Seattle now has on its payroll a convicted pimp who once vowed to “go to war” with the city — a $150,000 “street czar” whose mission is to come up with “alternatives to policing,” reports said.
Andre Taylor — who appeared in the documentary “American Pimp” about his life as “Gorgeous Dre” — is getting $12,500 per month for a year, along with an office in Seattle’s Municipal Tower, according to the contract published by PubliCola.
It comes just a year after his organization, Not This Time, was paid $100,000 to sponsor a speaker series that was called “Conversations with the Streets.”
Taylor led one of the first rallies in Seattle after the police-custody death of George Floyd,
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
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Wednesday, September 23, 2020
Flashback: Obama, Biden, and Pelosi Demanded SCOTUS Vacancy Be Filled Before the 2016 Election
As soon as the news broke Friday that Ruth Bader Ginsburg had passed away, it feels like it wasn’t five minutes before the mainstream media was talking about Republican hypocrisy.
Digging up quotes from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell from the 2016 Merrick Garland nomination fight to use against Republicans.
And that hypocrisy, by the way, is uniform. The three most powerful Democrats right now, almost inarguably, are former President Barack Obama, former Vice President (and current presidential nominee) Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
All three have been against President Donald Trump nominating a replacement for Ginsburg on the court, saying the Senate has the obligation to wait until the election.
But while the mainstream media may have forgotten the words of former President Barry Hussein, the Republicans have not.
“When there is a vacancy on the Supreme Court, the president of the United States is to nominate someone, the Senate is to consider that nomination,” Obama said.
“Either they disapprove of that nominee, or that nominee is elevated to the Supreme Court.
“I’m amused when I hear people who claim to be strict interpreters of the Constitution suddenly reading into it a whole series of provisions that are not there,” Obama jabbed.
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Digging up quotes from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell from the 2016 Merrick Garland nomination fight to use against Republicans.
And that hypocrisy, by the way, is uniform. The three most powerful Democrats right now, almost inarguably, are former President Barack Obama, former Vice President (and current presidential nominee) Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
All three have been against President Donald Trump nominating a replacement for Ginsburg on the court, saying the Senate has the obligation to wait until the election.
But while the mainstream media may have forgotten the words of former President Barry Hussein, the Republicans have not.
“When there is a vacancy on the Supreme Court, the president of the United States is to nominate someone, the Senate is to consider that nomination,” Obama said.
“Either they disapprove of that nominee, or that nominee is elevated to the Supreme Court.
“I’m amused when I hear people who claim to be strict interpreters of the Constitution suddenly reading into it a whole series of provisions that are not there,” Obama jabbed.
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CNN's Don Lemon: Unhinged
'We're Going To Have To Blow Up the Entire System' and Abolish the Electoral College'
When your ideas are so far to the left that even Chris Cuomo thinks they’re radical, you may have gone too far.
That’s what happened during a CNN segment on Monday night. Don Lemon suggested that Democrats must “blow up the entire system” if a Trump Supreme Court nominee is confirmed by the Senate before the November election — a suggestion that stunned even the very liberal Cuomo.
“We’re going to have to blow up the entire system,” Lemon told his CNN colleague.
“I don’t know about that,” Cuomo responded.
Lemon went on to attack the Electoral College.
Lemon suggested stacking the courts and amending the Constitution with an infuriating tone of moral superiority. It seems incredible that even someone as far left as Lemon truly believes not only that Joe Biden will be elected president but also that he will have enough congressional and state support to amend the Constitution.
When your ideas are so far to the left that even Chris Cuomo thinks they’re radical, you may have gone too far.
That’s what happened during a CNN segment on Monday night. Don Lemon suggested that Democrats must “blow up the entire system” if a Trump Supreme Court nominee is confirmed by the Senate before the November election — a suggestion that stunned even the very liberal Cuomo.
“We’re going to have to blow up the entire system,” Lemon told his CNN colleague.
“I don’t know about that,” Cuomo responded.
Lemon went on to attack the Electoral College.
Lemon suggested stacking the courts and amending the Constitution with an infuriating tone of moral superiority. It seems incredible that even someone as far left as Lemon truly believes not only that Joe Biden will be elected president but also that he will have enough congressional and state support to amend the Constitution.
BLM Agitators Surround Truck, Demand Passenger Raise Fist and Chant 'Black Lives Matter'
In case anyone was wondering whether Portland, Oregon, was still a nightmarish hellscape of endless protests and violence, the answer is a resounding “yes.”
One incident caught on video Sunday showed Black Lives Matter and antifa protesters have not given up on the chaos that has plagued the city since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody on May 25.
The video showed the protesters descend on a black pickup truck and approach the passenger side.
They told the man seated inside the vehicle to raise his fist and say “black lives matter.”
“It lets us know that you’re cool,” a male protester told the man.
The man had his fist up as the protesters continued to pester him to say the slogan, inserting an expletive even as he explained he’d already said their phrase.
“Say f—ing ‘black lives matter’ right now,” another protester said.
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One incident caught on video Sunday showed Black Lives Matter and antifa protesters have not given up on the chaos that has plagued the city since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody on May 25.
The video showed the protesters descend on a black pickup truck and approach the passenger side.
They told the man seated inside the vehicle to raise his fist and say “black lives matter.”
“It lets us know that you’re cool,” a male protester told the man.
The man had his fist up as the protesters continued to pester him to say the slogan, inserting an expletive even as he explained he’d already said their phrase.
“Say f—ing ‘black lives matter’ right now,” another protester said.
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Flight attendant, passenger argue over American flag-themed neck gaiter
A Spirit Airlines passenger who was wearing an American flag-themed neck gaiter as a mask touched off a viral, caught-on-camera altercation when he refused to switch the face covering that an airline attendant said was “not legal.”
The exchange, recorded by the passenger and posted to social media last week, prompted the airline to release a statement clarifying that it follows the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says “gaiters may not be effective.”
In the clip, posted to Twitter by SV News, the man repeatedly asks the attendant to “show me those rules” put out by the CDC regarding the use of gaiters for a face covering.
“I don’t have to wear the mask that you gave me,” the passenger says, according to the video. “I’m wearing the mask that I have … I’ve been on 20 flights with this same exact mask.”
Before the attendant walks away, he tells the passenger the airline will “have the authorities waiting for you when we land.”
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The exchange, recorded by the passenger and posted to social media last week, prompted the airline to release a statement clarifying that it follows the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says “gaiters may not be effective.”
In the clip, posted to Twitter by SV News, the man repeatedly asks the attendant to “show me those rules” put out by the CDC regarding the use of gaiters for a face covering.
“I don’t have to wear the mask that you gave me,” the passenger says, according to the video. “I’m wearing the mask that I have … I’ve been on 20 flights with this same exact mask.”
Before the attendant walks away, he tells the passenger the airline will “have the authorities waiting for you when we land.”
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Party City orders Virginia store to pull Confederate soldier kids’ Halloween costumes
Costume and party supplies store Party City ordered one of its franchises to pull a kids’ Confederate soldier costume from its shelves after facing backlash about the outfit being racist.
Caroline Brasler, who is the adoptive mother to two young black daughters, said she came across the Civil War costumes emblazoned with the Confederate flag while shopping Sunday at the location in Crossroads, Virginia, news station WUSA reported.
“The Confederate flag to me is a symbol of racism. To have that out there for a child to wear on Halloween sends so many horrible messages,” she told the outlet.
One of the costumes was labeled “Confederate Officer” and came with a Confederate flag on the hat, while the other was supposed to be Confederate General Robert E. Lee, the outlet reported.
Brasler said that after seeing the costumes there, she decided to take her daughters elsewhere to buy their Halloween gear.
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Caroline Brasler, who is the adoptive mother to two young black daughters, said she came across the Civil War costumes emblazoned with the Confederate flag while shopping Sunday at the location in Crossroads, Virginia, news station WUSA reported.
“The Confederate flag to me is a symbol of racism. To have that out there for a child to wear on Halloween sends so many horrible messages,” she told the outlet.
One of the costumes was labeled “Confederate Officer” and came with a Confederate flag on the hat, while the other was supposed to be Confederate General Robert E. Lee, the outlet reported.
Brasler said that after seeing the costumes there, she decided to take her daughters elsewhere to buy their Halloween gear.
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Michael Bloomberg pays fines for 32K Florida felons so they can vote
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has helped pay the outstanding fines and fees of 32,000 convicted felons in Florida so they could regain their right to vote ahead of the November election, according to a report.
The billionaire and former presidential candidate raised over $16 million for, and donated $5 million to, the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, according to Axios.
Bloomberg’s push would benefit ex-cons as part of a 2018 state constitutional amendment allowing felons who have served their time to regain their right to vote.
Before they can regain that right, however, they need to pay any fines, fees or restitution.
In a statement to the news outlet, a representative for Bloomberg said, “The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy and no American should be denied that right. Working together with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, we are determined to end disenfranchisement and the discrimination that has always driven it.”
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The billionaire and former presidential candidate raised over $16 million for, and donated $5 million to, the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, according to Axios.
Bloomberg’s push would benefit ex-cons as part of a 2018 state constitutional amendment allowing felons who have served their time to regain their right to vote.
Before they can regain that right, however, they need to pay any fines, fees or restitution.
In a statement to the news outlet, a representative for Bloomberg said, “The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy and no American should be denied that right. Working together with the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, we are determined to end disenfranchisement and the discrimination that has always driven it.”
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Top Democrats threaten to pack Supreme Court if Trump fills RBG seat
A rising number of prominent Democrats are speaking out in favor of “packing” the Supreme Court as fears mount over the impending reality that the nation’s highest bench will soon hold a considerable conservative majority.
As the country mourned the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday, President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said they would move forward on a vote for her replacement.
The idea sparked fury in the Democratic party, leading numerous prominent figures to voice their support for court “packing,” or filling the nation’s highest bench with more than the original nine judges.
Obama-era Attorney General Eric Holder, who previously touted court packing as a possibility for Democrats during the 2019 Democratic primary, reignited the issue over the weekend while speaking to MSNBC.
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As the country mourned the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday, President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said they would move forward on a vote for her replacement.
The idea sparked fury in the Democratic party, leading numerous prominent figures to voice their support for court “packing,” or filling the nation’s highest bench with more than the original nine judges.
Obama-era Attorney General Eric Holder, who previously touted court packing as a possibility for Democrats during the 2019 Democratic primary, reignited the issue over the weekend while speaking to MSNBC.
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Trick-or-treating, costume masks and Halloween parties discouraged by CDC this year
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued its first guidance for the holidays, including Halloween, amid the raging coronavirus pandemic in a new posting on its website Monday night.
Door-to-door trick-or-treating and costume masks and parties are discouraged this year due to the pandemic, the CDC said.
"Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses," the agency said in its posting. "There are several safer, alternative ways to participate in Halloween."
The new guidance lists "low-risk, moderate and higher risk activities" for celebrating All Hallow's Eve.
Door-to-door trick-or-treating and costume masks and parties are discouraged this year due to the pandemic, the CDC said.
"Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses," the agency said in its posting. "There are several safer, alternative ways to participate in Halloween."
The new guidance lists "low-risk, moderate and higher risk activities" for celebrating All Hallow's Eve.
Virginia House committee votes to kill bill on reducing charge for assaulting police
A small win on Tuesday for Virginia law enforcement. A House committee voted to kill a Democratic-backed bill that would have given judges and juries the discretion to reduce the charge of assault and battery on a law enforcement officer from a felony to a misdemeanor if the officer is not seriously hurt.
The bill, introduced by Sen. Scott A. Surovell (D-Fairfax), would eliminate the mandatory minimum sentence for assault and battery charges against police, judges, magistrates, correctional officers and firefighters, which is currently six months in jail.
Surovell argued that the felony assault charge is too harsh of a penalty as it is frequently used in encounters that are inconsequential. While the charge remains to be a felony, the measure gives a judge or jury the power to reduce it to a misdemeanor if the incident did not result in a bodily injury.
The House Courts of Justice Committee on Tuesday approved a suggestion from Del. JefAf Bourne (D-Richmond) to have the Virginia State Crime Commission study the legislation, a motion that essentially killed the bill for the special session.
Double absentee ballots accidentally sent to some Henrico voters
HENRICO, Va. (WWBT) - Employees in the Henrico County Registrar’s Office are working to notify roughly 100 voters after they were sent double absentee ballots. they were sent double absentee ballots.
Mark Coakley, the General Registrar for Henrico, said a printing error is what led to those double ballots being mailed.
“We knew right when we mailed them out; when we saw labels in the garbage can, ones that were jammed and we said ‘oh, we reprinted these,’” he said.
More than 37,000 absentee ballots were requested for this election in Henrico. However, there was a slight hiccup when mailing these ballots to several dozen voters.
Some voters have already contacted the registrar’s office to notify them of the problem. Coakley added some have contacted political parties as well.
However, one voter said he is concerned about the possibility of voters trying to vote twice in this major election; something which Coakley said cannot happen.
“Your ballot is only going to count once,” he said. “Whatever ballot you bring back, you can bring both ballots back and we will void and destroy the second ballot.”
77-year-old veteran in California attacked for wearing MAGA hat
A 77-year-old military veteran was attacked in California for wearing a MAGA hat supporting President Trump and a Back the Blue mask with a blue line in support of police, according to a report.
The victim, who did not want to be identified, told KRCR-TV the attack came out of nowhere, surprising him, last Friday in broad daylight at the Red Bluff post office.
He said he was approached by a man and woman: "She looked at me and she goes, 'We just don't like people like you.' Just kind of got shocked a little bit and said, 'Well, that breaks my heart,' and no more sooner out of my mouth, I get hit on the left side of my head. "
He said then the man engaged further: "Then somehow he got me in a headlock and started pounding me on top of my head ... I got blood all over the place and I'm trying to figure, you know, where's my hat, where's my package?"
Red Bluff Police arrested 26-year-old Daniel Gomez-Martinez for battery and elder abuse.
The vet was hospitalized and said he still has headaches from the attack three days later.
Florida high school bans football team's police flag after critics deem it "openly racist"
A thin blue line flag has been banned by a local high school in Neptune Beach, Florida following a series of complaints that circulated on social media, according to a report by News4Jax.
According to the outlet, the Fletcher High School football team started carrying the pro-law enforcement flag last year, as a way for one of its players, Caelan Lavender, to honor his late father, Cpl. Andy Lavender. Mr. Lavender was a Jacksonville Beach police officer who unexpectedly passed away in August 2019 after 29 years in law enforcement, and was active in sports programs.
“He was one of a kind,” his wife, Lorie Lavender, told News4Jax. “And he is very much missed and loved.”
The team's use of the symbol received swift backlash online, with some calling the move "openly racist."