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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
Thursday, August 29, 2019
President Trump's New Immigration Rules Work for the American People
# Resistance goes nuts blaming Trump for nixing citizenship for military kids born overseas...only he didn't
Mainstream media, Democrats, and #Resistance Twitter have united to eviscerate a change to citizenship policy regarding children of overseas-deployed military members. The only problem is, they're all reading the policy wrong.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services released an update to its policies on how citizenship is assigned to children of American citizens born overseas on Wednesday. The admittedly confusing document centered on the definition of the term 'residence' and how it figures in the transmission of citizenship from parents to child - a potentially thorny subject, given the Trump administration's occasional threat to do away with birthright citizenship.
Commentators pounced on the document, interpreting it to mean that children born to members of the US military stationed overseas would no longer receive automatic citizenship at birth. An avalanche of accusations followed - this was "gross disrespect for our troops and government workers," who would surely abandon their posts en masse at being so ill-treated.
Except... that wasn't what the policy said. NBC's Ken Dilanian - one of the first reporters to come out with a story - deleted his original tweet after it had been reposted dozens of times, and posted a correction.
More
US Citizenship and Immigration Services released an update to its policies on how citizenship is assigned to children of American citizens born overseas on Wednesday. The admittedly confusing document centered on the definition of the term 'residence' and how it figures in the transmission of citizenship from parents to child - a potentially thorny subject, given the Trump administration's occasional threat to do away with birthright citizenship.
Commentators pounced on the document, interpreting it to mean that children born to members of the US military stationed overseas would no longer receive automatic citizenship at birth. An avalanche of accusations followed - this was "gross disrespect for our troops and government workers," who would surely abandon their posts en masse at being so ill-treated.
Except... that wasn't what the policy said. NBC's Ken Dilanian - one of the first reporters to come out with a story - deleted his original tweet after it had been reposted dozens of times, and posted a correction.
More
'The one I was really afraid of': Trump trolls Democrats over Gillibrand 2020 withdrawal
President Trump joked about Kirsten Gillibrand’s departure from the crowded Democratic presidential field.
About an hour after the news broke Wednesday, Trump took to Twitter to mock the 52-year-old New York senator for bowing out.
“A sad day for the Democrats, Kirsten Gillibrand has dropped out of the Presidential Primary. I’m glad they never found out that she was the one I was really afraid of!” Trump said.
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About an hour after the news broke Wednesday, Trump took to Twitter to mock the 52-year-old New York senator for bowing out.
“A sad day for the Democrats, Kirsten Gillibrand has dropped out of the Presidential Primary. I’m glad they never found out that she was the one I was really afraid of!” Trump said.
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Trump administration puts Vermont hospital on notice for allegedly forcing Catholic nurse to help with abortion
The Trump administration sent a notice Wednesday to the University of Vermont Medical Center after a federal investigation concluded the hospital forced a Catholic nurse to assist with an abortion despite her objections to the procedure.
The hospital has 30 days to show it won't force healthcare workers to violate their beliefs. If it does not, the complaint will go to another agency, the Health Resources and Services Administration, which will kick off a review process. The Burlington, Vermont-based hospital may lose government funding if it fails to make changes.
"We do not want a society where on the issue of life and death people are forced to violate their deepest-held beliefs," Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights, said in a phone call with reporters Wednesday.
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The hospital has 30 days to show it won't force healthcare workers to violate their beliefs. If it does not, the complaint will go to another agency, the Health Resources and Services Administration, which will kick off a review process. The Burlington, Vermont-based hospital may lose government funding if it fails to make changes.
"We do not want a society where on the issue of life and death people are forced to violate their deepest-held beliefs," Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights, said in a phone call with reporters Wednesday.
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Second Phase Of Multi-Jurisdictional Crime Reduction Effort In Wicomico County Yields 11 Arrests
(SALISBURY, MD) –Maryland State Police, in partnership with allied agencies, assisted in the arrest of 11 people, as part of the second phase of a multi-jurisdictional effort to reduce the amount of crimes of violence and firearm violations in Wicomico County.
As part of a multi-jurisdictional law enforcement operation, the Maryland State Police Gang Enforcement Unit-East, along with allied law enforcement agencies across the state, planned, coordinated and implemented a crime fighting initiative. The goal was to help further numerous recent on-going investigations regarding crimes of violence, handgun violations and other crimes that had been reported in specific locations of Salisbury, Maryland. This operation follows a similar initiative from Aug. 22, which led to seven additional arrests in the same area.
Along with the arrests, the operation also yielded the following:
55 traffic stops
71 traffic citations
2 firearms
Seizure of suspected controlled dangerous substances including fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana and alprazolam
Those arrested were:
Kenneth James Bryant, 25, of Salisbury, Maryland – Warrant arrest for violation of probation
Joseph Terrell Gie, 34, of Salisbury, Maryland – Warrant arrest for failing to appear in Worchester County, Maryland
Larry Oxendine, 45, of Salisbury, Maryland – Violation of a protection order
Jonathan Turner-Brown, 25, of Salisbury, Maryland – Drug possession (not marijuana)
Jimmy Joe Davis Lake, 42, of Snow Hill, Maryland – Warrant arrest for first-degree burglary and related offenses through the Circuit Court for Worchester County, Maryland
Anthoney Allen Gambrill, 18, of Salisbury, Maryland – Driving while intoxicated and related charges
Demetric Cropper, 41, of Salisbury, MD – Warrant arrest for violation of probation through Wicomico County, Maryland
Esco Qu’ran Parker, 18, of Salisbury, Maryland – Disorderly conduct
James Washington Bryant, 35, of Salisbury, Maryland – Warrant arrest for failure to appear in Somerset County, Maryland
Kevin Lindele Parker, 34, of Salisbury, Maryland – Possession with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances and other related drugs and weapons charges
The operation also led to the arrest of a 16-year-old male on drug distribution charges. In addition, at least one of those arrested had ties to an organized gang.
The Maryland State Police Gang Enforcement Unit- East partnered with the Salisbury Police Department, Wicomico County State’s Attorney Office, Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations- RAC Eastern Shore Office, Maryland State Police Gun Enforcement Unit- East, Maryland State Police S.T.A.T.E. Team, Maryland State Police Salisbury Barrack and the Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force to complete this operation.
This investigation was made possible in part due to funds provided by the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention (GOCCP), which supports the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN).
Maryland MS-13 gang member sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for participating in a violent racketeering conspiracy, including a murder
Planned and participated in the murder of a victim believed to be a rival gang member
BALTIMORE — An MS-13 gang member from Maryland was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in federal prison for participating in the racketeering enterprise known as La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, including a murder.
Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Daniel Flores-Ventura, aka “Necio,” 26, of Aspen Hill, Maryland, to 360 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
This sentence was announced by the following agency heads: U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur, District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boon, FBI Baltimore Field Office; Chief Barry M. Barnard of Prince William County, Virginia Police; and Chief Edward Hargis of the Frederick Police Department.
“This sentence reaffirms the message that the violence perpetrated by MS-13 members and associates will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Our ongoing work with our law enforcement partners to bring MS-13 members to justice demonstrates our unflagging commitment to eliminate MS-13 and its campaign of wanton violence.”
Hogan Administration Announces Grants Totaling $10 Million to Fight Heroin and Opioid Epidemic
ANNAPOLIS, MD — Maryland’s Opioid Operational Command Center (OOCC), in coordination with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, today announced nearly $10 million in grants to fight the heroin and opioid epidemic during fiscal year 2020.
“Our administration continues to be committed to using every resource possible to ensure our local jurisdictions have access to life-saving resources such as programs aimed towards prevention, treatment, and recovery,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “These grants are a powerful tool for our local communities in our fight against the opioid epidemic.”
The funding for Fiscal Year 2020 is part of a $50 million, five-year commitment from the administration announced in 2017.
“Combatting the ongoing opioid epidemic and saving the lives of Marylanders continues to be a top priority of this administration,” said Lt. Governor Boyd K. Rutherford. “The programs and recipients of this funding represent the comprehensive, holistic approach we are taking to address this issue from all angles.”
“I am delighted that more than fifty critical programs all across the state of Maryland will be funded through more than $5.6 million in competitive grants, in addition to $4 million in block grants that will be distributed to each of the individual jurisdictions to determine how best to fight the opioid epidemic,” said Steve Schuh, Executive Director of the Opioid Operational Command Center. “As Governor Hogan observed from the beginning of this crisis, this battle will be won through the combined efforts of all of the local communities across the state. The OOCC supports all of these great programs.”
Efforts that will receive funding in FY 2020 include:
Barking mad! Wealthy residents of posh Chevy Chase neighborhood in Maryland try and ban excessively loud dogs at new park
Some may take the barking at the dog park in the wealthy village of Chevy Chase, Maryland, as a vote of approval from its canine users.
Not, however, from the residents who live next door to the fenced-in triangle.
To them, the barking has become such a disruption to their peace, they got the village to put up signs warning, 'no excessive barking.'
The complaints, however, have kept coming.
'Around dinner time, I'd like to be able to sit on my deck and maybe read a book and chat with a friend or have a glass of wine, and the dogs are barking,' neighbor Joanie Edwards told the board in an audio recording of its May meeting.
Residents living near the dog exercise area at Brookville Road Park barked loud enough about the noisy canines that the Chevy Chase Board of Managers is now considering scrapping the park, which opened in July 2018.
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Not, however, from the residents who live next door to the fenced-in triangle.
To them, the barking has become such a disruption to their peace, they got the village to put up signs warning, 'no excessive barking.'
The complaints, however, have kept coming.
'Around dinner time, I'd like to be able to sit on my deck and maybe read a book and chat with a friend or have a glass of wine, and the dogs are barking,' neighbor Joanie Edwards told the board in an audio recording of its May meeting.
Residents living near the dog exercise area at Brookville Road Park barked loud enough about the noisy canines that the Chevy Chase Board of Managers is now considering scrapping the park, which opened in July 2018.
More
UNCLE OF ITALIAN GIRL MURDERED BY MIGRANTS THREATENS TO SHOW PHOTOS OF HER DISMEMBERED BODY IF IMMIGRATION LAWS LOOSENED
The Uncle of an Italian girl who was raped and murdered by a Nigerian migrant has threatened to show photos of her dismembered body to the Italian parliament if the country’s new government repeals Matteo Salvini’s strict immigration laws.
Following the collapse of Italy’s coalition government, led by populist firebrand Salvini, the 5 star movement is set to form a new coalition with the left of center Partito Democratico (PD).
This prospect led the Uncle of 18-year-old Pamela Mastropietro, who was raped, murdered and dismembered by a Nigerian “cannibal mafia” in the Italian town of Macerata, to threaten to display photos of his niece’s remains to the public.
Marco Valerio Verni has threatened to display blown-up images of the victim, which left her unrecognizable, “To remind those in power of the catastrophic effects of illegal immigration.”
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Following the collapse of Italy’s coalition government, led by populist firebrand Salvini, the 5 star movement is set to form a new coalition with the left of center Partito Democratico (PD).
This prospect led the Uncle of 18-year-old Pamela Mastropietro, who was raped, murdered and dismembered by a Nigerian “cannibal mafia” in the Italian town of Macerata, to threaten to display photos of his niece’s remains to the public.
Marco Valerio Verni has threatened to display blown-up images of the victim, which left her unrecognizable, “To remind those in power of the catastrophic effects of illegal immigration.”
More
Immigrants already dropping benefits ahead of new Trump rule, California counties say
Two Democratic-led California counties asked a federal court on Wednesday to immediately block the Trump administration's so-called "public charge" regulation, saying fearful immigrants in their diverse communities are foregoing essential health and social benefits as a direct result of the rule's scheduled implementation in October.
In a new filing in their legal challenge to the controversial proposal by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the populous counties of Santa Clara and San Francisco are hoping to convince the U.S. District Court of Northern California to issue an preliminary injunction by demonstrating that the regulation is already inflicting "irreparable harm" to their residents.
"If this rule would go into effect, you can't the undo the damage of people who are not going to be accessing public health services, not going to be accessing needed governmental services or programs," James Williams, counsel for Santa Clara County, told CBS News on Wednesday. "That damage can't be undone and that's why the rule needs to be blocked now."
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In a new filing in their legal challenge to the controversial proposal by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the populous counties of Santa Clara and San Francisco are hoping to convince the U.S. District Court of Northern California to issue an preliminary injunction by demonstrating that the regulation is already inflicting "irreparable harm" to their residents.
"If this rule would go into effect, you can't the undo the damage of people who are not going to be accessing public health services, not going to be accessing needed governmental services or programs," James Williams, counsel for Santa Clara County, told CBS News on Wednesday. "That damage can't be undone and that's why the rule needs to be blocked now."
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Bill Barr books Trump hotel for $30K 'Family Holiday Party'
Attorney General William Barr reserved space in President Trump’s hotel, blocks from the White House, for a holiday party.
The December booking at Trump International Hotel could bring Trump’s business more than $30,000.
Barr signed a contract, obtained by the Washington Post, for what was described as a family holiday party for 200 people in the hotel’s presidential ballroom on Dec. 8. The party will have a buffet and a four-hour open bar.
The attorney general, who hosts a holiday party each year, is picking up the tab himself and only reserved space in the hotel after other prominent hotels in the city were booked, a Justice Department official said. The official said Barr was not trying to score points with his boss.
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The December booking at Trump International Hotel could bring Trump’s business more than $30,000.
Barr signed a contract, obtained by the Washington Post, for what was described as a family holiday party for 200 people in the hotel’s presidential ballroom on Dec. 8. The party will have a buffet and a four-hour open bar.
The attorney general, who hosts a holiday party each year, is picking up the tab himself and only reserved space in the hotel after other prominent hotels in the city were booked, a Justice Department official said. The official said Barr was not trying to score points with his boss.
More
Trump’s Twitter tops all leading 2020 Democrats in most states
Gamblers are digging deep for tricks to gaming the 2020 presidential race, and the latest is looking at social media for help.
Betonline.ag shared a U.S. map of Trump and Democratic Twitter hashtags that shows the president’s supporters dominating in 38 states with 365 electoral votes. 270 are needed to win.
In fact, in those 38 states, “pro-Trump hashtags are used more than all 10 of the Democratic candidate hashtags combined,” said the betting service.
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Betonline.ag shared a U.S. map of Trump and Democratic Twitter hashtags that shows the president’s supporters dominating in 38 states with 365 electoral votes. 270 are needed to win.
In fact, in those 38 states, “pro-Trump hashtags are used more than all 10 of the Democratic candidate hashtags combined,” said the betting service.
More
Doorbell-camera firm Ring has partnered with 400 police forces
The doorbell-camera company Ring has quietly forged video-sharing partnerships with more than 400 police forces across the United States, granting them access to homeowners' camera footage and a powerful role in what the company calls America's "new neighborhood watch."
The partnerships let police automatically request the video recorded by homeowners' cameras within a specific time and area, helping officers see footage from the company's millions of Internet-connected cameras installed nationwide, the company said. Officers don't receive ongoing or live-video access, and homeowners can decline the requests, which are sent via emails that thank them for "making your neighborhood a safer place."
The number of police deals, which has not previously been reported, will likely fuel broader questions about privacy, surveillance and the expanding reach of tech giants and local police. The rapid growth of the program, which launched last spring, surprised some civil-liberties advocates, who believed fewer than 300 agencies had signed on.
Ring is owned by Amazon.
More
The partnerships let police automatically request the video recorded by homeowners' cameras within a specific time and area, helping officers see footage from the company's millions of Internet-connected cameras installed nationwide, the company said. Officers don't receive ongoing or live-video access, and homeowners can decline the requests, which are sent via emails that thank them for "making your neighborhood a safer place."
The number of police deals, which has not previously been reported, will likely fuel broader questions about privacy, surveillance and the expanding reach of tech giants and local police. The rapid growth of the program, which launched last spring, surprised some civil-liberties advocates, who believed fewer than 300 agencies had signed on.
Ring is owned by Amazon.
More
Federal agents raid Detroit-area home of UAW president Gary Jones
Chicago — Federal agents on Wednesday descended on the homes of top officials with one of the nation's largest unions. FBI raids on the homes of Gary Jones — the current president of the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Dennis Williams his immediate predecessor — signaled a dramatic escalation of a four-year probe into illegal payments to union officials.
The corruption investigation has so far led to the convictions of eight people linked to the UAW and to Fiat-Chrysler involving bribes and kickbacks designed to influence the nation's sixth largest union's bargaining position at contract talks with automakers.
Peter Henning, a former federal prosecutor and a law professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, explained what's next in the case.
"Prosecutors are going to look at everything that they get and make a real effort to see if there were payoffs to the top leadership of the United Auto Workers," Henning said. "And if there were, that could be a disaster not only for the UAW, but also for the automakers."
More
The corruption investigation has so far led to the convictions of eight people linked to the UAW and to Fiat-Chrysler involving bribes and kickbacks designed to influence the nation's sixth largest union's bargaining position at contract talks with automakers.
Peter Henning, a former federal prosecutor and a law professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, explained what's next in the case.
"Prosecutors are going to look at everything that they get and make a real effort to see if there were payoffs to the top leadership of the United Auto Workers," Henning said. "And if there were, that could be a disaster not only for the UAW, but also for the automakers."
More
DC school warns parents they'll call Child & Family Services if you're late for pickup
WASHINGTON — Parents know the start of the school year means a lot of routine paperwork: permission slips, supply lists, policies and procedures.
But a D.C. mom couldn’t believe the strongly worded letter she received from her child’s school. This mom said the principal sent a warning to parents that if they don’t pick up their kid on time, the Child and Family Services Agency will be called.
So, we wanted to get to the bottom of this one. Can schools call Child Protective Services on a parent simply because they’re running late? And what does that mean for the family?
The mom from Patterson Elementary received that "welcome back to school letter" that outraged her -- she said she even considered it a threat.
More
But a D.C. mom couldn’t believe the strongly worded letter she received from her child’s school. This mom said the principal sent a warning to parents that if they don’t pick up their kid on time, the Child and Family Services Agency will be called.
So, we wanted to get to the bottom of this one. Can schools call Child Protective Services on a parent simply because they’re running late? And what does that mean for the family?
The mom from Patterson Elementary received that "welcome back to school letter" that outraged her -- she said she even considered it a threat.
More
Woman angry at Biden buys $500,000 in ads against him
A wealthy private citizen named Shirley Shawe has purchased $500,000 in ad time in early-voting states to slam Joe Biden over a business dispute that negatively affected her son's company years ago. The ad, which has little to do with 2020 issues, instead focuses on a bit of business arcana, the Delaware Chancery Court system, which was formed to adjudicate business disputes involving Delaware-based corporations.
"The Delaware court is too male, too white and anything but open," the ad's narrator says of court system.
The ad, shown here, bashes the Chancery Court and ties Biden to them, highlighting snippets of a 14-minute exchange in a 2005 Senate hearing between then-Senator Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren, who was a Harvard law professor at the time. Shawe's ad accuses Biden of corruptly defending the system as Warren attacks it.
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"The Delaware court is too male, too white and anything but open," the ad's narrator says of court system.
The ad, shown here, bashes the Chancery Court and ties Biden to them, highlighting snippets of a 14-minute exchange in a 2005 Senate hearing between then-Senator Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren, who was a Harvard law professor at the time. Shawe's ad accuses Biden of corruptly defending the system as Warren attacks it.
More
Americans’ View of the Current Economy is the Highest in 19 Years
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Costco opened its first China flagship store — and things got crazy
It was an open-and-quickly-shut deal.
China’s flagship Costco outlet opened its doors Tuesday morning in suburban Shanghai, only to close them several hours later after the store became swamped with mobs brawling over discounted items, Bloomberg reported.
Clips circulating on Weibo and other Chinese social media show customers crammed in aisles, playing tug-of-war with raw poultry and elbowing other shoppers out of the way.
“There’s no other word to describe it but crazy,” marveled one Weibo poster.
More/Video
China’s flagship Costco outlet opened its doors Tuesday morning in suburban Shanghai, only to close them several hours later after the store became swamped with mobs brawling over discounted items, Bloomberg reported.
Clips circulating on Weibo and other Chinese social media show customers crammed in aisles, playing tug-of-war with raw poultry and elbowing other shoppers out of the way.
“There’s no other word to describe it but crazy,” marveled one Weibo poster.
More/Video
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