A man in Seattle has had his gun confiscated by police after breaking no laws. The police took his gun without a warrant and without pressing any charges. Tyranny has officially taken hold on American soil.
This sets a precedent that government can now forcefully take guns away from an individual without a crime being committed or an arrest being made and without a warrant. In the name of fear and political exploitation of anti-gun rhetoric, a citizen’s Second Amendment rights have been ripped away from him by the government.
The new “red flag” law, which has taken hold in other states already, allows the courts and law enforcement to take away guns from individuals they deem are dangerous and they’ve just begun the confiscation. A man living in the Belltown neighborhood of Seattle, Washington became the first individual in the state to have his firearm confiscated without any formal arrest or charges. The man was not identified by authorities.
Neighbors complained that the man had been “staring” at people through storefront windows while wearing a holstered firearm. He was not brandishing his weapon by any account, and open carrying is legal in the area, so he was abiding by the law. Other residents also complained that the man’s open carrying made them feel “uncomfortable” and “unsafe.”
“He was roaming the hallways with a .25 caliber automatic,” said Tony Montana, a man who lives in the same apartment complex as the gun owner and a person without any reasonable gun knowledge. Handguns are semi-automatic.
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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
Wednesday, March 07, 2018
Eric Holder predicts Robert Mueller charges Trump with obstruction of justice
President Trump will face an obstruction of justice charge from special counsel Robert Mueller, former Attorney General Eric Holder predicted.
“You technically have an obstruction of justice case that already exists,” Holder, who served under then-President Obama, said on HBO’s "Real Time with Bill Maher." "I've known Bob Mueller for 20, 30 years; my guess is he's just trying to make the case as good as he possibly can. So, I think that we have to be patient in that regard.”
Trump’s critics have speculated about an obstruction charge ever since he fired FBI Director James Comey in the midst of an investigation into potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. The president saidhe was frustrated that Russia-related allegations had become “an excuse for having lost an election,” and he was also apparently annoyed that Comey refused to say publicly that Trump himself was not under investigation, although Comey had made such comments in private.
“I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department,” Trump told the New York Times in December 2017.
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“You technically have an obstruction of justice case that already exists,” Holder, who served under then-President Obama, said on HBO’s "Real Time with Bill Maher." "I've known Bob Mueller for 20, 30 years; my guess is he's just trying to make the case as good as he possibly can. So, I think that we have to be patient in that regard.”
Trump’s critics have speculated about an obstruction charge ever since he fired FBI Director James Comey in the midst of an investigation into potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. The president saidhe was frustrated that Russia-related allegations had become “an excuse for having lost an election,” and he was also apparently annoyed that Comey refused to say publicly that Trump himself was not under investigation, although Comey had made such comments in private.
“I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department,” Trump told the New York Times in December 2017.
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Smashing The Myth Of America's "Stingy" Welfare State
According to the usual news sources, Donald Trump's new budget proposal "envisions steep cuts to America’s social safety net"and will "gut social programs." Most of the cuts were proposed to pave the way for more Pentagon spending.
In truth, Trump's proposal doesn't matter, and Congress will set to work piling on more deficit spending for both social programs and for the Pentagon.
But, the debate of "gutting" social programs will no doubt be used to perpetuate, yet again, the myth that the United States is ruled by libertarian social Darwinists who ensure that no more than a few pennies are spent via social programs for the poor.
Now setting aside the question of whether or not social programs are the best way to address poverty, the fact is that the United States spending on social programs is on a par with Australia and Switzerland, and can hardly be described as "laissez-faire."
Moreover, government spending on healthcare per capita in the United States is the fourth largest in the world.
Governments in the United States pour money into social-benefits programs at rates typical to a Western welfare state. We can debate whether or not the way this is done is sub-optimal or not, but the fact remains, that if we're going to talk about social programs, the amount of spending in the US is not low in a global context.
According to the 2016 social expenditure database at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), public social spending as a percentage of GDP in the US was 19.4 percent:
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In truth, Trump's proposal doesn't matter, and Congress will set to work piling on more deficit spending for both social programs and for the Pentagon.
But, the debate of "gutting" social programs will no doubt be used to perpetuate, yet again, the myth that the United States is ruled by libertarian social Darwinists who ensure that no more than a few pennies are spent via social programs for the poor.
Now setting aside the question of whether or not social programs are the best way to address poverty, the fact is that the United States spending on social programs is on a par with Australia and Switzerland, and can hardly be described as "laissez-faire."
Moreover, government spending on healthcare per capita in the United States is the fourth largest in the world.
Governments in the United States pour money into social-benefits programs at rates typical to a Western welfare state. We can debate whether or not the way this is done is sub-optimal or not, but the fact remains, that if we're going to talk about social programs, the amount of spending in the US is not low in a global context.
According to the 2016 social expenditure database at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), public social spending as a percentage of GDP in the US was 19.4 percent:
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George P Bush's struggle in Texas may signal end of 70-year political dynasty
The half-Hispanic grandson and nephew of presidents faces a tough fight in a state where his surname is no longer an asset
George P Bush is the young, half-Hispanic grandson of the 41st president, nephew of the 43rd and son of a former Florida governor.
When he was elected Texas land commissioner four years ago, that background gave him a significant advantage as a fledgling Republican candidate seemingly on a fast track to stardom. Now, with conservative politics turned on its head by Trumpism, Bush is facing a tough primary election that threatens to doom his political career – and with it, bring to a close his family’s 70-year political dynasty.
The land commissioner job – which manages state-owned land – was perceived to be a stepping stone to higher office, but the evisceration of his father, Jeb, in the 2016 Republican presidential primary showed that as it lurched to the right and was seduced by sound and fury, the GOP was no longer in the market for a quiet moderate named Bush.
Though he has far more campaign cash than his rivals and has reportedly spent $2m in the past month, Bush has run an anaemic – one might say “low-energy” – campaign, with scant media availability and no events listed on his website. He is still the favourite, but if he fails to get above 50% of the vote on 6 March – when Texas holds the country’s first primaries ahead of the 2018 midterms – he will face a potentially dangerous runoff.
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George P Bush is the young, half-Hispanic grandson of the 41st president, nephew of the 43rd and son of a former Florida governor.
When he was elected Texas land commissioner four years ago, that background gave him a significant advantage as a fledgling Republican candidate seemingly on a fast track to stardom. Now, with conservative politics turned on its head by Trumpism, Bush is facing a tough primary election that threatens to doom his political career – and with it, bring to a close his family’s 70-year political dynasty.
The land commissioner job – which manages state-owned land – was perceived to be a stepping stone to higher office, but the evisceration of his father, Jeb, in the 2016 Republican presidential primary showed that as it lurched to the right and was seduced by sound and fury, the GOP was no longer in the market for a quiet moderate named Bush.
Though he has far more campaign cash than his rivals and has reportedly spent $2m in the past month, Bush has run an anaemic – one might say “low-energy” – campaign, with scant media availability and no events listed on his website. He is still the favourite, but if he fails to get above 50% of the vote on 6 March – when Texas holds the country’s first primaries ahead of the 2018 midterms – he will face a potentially dangerous runoff.
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Troopers Arrest Suspect for Threats Made to Middle School
The incident occurred on Monday, February 26, 2018 when school officials at Millsboro Middle School, located at 302 E. State Street, were made aware that a seventh grader, identified as 13-year-old Frank Bradley (no photo available) of Millsboro made threatening statements on a school assignment. The student was removed from the school for an evaluation.
Further investigation revealed that Bradley made concerning comments towards the school's principal and a staff member. On Wednesday, February 28, 2018, Delaware State Police School Resource Officer was provided with information that Bradley had also made threatening comments directed towards the school.
On Thursday, March 1, 2018, Bradley was taken into custody at a residence in Newark without incident. Bradley was charged with Terroristic Threatening (Felony). He was arraigned out of the Justice of the Peace Court 3 and released on $1,000.00 unsecured bond.
More cover-up questions
The curious murder of Seth Rich poses questions that just won’t stay under the official rug
With the clearly unethical and most likely criminal behavior of the upper management levels of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) exposed by Chairman Devin Nunes of the House Intelligence Committee, there are two complementary areas that have been conveniently swept under the rug.
The first deals with the murder of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) staffer Seth Rich, and the second deals with the alleged hacking of the DNC server by Russia. Both should be of prime interest to special counsel Robert Mueller, but do not hold your breath.
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With the clearly unethical and most likely criminal behavior of the upper management levels of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) exposed by Chairman Devin Nunes of the House Intelligence Committee, there are two complementary areas that have been conveniently swept under the rug.
The first deals with the murder of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) staffer Seth Rich, and the second deals with the alleged hacking of the DNC server by Russia. Both should be of prime interest to special counsel Robert Mueller, but do not hold your breath.
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California Dems’ hard-left turn could be the whole party’s future
How far left is the Democratic Party headed? Look to California, where last month’s state party convention went off the deep end.
The first sign of lunacy was the delegates’ refusal to endorse impeccably liberal Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
She lost out by 37 percent to 54 percent to Kevin de Leon, president pro tempore of the state Senate, who promises mainly to be obsessively anti-Trump.
Similarly, the delegates put former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa last among the party’s four candidates for governor — even though he’s tied in polls of Democratic voters with former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who came out on top at the convention.
Villaraigosa’s sin? As mayor, he supported charter schools and jousted with the teachers unions, rightly calling them “the largest obstacle to creating quality schools.”
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The first sign of lunacy was the delegates’ refusal to endorse impeccably liberal Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
She lost out by 37 percent to 54 percent to Kevin de Leon, president pro tempore of the state Senate, who promises mainly to be obsessively anti-Trump.
Similarly, the delegates put former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa last among the party’s four candidates for governor — even though he’s tied in polls of Democratic voters with former San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who came out on top at the convention.
Villaraigosa’s sin? As mayor, he supported charter schools and jousted with the teachers unions, rightly calling them “the largest obstacle to creating quality schools.”
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GOP Rep. Gaetz: 'If Jeff Sessions Does Not Appoint a Second Special Counsel, Then We Need a New Attorney General'
Friday on Fox News Channel’s “Hannity,” Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) told fill-in host Jeanine Pirro that if Attorney General Jeff Sessions declines to appoint a second special counsel to investigate wrongdoing within his Department of Justice, then he should be removed from that post.
According to Gaetz, an Inspector General’s report would be insufficient given the report doesn’t necessarily mean charges would be brought by the Justice Department against wrongdoers.
“If Jeff Sessions does not appoint a second special counsel, then we need a new Attorney General, judge,” he said. “Because you’re right — even if we learn more horrifying things from the Inspector General, we can’t actually prosecute somebody for those things because we would need somebody to be able to bring that case. And the Department of Justice and FBI obviously won’t be bringing a case against themselves. So, Jeff Sessions needs to get rid of this mindset that is a dereliction of duty, and he needs to do what Congress has called for and appoint a second special counsel to get to the bottom of this.”
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According to Gaetz, an Inspector General’s report would be insufficient given the report doesn’t necessarily mean charges would be brought by the Justice Department against wrongdoers.
“If Jeff Sessions does not appoint a second special counsel, then we need a new Attorney General, judge,” he said. “Because you’re right — even if we learn more horrifying things from the Inspector General, we can’t actually prosecute somebody for those things because we would need somebody to be able to bring that case. And the Department of Justice and FBI obviously won’t be bringing a case against themselves. So, Jeff Sessions needs to get rid of this mindset that is a dereliction of duty, and he needs to do what Congress has called for and appoint a second special counsel to get to the bottom of this.”
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Corporate America Throws Weight Behind Gun Control
Corporations taking steps to limit scope of Second Amendment in the market
Corporate America is taking the lead on gun control as Congress slides back into gridlock on the issue.
Several major retailers have decided to impose new restrictions on firearm sales, while scores of companies have moved to cut ties with the National Rifle Association (NRA).
The business moves underscore the growing sense that the political winds are shifting on gun control following the latest mass shooting at a Florida high school.
“This is the biggest signal to me that on this issue, there has been a tipping point,” said Rich Masters, head of North America crisis and issues management for Qorvis. “Companies don’t do this unless they know they are gonna be on fairly safe ground.”
Read more
Corporate America is taking the lead on gun control as Congress slides back into gridlock on the issue.
Several major retailers have decided to impose new restrictions on firearm sales, while scores of companies have moved to cut ties with the National Rifle Association (NRA).
The business moves underscore the growing sense that the political winds are shifting on gun control following the latest mass shooting at a Florida high school.
“This is the biggest signal to me that on this issue, there has been a tipping point,” said Rich Masters, head of North America crisis and issues management for Qorvis. “Companies don’t do this unless they know they are gonna be on fairly safe ground.”
Read more
CSX Train Cars Fall Into Susquehanna River During Friday’s Strong Winds
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — CSX is investigating after a derailment caused train cars to fall into the Susquehanna River.
The derailment occurred just after 8 p.m. Friday, when wind gusts reached more than 80 miles per hour in some areas. It happened on the Susquehanna River Bridge near Perryville.
The CSX freight train was headed to Richmond, Va.
More/Video
The derailment occurred just after 8 p.m. Friday, when wind gusts reached more than 80 miles per hour in some areas. It happened on the Susquehanna River Bridge near Perryville.
The CSX freight train was headed to Richmond, Va.
More/Video
Retail Apocalypse: 23 big retailers closing stores
Toys R’ Us bankruptcy: Is this a retail apocalypse?
Toys R’ Us has filed for bankruptcy right before the holiday shopping season, becoming the latest brick-and-mortar retailer to fall victim to the growth of e-commerce and discount stores. More than 300 companies have filed for bankruptcy in 2017 so far, here’s a look at the most significant casualties.
Some of the United States’ most prominent retailers are shuttering stores in recent months amid sagging sales in the troubled sector.
The rise of ecommerce outlets like Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) has made it harder for traditional retailers to attract customers to their stores and forced companies to change their sales strategies. Many companies have turned to sales promotions and increased digital efforts to lure shoppers while shutting down brick-and-mortar locations.
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Toys R’ Us has filed for bankruptcy right before the holiday shopping season, becoming the latest brick-and-mortar retailer to fall victim to the growth of e-commerce and discount stores. More than 300 companies have filed for bankruptcy in 2017 so far, here’s a look at the most significant casualties.
Some of the United States’ most prominent retailers are shuttering stores in recent months amid sagging sales in the troubled sector.
The rise of ecommerce outlets like Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) has made it harder for traditional retailers to attract customers to their stores and forced companies to change their sales strategies. Many companies have turned to sales promotions and increased digital efforts to lure shoppers while shutting down brick-and-mortar locations.
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Colorado lawmaker switches parties after being ousted as Democrat on sexual misconduct allegations
A Colorado state Democratic lawmaker was expelled Friday amid allegations by female colleagues about sexual harassment or abuse -- but not before switching political parties.
Rep. Steve Lebsock was expelled by a 52-9 vote after five female state House members took their turns at the podium to come forward as victims of sexual harassment or abuse.
Democrat Rep. Faith Winter and four other women accused Lebsock of harassment and intimidation inside the Capitol and at area bars and restaurants.
Lebsock bitterly contested the claims, saying his accusers were lying and accusing an independent investigator of bias in concluding that the claims were credible.
He becomes the second U.S. state lawmaker to be expelled since the #metoo movement emerged last fall. Last month, Arizona state Republican Rep. Don Shooter was expelled over misconduct claims; a California state senator resigned before colleagues tried to formally expel him amid sexual-misconduct allegations.
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Rep. Steve Lebsock was expelled by a 52-9 vote after five female state House members took their turns at the podium to come forward as victims of sexual harassment or abuse.
Democrat Rep. Faith Winter and four other women accused Lebsock of harassment and intimidation inside the Capitol and at area bars and restaurants.
Lebsock bitterly contested the claims, saying his accusers were lying and accusing an independent investigator of bias in concluding that the claims were credible.
He becomes the second U.S. state lawmaker to be expelled since the #metoo movement emerged last fall. Last month, Arizona state Republican Rep. Don Shooter was expelled over misconduct claims; a California state senator resigned before colleagues tried to formally expel him amid sexual-misconduct allegations.
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http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/03/03/colorado-lawmaker-switches-parties-after-being-ousted-as-democrat-on-sexual-misconduct-allegations.html
Carmageddon 2.0: Auto Sales Slump As Hurricane Bump Fades
I can’t help but wonder what the CNBC author was going to write. It’s not a sentence I ever thought I would put down, but in this case the omission might have meant something. In reporting on auto sales yesterday, the article started out with the ultimate cliffhanger:
Major automakers reported lower U.S. new vehicle sales for February on Thursday as consumer
As consumer what? Obviously, a mistake in the editing process, an-all-too-familiar occurrence in the modern media landscape where the very idea of an editor is becoming outlandish. Still, given where we are in this inflation and boom hysteria, please, CNBC, finish the thought!
A more cynical reader might expect the original text would have done so by saying the usual, something like “Major automakers reported lower U.S. new vehicle sales for February on Thursday as consumer spending continued to be strong, robust, and downright booming otherwise.” It would have been a hard case to make given these results, but since when has the media failed to live up to that challenge before? Alas, we will never know honesty or typicality.
The numbers weren’t good for the vast majority of the auto sector, as sales in the aftermath of the hurricane aftermath continued to wind down. The rundown for February 2018 (all rates are year-over-year): GM -6.9%; Ford an identical -6.9%; FCA -1%; Nissan -4%; Honda -5.6%. On the plus side was +4% for Toyota on the strength of its redesigned Camry; and +6% for VW.
There were a few more ominous developments alongside these disappointing results. First, the trend toward heavy incentive spending by automakers is starting to look like it may have run its course. Manufacturers throughout last year went deep into their own pockets to subsidize what turned out to be flat sales at best, and for most slightly declining volume.
Mark LaNeve, Ford VP of US Marketing, Sales, and Service, said:
In February, overall Incentive spend for the industry was down $65 year over year, and was down $50 sequentially to January. This is really a change from what we saw most of last year and in fact what we saw most of the last three years when year over year changes in incentive spend were up on average $300 to $400 consistently during that entire time frame.
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Major automakers reported lower U.S. new vehicle sales for February on Thursday as consumer
As consumer what? Obviously, a mistake in the editing process, an-all-too-familiar occurrence in the modern media landscape where the very idea of an editor is becoming outlandish. Still, given where we are in this inflation and boom hysteria, please, CNBC, finish the thought!
A more cynical reader might expect the original text would have done so by saying the usual, something like “Major automakers reported lower U.S. new vehicle sales for February on Thursday as consumer spending continued to be strong, robust, and downright booming otherwise.” It would have been a hard case to make given these results, but since when has the media failed to live up to that challenge before? Alas, we will never know honesty or typicality.
The numbers weren’t good for the vast majority of the auto sector, as sales in the aftermath of the hurricane aftermath continued to wind down. The rundown for February 2018 (all rates are year-over-year): GM -6.9%; Ford an identical -6.9%; FCA -1%; Nissan -4%; Honda -5.6%. On the plus side was +4% for Toyota on the strength of its redesigned Camry; and +6% for VW.
There were a few more ominous developments alongside these disappointing results. First, the trend toward heavy incentive spending by automakers is starting to look like it may have run its course. Manufacturers throughout last year went deep into their own pockets to subsidize what turned out to be flat sales at best, and for most slightly declining volume.
Mark LaNeve, Ford VP of US Marketing, Sales, and Service, said:
In February, overall Incentive spend for the industry was down $65 year over year, and was down $50 sequentially to January. This is really a change from what we saw most of last year and in fact what we saw most of the last three years when year over year changes in incentive spend were up on average $300 to $400 consistently during that entire time frame.
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Ingraham: Delta, MetLife, Others 'Ceding' to Anti-NRA Pressure 'Kicked a Hornet's Nest'
In her "Angle" monologue, Laura Ingraham warned Delta Airlines and other companies who cut ties with the National Rifle Association that by "ceding" to left-wing political pressure, they "kicked a hornet's nest."
Atlanta-based Delta was one of the first to announce they were no longer offering discounts to NRA members in the wake of the Florida school shooting.
However, Ingraham reported that the move may have cost them millions of dollars, as Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle (R-Ga.) led a successful effort to strip the company of jet fuel-related tax breaks.
Ingraham said Delta CEO Ed Bastian responded to the news by saying his company is now evaluating whether to end group discounts to other organizations based on whether they are of a "politically divisive" nature.
Ingraham said companies like Delta, MetLife, First National Bank of Omaha, Hertz, Enterprise and others are bowing to anti-gun rhetoric.
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Atlanta-based Delta was one of the first to announce they were no longer offering discounts to NRA members in the wake of the Florida school shooting.
However, Ingraham reported that the move may have cost them millions of dollars, as Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle (R-Ga.) led a successful effort to strip the company of jet fuel-related tax breaks.
Ingraham said Delta CEO Ed Bastian responded to the news by saying his company is now evaluating whether to end group discounts to other organizations based on whether they are of a "politically divisive" nature.
Ingraham said companies like Delta, MetLife, First National Bank of Omaha, Hertz, Enterprise and others are bowing to anti-gun rhetoric.
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FBI agent, estranged wife dead in apparent murder-suicide at Crownsville home
An FBI agent and his estranged wife were killed in Crownsville Wednesday morning in what Anne Arundel County police say was a murder-suicide on the day the two victims were expected in divorce court.
Officers responded to a report of a domestic assault in progress in the 500 block of Arundel Boulevard at 8:05 a.m. Police said the caller had dialed 911 on behalf of another woman who “was being threatened by her recently estranged husband.”
Upon arriving at the home, officers found a man and a woman outside a home who’d both been stabbed, the department said, adding that the man also had what looked to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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Officers responded to a report of a domestic assault in progress in the 500 block of Arundel Boulevard at 8:05 a.m. Police said the caller had dialed 911 on behalf of another woman who “was being threatened by her recently estranged husband.”
Upon arriving at the home, officers found a man and a woman outside a home who’d both been stabbed, the department said, adding that the man also had what looked to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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With text-to-911 system, Maryland takes first step toward digital emergency communications
The state has funded a two-year contract for a local company to shift Maryland into the digital era.
Yet another public safety jurisdiction is advancing its emergency communications technology with an announcement Wednesday by the office of Gov. Larry Hogan that Maryland has approved a contract for a text-to-911 system.
The system being developed would, according to the state, replace 1960s-era analog communications infrastructure. While text-to-911 systems are not promoted by public safety experts as an outright replacement for emergency telephone systems, they offer an alternative means of contact, expand accessibility to those with speaking or hearing disabilities and lay the digital groundwork for future upgrades that many public safety leaders say are long overdue.
Hogan labeled the upgrade "vital" as he praised the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for advancing work on the project.
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Yet another public safety jurisdiction is advancing its emergency communications technology with an announcement Wednesday by the office of Gov. Larry Hogan that Maryland has approved a contract for a text-to-911 system.
The system being developed would, according to the state, replace 1960s-era analog communications infrastructure. While text-to-911 systems are not promoted by public safety experts as an outright replacement for emergency telephone systems, they offer an alternative means of contact, expand accessibility to those with speaking or hearing disabilities and lay the digital groundwork for future upgrades that many public safety leaders say are long overdue.
Hogan labeled the upgrade "vital" as he praised the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services for advancing work on the project.
More
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