again. But in making their argument, Democrats make two critical mis-characterizations about Trump, Republicans, and 2016. One is flat-out wrong, while the other is misleading.
The one that is flat wrong is the Democrats' assertion that Trump wanted Ukraine to investigate "a debunked conspiracy theory that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 presidential election to aid President Trump, but instead that Ukraine interfered in that election to aid President Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton."
The problem is, the theory does not hold that Russia "did not interfere" in the 2016 election. There is a mountain of evidence that Russia interfered, and that has been the conclusion of every investigation into the matter, beginning with the first congressional probe, by the House Intelligence Committee under then-chairman Devin Nunes. The theory is that in addition to Russian interference, some people in Ukraine, including some government officials, also tried to influence the U.S. election. It was not a government-run effort, and it was on a far smaller scale than the Russian project, but it happened.
More
'Strong' paper trail has John Durham investigating the months before Mueller appointment
A trail of documents has reportedly led Attorney General William Barr's handpicked federal prosecutor to focus his inquiry into the origins of the Russia investigation on the first several months of President Trump's tenure.
John Durham, a U.S. attorney from Connecticut, is zeroing in on the period spanning from January 2017, when Trump took office, to May of that year. A "strong" paper trail, as CBS News senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge put it on Friday, has led the investigation into possible misconduct by federal law enforcement and intelligence officials to that time frame.
Durham's office declined to comment for this report.
While Trump and his allies have championed Durham's effort, Democrats have dismissed the allegations of wrongdoing during the Trump-Russia investigation and are concerned the inquiry may be an effort to discredit the work of special counsel Robert Mueller. Trump gave Barr full declassification authority for the endeavor.
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John Durham, a U.S. attorney from Connecticut, is zeroing in on the period spanning from January 2017, when Trump took office, to May of that year. A "strong" paper trail, as CBS News senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge put it on Friday, has led the investigation into possible misconduct by federal law enforcement and intelligence officials to that time frame.
Durham's office declined to comment for this report.
While Trump and his allies have championed Durham's effort, Democrats have dismissed the allegations of wrongdoing during the Trump-Russia investigation and are concerned the inquiry may be an effort to discredit the work of special counsel Robert Mueller. Trump gave Barr full declassification authority for the endeavor.
More
Poll: Overwhelming majority say news media making US more politically divided
An overwhelming majority of voters say the news media is making the United States more politically divided, according to a Hill-HarrisX poll released Friday.
The survey of 1,001 registered voters found that 75 percent believe that the way news is reported increases the political divide, compared to only 7 percent who say it has made the county less politically divided.
The issue found strong majority support among both Democrats and Republicans.
Eighty-four percent of GOP voters and 74 of Democratic voters believe the news media has contributed an increase in political polarization throughout the nation, as did 69 percent of independents.
President Trump and his allies have have frequently railed against the media, particularly when it comes to coverage of the administration and, increasingly, impeachment.
More
The survey of 1,001 registered voters found that 75 percent believe that the way news is reported increases the political divide, compared to only 7 percent who say it has made the county less politically divided.
The issue found strong majority support among both Democrats and Republicans.
Eighty-four percent of GOP voters and 74 of Democratic voters believe the news media has contributed an increase in political polarization throughout the nation, as did 69 percent of independents.
President Trump and his allies have have frequently railed against the media, particularly when it comes to coverage of the administration and, increasingly, impeachment.
More
UK Wind Farms Paid Millions Per Day NOT to Run Turbines
Last week, millions of pounds in “constraint payments” were paid to wind energy farms to not run their turbines.
Over £12 million was handed out to wind farms in the United Kingdom last week, following a major outage in a powerline that transported energy from Scottish wind farms to England. The handouts will be tacked onto consumers’ energy bills throughout the country.
The firms were paid between 25 and 80 per cent more than they would have earned were the turbines actually running, reports The Telegraph.
A study conducted in December by the Renewable Energy Foundation (REF) found that the UK handed out a record high £136 million to 86 wind farm owners last year in “constraint payments” when the grid was incapable of handling the energy flow.
More
Over £12 million was handed out to wind farms in the United Kingdom last week, following a major outage in a powerline that transported energy from Scottish wind farms to England. The handouts will be tacked onto consumers’ energy bills throughout the country.
The firms were paid between 25 and 80 per cent more than they would have earned were the turbines actually running, reports The Telegraph.
A study conducted in December by the Renewable Energy Foundation (REF) found that the UK handed out a record high £136 million to 86 wind farm owners last year in “constraint payments” when the grid was incapable of handling the energy flow.
More
Watch Adam Schiff Tell Three Laughable Impeachment Whoppers in Less Than 90 Seconds
It has been entertaining, to say the least, watching the "sad" and "somber" way in which the Democrats have conducted themselves on the Trump impeachment proceedings.
If the efforts to undo a presidential election, flout the Constitution and subvert the will of the American people using politically weaponized illegal surveillance and phony charges weren't so serious – and welcomed by so many many Democrats – it would be laughable.
For the "laughable" part of this pathetic scenario we turn to Adam Schiff. The primary House Manager for impeachment, who should be a material witness in the case for his dealings with the amazing, disappearing "whistleblower," worshiped at the altar of "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" on ABC News on Sunday. Schiff gamely reacted to the Trump legal team's first assertion that the House impeachment charges are facially unconstitutional.
More/Watch
If the efforts to undo a presidential election, flout the Constitution and subvert the will of the American people using politically weaponized illegal surveillance and phony charges weren't so serious – and welcomed by so many many Democrats – it would be laughable.
For the "laughable" part of this pathetic scenario we turn to Adam Schiff. The primary House Manager for impeachment, who should be a material witness in the case for his dealings with the amazing, disappearing "whistleblower," worshiped at the altar of "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" on ABC News on Sunday. Schiff gamely reacted to the Trump legal team's first assertion that the House impeachment charges are facially unconstitutional.
More/Watch
New York AG Letitia James’ obscene attack on the NYPD
New York’s top law enforcement official, Attorney General Letitia James, is going after . . . law enforcement.
On Monday, James said she’s probing the NYPD’s fare-evasion policing for racial bias. It’s a disgraceful pander.
“If NYers have been targeted because of the color of their skin, we will not hesitate to take legal action,” she tweeted. Well, sure: If cops were singling out minorities, she’d be remiss not to act. Yet there’s no evidence — none — of such targeting.
From October 2017 to June 2019, James notes, minorities got 70% of the fare-evasion summonses and accounted for 90% of arrests, though they’re only 52% of the wider population. But this tells you nothing unless you determine what percentage of farebeaters they are: James should have determined that before announcing any wider investigation.
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On Monday, James said she’s probing the NYPD’s fare-evasion policing for racial bias. It’s a disgraceful pander.
“If NYers have been targeted because of the color of their skin, we will not hesitate to take legal action,” she tweeted. Well, sure: If cops were singling out minorities, she’d be remiss not to act. Yet there’s no evidence — none — of such targeting.
From October 2017 to June 2019, James notes, minorities got 70% of the fare-evasion summonses and accounted for 90% of arrests, though they’re only 52% of the wider population. But this tells you nothing unless you determine what percentage of farebeaters they are: James should have determined that before announcing any wider investigation.
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The Impeachment ‘Kill Switch’
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is as of now including in the U.S. Senate impeachment trial rules a “kill switch” that effectively allows for the president’s legal team to seek an immediate verdict or dismissal of the case should Democrats engage in any shenanigans like they did in the House process.
The revelation comes after the House finally late last week formally sent the Articles of Impeachment it adopted before Christmas—after holding them for more than a month without transmission—to the U.S. Senate, thereby triggering the start of a Senate trial. The Senate will formally commence its trial procedures in votes this coming week, and while some Republicans want to outright dismiss the charges altogether from the outset, others believe a trial should take place.
In so finally transmitting the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also named impeachment case managers—the Democrats who will present and manage the House’s case to the Senate—last week. They include House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY). Both Schiff and Nadler were widely panned for the highly unfair process they ran in the House of Representatives, and many Senate Republicans do not trust them to refrain from playing games that seek to make the Senate trial unfair to the president as the highly partisan process in the House ended up.
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The revelation comes after the House finally late last week formally sent the Articles of Impeachment it adopted before Christmas—after holding them for more than a month without transmission—to the U.S. Senate, thereby triggering the start of a Senate trial. The Senate will formally commence its trial procedures in votes this coming week, and while some Republicans want to outright dismiss the charges altogether from the outset, others believe a trial should take place.
In so finally transmitting the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also named impeachment case managers—the Democrats who will present and manage the House’s case to the Senate—last week. They include House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY). Both Schiff and Nadler were widely panned for the highly unfair process they ran in the House of Representatives, and many Senate Republicans do not trust them to refrain from playing games that seek to make the Senate trial unfair to the president as the highly partisan process in the House ended up.
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Impeachment manager claims Trump attempted bribery, dodges when asked why it was not charge
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., one of the seven Democratic impeachment managers prosecuting President Trump before the Senate, accused Trump of attempting to commit bribery in his dealings with Ukraine, but when asked why this was not one of the articles of impeachment, he did not appear to have an explanation.
Bribery is one of the specific offenses mentioned in the Constitution’s discussion of impeachment. The House impeached Trump for alleged abuse of power -- itself is not a statutory crime – and obstruction of Congress, but Crow insisted Sunday that the president was still guilty of attempted bribery.
“Yeah, specifically he did attempt to bribe and coerce a foreign government official, in this case, the president of Ukraine,” Crow told CNN's "State of the Union."
“Then why isn’t that an article?” asked host Brianna Keilar.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/impeachment-manager-claims-trump-attempted-bribery-dodges-when-asked-why-it-was-not-charge
Bribery is one of the specific offenses mentioned in the Constitution’s discussion of impeachment. The House impeached Trump for alleged abuse of power -- itself is not a statutory crime – and obstruction of Congress, but Crow insisted Sunday that the president was still guilty of attempted bribery.
“Yeah, specifically he did attempt to bribe and coerce a foreign government official, in this case, the president of Ukraine,” Crow told CNN's "State of the Union."
“Then why isn’t that an article?” asked host Brianna Keilar.
More
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/impeachment-manager-claims-trump-attempted-bribery-dodges-when-asked-why-it-was-not-charge
Honduras Arrests U.S.-Bound Iranians as New Caravan Heads North from Central American Nation
As hundreds join a new U.S.-bound caravan in Honduras, authorities in the crime-infested Central American nation reveal that four Iranians were recently arrested there. Like thousands of illegal immigrants from around the world, the Iranians entered Honduras illegally and were heading north to the United States, according to a Honduran newspaper article that attributes the information to the president, Juan Orlando Hernández. The Iranians were transported to the capital, Tegucigalpa, and officials have launched an investigation.
Earlier this week Judicial Watch reported on a U.S. alert warning Mexico of armed Iranians planning to enter the country through the southern border, but it’s not clear if the cases are related and calls to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) went unanswered. The bulletin, issued by the Border Patrol’s regional intelligence operation center in Arizona, said that a Guatemalan national may try to smuggle five Middle Easterners—including a suicide bomber—into the U.S. through Mexico. The smuggler and four other men and a woman transited through Guatemala and Belize before reaching Veracruz, Mexico, according to the bulletin.
The U.S. alert didn’t faze a busy Mexican border city’s police chief, who confirms the region is full of Middle Easterners, Africans and Asians trekking north. In a Latin American news report published shortly after the U.S. issued the bulletin, Mexicali Police Chief María Elena Andrade Ramírez matter-of-factly said the arrival of people from the Middle East, Africa and Asia as well as the rest of the Americas is “normal” in her California border city of about a million residents.
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Earlier this week Judicial Watch reported on a U.S. alert warning Mexico of armed Iranians planning to enter the country through the southern border, but it’s not clear if the cases are related and calls to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) went unanswered. The bulletin, issued by the Border Patrol’s regional intelligence operation center in Arizona, said that a Guatemalan national may try to smuggle five Middle Easterners—including a suicide bomber—into the U.S. through Mexico. The smuggler and four other men and a woman transited through Guatemala and Belize before reaching Veracruz, Mexico, according to the bulletin.
The U.S. alert didn’t faze a busy Mexican border city’s police chief, who confirms the region is full of Middle Easterners, Africans and Asians trekking north. In a Latin American news report published shortly after the U.S. issued the bulletin, Mexicali Police Chief María Elena Andrade Ramírez matter-of-factly said the arrival of people from the Middle East, Africa and Asia as well as the rest of the Americas is “normal” in her California border city of about a million residents.
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Washington Post Presents Virginia Gun Rally as Charlottesville 2.0
The Washington Post is previewing the January 20, Virginia gun rights rally in a way that suggests a Charlottesville 2.0.
The rally, organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), is structured as Lobby Day; the day on which pro-Second Amendment citizens show up to support gun rights. VCDL’s Philip Van Cleave told CNN his group has been coming to the state Capitol every January 20 since 2003 without incident.
This year took a new turn when Gov. Ralph Northam (D) voiced concerns over so-called “violent rhetoric” and put a gun ban in place to guarantee the pro-Second Amendment citizens in attendance cannot be armed.
The Post reports on various self-declared militia members who are coming in from other states to attend the rally, and they note the militia members who pledged to never return to Charlottesville while armed made no such pledge regarding Richmond, the location of Monday’s rally.
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The rally, organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), is structured as Lobby Day; the day on which pro-Second Amendment citizens show up to support gun rights. VCDL’s Philip Van Cleave told CNN his group has been coming to the state Capitol every January 20 since 2003 without incident.
This year took a new turn when Gov. Ralph Northam (D) voiced concerns over so-called “violent rhetoric” and put a gun ban in place to guarantee the pro-Second Amendment citizens in attendance cannot be armed.
The Post reports on various self-declared militia members who are coming in from other states to attend the rally, and they note the militia members who pledged to never return to Charlottesville while armed made no such pledge regarding Richmond, the location of Monday’s rally.
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2 more Puerto Rico officials fired after warehouse break-in
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Gov. Wanda Vázquez fired the heads of Puerto Rico's housing and family departments Sunday in the latest fallout over the discovery of a warehouse filled with emergency supplies dating from Hurricane Maria.
The removal of Housing Secretary Fernando Gil and Department of Family Secretary Glorimar Andújar came a day after the governor fired the director of Puerto Rico's emergency management agency. Vázquez fired him hours after a video posted to Facebook shows a warehouse in Ponce filled with thousands of cases of water and other much-needed supplies that are believed to have dated back to the hurricane that struck the island in 2017, ABC News has learned.
"In the last days there have been actions by members of the government that are not acceptable"... I will not permit this type of conduct in my government," Vazquez said.
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The removal of Housing Secretary Fernando Gil and Department of Family Secretary Glorimar Andújar came a day after the governor fired the director of Puerto Rico's emergency management agency. Vázquez fired him hours after a video posted to Facebook shows a warehouse in Ponce filled with thousands of cases of water and other much-needed supplies that are believed to have dated back to the hurricane that struck the island in 2017, ABC News has learned.
"In the last days there have been actions by members of the government that are not acceptable"... I will not permit this type of conduct in my government," Vazquez said.
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Warren Confronted About Whether It’s Okay To Lie To The American Public, Refuses To Answer
Democrat presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) refused to answer a question from a CBS reporter on Sunday about whether it was acceptable for a presidential candidate to lie to the American public.
CBS News campaign reporter Zak Hudak asked Warren: “Is it disqualifying for a presidential candidate to lie to the American public about anything?”
“Um, I think that, that we just do our best out there every day, and I hope that’s what happens with everyone,” Warren responded.
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CBS News campaign reporter Zak Hudak asked Warren: “Is it disqualifying for a presidential candidate to lie to the American public about anything?”
“Um, I think that, that we just do our best out there every day, and I hope that’s what happens with everyone,” Warren responded.
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