thedailycaller--2020-12-30--Brian Kemp Responds To Trump Attacks: ‘I Have To Follow The Laws’

Republican Georgia Gov .
Brian Kemp reacted to President Donald Trump ’ s frequent attacks on his response to the election results in Georgia during a Tuesday night appearance on Fox News ’ “ The Story.
” Trump directed his aim at Kemp again Tuesday via Twitter by calling for a signature verification in Fulton County .
Asked by guest-host Shannon Bream about that and other criticisms of the Georgia election result , Kemp contended that the state ’ s governor ’ s role in the general election is “ not very much.
” “ That administrative duty lies with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the counties that run the elections in our state , ” Kemp said .
“ That ’ s just the way the process is.
” The Georgia governor refused to criticize the president in response , instead expressing appreciation for “ everything the president has done ” for Georgia , including Operation Warp Speed .
( RELATED : Perdue Backs Trump $ 2,000 Direct Payment Proposal : ‘ The Right Thing To Do For People In Georgia ’ ) “ I ’ ve supported this president going into the reelect , worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in the country to help him , ” Kemp said .
“ I ’ ve supported the legal efforts they ’ re doing , but also at the end of the day , I have to follow the laws and the Constitution of this state and that ’ s what I ’ ve been doing and that ’ s what I continue to do .
”

Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp reacted to President Donald Trump’s frequent attacks on his response to the election results in Georgia during a Tuesday night appearance on Fox News’ “The Story.”
Trump directed his aim at Kemp again Tuesday via Twitter by calling for a signature verification in Fulton County.
When are we going to be allowed to do signature verification in Fulton County, Georgia? The process is going VERY slowly. @BrianKempGA Pennsylvania just found 205,000 votes more than they had voters. Therefore, we WIN Pennsylvania!!! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2020
Asked by guest-host Shannon Bream about that and other criticisms of the Georgia election result, Kemp contended that the state’s governor’s role in the general election is “not very much.”
WATCH:
“That administrative duty lies with the secretary of state’s office and the counties that run the elections in our state,” Kemp said. “That’s just the way the process is.”
The Georgia governor refused to criticize the president in response, instead expressing appreciation for “everything the president has done” for Georgia, including Operation Warp Speed. (RELATED: Perdue Backs Trump $2,000 Direct Payment Proposal: ‘The Right Thing To Do For People In Georgia’)
“I’ve supported this president going into the reelect, worked as hard as any in the state and in the country to help him,” Kemp said. “I’ve supported the legal efforts they’re doing, but also at the end of the day, I have to follow the laws and the Constitution of this state and that’s what I’ve been doing and that’s what I continue to do.”


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--Mass Shootings Plummet To Record Low In 2020 Possibly Due To Lockdowns And Focus On Other Tragedies

The number of mass shootings in 2020 plummeted to a more than 10-year low and the lockdowns and other aspects of the pandemic may have contributed to the significant decrease , the Associated Press reported .
Experts point to the lack of gatherings throughout the year as one factor that led to fewer opportunities for mass shootings to take place , especially in schools .
The focus on other tragedies also contributed to a lower likelihood of mass shootings .
“ Mass shooting ” was defined as four or more people dead , not including the shooter , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AP , USA Today , and Northeastern University .
The database tracks killings back to 2006 , and showed two public mass shootings in 2020 that occurred before shutdowns began to rollout in March .
One of the mass shootings was at the former Miller brewery in Milwaukee in February , when Anthony Ferrell , a Molson Coors electrician , fatally shot 5 co-workers and himself .
The other was in March , when Joaquin Roman killed four people including a police officer at a convenience store in Springfield , Missouri .
Roman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two shootings , there have not been any mass shootings that resulted in four or more fatalities , although there have been shootings in public areas that could have resulted in numerous deaths .
Two teens were shot and killed in Sacramento when a gunman opened fire at a mall on Black Friday a week after another mall shooting in Milwaukee where eight were injured .
The decrease in mass shootings will hopefully continue since it interrupts the “ contagion effect , ” which suggests that the more mass shootings are discussed and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on attacks , the AP reported .
Because the pandemic has foisted hardship and suffering on millions , those considering carrying out mass atrocities may not feel like they ’ re lone victims of injustice or persecution , a common feeling among perpetrators , James Alan Fox , a criminologist and professor at Northeastern University told the AP .
“ It ’ s hard to say right now that your own plight is unique or unfair .
It may not feel good , but there ’ s certainly [ a ] reason for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of something someone ’ s doing to you .
It ’ s really the pandemic , which is a thing not a person , ” Fox said .
In 2019 and 2018 , there were nine and 10 mass shootings respectively .
The drop to two in 2020 was somewhat surprising to experts given the isolation that lockdowns caused , and the likelihood that some may dwell on dark corners of the internet .
There was also a surge in firearms sales .
Together , these all combine into a series of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have increased in 2020 , however .
Gang violence , drive-by shootings and other random firearm deaths all appear to have risen .
Many large cities have reported their most violent year in decades due to the increase in homicides and shootings .
( RELATED : Murder Surged In New York City During 2020 , And Police Suggest Defund The Police Might Have Something To Do With It )

The number of mass shootings in 2020 plummeted to a more than 10-year low and the lockdowns and other aspects of the pandemic may have contributed to the significant decrease, the Associated Press reported.
Experts point to the lack of gatherings throughout the year as one factor that led to fewer opportunities for mass shootings to take place, especially in schools. The focus on other tragedies also contributed to a lower likelihood of mass shootings.
“Mass shooting” was defined as four or more people dead, not including the shooter, according to the mass killings database compiled by the AP, USA Today, and Northeastern University. The database tracks killings back to 2006, and showed two public mass shootings in 2020 that occurred before shutdowns began to rollout in March.
One of the mass shootings was at the former Miller brewery in Milwaukee in February, when Anthony Ferrell, a Molson Coors electrician, fatally shot 5 co-workers and himself. The other was in March, when Joaquin Roman killed four people including a police officer at a convenience store in Springfield, Missouri. Roman also killed himself.
Six people dead, including gunman, in Molson Coors brewery shooting in Milwaukee https://t.co/pl9bFIh4RV pic.twitter.com/9Pzm01wHlY — Reuters (@Reuters) February 27, 2020
But since these two shootings, there have not been any mass shootings that resulted in four or more fatalities, although there have been shootings in public areas that could have resulted in numerous deaths. Two teens were shot and killed in Sacramento when a gunman opened fire at a mall on Black Friday a week after another mall shooting in Milwaukee where eight were injured.
Police say a shooting at a Sacramento mall on Black Friday has killed one person and left another with life-threatening wounds. https://t.co/dLvRpKWzsF — The Associated Press (@AP) November 28, 2020
The decrease in mass shootings will hopefully continue since it interrupts the “contagion effect,” which suggests that the more mass shootings are discussed and highlighted, the more potential gunmen fixate on attacks, the AP reported.
Because the pandemic has foisted hardship and suffering on millions, those considering carrying out mass atrocities may not feel like they’re lone victims of injustice or persecution, a common feeling among perpetrators, James Alan Fox, a criminologist and professor at Northeastern University told the AP.
“It’s hard to say right now that your own plight is unique or unfair. It may not feel good, but there’s certainly [a] reason for it. And it’s not because of something someone’s doing to you. It’s really the pandemic, which is a thing not a person,” Fox said.
In 2019 and 2018, there were nine and 10 mass shootings respectively. The drop to two in 2020 was somewhat surprising to experts given the isolation that lockdowns caused, and the likelihood that some may dwell on dark corners of the internet. There was also a surge in firearms sales. Together, these all combine into a series of risk factors.
Other types of shootings have increased in 2020, however. Gang violence, drive-by shootings and other random firearm deaths all appear to have risen. Many large cities have reported their most violent year in decades due to the increase in homicides and shootings. (RELATED: Murder Surged In New York City During 2020, And Police Suggest Defund The Police Might Have Something To Do With It)


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--Despite Progressive Objections, Officials With Corporate Ties Slide Into Incoming Biden Administrati

Despite Progressive Objections, Officials With Corporate Ties Slide Into Incoming Biden Administration

President-elect Joe Biden has tapped multiple corporate executives to fill various government openings over the objections of numerous progressive organizations .
Groups including Demand Justice , Public Citizen and the Sunrise Movement urged Biden in a November letter to “ decline to nominate or hire corporate executives , lobbyists and prominent corporate consultants , ” referencing Democrats ’ staunch opposition to similar nominations from President Donald Trump .
“ The [ corporate-government ] revolving door limits the trust Americans have in government and has time and time again led to bad policy outcomes , ” the letter adds .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this unique and historic moment in American history to shut the revolving door and rebuild that trust.
” ( RELATED : Justice Democrats Says Biden Is On Thin Ice After ‘ Corporate-Friendly ’ Appointments ) Biden ’ s advisory team helping his transition with White House ’ s Office of Management and Budget , however , includes executives from Amazon Web Services , Lyft , Airbnb .
Additional advisors have ties to WestExec Advisors , a corporate consulting firm co-founded by Antony Blinken , his nominee for secretary of state , and Michèle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible secretary of defense .
“ This puts us at a state of high alarm , ” Jeff Hauser , who runs the Revolving Door Project , a group dedicated to limiting the appointments of lobbyists and corporate executives in government , told The New York Times in November .
A spokesman for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
In addition to the corporate influence at OMB , Steve Ricchetti , one of Biden ’ s top White House advisors and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Amazon and its federal lobbying efforts .
The company recently hired his brother , Jeff Ricchetti , to lobby on COVID-19 and the implementation of the CARES Act , according to its disclosure forms .
The two co-founded the lobbying firm Ricchetti Inc. in 2001 after Steve Ricchetti left President Bill Clinton ’ s administration , where he served as deputy chief of staff .
Steve Ricchetti and Blinken , whose private-sector work is omitted from his biography on the Biden transition site , are not the only figures in the incoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Klain , Biden ’ s incoming chief of staff , worked with AOL founder Steve Case in venture capital and warned about the impact government regulation can have on technology start-ups in a 2015 op-ed .
( RELATED : Bernie Sanders : It Would Be ‘ Enormously Insulting ’ For Biden To Leave Progressives Out Of Cabinet ) Despite the ties between his developing administration and corporations , Biden took an aggressive stance against lobbyists and special interests during the campaign , pledging to reduce the influence of money in politics , heighten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of interest in the Executive Branch and more .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

President-elect Joe Biden has tapped multiple corporate executives to fill various government openings over the objections of numerous progressive organizations.
Groups including Demand Justice, Public Citizen and the Sunrise Movement urged Biden in a November letter to “decline to nominate or hire corporate executives, lobbyists and prominent corporate consultants,” referencing Democrats’ staunch opposition to similar nominations from President Donald Trump.
“The [corporate-government] revolving door limits the trust Americans have in government and has time and time again led to bad policy outcomes,” the letter adds. “We urge you to take advantage of this unique and historic moment in American history to shut the revolving door and rebuild that trust.” (RELATED: Justice Democrats Says Biden Is On Thin Ice After ‘Corporate-Friendly’ Appointments)
Biden’s advisory team helping his transition with White House’s Office of Management and Budget, however, includes executives from Amazon Web Services, Lyft, Airbnb. Additional advisors have ties to WestExec Advisors, a corporate consulting firm co-founded by Antony Blinken, his nominee for secretary of state, and Michèle Flournoy, who was floated as a possible secretary of defense.
“This puts us at a state of high alarm,” Jeff Hauser, who runs the Revolving Door Project, a group dedicated to limiting the appointments of lobbyists and corporate executives in government, told The New York Times in November.
A spokesman for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In addition to the corporate influence at OMB, Steve Ricchetti, one of Biden’s top White House advisors and a longtime aide, also has strong ties to Amazon and its federal lobbying efforts. The company recently hired his brother, Jeff Ricchetti, to lobby on COVID-19 and the implementation of the CARES Act, according to its disclosure forms.
The two co-founded the lobbying firm Ricchetti Inc. in 2001 after Steve Ricchetti left President Bill Clinton’s administration, where he served as deputy chief of staff.
Steve Ricchetti and Blinken, whose private-sector work is omitted from his biography on the Biden transition site, are not the only figures in the incoming Biden administration with corporate ties. Ron Klain, Biden’s incoming chief of staff, worked with AOL founder Steve Case in venture capital and warned about the impact government regulation can have on technology start-ups in a 2015 op-ed. (RELATED: Bernie Sanders: It Would Be ‘Enormously Insulting’ For Biden To Leave Progressives Out Of Cabinet)
Despite the ties between his developing administration and corporations, Biden took an aggressive stance against lobbyists and special interests during the campaign, pledging to reduce the influence of money in politics, heighten ethical standards, rein in financial conflicts of interest in the Executive Branch and more.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--Biden Slams Trump Administration, Says Vaccine Roll-Out Is ‘Falling Behind’

President-elect Joe Biden slammed the Trump administration Tuesday , citing their efforts to try to vaccinate the American public as , “ falling behind.
” From his hometown in Wilmington , Delaware , the president-elect criticized the current administrations response to COVID-19 and promised “ a more aggressive effort ” in terms of vaccinations from his upcoming administration .
The president-elect warned that the Trump administration ’ s plan is “ falling behind , far behind , ” Fox News reported .
In addition , Biden also slammed the Trump administration ’ s lack of COVID-19 testing available for Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned , the effort to distribute and administer the vaccine is not progressing as it should .
A few weeks ago the Trump administration suggested that 20 million Americans could be vaccinated by the end of December .
With only a few days left in December , we ’ ve only vaccinated a few million so far , ” he said .
( RELATED : Kamala Harris Receives Moderna ’ s COVID-19 Vaccine Shot ) “ Things are going to get worse before they get better , ” Biden warned .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few weeks and months are going to be very tough , a very tough period for our nation .
Maybe the toughest during this entire pandemic.
” “ We ’ re averaging daily death rates of near 2,200 people , which means we ’ ll lose tens of thousands of more lives in the months to come.
” “ We have to anticipate that the infections over the holidays will produce soaring cases counts in January , ” the president-elect stressed .
“ And soaring death tolls into February.
” “ Turning this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he continued to warn .
“ We might not see improvement until we are well into March.
” Biden ‘ s speech comes as the death toll in the United States for COVID related deaths reached roughly 334,029 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) website .

President-elect Joe Biden slammed the Trump administration Tuesday, citing their efforts to try to vaccinate the American public as, “falling behind.”
From his hometown in Wilmington, Delaware, the president-elect criticized the current administrations response to COVID-19 and promised “a more aggressive effort” in terms of vaccinations from his upcoming administration. The president-elect warned that the Trump administration’s plan is “falling behind, far behind,” Fox News reported.
President-elect Joe Biden is criticizing the Trump administration, saying COVID-19 vaccines are being sent out too slowly. President Trump tweeted that the federal government has done its part, and now it’s “up to the States” to distribute the vaccines.https://t.co/VWuwdIEsIi — The Associated Press (@AP) December 30, 2020
In addition, Biden also slammed the Trump administration’s lack of COVID-19 testing available for Americans.
“As I long feared and warned, the effort to distribute and administer the vaccine is not progressing as it should. A few weeks ago the Trump administration suggested that 20 million Americans could be vaccinated by the end of December. With only a few days left in December, we’ve only vaccinated a few million so far,” he said. (RELATED: Kamala Harris Receives Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine Shot)
“Things are going to get worse before they get better,” Biden warned. “We need to be honest, the next few weeks and months are going to be very tough, a very tough period for our nation. Maybe the toughest during this entire pandemic.”
“We’re averaging daily death rates of near 2,200 people, which means we’ll lose tens of thousands of more lives in the months to come.”
“We have to anticipate that the infections over the holidays will produce soaring cases counts in January,” the president-elect stressed. “And soaring death tolls into February.”
“Turning this around is going to take time,” he continued to warn. “We might not see improvement until we are well into March.”
Biden‘s speech comes as the death toll in the United States for COVID related deaths reached roughly 334,029 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--Heidi Klum Shares Unique Home Workout Regimen Amid Pandemic

Heidi Klum shared her unique home workout regimen after staying away from the gym for months due to the pandemic .
The 47-year-old super model didn ’ t let the coronavirus lockdowns keep her from staying in shape and told Women ’ s Health UK how she has turned everyday items such as a hoola hoop into tools for keeping herself fit .
The comments were noted by Fox News in a piece published Tuesday .
( RELATED : Chrissy Teigen Slams Critics Shaming Her For Not Wearing A Bra ) “ I ’ m fortunate enough to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic started , I began swimming 20 laps a day , ” Klum explained .
“ Low-impact exercise like this is much better for my joints than running on a treadmill.
” ( RELATED : Supermodel Heidi Klum Shares Life-Changing News ) “ Hula hooping is a great low-impact option , too – as is all the trampolining I do !
” she added .
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model also shared that she keeps in shape by doing things like squats and running around after her four children and several pets .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spend more time at home with my family in recent months , ” the former Victoria ’ s Secret model said .
“ Being on a plane and in the studio a lot less means I ’ ve been able to enjoy getting stuck into domestic tasks , ” she added .
At one point , the supermodel admitted trying her hand at gardening during the pandemic .
“ I ’ ve started a little vegetable patch in my garden , ” Klum shared .
“ Seeing the squashes growing has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the kids making squash muffins.
” “ It ’ s good for them to see healthy meals made from scratch , ” she added .
“ Cooking generally helps me wind down .
”

Heidi Klum shared her unique home workout regimen after staying away from the gym for months due to the pandemic.
The 47-year-old super model didn’t let the coronavirus lockdowns keep her from staying in shape and told Women’s Health UK how she has turned everyday items such as a hoola hoop into tools for keeping herself fit. The comments were noted by Fox News in a piece published Tuesday. (RELATED: Chrissy Teigen Slams Critics Shaming Her For Not Wearing A Bra)
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Heidi Klum (@heidiklum)
“I’m fortunate enough to have a pool at home and, when the pandemic started, I began swimming 20 laps a day,” Klum explained. “Low-impact exercise like this is much better for my joints than running on a treadmill.” (RELATED: Supermodel Heidi Klum Shares Life-Changing News)
“Hula hooping is a great low-impact option, too – as is all the trampolining I do!” she added.
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model also shared that she keeps in shape by doing things like squats and running around after her four children and several pets.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Heidi Klum (@heidiklum)
“I’ve relished the opportunity to spend more time at home with my family in recent months,” the former Victoria’s Secret model said.
“Being on a plane and in the studio a lot less means I’ve been able to enjoy getting stuck into domestic tasks,” she added.
At one point, the supermodel admitted trying her hand at gardening during the pandemic.
“I’ve started a little vegetable patch in my garden,” Klum shared. “Seeing the squashes growing has been really fulfilling, and I have fun with the kids making squash muffins.”
“It’s good for them to see healthy meals made from scratch,” she added. “Cooking generally helps me wind down.”


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--Here’s How Much More Jeff Bezos And Walmart Heirs Made Than Their Employees During The Pandemic

• Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and the Walmart heirs have made 35 times the amount given to their companies ’ roughly 2.5 million workers during the pandemic , according to a Brookings Institution report .
• Amazon and Walmart gave employees just $ 0.99 and $ 0.71 extra per hour over the course of the pandemic , which was significantly less than competitors Best Buy and Target , the report found .
• “ The difference between Walmart and Amazon ’ s generosity and their competitors is especially striking given the companies ’ rhetoric , ” the Brookings report said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the heirs to Walmart have made approximately $ 116 billion during the pandemic even as their employees have made a fraction of that in hazard pay , according to a Brookings Institution report .
Jeff Bezos and the Walmart heirs , the Walton family , have made 35 times the amount their companies gave to more than 2.5 million workers in pandemic-related hazard pay , according to the December Brookings Institution report .
Amazon and Walmart have given significantly less than competitors such as Best Buy , Target and Costco .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s generosity and their competitors is especially striking given the companies ’ rhetoric , ” the Brookings report said .
( RELATED : These Mega Corporations Pay Their Employees So Little They Need To Rely On Government Handouts , Report Finds ) Bezos ’ personal fortune has increased by more than $ 75 billion since March , according to Brookings .
That is 42 times how much Amazon has paid its 1 million employees in hazard pay in 2020 .
A December Business Insider analysis found that Bezos ’ 2020 wealth increase spiked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world and Amazon ’ s stock price increased significantly .
The three heirs to Walmart – Alice , Jim and Rob Walton – have seen their total fortune grow by more than $ 40 billion , 26 times the hazard pay the company has given its 1.5 million workers , according to the report .
“ At the end of the day , I am making you a rich person and I am putting myself at jeopardy , ” an anonymous Walmart worker told Brookings in August .
Walmart recently announced pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week and earn a starting salary .
However , the increase amounts to $ 0.71 per hour extra , much less than what its competitors Best Buy , Target and Costco have given their employees this year , according to the report .
Best Buy has given employees $ 3.20 per hour extra , Target has given $ 2.19 per hour extra and Costco has given $ 2 per hour extra , according to Brookings .
Amazon workers have received $ 0.99 extra per hour during the pandemic , the report found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have both benefited from the coronavirus pandemic , which has led to increased profits compared to last year .
“ [ Amazon and Walmart ] have earned an extra $ 10.7 billion over last year ’ s profits during ( and largely because of ) the pandemic—a stunning 56 % increase , ” the Brookings report said .
But , Amazon and Walmart both pushed back against the report in statements to The Daily Caller News Foundation .
“ This study is flawed and doesn ’ t provide an accurate picture of wages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for employees at Amazon , ” Amazon spokesperson Rachael Lighty told The DCNF .
“ More than two years ago we increased our starting wage to at least $ 15 per hour , more in some places , which is nearly twice the Federal minimum wage.
” “ Unlike many of those cited in the study , Amazon offers full-time jobs with benefits starting on the first day of employment , ” Lighty continued .
( RELATED : ‘ Strong Can Get Stronger ’ : Corporations Prosper During Pandemic As Small Businesses Struggle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never implemented hazard pay .
Rather , the company gave out $ 2.5 billion in bonuses globally , invested in worker safety and put money toward its Career Choice program that invests in student tuition .
Walmart spokesperson Delia Garcia told The DCNF that bonuses given to workers are simply based on the company ’ s performance .
Walmart paid more than $ 319 million in third-quarter bonuses to employees on Nov. 25 and $ 388 million in fourth-quarter bonuses on Dec. 24 after reporting positive financial performances in both quarters .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the average total compensation and benefits for our hourly associates exceeds $ 18 an hour including part-time workers , ” Garcia said .
Overall , in most U.S. business sectors , big businesses and corporations have prospered despite the ongoing pandemic , The Washington Post reported .
But , small businesses have suffered seeing an overall decrease in revenue .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please @ @ @ @ @

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and the Walmart heirs have made 35 times the amount given to their companies’ roughly 2.5 million workers during the pandemic, according to a Brookings Institution report.
Amazon and Walmart gave employees just $0.99 and $0.71 extra per hour over the course of the pandemic, which was significantly less than competitors Best Buy and Target, the report found.
“The difference between Walmart and Amazon’s generosity and their competitors is especially striking given the companies’ rhetoric,” the Brookings report said.
Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos and the heirs to Walmart have made approximately $116 billion during the pandemic even as their employees have made a fraction of that in hazard pay, according to a Brookings Institution report.
Jeff Bezos and the Walmart heirs, the Walton family, have made 35 times the amount their companies gave to more than 2.5 million workers in pandemic-related hazard pay, according to the December Brookings Institution report. Amazon and Walmart have given significantly less than competitors such as Best Buy, Target and Costco.
“The difference between Walmart and Amazon’s generosity and their competitors is especially striking given the companies’ rhetoric,” the Brookings report said. (RELATED: These Mega Corporations Pay Their Employees So Little They Need To Rely On Government Handouts, Report Finds)
Bezos’ personal fortune has increased by more than $75 billion since March, according to Brookings. That is 42 times how much Amazon has paid its 1 million employees in hazard pay in 2020. A December Business Insider analysis found that Bezos’ 2020 wealth increase spiked particularly in April as coronavirus spread around the world and Amazon’s stock price increased significantly.
The three heirs to Walmart – Alice, Jim and Rob Walton – have seen their total fortune grow by more than $40 billion, 26 times the hazard pay the company has given its 1.5 million workers, according to the report.
“At the end of the day, I am making you a rich person and I am putting myself at jeopardy,” an anonymous Walmart worker told Brookings in August.
Walmart recently announced pay increases for employees who work 40 hours a week and earn a starting salary. However, the increase amounts to $0.71 per hour extra, much less than what its competitors Best Buy, Target and Costco have given their employees this year, according to the report.
Best Buy has given employees $3.20 per hour extra, Target has given $2.19 per hour extra and Costco has given $2 per hour extra, according to Brookings.
Amazon workers have received $0.99 extra per hour during the pandemic, the report found.
In addition, Amazon and Walmart have both benefited from the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to increased profits compared to last year.
“[Amazon and Walmart] have earned an extra $10.7 billion over last year’s profits during (and largely because of) the pandemic—a stunning 56% increase,” the Brookings report said.
But, Amazon and Walmart both pushed back against the report in statements to The Daily Caller News Foundation.
“This study is flawed and doesn’t provide an accurate picture of wages, benefits and career opportunities that exist for employees at Amazon,” Amazon spokesperson Rachael Lighty told The DCNF. “More than two years ago we increased our starting wage to at least $15 per hour, more in some places, which is nearly twice the Federal minimum wage.”
“Unlike many of those cited in the study, Amazon offers full-time jobs with benefits starting on the first day of employment,” Lighty continued. (RELATED: ‘Strong Can Get Stronger’: Corporations Prosper During Pandemic As Small Businesses Struggle To Survive)
Lighty added that Amazon never implemented hazard pay. Rather, the company has given out $2.5 billion in bonuses globally, invested in worker safety and put money toward its Career Choice program that invests in student tuition.
Walmart spokesperson Delia Garcia told The DCNF that quarterly bonuses given to workers are based on the company’s performance. For example, the company paid more than $319 million in third-quarter bonuses to employees on Nov. 25 after reporting a positive financial performance.
Over the course of 2020, Walmart has given $1.3 billion in total quarterly bonuses to its U.S. employees, according to Garcia. It also gave $1.5 billion in special bonuses related to its pandemic response.
“When we look at total compensation, the average total compensation and benefits for our hourly associates exceeds $18 an hour including part-time workers,” she said.
Overall, in most U.S. business sectors, big businesses and corporations have prospered despite the ongoing pandemic, The Washington Post reported. But, small businesses have suffered seeing an overall decrease in revenue.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--WWE Star Shad Gaspard’s Widow Suing City Of LA Over Husband’s Death

Former WWE star Shad Gaspard ’ s widow Siliana Gaspard is suing the city of Los Angeles following his death at Venice Beach earlier this year .
Siliana has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and county of Los Angeles and the state of California for the “ dangerous conditions ” at the Southern California beach where Shad drowned in May , according to the Daily Mail in a piece published Tuesday .
( RELATED : Legendary Comic Don Rickles Died At Age 90 ) The wrestling star was at the beach back swimming in the ocean with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a strong current rocked the two .
( RELATED : Hollywood Reacts To Death Of Legendary Actress Doris Day ) Law enforcement sources at the time said that Shad was able to toss his son to rescue personnel before he was pulled under due to a strong current and never surfaced again .
His body was later found along the shoreline .
In the documents obtained by the outlet , Gaspard ‘ s widow also accused the lifeguards on duty the day he died of being “ poorly trained ” and slow to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not do anything for an unreasonable and negligent amount of time , ” per the outlet .
It goes on to state rescue personnel “ eventually went into the water but without the proper equipment for their duties to assist people in the water like Shad Gaspard and A.G [ Aryeh ] .
” And that the lifeguards on duty “ chose to only assist A.G. and left Shad Gaspard in the water to die.
” In the suit , the widow also alleges that there were not enough signs the day Gaspard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swim warning about the “ danger or risk ” of swimming there .
Gaspard ’ s widow is seeking “ unspecified financial damages and burial costs.
” A hearing on the case has been scheduled for June 6 , 2021 at LA Superior Court , per the report .

Former WWE star Shad Gaspard’s widow Siliana Gaspard is suing the city of Los Angeles following his death at Venice Beach earlier this year.
Siliana has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and county of Los Angeles and the state of California for the “dangerous conditions” at the Southern California beach where Shad drowned in May, according to the Daily Mail in a piece published Tuesday. (RELATED: Legendary Comic Don Rickles Died At Age 90)
EXCLUSIVE: Shad Gaspard’s widow is suing the city of LA over the WWE wrestler’s drowning death https://t.co/B5mcP2kNeS — Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) December 29, 2020
The wrestling star was at the beach back swimming in the ocean with his 10-year-old son, Aryeh, when a strong current rocked the two. (RELATED: Hollywood Reacts To Death Of Legendary Actress Doris Day)
Law enforcement sources at the time said that Shad was able to toss his son to rescue personnel before he was pulled under due to a strong current and never surfaced again. His body was later found along the shoreline.
In the documents obtained by the outlet, Gaspard‘s widow also accused the lifeguards on duty the day he died of being “poorly trained” and slow to react.
Siliana claimed they “did not do anything for an unreasonable and negligent amount of time,” per the outlet. It goes on to state rescue personnel “eventually went into the water but without the proper equipment for their duties to assist people in the water like Shad Gaspard and A.G [Aryeh].”
And that the lifeguards on duty “chose to only assist A.G. and left Shad Gaspard in the water to die.”
In the suit, the widow also alleges that there were not enough signs the day Gaspard and his son were out for a swim warning about the “danger or risk” of swimming there.
Gaspard’s widow is seeking “unspecified financial damages and burial costs.”
A hearing on the case has been scheduled for June 6, 2021 at LA Superior Court, per the report.


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--Cancel Culture, Coronavirus And Endless Virtue Signaling: Here Are The 5 Worst Things About 2020

It ’ s safe to say that 2020 really wasn ’ t a good year for anybody but there are five things that happened this year that were almost completely unbearable .
Cancel culture wasn ’ t invented in 2020 , but it has evolved into something nobody expected this year .
Or maybe you did expect it .
Then March hit , and we got the lovely coronavirus pandemic .
The coronavirus pandemic is special in the way that it gave us multiple terrible things in 2020 .
Celebrities were also insufferable like they are most years , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways .
The number one worst thing about 2020 is probably spending over half of the year wearing a face mask .
Now , it ’ s important to wear them in certain situations and they provide some protections from coronavirus , but let ’ s face it .
They are not fun to wear .
You get acne .
It ’ s sometimes hard to breathe depending on the material .
If the straps are too tight on your ears , you get a headache .
I could go on , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coronavirus has also made the list in a different way .
The TV shows and commercials now feature coronavirus and in the worst ways possible .
“ Law and Order : Special Victims Unit , ” “ Grey ’ s Anatomy ” and any regular evening sitcom all feature coronavirus .
The characters wear face masks and it is as if we are watching our own personal hell in the TV shows we use to escape reality .
Just check out this Match.com commercial .
I mean , come on .
We can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creative than coronavirus jokes at this point ?
We ’ ve done nothing all year but work from home with endless amounts of time to be extra creative .
Continuing on the list of worst things about 2020 is the behavior of celebrities .
For some reason , this year they have been extra awful .
The coronavirus pandemic has brought out a holier than thou side of celebrities that we knew was already there , but didn ’ t think could get any worse .
( RELATED : Here Are All The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Coronavirus Quarantine ) “ Everybody stay home and do your part to stop the spread.
” “ Here I am with all my closest friends and family on a trip for my birthday.
” If you don ’ t know what I ’ m referencing , Kim Kardashian flew all of her closest friends out to an island to celebrate her birthday .
It ’ s almost like celebrities don ’ t think we see all the things they do when they literally share their lives with us on social media .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that period of time when they were trying so hard to entertain us from home .
Actress Gal Gadot even shared that terrible lip synching music video to John Lennon ’ s “ Imagine ” that ended up being the most cringe-worthy Instagram post out of everything shared in 2020 .
This should have been the year that celebrities just took a back seat .
Speaking of social media , 2020 was the year that everyone discovered Instagram Live .
This makes the list because it was truly a terrible moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone was doing , but there was a time period during quarantine where every brand , celebrity and maybe that old friend from high school went live on Instagram .
It was truly the worst part of quarantine .
Honestly , social media all around was pretty terrible this year .
Nobody had anything to do , so Twitter really became everyone ’ s personal diary .
Not to mention everyone became a commentator to the 24/7 news cycle .
I hope we all take a break in 2021 .
2020 was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushing your beliefs onto other people .
Protesting is good .
It ’ s one of the most American things you can do with your time .
However , virtue signaling was definitely one of the worst parts of 2020 .
People expressing their opinions to show you that they are a great person , but not actually doing any actions .
They definitely didn ’ t donate to any causes they believe in or volunteer for any charity programs .
Instead , they continuously posted graphics with statistics showing that they care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now , let ’ s talk about cancel culture .
If we had any home that society would grow out of this terrible habit , we were all wrong .
Cancel culture went from bad to worse to really f*cking awful in 2020 .
There were so many instances of cancel culture that I can ’ t even name them all .
There was the Central Park Karen story where the woman called the police on the black man in Central Park .
She was obviously charged with filing a false police report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost her job and the dog she was walking in the park .
The victim in this story wouldn ’ t even cooperate with police in the investigation because he felt like she ’ d already suffered enough consequences , according to previous reporting .
There was also the New York Times food writer Alison Roman who was placed on temporary leave after she criticized Chrissy Teigen and Marie Kondo .
Were her comments nice ?
Certainly not , but should she have pretty much lost her job over it ?
Also , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suspended After Comments About Chrissy Teigen , Marie Kondo ) Most recently , a high school student held onto a video of a girl saying a racial slur back in 2016 , then posted it online this week after she had chosen to attend her dream school , the New York Times reported .
The student was removed from the college cheer team within two days of the video being shared online and the university encouraged her to withdraw from the school , according to previous reporting .
If anything needs to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We could also do away with virtue signaling , celebrities who really don ’ t get it , coronavirus as a whole and social media .
Let ’ s be a better society in 2021 .

It’s safe to say that 2020 really wasn’t a good year for anybody but there are five things that happened this year that were almost completely unbearable.
Cancel culture wasn’t invented in 2020, but it has evolved into something nobody expected this year. Or maybe you did expect it. Then March hit, and we got the lovely coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic is special in the way that it gave us multiple terrible things in 2020. Celebrities were also insufferable like they are most years, but this year they were insufferable in new ways.
The number one worst thing about 2020 is probably spending over half of the year wearing a face mask. Now, it’s important to wear them in certain situations and they provide some protections from coronavirus, but let’s face it. They are not fun to wear. You get acne. It’s sometimes hard to breathe depending on the material. If the straps are too tight on your ears, you get a headache. I could go on, but we all know that they suck.
Coronavirus has also made the list in a different way. The TV shows and commercials now feature coronavirus and in the worst ways possible. “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and any regular evening sitcom all feature coronavirus. The characters wear face masks and it is as if we are watching our own personal hell in the TV shows we use to escape reality.
Just check out this Match.com commercial.
I mean, come on. We can’t come up with anything more creative than coronavirus jokes at this point? We’ve done nothing all year but work from home with endless amounts of time to be extra creative.
Continuing on the list of worst things about 2020 is the behavior of celebrities. For some reason, this year they have been extra awful. The coronavirus pandemic has brought out a holier than thou side of celebrities that we knew was already there, but didn’t think could get any worse. (RELATED: Here Are All The Celebrities Who Have Lost Their Minds During The Coronavirus Quarantine)
“Everybody stay home and do your part to stop the spread.”
“Here I am with all my closest friends and family on a trip for my birthday.”
If you don’t know what I’m referencing, Kim Kardashian flew all of her closest friends out to an island to celebrate her birthday.
It’s almost like celebrities don’t think we see all the things they do when they literally share their lives with us on social media.
Throwing this is with celebrities as well, but that period of time when they were trying so hard to entertain us from home. Actress Gal Gadot even shared that terrible lip synching music video to John Lennon’s “Imagine” that ended up being the most cringe-worthy Instagram post out of everything shared in 2020.
This should have been the year that celebrities just took a back seat.
Speaking of social media, 2020 was the year that everyone discovered Instagram Live. This makes the list because it was truly a terrible moment in 2020. Nobody ever cared what anyone was doing, but there was a time period during quarantine where every brand, celebrity and maybe that old friend from high school went live on Instagram. It was truly the worst part of quarantine.
Honestly, social media all around was pretty terrible this year. Nobody had anything to do, so Twitter really became everyone’s personal diary. Not to mention everyone became a commentator to the 24/7 news cycle. I hope we all take a break in 2021.
2020 was also a huge year for activism and for pushing your beliefs onto other people. Protesting is good. It’s one of the most American things you can do with your time. However, virtue signaling was definitely one of the worst parts of 2020. People expressing their opinions to show you that they are a great person, but not actually doing any actions. They definitely didn’t donate to any causes they believe in or volunteer for any charity programs. Instead, they continuously posted graphics with statistics showing that they care about the issues in the world.
Now, let’s talk about cancel culture. If we had any home that society would grow out of this terrible habit, we were all wrong. Cancel culture went from bad to worse to really f*cking awful in 2020. There were so many instances of cancel culture that I can’t even name them all.
There was the Central Park Karen story where the woman called the police on the black man in Central Park. She was obviously charged with filing a false police report, but on top of that she lost her job and the dog she was walking in the park. The victim in this story wouldn’t even cooperate with police in the investigation because he felt like she’d already suffered enough consequences, according to previous reporting.
There was also the New York Times food writer Alison Roman who was placed on temporary leave after she criticized Chrissy Teigen and Marie Kondo. Were her comments nice? Certainly not, but should she have pretty much lost her job over it? Also, no. (RELATED: NYT Columnist Suspended After Comments About Chrissy Teigen, Marie Kondo)
Most recently, a high school student held onto a video of a girl saying a racial slur back in 2016, then posted it online this week after she had chosen to attend her dream school, the New York Times reported. The student was removed from the college cheer team within two days of the video being shared online and the university encouraged her to withdraw from the school, according to previous reporting.
If anything needs to stay in 2020, it is cancel culture. We could also do away with virtue signaling, celebrities who really don’t get it, coronavirus as a whole and social media. Let’s be a better society in 2021.


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--Louisville Police To Fire Two Officers Involved In Breonna Taylor Shooting

Two Louisville police officers involved with the killing of Breonna Taylor are reportedly set to be fired .
The Louisville Metropolitan Police Department informed Detective Joshua Jaynes on Tuesday that they intended to terminate him , NBC News is reporting .
Jaynes will have the right to a pre-termination hearing before being officially let go , according to a department spokesperson .
The department is also seeking to fire Detective Myles Cosgrove , who fired the shot that killed Taylor , according to the Washington Post .
( RELATED : Breonna Taylor ’ s Boyfriend Receives $ 100,000 From Tyler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a sworn affidavit that he verified through a U.S .
Postal Inspector that Taylor ’ s ex-boyfriend Jamarcus Glover had been receiving packages at Taylor ’ s home , according to NBC .
Glover had been the subject of a narcotics investigation , but an internal investigation by the Louisville police determined that Jaynes did not speak to a postal inspector .
Taylor was killed in the Mar .
13 raid on her home , in which no drugs or money were found .
One of the three officers involved in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was indicted by Kentucky authorities .
Hankison has already been fired by the department .
Taylor ’ s case became a rallying point for the Black Lives Matter movement , sparking widespread civil unrest which included peaceful protests as well as rioting .
( RELATED : Daily Caller Reporters Arrested During Louisville Riot ) Note : This story has been updated to reflect new reports that Louisville police are seeking to terminate a second officer in addition to Jaynes .

Two Louisville police officers involved with the killing of Breonna Taylor are reportedly set to be fired.
The Louisville Metropolitan Police Department informed Detective Joshua Jaynes on Tuesday that they intended to terminate him, NBC News is reporting. Jaynes will have the right to a pre-termination hearing before being officially let go, according to a department spokesperson. The department is also seeking to fire Detective Myles Cosgrove, who fired the shot that killed Taylor, according to the Washington Post. (RELATED: Breonna Taylor’s Boyfriend Receives $100,000 From Tyler Perry For Defense Fund)
Breaking News: At least one more police officer connected to the botched raid that led to the death of Breonna Taylor will be fired, more than nine months after the operation.https://t.co/mYHeuKSISo — The New York Times (@nytimes) December 29, 2020
Jaynes wrote in a sworn affidavit that he verified through a U.S. Postal Inspector that Taylor’s ex-boyfriend Jamarcus Glover had been receiving packages at Taylor’s home, according to NBC. Glover had been the subject of a narcotics investigation, but an internal investigation by the Louisville police determined that Jaynes did not speak to a postal inspector.
Taylor was killed in the Mar. 13 raid on her home, in which no drugs or money were found. One of the three officers involved in the shooting during the raid, Brett Hankison, was indicted by Kentucky authorities. Hankison has already been fired by the department. Taylor’s case became a rallying point for the Black Lives Matter movement, sparking widespread civil unrest which included peaceful protests as well as rioting. (RELATED: Daily Caller Reporters Arrested During Louisville Riot)
Note: This story has been updated to reflect new reports that Louisville police are seeking to terminate a second officer in addition to Jaynes.


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--Murder Rates Rise Alongside Anti-Police Demonstrations

Nine cities with some of America ’ s largest murder rate increases hosted Black Lives Matter and Defund the Police protests in 2020 .
Data analyst and criminologist Jeff Asher published a preliminary look at America ’ s skyrocketing murder rate .
He found that murder rates rose year over year in 51 out of the 57 locales from which he accessed data .
Nine of the ten cities with the highest murder rate increases and more than 20 killings hosted sustained Black Lives Matter protests and riots during the summer .
These are evidence of what Manhattan Institute fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wherein anti-police protests and rioting lead to less proactive policing .
The absence in police presence then leads to a spike in violent crime .
Omaha ’ s murder rate increased 106 % from 2019 to 2020 .
Its 35 murders were the most in the city since 2015 .
The City of Omaha is currently a defendant in a federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU ) .
Omaha police officers fired tear gas and arrested hundreds protestors who blocked streets and bridges in Omaha on May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murder rate increased 100 % from 2019 to 2020 .
The city saw more murders by May 2020 than it did in all of 2019 .
Many of those murders may not be attributable to the Ferguson Effect , since they were before major protests in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd .
Milwaukee saw 191 murders in 2020 , for a year over year increase of 94 % .
Milwaukee Public Schools cancelled their contract with the Milwaukee Police Department following the death of George Floyd .
The city also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police shooting of Jacob Blake .
The Milwaukee Bucks cancelled a playoff game with the Orlando Magic in protest of the shooting .
Blake was shot after pulling a knife on Kenosha police officers .
He later plead guilty to disorderly conduct charges stemming from a sexual assault of his ex-girlfriend , which prompted the police dispatch .
( RELATED : Kamala Harris Told Jacob Blake She ’ s Proud Of Him ) Louisville ’ s murder rate increased 78 % in 2020 , with 139 murders reported .
Kentucky ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following the death of Breonna Taylor on March 13 , who was shot while police served a no-knock warrant at her boyfriend ’ s apartment .
At least seven people were shot during protests and riots following Taylor ’ s death .
Small business owners struggled to protect their stores and restaurants from looters .
Fort Wayne reported 37 murders by Sept. 25 for a 76.2 % year over year increase .
Police worried that the city was on pace to break 2016 ’ s record 48 murders .
Fort Wayne police deployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blocked traffic and climbed atop a truck near the Allen County Courthouse .
Seattle reported 47 murders in 2020 , a 74 % increase .
At least two men were killed in Seattle ’ s Capitol Hill Occupied Protest ( CHOP ) , which was set up in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd .
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan defended CHOP as “ a peaceful expression of our communities collective grief.
” She later signed a bill cutting the Seattle Police Department ’ s budget by 18 % .
Seattle business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuit alleging that the city violated their constitutional rights by allowing the occupation .
Minneapolis ’ murder rate increased 72 % in 2020 , with 81 killings reported .
Minneapolis also saw the death of George Floyd , an unarmed black man .
Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder after he knelt on Floyd ’ s neck for over eight minutes .
The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to replace its police department with a “ community-based public safety model ” in the aftermath of Floyd ’ s death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minority business owners were forced to turn to armed guards organized by the NAACP after police were unable to prevent looting .
( RELATED : Minneapolis City Council President Says Calling The Police During An Emergency Is ‘ Privilege ’ ) 32 people were killed in Aurora in 2020 , a 68 % increase over 2019 ’ s total .
Aurora saw protests throughout 2020 following the 2019 death in police custody of 23 year old Elijah McClain .
Rioters were charged after barricading police inside an Aurora precinct .
The 18 Aurora @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tactical team .
Other protestors blocked Interstate Highway 225 near Aurora .
One protestor shot at a car that drove through the blockade .
New Orleans reported 194 homicides in 2020 for a 62 % year over year increase .
Protests in New Orleans were often led by Take ‘ Em Down NOLA , a group that advocates “ occupying streets and in some cases literally removing the symbols of… oppression.
” They scored a victory when the Louisiana State Supreme Court removed a statue of Supreme Court Chief Justice Edward Douglass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the United States Supreme Court until Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed in Oct. 2020 .
Other New Orleans protestors and activists called for the city council to defund the New Orleans Police Department and use that money to fund social programs .

Nine cities with some of America’s largest murder rate increases hosted Black Lives Matter and Defund the Police protests in 2020.
Data analyst and criminologist Jeff Asher published a preliminary look at America’s skyrocketing murder rate. He found that murder rates rose year over year in 51 out of the 57 locales from which he accessed data.
Nine of the ten cities with the highest murder rate increases and more than 20 killings hosted sustained Black Lives Matter protests and riots during the summer. These are evidence of what Manhattan Institute fellow Heather Mac Donald calls the Ferguson Effect, wherein anti-police protests and rioting lead to less proactive policing. The absence in police presence then leads to a spike in violent crime.
The Ferguson Effect is a causal theory about anti-police protests and increased violent crime, while Asher’s data combined with news reports only suggest a correlation between the two. It is important to note that the city with the ninth-largest increase in murder rate in 2020, Fort Worth, TX, did not host extensive Black Lives Matter or Defund the Police protests.
Final national murder update of 2020: Murder up 36.7% in 57 agencies with data through at least September (though most have data through November). Murder up in 51 of 57, 37 of 58 agencies reporting murder up more than 30%. Spreadsheet here: https://t.co/vEhKHuFNrY pic.twitter.com/5HgVmwGmDS — Jeff Asher (@Crimealytics) December 29, 2020
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha’s murder rate increased 106% from 2019 to 2020. Its 35 murders were the most in the city since 2015. The City of Omaha is currently a defendant in a federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Omaha police officers fired tear gas and arrested hundreds protestors who blocked streets and bridges in Omaha on May 29 and 30.
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock’s murder rate increased 100% from 2019 to 2020. The city saw more murders by May 2020 than it did in all of 2019. Many of those murders may not be attributable to the Ferguson Effect, since they were before major protests in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee saw 191 murders in 2020, for a year over year increase of 94%. Milwaukee Public Schools cancelled their contract with the Milwaukee Police Department following the death of George Floyd. The city also hosted sustained protests in the aftermath of the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The Milwaukee Bucks cancelled a playoff game with the Orlando Magic in protest of the shooting.
Blake was shot after pulling a knife on Kenosha police officers. He later plead guilty to disorderly conduct charges stemming from a sexual assault of his ex-girlfriend, which prompted the police dispatch. (RELATED: Kamala Harris Told Jacob Blake She’s Proud Of Him)
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville’s murder rate increased 78% in 2020, with 139 murders reported. Kentucky’s largest city saw sustained protests and rioting following the death of Breonna Taylor on March 13, who was shot while police served a no-knock warrant at her boyfriend’s apartment. At least seven people were shot during protests and riots following Taylor’s death. Small business owners struggled to protect their stores and restaurants from looters.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne reported 37 murders by Sept. 25 for a 76.2% year over year increase. Police worried that the city was on pace to break 2016’s record 48 murders. Fort Wayne police deployed tear gas and pepper spray after protestors blocked traffic and climbed atop a truck near the Allen County Courthouse.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle reported 47 murders in 2020, a 74% increase. At least two men were killed in Seattle’s Capitol Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP), which was set up in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan defended CHOP as “a peaceful expression of our communities collective grief.” She later signed a bill cutting the Seattle Police Department’s budget by 18%. Seattle business owners were not impressed, filing a lawsuit alleging that the city violated their constitutional rights by allowing the occupation.
(Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis’ murder rate increased 72% in 2020, with 81 killings reported. Minneapolis also saw the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man. Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder after he knelt on Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes. The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to replace its police department with a “community-based public safety model” in the aftermath of Floyd’s death and widespread protests and rioting. Minneapolis minority business owners were forced to turn to armed guards organized by the NAACP after police were unable to prevent looting. (RELATED: Minneapolis City Council President Says Calling The Police During An Emergency Is ‘Privilege’)
Aurora, Colorado
32 people were killed in Aurora in 2020, a 68% increase over 2019’s total. Aurora saw protests throughout 2020 following the 2019 death in police custody of 23 year old Elijah McClain. Rioters were charged after barricading police inside an Aurora precinct. The 18 Aurora police officers had to be rescued by a tactical team. Other protestors blocked Interstate Highway 225 near Aurora. One protestor shot at a car that drove through the blockade.
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans reported 194 homicides in 2020 for a 62% year over year increase. Protests in New Orleans were often led by Take ‘Em Down NOLA, a group that advocates “occupying streets and in some cases literally removing the symbols of… oppression.” They scored a victory when the Louisiana State Supreme Court removed a statue of Supreme Court Chief Justice Edward Douglass White. White was the only Louisianan on the United States Supreme Court until Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed in Oct. 2020. Other New Orleans protestors and activists called for the city council to defund the New Orleans Police Department and use that money to fund social programs.
Update: This article was updated to emphasize that the dataset used only suggests a correlation between anti-police protests and an increasing number of murders. It does not suggest a causation between the two, although the Ferguson Effect theory does.


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--‘Today We Are United’: Islamic Jihad, Hamas, PFLP Hold First Joint Drill In Gaza To Prepare For Conf

‘Today We Are United’: Islamic Jihad, Hamas, PFLP Hold First Joint Drill In Gaza To Prepare For Confronting Israel

Twelve Palestinian groups participated Tuesday in an unprecedented joint drill in Gaza , which saw the use of drones and the firing of several rockets into the Mediterranean as a warning to Israel .
The Hamas-dominated Joint Command Room , comprised of approximately a dozen of Gaza ’ s militant outfits , organized the Dec. 29 drill , dubbed “ Al Rukn Al Shadid , ” to train for possible military scenarios with Israel , The Media Line reported .
“ We salute the Palestinian factions in Gaza that carried out [ the exercise ] today , ” Ismail Haniyeh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday , according to a Hamas press release .
“ This maneuver predicts the future and [ demonstrates ] the form of the factions ’ work in the future through the Joint Command Room , ” Haniyeh added .
Some of the participating organizations , according to The Media Line , included Hamas , the Palestinian Islamic Jihad , the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine , and the Al Aqsa Martyr ’ s Brigade — all U.S. designated terrorist groups .
( RELATED : ‘ Terror Tunnel ’ Discovered Stretching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hamas ’ s armed wing , Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades , used to hold its own exercises in the Gaza Strip , Jerusalem Post reported .
The recent joint exercise demonstrates the participating militant outfits ’ willingness to “ establish a regular army , ” Palestinian sources told Jerusalem Post .
On the day of the exercise , a rocket was fired towards Israel from Gaza .
However , according to the IDF , it did not enter Israeli territory .
During the exercise , some rockets were fired into the sea as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported .
“ The unity of our position reflects strength in terms of the resistance , and that all of its factions together are united under the Joint Command Room with one decision and one position as well , ” Mohammed al-Breem , the spokesperson of the Palestinian factions in Gaza , told The Media Line .
“ Today we are united in a better way in terms of organization , as all political parties work under one ” command , he said .
According to Israeli media , the groups ’ sponsors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risks Israel could face if Israel or the U.S. attacks Iran in President Trump ’ s final days in office , Reuters reported .
The day before the exercise , a large portrait of Iranian military General Qassem Soleimani was raised along Gaza ’ s main coastal road , according to Reuters .

Twelve Palestinian groups participated Tuesday in an unprecedented joint drill in Gaza, which saw the use of drones and the firing of several rockets into the Mediterranean as a warning to Israel.
The Hamas-dominated Joint Command Room, comprised of approximately a dozen of Gaza’s militant outfits, organized the Dec. 29 drill, dubbed “Al Rukn Al Shadid,” to train for possible military scenarios with Israel, The Media Line reported.
“We salute the Palestinian factions in Gaza that carried out [the exercise] today,” Ismail Haniyeh, senior Hamas political leader, said on Tuesday, according to a Hamas press release.
“This maneuver predicts the future and [demonstrates] the form of the factions’ work in the future through the Joint Command Room,” Haniyeh added.
Some of the participating organizations, according to The Media Line, included Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and the Al Aqsa Martyr’s Brigade — all U.S. designated terrorist groups. (RELATED: ‘Terror Tunnel’ Discovered Stretching From Gaza To Israel)
Previously, Hamas’s armed wing, Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, used to hold its own exercises in the Gaza Strip, Jerusalem Post reported.
The recent joint exercise demonstrates the participating militant outfits’ willingness to “establish a regular army,” Palestinian sources told Jerusalem Post.
On the day of the exercise, a rocket was fired towards Israel from Gaza. However, according to the IDF, it did not enter Israeli territory.
Terrorists in Gaza just fired a rocket toward Israel. The rocket did not cross into Israeli territory. — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 28, 2020
During the exercise, some rockets were fired into the sea as a warning to Israel, Times Of Israel reported.
“The unity of our position reflects strength in terms of the resistance, and that all of its factions together are united under the Joint Command Room with one decision and one position as well,” Mohammed al-Breem, the spokesperson of the Palestinian factions in Gaza, told The Media Line. “Today we are united in a better way in terms of organization, as all political parties work under one” command, he said.
According to Israeli media, the groups’ sponsors in Tehran organized the drill to demonstrate the risks Israel could face if Israel or the U.S. attacks Iran in President Trump’s final days in office, Reuters reported.
The day before the exercise, a large portrait of Iranian military General Qassem Soleimani was raised along Gaza’s main coastal road, according to Reuters.


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--COVID-19 Relief Checks To Hit Some Bank Accounts As Early As Tuesday

The U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Tuesday in a Tweet that some Americans may start to see money in their bank accounts ‘ as early as tonight.
’ After much debate between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill regarding the contents of a new COVID-19 relief package an agreement was finally reached .
Mnuchin mentioned in the tweet that the Treasury Department had delivered a payment file to the Federal Reserve that correlated with the relief bill , according to The Hill .
( RELATED : Congress Finally Compromised On A Coronavirus Relief Bill .
Here ’ s What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to state that paper checks will start to be processed and sent out Wednesday , Fox5DC reported .
This is the second round of COVID-19 relief funds being sent out directly to the American people .
The first round of money was sent in March 2020 .
The new package passed by Congress will deliver $ 600 to qualifying Americans earning up to $ 75,000 annually .
There is also a provision that provides $ 600 for each dependent child , according to Fox5DC .
There have been ongoing talks about a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump but Congress has yet to agree on this .
President-elect Joe Biden said that he considered the second COVID-19 relief package a “ down payment ” and he would plan on asking Congress for more funds when in office according to CNBC .

The U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said Tuesday in a Tweet that some Americans may start to see money in their bank accounts ‘as early as tonight.’
After much debate between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill regarding the contents of a new COVID-19 relief package an agreement was finally reached. Mnuchin mentioned in the tweet that the Treasury Department had delivered a payment file to the Federal Reserve that correlated with the relief bill, according to The Hill. (RELATED: Congress Finally Compromised On A Coronavirus Relief Bill. Here’s What’s In It)
Mnuchin went on to state that paper checks will start to be processed and sent out Wednesday, Fox5DC reported.
Paper checks will begin to be mailed tomorrow. Later this week, you can check the status of your payment at https://t.co/pFBzGzK8mD. (2/2) — Steven Mnuchin (@stevenmnuchin1) December 29, 2020
This is the second round of COVID-19 relief funds being sent out directly to the American people. The first round of money was sent in March 2020. The new package passed by Congress will deliver $600 to qualifying Americans earning up to $75,000 annually. There is also a provision that provides $600 for each dependent child, according to Fox5DC.
There have been ongoing talks about a $2000 payment as proposed by President Donald Trump but Congress has yet to agree on this. President-elect Joe Biden said that he considered the second COVID-19 relief package a “down payment” and he would plan on asking Congress for more funds when in office according to CNBC.


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--Here’s How The Biden Administration Would Support Decriminalizing HIV Transmission

Former Vice President Joe Biden ’ s plan to “ advance LGBTQ equality ” includes a promise to decriminalize HIV exposure and transmission laws .
“ In 2018 , 26 states in America had HIV exposure criminal laws , ” President-elect Biden ’ s plan reads under the subhead , “ Decriminalize HIV exposure and transmission laws.
” “ These laws perpetuate discrimination and stigma towards people with HIV/AIDS , and there is simply no ‘ scientific basis ’ for them , ” the plan continues .
“ As President , Biden will support legislation like the REPEAL HIV Discrimination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for states.
” The REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act directs the Department of Justice ( DOJ ) , the Department of Health and Human Services ( HHS ) , and the Department of Defense ( DOD ) to conduct a review of laws , policies , regulations , and judicial precedents and decisions dealing with HIV and persons living with the virus .
The results of this review would be made public under this legislation and then the DOJ and HHS would create guidance and “ an integrated monitoring and evaluation system to measure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ian Miles Cheong highlighted the president elect ’ s plan Monday evening , tweeting , “ Biden is going to make it legal to knowingly spread HIV to other people without their consent.
” ( RELATED : LGBTQ Groups Warn They Are ‘ Particularly Vulnerable ’ To Coronavirus Due To Smoking , Cancer , Discrimination Rates ) Decriminalizing HIV has been a part of numerous presidential candidates platforms , including that of former candidate Pete Buttigieg , who called penalties for knowingly transmitting the disease “ unfair.
” .
@ PeteButtigieg says criminal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you are HIV-positive are “ unfair and needs to change.
” The argument is that if the virus is undetectable it is untransmittable .
pic.twitter.com/BxWFhuwmbS Both California and Washington state have passed legislation reducing knowingly transmitting HIV from a felony to a misdemeanor .
Opponents argue that lowering penalties for knowingly transmitting the virus would only lead to an increase in infections .
“ The most effective way to reduce HIV infections is to destigmatize HIV , ” bill sponsor and California state Sen. Scott Wiener told CNN in 2017 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection , get tested , get into treatment.
” The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s plan to “advance LGBTQ equality” includes a promise to decriminalize HIV exposure and transmission laws.
“In 2018, 26 states in America had HIV exposure criminal laws,” President-elect Biden’s plan reads under the subhead, “Decriminalize HIV exposure and transmission laws.”
“These laws perpetuate discrimination and stigma towards people with HIV/AIDS, and there is simply no ‘scientific basis’ for them,” the plan continues. “As President, Biden will support legislation like the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act, which promotes best practice recommendations for states.”
The REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act directs the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Defense (DOD) to conduct a review of laws, policies, regulations, and judicial precedents and decisions dealing with HIV and persons living with the virus.
The results of this review would be made public under this legislation and then the DOJ and HHS would create guidance and “an integrated monitoring and evaluation system to measure state progress.”
Human Events managing editor Ian Miles Cheong highlighted the president elect’s plan Monday evening, tweeting, “Biden is going to make it legal to knowingly spread HIV to other people without their consent.” (RELATED: LGBTQ Groups Warn They Are ‘Particularly Vulnerable’ To Coronavirus Due To Smoking, Cancer, Discrimination Rates)
Biden is going to make it legal to knowingly spread HIV to other people without their consent. pic.twitter.com/h57F3Ro6XK — Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) December 29, 2020
Decriminalizing HIV has been a part of numerous presidential candidates platforms, including that of former candidate Pete Buttigieg, who called penalties for knowingly transmitting the disease “unfair.”
.@PeteButtigieg says criminal penalties for not informing a sexual partner that you are HIV-positive are “unfair and needs to change.” The argument is that if the virus is undetectable it is untransmittable. pic.twitter.com/BxWFhuwmbS — Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) October 11, 2019
Both California and Washington state have passed legislation reducing knowingly transmitting HIV from a felony to a misdemeanor. Opponents argue that lowering penalties for knowingly transmitting the virus would only lead to an increase in infections.
“The most effective way to reduce HIV infections is to destigmatize HIV,” bill sponsor and California state Sen. Scott Wiener told CNN in 2017. “To make people comfortable talking about their infection, get tested, get into treatment.”
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--Prominent Conservative Groups Back Colorado Rep. Ken Buck For Top Role On House Antitrust Panel

Prominent conservatives have backed Republican Colorado Rep. Ken Buck to serve as the next ranking Republican on the House of Representatives ’ antitrust panel .
Three dozen individuals and groups have signed a letter in support of Buck , Axios reported Tuesday .
Those who have signed the letter include Turning Point USA President Charlie Kirk , conservative anti-big tech group called the Internet Accountability Project , American Conservative Union chairman Matt Schlapp , Leadership Institute president Morton Blackwell and For America chairman L. Brent Bozell III .
( RELATED : Rep. Ken Buck Spearheads Campaign Pressing Trump To Ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congressman Ken Buck has been a national leader making the case for effective antitrust enforcement against Big Tech , ” Internet Accountability Project president Mike Davis told the Daily Caller .
“ Conservatives are rightly demanding he be appointed Ranking Member of this important subcommittee in the next Congress.
” If tapped for the position , Buck will play an important role in crafting legislation related to Big Tech .
The Colorado Republican has been part of a bipartisan push to diminish the power of Big Tech companies and has recently worked with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rep. David Cicilline , on ideas about how to do so .
Buck “ has shown his dedication to standing up against Big Tech ’ s censorship of conservative viewpoints , ” the letter reads , according to Axios .
“ As these corporations have ventured to crush consumers and small business under their economic ambitions , Rep. Buck has immersed himself in Congressional efforts to promote meaningful policy reforms that support conservative principles , ” it says .
( RELATED : DOJ Sues Facebook , Alleges Company Discriminated Against US Workers ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judiciary Committee laid out the Democrats ’ ideas for legislation to limit the power of Big Tech firms .
The 450-page report found that monopolies are held by Amazon , Google , Facebook , and Apple , Axios reported .
Republicans declined to endorse the Democrats ’ updates to antitrust law , but Buck led a minority report that agreed with parts of the report while taking issue with others .

Prominent conservatives have backed Republican Colorado Rep. Ken Buck to serve as the next ranking Republican on the House of Representatives’ antitrust panel.
Three dozen individuals and groups have signed a letter in support of Buck, Axios reported Tuesday. Those who have signed the letter include Turning Point USA President Charlie Kirk, conservative anti-big tech group called the Internet Accountability Project, American Conservative Union chairman Matt Schlapp, Leadership Institute president Morton Blackwell and For America chairman L. Brent Bozell III. (RELATED: Rep. Ken Buck Spearheads Campaign Pressing Trump To Ban TikTok Over National Security Concerns)
“Congressman Ken Buck has been a national leader making the case for effective antitrust enforcement against Big Tech,” Internet Accountability Project president Mike Davis told the Daily Caller. “Conservatives are rightly demanding he be appointed Ranking Member of this important subcommittee in the next Congress.”
Bias and anti-competitive behavior are inextricably linked. #BigTech dominance in the marketplace allows them to be biased with no consequences. https://t.co/qaTUojkxjr — Congressman Ken Buck (@RepKenBuck) July 29, 2020
If tapped for the position, Buck will play an important role in crafting legislation related to Big Tech. The Colorado Republican has been part of a bipartisan push to diminish the power of Big Tech companies and has recently worked with the committee chairman, Democratic Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline, on ideas about how to do so.
Buck “has shown his dedication to standing up against Big Tech’s censorship of conservative viewpoints,” the letter reads, according to Axios.
“As these corporations have ventured to crush consumers and small business under their economic ambitions, Rep. Buck has immersed himself in Congressional efforts to promote meaningful policy reforms that support conservative principles,” it says. (RELATED: DOJ Sues Facebook, Alleges Company Discriminated Against US Workers)
An October 6 report from the House Judiciary Committee laid out the Democrats’ ideas for legislation to limit the power of Big Tech firms. The 450-page report found that monopolies are held by Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Apple, Axios reported. Republicans declined to endorse the Democrats’ updates to antitrust law, but Buck led a minority report that agreed with parts of the report while taking issue with others.


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--Officers Who Killed Tamir Rice Won’t Face Federal Charges, DOJ Announces

The two Cleveland police officers involved in the 2014 killing of Tamir Rice won ’ t face federal criminal charges because the video quality of the incident was too poor to make a conclusive decision , the Department of Justice announced Tuesday .
12-year-old Rice ’ s death energized the Black Lives Matter movement and called attention to the policing of minorities and children , the Associated Press reported .
The decision did not excuse the officers ’ actions but ruled that the cumulative evidence wasn ’ t enough to support a federal criminal civil rights prosecution .
Rice was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing with a pellet gun outside of a recreation center on Nov. 22 , 2014 , the AP reported .
Officers responded to a 911 call from a man who was drinking beer while waiting for a bus who said a man was pointing a gun at people .
The man who made the 911 call told the dispatcher that it was likely a juvenile with a possibly “ fake ” firearm , the AP reported .
The officers reportedly weren ’ t notified of that information .
“ It was blatantly disrespectful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington Post and the New York Times that the Department of Justice had shut down the investigation , after career prosecutors recommended a grand-jury be convened , ” Samaria Rice said in a statement provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation .
The Department of Justice ( DOJ ) has to prove that an officer ’ s actions were purposefully illegal rather than a mistake or of poor judgment to bring federal civil rights charges , the AP reported .
The DOJ declined criminal charges against officers in the death of Eric Garner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family ’ s attorney Subodh Chandra said the DOJ ’ s “ process was tainted ” and that the family demands additional information about the recommendations made during the investigation be provided by prosecutors , the AP reported .
“ We know from news reports and our own inquiries that career prosecutors recommended a grand-jury investigation , starting at least into obstruction of justice and perjury by the officers , ” Chandra told the DCNF in a statement .
“ It ’ s beyond comprehension that the Department refused to recognize that an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the patrol car ’ s window was closed and it was a winter day can be proved to be lying , ” Chandra told the DCNF .
“ The Rice family was cheated of a fair process by county prosecutors who took a dive on cross examining the officers and they ’ ve been cheated of a fair process yet again by the Justice Department.
” The DOJ said poor-quality surveillance video prevented prosecutors from determining whether Rice was reaching for his pellet gun just before he was shot , the AP reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several times to show his hands .
The video was grainy , didn ’ t include audio and was largely blocked by an officer ’ s vehicle , according to the AP .
Rice ’ s hands can not be seen in the frame of the video .
( RELATED : Cop Who Fatally Shot Tamir Rice Fired For Lying On Department Application ) “ His [ Rice ’ s ] hands are not visible in the video and it can not be determined from the video what he was doing , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The DOJ didn ’ t immediately respond to the DCNF ’ s request for comment at the time of publishing .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

The two Cleveland police officers involved in the 2014 killing of Tamir Rice won’t face federal criminal charges because the video quality of the incident was too poor to make a conclusive decision, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday.
12-year-old Rice’s death energized the Black Lives Matter movement and called attention to the policing of minorities and children, the Associated Press reported. The decision did not excuse the officers’ actions but ruled that the cumulative evidence wasn’t enough to support a federal criminal civil rights prosecution.
Rice was fatally shot by Officer Timothy Loehmann while playing with a pellet gun outside of a recreation center on Nov. 22, 2014, the AP reported. Officers responded to a 911 call from a man who was drinking beer while waiting for a bus who said a man was pointing a gun at people.
The man who made the 911 call told the dispatcher that it was likely a juvenile with a possibly “fake” firearm, the AP reported. The officers reportedly weren’t notified of that information.
“It was blatantly disrespectful that I had to learn from the Washington Post and the New York Times that the Department of Justice had shut down the investigation, after career prosecutors recommended a grand-jury be convened,” Samaria Rice said in a statement provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The Justice Department says it will not bring federal criminal charges against two Cleveland police officers for the 2014 fatal shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, whose death became a national symbol in the Black Lives Matter movement. https://t.co/yEYLo3jJQc — The Associated Press (@AP) December 29, 2020
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has to prove that an officer’s actions were purposefully illegal rather than a mistake or of poor judgment to bring federal civil rights charges, the AP reported. The DOJ declined criminal charges against officers in the death of Eric Garner and Michael Brown.
Rice’s family’s attorney Subodh Chandra said the DOJ’s “process was tainted” and that the family demands additional information about the recommendations made during the investigation be provided by prosecutors, the AP reported.
“We know from news reports and our own inquiries that career prosecutors recommended a grand-jury investigation, starting at least into obstruction of justice and perjury by the officers,” Chandra told the DCNF in a statement.
“It’s beyond comprehension that the Department refused to recognize that an officer who claims he shouted commands when the patrol car’s window was closed and it was a winter day can be proved to be lying,” Chandra told the DCNF. “The Rice family was cheated of a fair process by county prosecutors who took a dive on cross examining the officers and they’ve been cheated of a fair process yet again by the Justice Department.”
The DOJ said poor-quality surveillance video prevented prosecutors from determining whether Rice was reaching for his pellet gun just before he was shot, the AP reported. The officers say they directed Rice several times to show his hands.
The video was grainy, didn’t include audio and was largely blocked by an officer’s vehicle, according to the AP. Rice’s hands cannot be seen in the frame of the video. (RELATED: Cop Who Fatally Shot Tamir Rice Fired For Lying On Department Application)
“His [Rice’s] hands are not visible in the video and it cannot be determined from the video what he was doing,” federal prosecutors said, the AP reported.
The DOJ didn’t immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment at the time of publishing.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--CA Restaurant Owner Issued ‘Notice Of Closure’ Order For Allegedly Defying Outdoor Dining Ban

The Daily Caller ’ s Jorge Ventura spoke with Bread & Barley owner Carlos Roman who was issued a “ Notice of Closure ” by the public health department after he allegedly defied the outdoor dining ban in Los Angeles County .
Roman used his vehicle to block a health inspector ’ s car after the inspector warned him that he would issue a set of fines for outdoor dining violations .
Health inspectors took photos of people dining outside while an officer then warned Roman that a tow truck was on the way to move his truck .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I ’ m not gon na let him do his , I ’ m gon na stop him right here in his tracks , ” Roman told Ventura about blocking the health inspector ’ s vehicle .
Roman was issued a Notice of Closure Monday along with paperwork that said his restaurant could continue to conduct business if it was delivery and take out only .
( RELATED : California Restaurant Owner Starts Fund To Help Laid Off Restaurant Workers ) However , Roman said despite the paperwork permitting take out and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the public health department is “ ignorant ” on how restaurants actually work , noting the paperwork was conflicting .
Outdoor dining in LA and other areas in California is banned due to a recent spike in coronavirus cases .
However , other business owners have defied the lockdowns , keeping their outdoor dining services open as well .
Check out more from the Daily Caller : The Oldest Restaurant In NYC Might Not Make It Because Of Cuomo ’ s COVID-19 Restrictions Manager Of Four NYC Bars With Historic Background Struggling @ @ @

The Daily Caller’s Jorge Ventura spoke with Bread & Barley owner Carlos Roman who was issued a “Notice of Closure” by the public health department after he allegedly defied the outdoor dining ban in Los Angeles County.
Roman used his vehicle to block a health inspector’s car after the inspector warned him that he would issue a set of fines for outdoor dining violations.
Health inspectors took photos of people dining outside while an officer then warned Roman that a tow truck was on the way to move his truck.
“I can’t do my job, I’m not gonna let him do his, I’m gonna stop him right here in his tracks,” Roman told Ventura about blocking the health inspector’s vehicle.
WATCH:
Roman was issued a Notice of Closure Monday along with paperwork that said his restaurant could continue to conduct business if it was delivery and take out only. (RELATED: California Restaurant Owner Starts Fund To Help Laid Off Restaurant Workers)
However, Roman said despite the paperwork permitting take out and deliver, along with drive through services, the public health department is “ignorant” on how restaurants actually work, noting the paperwork was conflicting.
Outdoor dining in LA and other areas in California is banned due to a recent spike in coronavirus cases. However, other business owners have defied the lockdowns, keeping their outdoor dining services open as well.
Check out more from the Daily Caller:
Restaurant Owner Blockades Health Inspectors Car After Receiving Citation For Outdoor Dining
The Oldest Restaurant In NYC Might Not Make It Because Of Cuomo’s COVID-19 Restrictions
Manager Of Four NYC Bars With Historic Background Struggling With COVID Restrictions


thedailycaller--2020-12-30--FACT CHECK: Did This Cornell University Professor Say That COVID-19 ‘Does Not Exist’?

A post shared on Facebook attributes to Cornell University professor Dr. Robert Oswald a lengthy quote that states in part , “ COVID-19 does not exist and is fictitious.
” The lengthy statement has previously circulated online without being credited to him .
Oswald has refuted the attribution .
The post features a lengthy statement in which Oswald , a professor of molecular medicine at Cornell University in Ithaca , New York , allegedly suggests that COVID-19 is a “ hoax.
” Accompanying the purported quote is a screen grab of Oswald ’ s faculty profile on Cornell University ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I have a PhD in virology and immunology .
I ’ m a clinical lab scientist and have tested 1500 ‘ supposed ’ positive Covid 19 samples collected here in S. California , ” the Facebook post credits Oswald with saying in part .
“ When my lab team and I did the testing through Koch ’ s postulates and observation under a SEM ( scanning electron microscope ) , we found NO Covid in any of the 1500 samples .
What we found was that all of the 1500 samples were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ B , but not a single case of Covid , and we did not use the B.S .
PCR test.
” While the attribution to Oswald may seem legitimate at first glance , it doesn ’ t hold up under scrutiny .
The quote contains inaccurate biographical information such as saying Oswald has a “ PhD in virology and immunology ” when , according to his faculty page , he actually has a doctorate in biochemistry .
The professor also has a statement on his faculty page that contradicts the message in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Any Facebook post that suggests otherwise is a hoax and is not true , ” reads the statement on his faculty page .
“ Wear a mask , practice social distancing , and get the vaccine when it becomes available.
” ( RELATED : Does This Photo Show Mike Pence Being Vaccinated For COVID-19 With The Cap On The Needle ? )
Oswald refuted the attribution in an email to the Daily Caller News Foundation , saying , “ This is a hoax that has been sent out under various names .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had nothing to do with it.
” Indeed , an internet search reveals the message has previously circulated online without attribution to Oswald .
COVID-19 and the novel coronavirus that causes it are real , despite what the Facebook post alleges in its misattributed quote .
The novel coronavirus , which has had its genome fully isolated by researchers , has sickened over 19.2 million people and killed over 332,000 in the U.S. , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact [ email protected ] .

A post shared on Facebook attributes to Cornell University professor Dr. Robert Oswald a lengthy quote that states in part, “COVID-19 does not exist and is fictitious.”
Verdict: False
The lengthy statement has previously circulated online without being credited to him. Oswald has refuted the attribution.
Fact Check:
The post features a lengthy statement in which Oswald, a professor of molecular medicine at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, allegedly suggests that COVID-19 is a “hoax.” Accompanying the purported quote is a screen grab of Oswald’s faculty profile on Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine website.
“I have a PhD in virology and immunology. I’m a clinical lab scientist and have tested 1500 ‘supposed’ positive Covid 19 samples collected here in S. California,” the Facebook post credits Oswald with saying in part. “When my lab team and I did the testing through Koch’s postulates and observation under a SEM (scanning electron microscope), we found NO Covid in any of the 1500 samples. What we found was that all of the 1500 samples were mostly Influenza A and some were influenza B, but not a single case of Covid, and we did not use the B.S. PCR test.”
While the attribution to Oswald may seem legitimate at first glance, it doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. The quote contains inaccurate biographical information such as saying Oswald has a “PhD in virology and immunology” when, according to his faculty page, he actually has a doctorate in biochemistry. The professor also has a statement on his faculty page that contradicts the message in the Facebook post.
“COVID-19 is real. Any Facebook post that suggests otherwise is a hoax and is not true,” reads the statement on his faculty page. “Wear a mask, practice social distancing, and get the vaccine when it becomes available.” (RELATED: Does This Photo Show Mike Pence Being Vaccinated For COVID-19 With The Cap On The Needle?)
Oswald refuted the attribution in an email to the Daily Caller News Foundation, saying, “This is a hoax that has been sent out under various names. None of it is true and I had nothing to do with it.” Indeed, an internet search reveals the message has previously circulated online without attribution to Oswald.
COVID-19 and the novel coronavirus that causes it are real, despite what the Facebook post alleges in its misattributed quote. The novel coronavirus, which has had its genome fully isolated by researchers, has sickened over 19.2 million people and killed over 332,000 in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].