thetennesseestar--2020-10-31--‘Damning’ Hunter Biden Document Sent to Fox’s Tucker Carlson Have Been Found, Parcel Service Says

Fox News host Tucker Carlson said on his show Wednesday night that `` damning '' documents linked to Hunter Biden and father Joe Biden have disappeared in transit to him .
`` On Monday of this week , we received from a source a collection of confidential documents related to the Biden family , '' Carlson said .
`` We believe they are authentic , they 're real and they 're damning . ''
Carlson went on to say that he was contacted by the source when he was in Los Angeles preparing to interview Tony Bobulinski , a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed that former Vice President Joe Biden , now the Democratic presidential nominee , had first-hand knowledge of his son 's foreign dealings .
`` We texted a producer in New York and asked him to send those documents to us in L.A. , `` Carlson said .
`` And he did that , so Monday afternoon of this week , he shipped the documents overnight to California with a large national carrier , a brand-name company that we 've used , you 've used , countless times with never a single problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was opened and the contents taken .
`` Tuesday morning we received word from the shipping company that our package had been opened and the contents were missing .
The documents had disappeared . ''
`` The company security team interviewed every one of its employees who touched the envelope we sent , '' Carlson said .
`` They searched the plane , and the trucks that carried it , they went through the office in New York where our producer dropped that package off , they combed the entire cavernous sorting facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had sent , so that searchers would know what to look for . ''
`` They went far and beyond , but they found nothing .
Those documents have vanished , '' Carlson concluded .
`` As of tonight , the company has no idea and no working theory either about what happened to this trove of materials , documents that are directly relevant to the presidential campaign just six days from now . ''
On Thursday , UPS acknowledged that the contents of a package sent to Carlson had indeed gone missing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Now UPS tells The Daily Beast that it was , indeed , the parcel company responsible for handling Carlson ’ s package and that the package was “ reported with missing contents as it moved within ” their network .
“ UPS is conducting an urgent investigation into this matter and regrets that the package was damaged , ” a UPS spokesman said in an email to The Daily Beast . ''
But in a later updated , the Beast said the documents have been found .
“ After an extensive search @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the package and are arranging for its return , ” the spokesman said .
“ UPS will always focus first on our customers , and will never stop working to solve issues and make things right .
”

Fox News host Tucker Carlson said on his show Wednesday night that "damning" documents linked to Hunter Biden and father Joe Biden have disappeared in transit to him.
"On Monday of this week, we received from a source a collection of confidential documents related to the Biden family," Carlson said. "We believe they are authentic, they're real and they're damning."
Carlson went on to say that he was contacted by the source when he was in Los Angeles preparing to interview Tony Bobulinski, a former business associate of Hunter Biden who has claimed that former Vice President Joe Biden, now the Democratic presidential nominee, had first-hand knowledge of his son's foreign dealings.
"We texted a producer in New York and asked him to send those documents to us in L.A., " Carlson said. "And he did that, so Monday afternoon of this week, he shipped the documents overnight to California with a large national carrier, a brand-name company that we've used, you've used, countless times with never a single problem."
Then Carlson said the package was opened and the contents taken. "Tuesday morning we received word from the shipping company that our package had been opened and the contents were missing. The documents had disappeared."
"The company security team interviewed every one of its employees who touched the envelope we sent," Carlson said. "They searched the plane, and the trucks that carried it, they went through the office in New York where our producer dropped that package off, they combed the entire cavernous sorting facility, they used pictures of what we had sent, so that searchers would know what to look for."
"They went far and beyond, but they found nothing. Those documents have vanished," Carlson concluded. "As of tonight, the company has no idea and no working theory either about what happened to this trove of materials, documents that are directly relevant to the presidential campaign just six days from now."
That "large national carrier" was reportedly United Parcel Service (UPS).
On Thursday, UPS acknowledged that the contents of a package sent to Carlson had indeed gone missing, according to a new report.
"Now UPS tells The Daily Beast that it was, indeed, the parcel company responsible for handling Carlson’s package and that the package was “reported with missing contents as it moved within” their network.
“UPS is conducting an urgent investigation into this matter and regrets that the package was damaged,” a UPS spokesman said in an email to The Daily Beast."
But in a later updated, the Beast said the documents have been found.
“After an extensive search, we have found the contents of the package and are arranging for its return,” the spokesman said. “UPS will always focus first on our customers, and will never stop working to solve issues and make things right.”


thetennesseestar--2020-11-01--Cumberland County Board of Education Chairman Shrugs off Question About Lifting Mask Mandates in Sch

Cumberland County Board of Education Chairman Shrugs off Question About Lifting Mask Mandates in Schools

Cumberland County students and teachers are stuck wearing facial coverings for the foreseeable future after the local school board chairman cited procedure as a reason not to reconsider their mask mandates .
During an October 22 Board of Education meeting , member Anita Hale asked if the body would ever reconsider its mask mandate .
A recording of the board ’ s videoconference meeting is available on the Cumberland County Board of Education ’ s Facebook page here .
Hale asked if they were waiting for a vaccine .
Chairman Jim Inman said there was no scheduled date to reconsider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had voted in favor of the mandate would have to ask to reconsider it .
No board member has asked for it to be placed on the agenda , he said .
However , some parents are against the use of facial coverings .
The Crossville Chronicle reported that parents have complained about masks being unclean and not working , as well as issues for special needs students .
The board unanimously approved masks for students in July and voted 5-4 to cover up staff members ’ faces .
Hale was one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During the October 22 meeting , Inman acknowledged parents ’ concerns and said , “ I ’ m sure everybody has been hearing from their constituents — as well as I have.
” During the September 29 livestreamed board meeting , a community member posted on Facebook , “ Governor Lee lifted all covid related restrictions .
Can we please get rid of masks in schools now ?
?
” .
In response , a parent posted , “ How can they do that meeting and yet my kids go to school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting in person.
” During the October 22 meeting , board member Tony Brock defended the use of masks because Gov .
Bill Lee recently said people should wear them and because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had tightened its guidelines on what constitutes close contact .
The July 23 meeting in which the board voted to require masks generated a heated discussion on Facebook .
One parent wrote , “ I will not live in fear nor teach my kids to .
If you are that scared then keep yours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes .

Cumberland County students and teachers are stuck wearing facial coverings for the foreseeable future after the local school board chairman cited procedure as a reason not to reconsider their mask mandates.
During an October 22 Board of Education meeting, member Anita Hale asked if the body would ever reconsider its mask mandate. A recording of the board’s videoconference meeting is available on the Cumberland County Board of Education’s Facebook page here.
Hale asked if they were waiting for a vaccine.
Chairman Jim Inman said there was no scheduled date to reconsider the matter, and a member who had voted in favor of the mandate would have to ask to reconsider it. No board member has asked for it to be placed on the agenda, he said.
However, some parents are against the use of facial coverings.
The Crossville Chronicle reported that parents have complained about masks being unclean and not working, as well as issues for special needs students. The board unanimously approved masks for students in July and voted 5-4 to cover up staff members’ faces. Hale was one of those who voted against the latter measure.
During the October 22 meeting, Inman acknowledged parents’ concerns and said, “I’m sure everybody has been hearing from their constituents — as well as I have.”
During the September 29 livestreamed board meeting, a community member posted on Facebook, “Governor Lee lifted all covid related restrictions. Can we please get rid of masks in schools now??”.
In response, a parent posted, “How can they do that meeting and yet my kids go to school. Are they afraid to have a meeting in person.”
During the October 22 meeting, board member Tony Brock defended the use of masks because Gov. Bill Lee recently said people should wear them and because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had tightened its guidelines on what constitutes close contact.
The July 23 meeting in which the board voted to require masks generated a heated discussion on Facebook.
One parent wrote, “I will not live in fear nor teach my kids to. If you are that scared then keep yours home.”
– – –
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-01--Commentary: Now, It’s up to You

Commentary: Now, It’s up to You

Tuesday is Election Day and the choice has never been clearer in American electoral history .
As someone who regularly reads the Daily Torch , you know the facts : • If you want the mobs on the streets to win their fight against your rights , vote for Biden • If you want to go back to shipping our jobs to China , vote for Biden • If you want higher taxes , vote for Biden • If you want more federal regulations , vote for Biden • If you believe the federal government should run your local communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go on and on , but this is like preaching to the choir , it feels good but at this point accomplishes little .
Instead , I want to ask you to do three things to help Donald Trump be re-elected .
• Share this Get Out the Vote cartoon by Tony Branco that I had drawn specifically for now .
• Go out of your way to talk to and personally reach out to like-minded friends and relatives and urge them to vote if they have not already done so .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to one other person to make certain that they are voting as well .
Google , Facebook and Twitter executives think they are the Masters of the Universe , but here in America elections are decided by the actions of you and me .
We are the Masters of America ’ s fate not weird looking creeps from the Silicon Valley , and when we talk to those we influence and encourage them to make their voice heard , they can not win .
This election is the most consequential of my lifetime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two best presidents of my lifetime along with Ronald Reagan and he has earned re-election .
The left hates Trump because he doesn ’ t kneel to them .
The left hates Donald Trump because he gets things done and he won ’ t be intimidated .
The left hates Donald Trump because he is taking their power away .
But now , after four years of fighting for you and me , Donald Trump needs us to fight for him .
The President has done 15 rallies in a couple of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he needs you and I to step up .
If a friend needs help to get to the polls – take them .
If you have already voted , make certain that everyone who you know understands why this election matters to our nation ’ s future freedoms .
The lines may be long , because the left has tried to make it inconvenient to vote on election day , if you have already voted , bring a chair for a friend who needs to wait in that line .
Take water to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t get discouraged .
The truth is that a vast majority of the people voting on November 3 are Donald Trump voters .
The Joe Biden campaign put all its eggs in the early vote by mail basket , so let ’ s make certain that freedom rings at those polling places tomorrow .
The time for talk is over .
Now it is time to decide .
Please join me in doing everything that you can think of to help get those who love this country and want to see her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hill to vote .
No excuses .
It is winning time .
Do not wake up on Wednesday wishing you had done more .
If we all pull together , the hopeful vision of America ’ s future will prevail and the dark winter for America that Joe Biden talks about will be avoided .
Now , it is up to you .
Rick Manning is the President of Americans for Limited Government .
Photo “ People Voting ” by Maryland GovPics .
CC BY 2.0

by Rick Manning
Tuesday is Election Day and the choice has never been clearer in American electoral history.
As someone who regularly reads the Daily Torch, you know the facts:
If you want the mobs on the streets to win their fight against your rights, vote for Biden
If you want to go back to shipping our jobs to China, vote for Biden
If you want higher taxes, vote for Biden
If you want more federal regulations, vote for Biden
If you believe the federal government should run your local communities zoning, vote for Biden
I could go on and on, but this is like preaching to the choir, it feels good but at this point accomplishes little. Instead, I want to ask you to do three things to help Donald Trump be re-elected.
Share this Get Out the Vote cartoon by Tony Branco that I had drawn specifically for now. Go out of your way to talk to and personally reach out to like-minded friends and relatives and urge them to vote if they have not already done so. Ask everyone who your reach to talk to one other person to make certain that they are voting as well.
Google, Facebook and Twitter executives think they are the Masters of the Universe, but here in America elections are decided by the actions of you and me. We are the Masters of America’s fate not weird looking creeps from the Silicon Valley, and when we talk to those we influence and encourage them to make their voice heard, they cannot win.
This election is the most consequential of my lifetime. Donald Trump has been one of the two best presidents of my lifetime along with Ronald Reagan and he has earned re-election.
The left hates Trump because he doesn’t kneel to them. The left hates Donald Trump because he gets things done and he won’t be intimidated. The left hates Donald Trump because he is taking their power away.
But now, after four years of fighting for you and me, Donald Trump needs us to fight for him. The President has done 15 rallies in a couple of days, but today, now, he needs you and I to step up. If a friend needs help to get to the polls – take them. If you have already voted, make certain that everyone who you know understands why this election matters to our nation’s future freedoms.
The lines may be long, because the left has tried to make it inconvenient to vote on election day, if you have already voted, bring a chair for a friend who needs to wait in that line. Take water to those who are waiting so they don’t get discouraged.
The truth is that a vast majority of the people voting on November 3 are Donald Trump voters. The Joe Biden campaign put all its eggs in the early vote by mail basket, so let’s make certain that freedom rings at those polling places tomorrow.
The time for talk is over. Now it is time to decide. Please join me in doing everything that you can think of to help get those who love this country and want to see her continue to be a shining beacon on a hill to vote.
No excuses. It is winning time. Do not wake up on Wednesday wishing you had done more. If we all pull together, the hopeful vision of America’s future will prevail and the dark winter for America that Joe Biden talks about will be avoided.
Now, it is up to you.
– – –
Rick Manning is the President of Americans for Limited Government.
Photo “People Voting” by Maryland GovPics. CC BY 2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-11-01--Trump to Hold Ten Rallies in the Final Two Days Before the Election

President Donald Trump will speak at 10 rallies in the two days before the election , according to his campaign website .
The president will also speak at three rallies on Saturday while Vice President Mike Pence will speak at one rally on Saturday , according to his campaign schedule .
Pence will speak in North Carolina while Trump will speak in Pennsylvania on Saturday .
On Sunday , Trump has rallies scheduled for Michigan , Idaho , North Carolina , Georgia and Florida , according to the schedule , and on Monday he is scheduled to appear in Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and at two cities in Michigan .
“ Americans who attend President Trump ’ s rallies are eager to hear directly from him about his vision for the country and they exemplify the palpable enthusiasm for our President , ” Samantha Zager , deputy national press secretary , told the Daily Caller News Foundation .
“ While Joe Biden ’ s meager campaign schedule has him hiding from voters in the wake of reports of his corruption , President Trump and his team are using rallies to energize the activist class , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collect data from new voters , ” Zager said .
“ When he ’ s on the road , President Trump is not just talking to his supporters , but also to new voters who have disappointedly watched Biden refuse to work to earn their support , ” Zager continued .
Biden was ahead of Trump in the polls by 8.6 points in Wisconsin as of Friday , according to Five Thirty Eight .
Biden carries an 8.9 point lead over Trump in Michigan .
The former vice president had a 5.2 poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Friday , according to Five Thirty Eight .
Biden and former President Barack Obama plan to be in Michigan on Saturday , going to Flint and then Detroit to give campaign speeches , according to FOX 2 .
Both Biden and Trump will hold rallies in Minnesota on Friday , Fox News reported .
Biden is set to go to Wisconsin and held an event in Iowa before his Minnesota rally , according to Fox News .
Both candidates campaigned in Florida on Thursday .
Trump , like Biden , will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , Fox reported .
Mary Rose Corkery is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .
Photo “ Donald Trump ” by Gage Skidmore .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .

by Mary Rose Corkery
President Donald Trump will speak at 10 rallies in the two days before the election, according to his campaign website.
The president will also speak at three rallies on Saturday while Vice President Mike Pence will speak at one rally on Saturday, according to his campaign schedule. Pence will speak in North Carolina while Trump will speak in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
On Sunday, Trump has rallies scheduled for Michigan, Iowa, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida, according to the schedule, and on Monday he is scheduled to appear in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, again in North Carolina, and at two cities in Michigan.
“Americans who attend President Trump’s rallies are eager to hear directly from him about his vision for the country and they exemplify the palpable enthusiasm for our President,” Samantha Zager, deputy national press secretary, told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “While Joe Biden’s meager campaign schedule has him hiding from voters in the wake of reports of his corruption, President Trump and his team are using rallies to energize the activist class, dominate local coverage for days, and collect data from new voters,” Zager said.
“When he’s on the road, President Trump is not just talking to his supporters, but also to new voters who have disappointedly watched Biden refuse to work to earn their support,” Zager continued.
Trump sets final campaign schedule: Sunday:
Washington, MI
Dubuque, IA
Hickory, NC
Rome, GA
Miami, FL Monday:
Fayetteville, NC
Scranton, PA
Traverse City, MI
Kenosha, WI
Grand Rapids, MI* *where he held final 2016 rally (to @maggieNYT's point about superstition) — Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) October 30, 2020
Three of the final 10 stops for Trump will be in Michigan, including two on the final day, which is fairly interesting. — Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) October 30, 2020
Biden was ahead of Trump in the polls by 8.6 points in Wisconsin as of Friday, according to Five Thirty Eight. Biden carries an 8.9 point lead over Trump in Michigan.
The former vice president had a 5.2 poll lead ahead of Trump in Pennsylvania as of Friday, according to Five Thirty Eight.
Biden and former President Barack Obama plan to be in Michigan on Saturday, going to Flint and then Detroit to give campaign speeches, according to FOX 2.
Both Biden and Trump will hold rallies in Minnesota on Friday, Fox News reported. Biden is set to go to Wisconsin and held an event in Iowa before his Minnesota rally, according to Fox News. Both candidates campaigned in Florida on Thursday.
Trump, like Biden, will be on the campaign trail in Wisconsin on Friday, Fox reported.
– – –
Mary Rose Corkery is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Donald Trump” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-01--Never Flagged as a Danger, Nice Attacker Traveled Unimpeded

TUNIS , Tunisia ( AP ) — The 21-year-old Tunisian behind the attack that killed three in a Nice , France , church had small-time run-ins with the law as a teen , but nothing that alerted Tunisian authorities to possible extremist leanings .
That missing red flag meant that when he eventually was served an expulsion order from Italy , which he reached illegally by boat , he was basically free to go where he pleased .
So Ibrahim Issaoui then traveled apparently unimpeded to France .
Italy ’ s interior minister , Luciana Lamorgese , told The Associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set off warning bells with Tunisian authorities or intelligence services .
She added that Italy ’ s overburdened repatriation centers had no place for him , despite agreements with Tunisia governing the return of citizens who don ’ t qualify for asylum in Italy .
“ Obviously , we give precedence to people who are signaled by law enforcement or by Tunisian authorities , ’ ’ Lamorgese said .
“ The number of spots are not infinite , and he could not therefore be placed inside a repatriation center.
’ ’ The spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s office , Mohsen Dali , said Issaoui is not classified as being a terrorist element to the security and judicial authorities .
“ During his teenage years , he was involved in common law cases for violence , ” he said , without elaborating .
Issaoui ’ s mother told investigators that he led a normal life for someone of his age , Dali said .
He drank alcohol and wore ordinary clothes .
He started praying two years ago , but did not have any suspicious associates , he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ up in a family of 10 children in Sfax , an important economic hub in southern Tunisia , and worked as a mechanic in a workshop for a monthly salary of 300 dinars ( less than 100 euros ) .
He then opened a vegetable stall in a shop that also sold gasoline illegally , Dali told the AP .
He decided on Sept. 14 to try to enter Italy illegally , having failed in a previous attempt .
He arrived in Italy ’ s southernmost island of Lampedusa on Sept. 20 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was quarantined for the coronavirus on a ship with some 800 other migrants .
His expulsion order was dated Oct. 9 .
“ Then we know he remained in Italy a few more days , then went on his way to France , ’ ’ Lamorgese said , adding that it was not clear when he crossed the border .
“ The French border controls are very serious , but evidently this time he slipped through and managed to enter French territory.
” He is believed to have traveled first to Paris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Nice the day before the attack .
Authorities in both Italy and Tunisia are cooperating with France on the investigation .
More than 11,000 Tunisians have arrived in Italy this year , putting a major strain on the country ’ s ability to manage them .
Lamorgese has traveled twice to Tunisia twice this year , winning agreements to send two flights a week with 40 Tunisians each .
But even so , Italy has only been able to repatriate 1,186 this year — 1,032 since the most recent agreement in July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 10 repatriation centers hold citizens of many countries who do not accept their return at all .
Lamorgese has blamed the increase in Tunisian arrivals on the country ’ s socio-economic problems that have been exacerbated by COVID-19 , and has offered Italian assistance to address them .
Tunisians typically have headed to France , where they might have friends or relatives — although this appears not to have been the case for Issaoui , whose family said he knew no one there .
During the Arab Spring protests in 2011 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only 800 stayed , the interior minister noted .
Lamorgese , who has faced criticism from opposition politicians over the attacker ’ s trajectory through Italy , called for help from the rest of Europe in managing these flows , and for solidarity in the face of terrorism .
“ I think we in Europe need to work together for the same goal , to defeat terrorism , because it can hit anyone , in any country , ’ ’ Lamorgese said .
Bouazza Ben Bouazza and Trisha Thomas are reporters for The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rome .
Colleen Barry contributed from Milan .
About the Headline Photo : Police stand next to flowers and candles set on the steps of the Notre Dame church in Nice , France , Friday , Oct. 30 , 2020 .
A new suspect is in custody in the investigation into a gruesome attack by a Tunisian man who killed three people in a French church .
France heightened its security alert amid religious and geopolitical tensions around cartoons mocking the Muslim prophet .
( AP Photo/Daniel Cole )

by Bouazza Ben Bouazza and Trisha Thomas
TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — The 21-year-old Tunisian behind the attack that killed three in a Nice, France, church had small-time run-ins with the law as a teen, but nothing that alerted Tunisian authorities to possible extremist leanings.
That missing red flag meant that when he eventually was served an expulsion order from Italy, which he reached illegally by boat, he was basically free to go where he pleased. So Ibrahim Issaoui then traveled apparently unimpeded to France.
Italy’s interior minister, Luciana Lamorgese, told The Associated Press on Friday that Issaoui had not set off warning bells with Tunisian authorities or intelligence services. She added that Italy’s overburdened repatriation centers had no place for him, despite agreements with Tunisia governing the return of citizens who don’t qualify for asylum in Italy.
“Obviously, we give precedence to people who are signaled by law enforcement or by Tunisian authorities,’’ Lamorgese said. “The number of spots are not infinite, and he could not therefore be placed inside a repatriation center.’’
The spokesperson for Tunisia’s anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office, Mohsen Dali, said Issaoui is not classified as being a terrorist element to the security and judicial authorities.
“During his teenage years, he was involved in common law cases for violence,” he said, without elaborating.
Issaoui’s mother told investigators that he led a normal life for someone of his age, Dali said. He drank alcohol and wore ordinary clothes. He started praying two years ago, but did not have any suspicious associates, he said.
According to Tunisian media, Issaoui grew up in a family of 10 children in Sfax, an important economic hub in southern Tunisia, and worked as a mechanic in a workshop for a monthly salary of 300 dinars (less than 100 euros). He then opened a vegetable stall in a shop that also sold gasoline illegally, Dali told the AP.
He decided on Sept. 14 to try to enter Italy illegally, having failed in a previous attempt.
He arrived in Italy’s southernmost island of Lampedusa on Sept. 20, and was transferred to Puglia, where he was quarantined for the coronavirus on a ship with some 800 other migrants. His expulsion order was dated Oct. 9.
“Then we know he remained in Italy a few more days, then went on his way to France,’’ Lamorgese said, adding that it was not clear when he crossed the border. “The French border controls are very serious, but evidently this time he slipped through and managed to enter French territory.”
He is believed to have traveled first to Paris, with Tunisian officials saying he arrived in Nice the day before the attack.
Authorities in both Italy and Tunisia are cooperating with France on the investigation.
More than 11,000 Tunisians have arrived in Italy this year, putting a major strain on the country’s ability to manage them. Lamorgese has traveled twice to Tunisia twice this year, winning agreements to send two flights a week with 40 Tunisians each.
But even so, Italy has only been able to repatriate 1,186 this year — 1,032 since the most recent agreement in July. Lamorgese also noted that the country’s 10 repatriation centers hold citizens of many countries who do not accept their return at all.
Lamorgese has blamed the increase in Tunisian arrivals on the country’s socio-economic problems that have been exacerbated by COVID-19, and has offered Italian assistance to address them.
Tunisians typically have headed to France, where they might have friends or relatives — although this appears not to have been the case for Issaoui, whose family said he knew no one there. During the Arab Spring protests in 2011, 28,000 Tunisians arrived in Italy and only 800 stayed, the interior minister noted.
Lamorgese, who has faced criticism from opposition politicians over the attacker’s trajectory through Italy, called for help from the rest of Europe in managing these flows, and for solidarity in the face of terrorism.
“I think we in Europe need to work together for the same goal, to defeat terrorism, because it can hit anyone, in any country,’’ Lamorgese said.
– – –
Bouazza Ben Bouazza and Trisha Thomas are reporters for The Associated Press. Trisha Thomas reported from Rome. Colleen Barry contributed from Milan.
About the Headline Photo: Police stand next to flowers and candles set on the steps of the Notre Dame church in Nice, France, Friday, Oct. 30, 2020. A new suspect is in custody in the investigation into a gruesome attack by a Tunisian man who killed three people in a French church. France heightened its security alert amid religious and geopolitical tensions around cartoons mocking the Muslim prophet. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)


thetennesseestar--2020-11-01--Sean Connery, the ‘Original’ James Bond, Dies at 90

LONDON , England ( AP ) — Sean Connery , the charismatic Scottish actor who rose to international superstardom as the suave secret agent James Bond and then abandoned the role to carve out an Oscar-winning career in other rugged roles , has died .
He was 90 .
Connery ’ s wife and two sons said he “ died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family ” in the Bahamas , where he lived .
Son Jason Connery said his father had been “ unwell for some time.
” Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They said Connery ’ s “ gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent ” was largely responsible for the success of the film series .
“ He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words — ‘ The name ’ s Bond… James Bond , ’ ” they said in a statement .
Daniel Craig , the current Bond , said Connery “ defined an era and a style ” and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on screen could be measured in mega watts.
” Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the country was mourning “ one of her best loved sons.
” Connery , was a commanding screen presence for some 40 years .
He was in his early 30s — and little known — when he starred in the first Bond thriller , 1962 ’ s “ Dr .
No , ” based on the Ian Fleming novel .
Condemned as immoral by the Vatican and the Kremlin , but screened at the White House for Bond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No ” was a box office hit and launched a franchise that long outlasted its Cold War origins .
United Artists couldn ’ t wait to make more films about the British secret agent , with ever more elaborate stunts and gadgets , along with more exotic locales and more prominent co-stars , among them Lotte Lenya and Jill St. John .
For decades , with actors from Connery to Craig in the leading role , filmgoers have loved the outrageous stunts , vicious villains and likable , roguish hero who enjoyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gadgety weapons , elegant clothes and vodka martinis ( always shaken , not stirred ) .
Connery continued as Bond in “ From Russia With Love , ” “ Goldfinger , ” “ Thunderball , ” “ You Only Live Twice ” and “ Diamonds Are Forever , ” often performing his own stunts .
“ Diamonds Are Forever ” came out in 1971 and by then Connery had grown weary of playing 007 and feared he wasn ’ t being taken seriously despite his dramatic performances in Alfred Hitchcock ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s “ The Hill.
” “ I ’ d been an actor since I was 25 , but the image the press put out was that I just fell into this tuxedo and started mixing vodka martinis , ” he once complained .
When he walked away at age 41 , Hollywood insiders predicted Connery would soon be washed up .
Who would hire a balding , middle-aged actor with a funny accent ?
Connery fooled them all , playing a wide range of characters and proving equally adept at comedy , adventure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the appeal of his dark stare and rugged brogue ; he set a celebrity record of sorts when at age 59 he was named People magazine ’ s “ Sexiest Man Alive.
” He won the affection of fans of the “ Indiana Jones ” franchise when he played Indy ’ s father opposite Harrison Ford in the third picture , 1989′s “ Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
” He turned in a poignant portrayal of an aging Robin Hood opposite Audrey Hepburn in “ Robin and Marian ” in 1976 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Richard to Kevin Costner ’ s Robin Hood in “ Robin Hood : Prince of Thieves.
” He was the lovable English con man who joined Michael Caine in swindling people in a distant land in “ The Man Who Would Be King ” and the bold Russian submarine commander in “ The Hunt for Red October.
” Connery delivered a charming performance as a reclusive writer who mentors a teenage prodigy in 2000′s “ Finding Forrester.
” He won his Oscar for supporting actor in 1987 for his portrayal of a tough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime-fighters in “ The Untouchables.
” By then he was at peace with James Bond , and when he arrived onstage at the Oscars ceremony he declared , “ The name ’ s Connery .
Sean Connery.
” He kept his promise not to play Bond again until 1983 , when he was lured back by an offbeat script about a middle-aged 007 .
Based on the only Fleming story that hadn ’ t been nailed down by the film empire Broccoli and Saltzman created , Connery took the role and helped produce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Never Say Never Again , ” a title suggested by his wife , Micheline Roquebrune .
Even as the 007 films made him a millionaire , Connery tried often to separate his own personality from that of Bond .
“ I ’ m obviously not Bond , ” he once said .
“ And Bond is obviously not a human being .
Fleming invented him after the war , when people were hungry for luxury , gourmet touches , exotic settings .
Those were the things the English loved to read about following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ real ” Sean Connery had a troubled first marriage and a history of comments justifying domestic violence .
In 1962 , he married Diane Cilento , an actress best known for her role as Molly in “ Tom Jones.
” They had a son , Jason , who also became an actor , but the union proved tempestuous and ended in 1974 .
Its impact lasted long after .
Cilento would allege that he had physically abused her and Connery defended his behavior in interviews .
In 1965 , he told Playboy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything particularly wrong about hitting a woman — although I don ’ t recommend doing it in the same way that you ’ d hit a man .
An openhanded slap is justified — if all other alternatives fail and there has been plenty of warning.
” When Barbara Walters brought up those remarks in a 1987 interview , he said his opinion hadn ’ t changed because “ sometimes women just won ’ t leave things alone.
” Connery was widely criticized , but still received numerous honors , including being chosen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bond ) of France ’ s Order of Arts and Literature and a Kennedy Center honoree in 1999 .
The following year Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed him a British knight , for services to film drama .
In 2005 he was chosen for a lifetime achievement award by the American Film Institute .
Thomas Sean Connery was born Aug. 25 , 1930 , in Edinburgh , Scotland , the first of two sons of a long-distance truck driver and a domestic worker .
He left school at age 13 during World War II @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was a milkman , laborer , steel bender , cement mixer— virtually anything , ” he once said .
Weary of day labor , he joined the British navy and was medically discharged after three years .
The ailment : stomach ulcers .
Back in Edinburgh , he lifted weights to build his body and compete in the Mr. Universe contest .
He came in third , and briefly considered becoming a professional soccer player , but chose acting because he reasoned his career would last longer .
He got his first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is Nothing Like a Dame ” in “ South Pacific ” on the London stage and in a road production before going on to act in repertory , television and B movies .
He went to Hollywood for two early films , Disney ’ s “ Darby O ’ Gill and the Little People ” and “ Tarzan ’ s Greatest Adventure.
” When he decided to become an actor , he was told that Thomas Sean Connery wouldn ’ t fit on a theater marquee so he dropped his first name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his life .
American producers Albert “ Cubby ” Broccoli and Harry Saltzman had bought the film rights to a string of post-World War II spy adventure novels by Fleming .
Connery was not their first choice for “ Dr .
No.
” The producers had looked to Cary Grant , but decided they wanted an actor who would commit to a series .
The producers also realized they couldn ’ t afford a big-name star because United Artists had limited their film budget to $ 1 million a picture , so they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among them was the 6-foot-2 Connery .
Without a screen test , Broccoli and Saltzman chose the actor , citing his “ dark , cruel good looks , ” a perfect match for the way Fleming described Bond .
When Connery started earning big money , he established his base at a villa in Marbella on the Spanish coast .
He described it as “ my sanitarium , where I recover from the madness of the film world.
” It also helped him avoid the overwhelming income tax he would have paid had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As his acting roles diminished when he reached his 70s , Connery spent much of his time at his tax-free home at Lynford Cay in the Bahamas .
He played golf almost every morning , often with his wife .
He announced in 2007 that he had retired when he turned down the chance to appear in another “ Indiana Jones ” movie .
“ I thought long and hard about it , and if anything could have pulled me out of retirement it would have been an ` Indiana Jones ’ film @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the end , retirement is just too damned much fun.
” Though he lived abroad for many years , Connery was a passionate supporter of Scottish independence , a donor to the Scottish National Party and had the words “ Scotland Forever ” tattooed on his arm .
Sturgeon , the SNP leader and Scotland ’ s first minister , said “ Sean was a global legend but , first and foremost , he was a patriotic and proud Scot.
” “ He was a lifelong advocate of an independent Scotland and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owe him a great debt of gratitude , ” she said .
Craig , whose latest Bond film “ No Time To Die ” has been delayed into next year because of the coronavirus pandemic said Connery will continue to influence actors and film-makers alike for years to come .
“ Wherever he is , I hope there is a golf course , ” Craig said .
Connery is survived by his wife , brother Neil and sons Jason and Stefan .
His publicist , Nancy Seltzer , said there would be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once the coronavirus pandemic has ended .
Jill Lawless is a reporter for The Associated Press .
Former AP Entertainment Writer Bob Thomas in Los Angeles helped compile this report before his death in 2014 .
Hillel Italie also contributed from New York .
About the Headline Photo : In this Jan. 23 , 1987 file photo , actor Sean Connery holds a rose in his hand as he talks about his new movie “ The Name of the Rose ” at a news conference in London .
Scottish actor Sean Connery , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best James Bond , has died aged 90 , according to an announcement from his family .
( AP Photo/Gerald Penny , File )

by Jill Lawless and Bob Thomas
LONDON, England (AP) — Sean Connery, the charismatic Scottish actor who rose to international superstardom as the suave secret agent James Bond and then abandoned the role to carve out an Oscar-winning career in other rugged roles, has died. He was 90.
Connery’s wife and two sons said he “died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family” in the Bahamas, where he lived. Son Jason Connery said his father had been “unwell for some time.”
Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said they were “devastated” by the news. They said Connery’s “gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent” was largely responsible for the success of the film series.
“He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words — ‘The name’s Bond… James Bond,’” they said in a statement.
Daniel Craig, the current Bond, said Connery “defined an era and a style” and that the “wit and charm he portrayed on screen could be measured in mega watts.”
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the country was mourning “one of her best loved sons.”
Connery, was a commanding screen presence for some 40 years. He was in his early 30s — and little known — when he starred in the first Bond thriller, 1962’s “Dr. No,” based on the Ian Fleming novel.
Condemned as immoral by the Vatican and the Kremlin, but screened at the White House for Bond fan John F. Kennedy, “Dr. No” was a box office hit and launched a franchise that long outlasted its Cold War origins.
United Artists couldn’t wait to make more films about the British secret agent, with ever more elaborate stunts and gadgets, along with more exotic locales and more prominent co-stars, among them Lotte Lenya and Jill St. John.
For decades, with actors from Connery to Craig in the leading role, filmgoers have loved the outrageous stunts, vicious villains and likable, roguish hero who enjoyed a life of carousing, fast cars, gadgety weapons, elegant clothes and vodka martinis (always shaken, not stirred).
Connery continued as Bond in “From Russia With Love,” “Goldfinger,” “Thunderball,” “You Only Live Twice” and “Diamonds Are Forever,” often performing his own stunts.
“Diamonds Are Forever” came out in 1971 and by then Connery had grown weary of playing 007 and feared he wasn’t being taken seriously despite his dramatic performances in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Marnie” and Sidney Lumet’s “The Hill.”
“I’d been an actor since I was 25, but the image the press put out was that I just fell into this tuxedo and started mixing vodka martinis,” he once complained.
When he walked away at age 41, Hollywood insiders predicted Connery would soon be washed up. Who would hire a balding, middle-aged actor with a funny accent?
Connery fooled them all, playing a wide range of characters and proving equally adept at comedy, adventure or drama. And age only heightened the appeal of his dark stare and rugged brogue; he set a celebrity record of sorts when at age 59 he was named People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive.”
He won the affection of fans of the “Indiana Jones” franchise when he played Indy’s father opposite Harrison Ford in the third picture, 1989′s “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” He turned in a poignant portrayal of an aging Robin Hood opposite Audrey Hepburn in “Robin and Marian” in 1976 and, 15 years later, was King Richard to Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood in “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.”
He was the lovable English con man who joined Michael Caine in swindling people in a distant land in “The Man Who Would Be King” and the bold Russian submarine commander in “The Hunt for Red October.”
Connery delivered a charming performance as a reclusive writer who mentors a teenage prodigy in 2000′s “Finding Forrester.”
He won his Oscar for supporting actor in 1987 for his portrayal of a tough Chicago cop who joins Elliot Ness’ crime-fighters in “The Untouchables.”
By then he was at peace with James Bond, and when he arrived onstage at the Oscars ceremony he declared, “The name’s Connery. Sean Connery.”
He kept his promise not to play Bond again until 1983, when he was lured back by an offbeat script about a middle-aged 007. Based on the only Fleming story that hadn’t been nailed down by the film empire Broccoli and Saltzman created, Connery took the role and helped produce the film. The result was “Never Say Never Again,” a title suggested by his wife, Micheline Roquebrune.
Even as the 007 films made him a millionaire, Connery tried often to separate his own personality from that of Bond.
“I’m obviously not Bond,” he once said. “And Bond is obviously not a human being. Fleming invented him after the war, when people were hungry for luxury, gourmet touches, exotic settings. Those were the things the English loved to read about following the privations of the war.”
The “real” Sean Connery had a troubled first marriage and a history of comments justifying domestic violence. In 1962, he married Diane Cilento, an actress best known for her role as Molly in “Tom Jones.” They had a son, Jason, who also became an actor, but the union proved tempestuous and ended in 1974.
Its impact lasted long after. Cilento would allege that he had physically abused her and Connery defended his behavior in interviews. In 1965, he told Playboy magazine that he did not find “anything particularly wrong about hitting a woman — although I don’t recommend doing it in the same way that you’d hit a man. An openhanded slap is justified — if all other alternatives fail and there has been plenty of warning.”
When Barbara Walters brought up those remarks in a 1987 interview, he said his opinion hadn’t changed because “sometimes women just won’t leave things alone.”
Connery was widely criticized, but still received numerous honors, including being chosen as commander (the same rank as Bond) of France’s Order of Arts and Literature and a Kennedy Center honoree in 1999. The following year Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed him a British knight, for services to film drama.
In 2005 he was chosen for a lifetime achievement award by the American Film Institute. Thomas Sean Connery was born Aug. 25, 1930, in Edinburgh, Scotland, the first of two sons of a long-distance truck driver and a domestic worker.
He left school at age 13 during World War II to help support his family.
“I was a milkman, laborer, steel bender, cement mixer— virtually anything,” he once said.
Weary of day labor, he joined the British navy and was medically discharged after three years. The ailment: stomach ulcers.
Back in Edinburgh, he lifted weights to build his body and compete in the Mr. Universe contest. He came in third, and briefly considered becoming a professional soccer player, but chose acting because he reasoned his career would last longer.
He got his first big break singing and dancing to “There is Nothing Like a Dame” in “South Pacific” on the London stage and in a road production before going on to act in repertory, television and B movies. He went to Hollywood for two early films, Disney’s “Darby O’Gill and the Little People” and “Tarzan’s Greatest Adventure.”
When he decided to become an actor, he was told that Thomas Sean Connery wouldn’t fit on a theater marquee so he dropped his first name.
Then came the audition that changed his life. American producers Albert “Cubby” Broccoli and Harry Saltzman had bought the film rights to a string of post-World War II spy adventure novels by Fleming. Connery was not their first choice for “Dr. No.”
The producers had looked to Cary Grant, but decided they wanted an actor who would commit to a series. The producers also realized they couldn’t afford a big-name star because United Artists had limited their film budget to $1 million a picture, so they started interviewing more obscure British performers.
Among them was the 6-foot-2 Connery. Without a screen test, Broccoli and Saltzman chose the actor, citing his “dark, cruel good looks,” a perfect match for the way Fleming described Bond. When Connery started earning big money, he established his base at a villa in Marbella on the Spanish coast.
He described it as “my sanitarium, where I recover from the madness of the film world.” It also helped him avoid the overwhelming income tax he would have paid had he remained a resident of Britain.
As his acting roles diminished when he reached his 70s, Connery spent much of his time at his tax-free home at Lynford Cay in the Bahamas. He played golf almost every morning, often with his wife. He announced in 2007 that he had retired when he turned down the chance to appear in another “Indiana Jones” movie.
“I thought long and hard about it, and if anything could have pulled me out of retirement it would have been an `Indiana Jones’ film,” he said.
“But in the end, retirement is just too damned much fun.”
Though he lived abroad for many years, Connery was a passionate supporter of Scottish independence, a donor to the Scottish National Party and had the words “Scotland Forever” tattooed on his arm.
Sturgeon, the SNP leader and Scotland’s first minister, said “Sean was a global legend but, first and foremost, he was a patriotic and proud Scot.”
“He was a lifelong advocate of an independent Scotland and those of us who share that belief owe him a great debt of gratitude,” she said.
Craig, whose latest Bond film “No Time To Die” has been delayed into next year because of the coronavirus pandemic said Connery will continue to influence actors and film-makers alike for years to come.
“Wherever he is, I hope there is a golf course,” Craig said.
Connery is survived by his wife, brother Neil and sons Jason and Stefan. His publicist, Nancy Seltzer, said there would be a private ceremony followed by a memorial service once the coronavirus pandemic has ended.
– – –
Jill Lawless is a reporter for The Associated Press. Former AP Entertainment Writer Bob Thomas in Los Angeles helped compile this report before his death in 2014. Hillel Italie also contributed from New York.
About the Headline Photo: In this Jan. 23, 1987 file photo, actor Sean Connery holds a rose in his hand as he talks about his new movie “The Name of the Rose” at a news conference in London. Scottish actor Sean Connery, considered by many to have been the best James Bond, has died aged 90, according to an announcement from his family. (AP Photo/Gerald Penny, File)


thetennesseestar--2020-11-01--Memphis Doctors Pay Huge Fine for Overbilling Taxpayers on Medicare

Various physicians in Memphis will pay more than $ 340,000 for allegedly overcharging the taxpayer-funded Medicare .
This , according to a press release that U.S. Department of Justice officials posted on their website this week .
“ Doctor Shoaib Qureshi , Doctor Imran Mirza , Memphis Primary Care Specialists , Lunceford Family Health Center , and Getwell Family Medicine agreed to pay $ 341,690 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly charging Medicare for services rendered by nurse practitioners at the higher reimbursement rate for physician services , ” according to the press release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physicians who practice in and around Memphis .
Qureshi owns and operates Memphis Primary Care Specialists and Lunceford Family Health Center .
Mirza owns and operates Getwell Family Medicine , the press release said .
Michael Dunavant , U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee , said in the press release that false Medicare billing encourages fraud , waste , and abuse of taxpayer money .
“ Settlements like this achieve provider accountability , protect public funds , and safeguard the beneficiaries of federal health care programs , ” Dunavant said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ services than for non-physician services .
Medicare will pay the higher physician rate for services rendered by non-physician providers if the services are “ incident to ” the services of a physician .
A physician must directly supervise such “ incident to ” services , according to the press release .
“ The United States alleged that , from 2015 to 2018 , Doctor Qureshi , Doctor Mirza , and their clinics billed Medicare as though the physicians had provided the services in question , when in fact nurse practitioners had treated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ‘ incident to ’ rules , ' ” the press release said .
“ Indeed , the government alleged that the services were rendered when the physicians were out of the office , including times when they were traveling out of state or abroad.
” Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]

Various physicians in Memphis will pay more than $340,000 for allegedly overcharging the taxpayer-funded Medicare.
This, according to a press release that U.S. Department of Justice officials posted on their website this week.
“Doctor Shoaib Qureshi, Doctor Imran Mirza, Memphis Primary Care Specialists, Lunceford Family Health Center, and Getwell Family Medicine agreed to pay $341,690 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly charging Medicare for services rendered by nurse practitioners at the higher reimbursement rate for physician services,” according to the press release.
Qureshi and Mirza are family medicine physicians who practice in and around Memphis. Qureshi owns and operates Memphis Primary Care Specialists and Lunceford Family Health Center. Mirza owns and operates Getwell Family Medicine, the press release said.
Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, said in the press release that false Medicare billing encourages fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer money.
“Settlements like this achieve provider accountability, protect public funds, and safeguard the beneficiaries of federal health care programs,” Dunavant said.
Medicare pays a higher rate for physician services than for non-physician services. Medicare will pay the higher physician rate for services rendered by non-physician providers if the services are “incident to” the services of a physician. A physician must directly supervise such “incident to” services, according to the press release.
“The United States alleged that, from 2015 to 2018, Doctor Qureshi, Doctor Mirza, and their clinics billed Medicare as though the physicians had provided the services in question, when in fact nurse practitioners had treated the patients without the supervision required by Medicare’s ‘incident to’ rules,'” the press release said.
“Indeed, the government alleged that the services were rendered when the physicians were out of the office, including times when they were traveling out of state or abroad.”
– – –
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected]


thetennesseestar--2020-11-01--SCOTUS to Hear Arguments in Five Cases in First Week of November

On Nov. 2 , 2020 , the Supreme Court of the United States will begin its November sitting .
All arguments during its November and December sittings will be conducted via teleconference with live audio .
The court made the decision to hold proceedings this way in accordance with public health guidance in response to COVID-19 .
In the first week of November , the court will hear arguments in five cases .
Each case will be allotted one hour for oral argument : • In U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service v. Sierra Club , the Sierra Club challenged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) rule and a biological opinion from the U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service ( collectively , Services ) .
During that litigation , the Sierra Club submitted a Freedom of Information Act ( FOIA ) request for draft documents from a consultation between the three agencies that took place between 2011 and 2014 .
The Services released some documents but withheld others under FOIA Exemption 5 .
The Sierra Club sued Services in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California , which ruled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could withhold others .
On appeal , the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed in part and reversed in part the district court ’ s decision .
The government petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for review .
The issues : Whether FOIA ’ s Exemption 5 protects draft documents from compelled disclosure if the documents were ( 1 ) created during a formal interagency consultation process under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and ( 2 ) later modified in the consultation process .
• In Salinas v. United States Railroad Retirement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ annuity with the United States Railroad Retirement Board ’ s Disability Benefits Division in 2006 .
The application was denied .
Salinas appealed to the Board to reconsider .
The Board denied the request .
In 2013 , Salinas filed a new application for disability annuity .
The Board granted the annuity .
Salinas appealed the annuity ’ s start date and the amount and requested that his prior applications be reviewed .
The Board denied the request .
On appeal , the 5th Circuit dismissed Salinas ’ petition for review .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The issue : Whether , under Section 5 ( f ) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act and Section 8 of the Railroad Retirement Act , the Railroad Retirement Board ’ s denial of a request to reopen a prior benefits determination is a final decision that is subject to judicial review .
• In Jones v. Mississippi , Brett Jones , a fifteen-year-old , killed his grandfather .
Jones was tried for murder in the Circuit Court of Lee County , Mississippi .
He was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court ’ s decision in Miller v. Alabama ( 2012 ) , the Mississippi Supreme Court ordered the county circuit court to hold a sentencing rehearing .
The circuit court resentenced Jones to life in prison without parole .
Jones appealed to the Mississippi Court of Appeals , which rejected his argument to reverse the sentence .
The state supreme court then held oral arguments for the case before dismissing it .
Jones petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for review .
The issue : Whether the 8th Amendment requires the sentencing authority to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permanently incorrigible before imposing a sentence of life without parole .
• In Borden v. United States , Charles Borden Jr. pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon .
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee , relying on the 6th Circuit Court ’ s decision in United States v. Verwiebe ( 2017 ) sentenced Borden to nine years and seven months of imprisonment under the Armed Career Criminal Act ( ACCA ) .
Borden objected to his sentence , arguing the district court ’ s application of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protections .
On appeal , the 6th Circuit affirmed the district court ’ s ruling .
Borden petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for review .
The issue : Does the “ use of force ” clause in the ACCA encompass crimes with a mens rea of mere recklessness ?
• In Fulton v. City of Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , the city of Philadelphia ’ s Department of Human Services began an investigation into two of its foster care provider agents for potential violations of the city ’ s anti-discrimination laws in 2018 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the agencies refused to work with same-sex couples seeking to become foster parents .
One of the agencies was a religious nonprofit organization , Catholic Social Services ( “ CSS ” ) .
CSS confirmed that it would not certify same-sex couples as foster parents .
The city stopped referring foster children to the agency .
CSS filed suit against the city in district court , citing violations of its rights under the First Amendment and under Pennsylvania ’ s Religious Freedom Protection Act .
The district court denied the request .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeking emergency injunctive relief pending appeal .
The circuit court denied the request .
Then , CSS filed an emergency application to the Supreme Court for an injunction pending appeal or an immediate grant of certiorari .
The Court denied the request .
On appeal , the 3rd Circuit affirmed the district court ’ s ruling .
Sharonell Fulton petitioned the Supreme Court for review .
( 1 ) Whether free exercise plaintiffs can only succeed by proving a particular type of discrimination claim – namely that the government would allow the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ views – as two circuits have held , or whether courts must consider other evidence that a law is not neutral and generally applicable , as six circuits have held ?
( 2 ) Whether Employment Division v. Smith should be revisited ?
( 3 ) Whether a government violates the First Amendment by conditioning a religious agency ’ s ability to participate in the foster care system on taking actions and making statements that directly contradict the agency ’ s religious beliefs ?
Here are the upcoming dates of interest in November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release orders and hear arguments in two cases .
• November 3 : SCOTUS will hear arguments in two cases .
• November 4 : SCOTUS will hear arguments in one case .
• November 9 : SCOTUS will release orders and hear arguments in two cases .
• November 10 : SCOTUS will hear arguments in one case .
• November 30 : SCOTUS will hear arguments in two cases .
As of October 28 , SCOTUS has agreed to hear 41 cases during its 2020-2021 term .
Of those , 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic .

by Kate Carsella
On Nov. 2, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States will begin its November sitting. All arguments during its November and December sittings will be conducted via teleconference with live audio. The court made the decision to hold proceedings this way in accordance with public health guidance in response to COVID-19.
In the first week of November, the court will hear arguments in five cases. Each case will be allotted one hour for oral argument:
November 2
• In U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service v. Sierra Club, the Sierra Club challenged a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule and a biological opinion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service (collectively, Services). During that litigation, the Sierra Club submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for draft documents from a consultation between the three agencies that took place between 2011 and 2014. The Services released some documents but withheld others under FOIA Exemption 5. The Sierra Club sued Services in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, which ruled Services had to disclose some documents but could withhold others. On appeal, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed in part and reversed in part the district court’s decision. The government petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for review.
The issues: Whether FOIA’s Exemption 5 protects draft documents from compelled disclosure if the documents were (1) created during a formal interagency consultation process under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act and (2) later modified in the consultation process.
• In Salinas v. United States Railroad Retirement Board, Manfredo Salinas applied for disability annuity with the United States Railroad Retirement Board’s Disability Benefits Division in 2006. The application was denied. Salinas appealed to the Board to reconsider. The Board denied the request. In 2013, Salinas filed a new application for disability annuity. The Board granted the annuity. Salinas appealed the annuity’s start date and the amount and requested that his prior applications be reviewed. The Board denied the request. On appeal, the 5th Circuit dismissed Salinas’ petition for review. In 2019, Salinas petitioned SCOTUS for review.
The issue: Whether, under Section 5(f) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act and Section 8 of the Railroad Retirement Act, the Railroad Retirement Board’s denial of a request to reopen a prior benefits determination is a final decision that is subject to judicial review.
November 3
• In Jones v. Mississippi, Brett Jones, a fifteen-year-old, killed his grandfather. Jones was tried for murder in the Circuit Court of Lee County, Mississippi. He was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Miller v. Alabama (2012), the Mississippi Supreme Court ordered the county circuit court to hold a sentencing rehearing. The circuit court resentenced Jones to life in prison without parole. Jones appealed to the Mississippi Court of Appeals, which rejected his argument to reverse the sentence. The state supreme court then held oral arguments for the case before dismissing it. Jones petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for review.
The issue: Whether the 8th Amendment requires the sentencing authority to make a finding that a juvenile is permanently incorrigible before imposing a sentence of life without parole.
• In Borden v. United States, Charles Borden Jr. pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, relying on the 6th Circuit Court’s decision in United States v. Verwiebe (2017) sentenced Borden to nine years and seven months of imprisonment under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA). Borden objected to his sentence, arguing the district court’s application of Verwiebe to his case violated due process protections. On appeal, the 6th Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling. Borden petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for review.
The issue: Does the “use of force” clause in the ACCA encompass crimes with a mens rea of mere recklessness?
November 4
• In Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the city of Philadelphia’s Department of Human Services began an investigation into two of its foster care provider agents for potential violations of the city’s anti-discrimination laws in 2018. The investigation was based on an allegation that the agencies refused to work with same-sex couples seeking to become foster parents. One of the agencies was a religious nonprofit organization, Catholic Social Services (“CSS”). CSS confirmed that it would not certify same-sex couples as foster parents. The city stopped referring foster children to the agency. CSS filed suit against the city in district court, citing violations of its rights under the First Amendment and under Pennsylvania’s Religious Freedom Protection Act. The district court denied the request. CSS appealed to the 3rd Circuit, seeking emergency injunctive relief pending appeal. The circuit court denied the request. Then, CSS filed an emergency application to the Supreme Court for an injunction pending appeal or an immediate grant of certiorari. The Court denied the request. On appeal, the 3rd Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling. Sharonell Fulton petitioned the Supreme Court for review.
The issues:
(1) Whether free exercise plaintiffs can only succeed by proving a particular type of discrimination claim – namely that the government would allow the same conduct by someone who held different religious views – as two circuits have held, or whether courts must consider other evidence that a law is not neutral and generally applicable, as six circuits have held?
(2) Whether Employment Division v. Smith should be revisited?
(3) Whether a government violates the First Amendment by conditioning a religious agency’s ability to participate in the foster care system on taking actions and making statements that directly contradict the agency’s religious beliefs?
Upcoming SCOTUS dates
Here are the upcoming dates of interest in November:
• November 2: SCOTUS will release orders and hear arguments in two cases.
• November 3: SCOTUS will hear arguments in two cases.
• November 4: SCOTUS will hear arguments in one case.
• November 6: SCOTUS will conference.
• November 9: SCOTUS will release orders and hear arguments in two cases.
• November 10: SCOTUS will hear arguments in one case.
• November 13: SCOTUS will conference
• November 16: SCOTUS will release orders.
• November 20: SCOTUS will conference.
• November 23: SCOTUS will release orders.
• November 30: SCOTUS will hear arguments in two cases.
As of October 28, SCOTUS has agreed to hear 41 cases during its 2020-2021 term. Of those, 12 were originally scheduled for the 2019-2020 term but were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Kate Carsella is a reporter for Ballotpedia.


thetennesseestar--2020-11-01--Businesses in Major Cities Board Up Ahead of Election As Left-Wing Radicals Plan to ‘Create a Crisis

Businesses in Major Cities Board Up Ahead of Election As Left-Wing Radicals Plan to ‘Create a Crisis’

In cities across the nation , wary residents are preparing for violent demonstrations surrounding the election .
Businesses in Washington , D.C. , New York City , Boston , Portland , Chicago , San Francisco , St. Louis , and many other cities have begun to board up windows and entrances with plywood ahead of the expected violence .
Preparations in DC reportedly resemble what would see in a coastal town bracing for a hurricane .
Large swaths of downtown Washington , within blocks of the White House , resembled a coastal community girding for a powerful hurricane .
Hotels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants were sheathed in plywood , with some of the makeshift barriers stretching nearly entire blocks .
Although officials say “ they ’ re not aware of credible threats of violence on or after Election Day , ” leftists in multiple states are openly planning to hold mass demonstrations and “ mobilizations ” surrounding the election .
A coalition of over 135 left-wing advocacy groups , including “ Stand Up America ” and “ Indivisible , ” have announced that they are organizing “ Protect the Results ” demonstrations in at least 375 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day , a far-left group called “ Shutdown DC ” plans to hold an eight-hour extravaganza at Black Lives Matter plaza complete with a Jumbotron showing election results .
The event will also “ have DJs , performances from dance troupes like DC ’ s Step Africa , three GoGo bands , and speeches.
” In the days following the election , the organizers plan to mob and harass Republican lawmakers “ at the train station or the airports or if they drive into town we can meet them at their homes.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress ( many of whom will have just been voted out of office ) are coming back to DC to go back into session .
If Trump is trying to launch a coup , that ’ s no time for business as usual .
We ’ ll meet them at the train station or the airports or if they drive into town we can meet them at their homes .
And if Trump has already conceded , then we can pivot and use these actions to demand COVID-19 relief and other essential legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Zoom chats among various left-wing groups , including Shut Down D.C. , Black Lives Matter , and the Sunrise Movement , an organization dedicated to advancing climate change legislation .
Independent journalist Millie Weaver said the radicals were planning major disruptions in D.C. with the help of Democrat office holders , federal employees , and intelligence contractors .
“ They plan to shut down Washington D.C. and other major U.S. cities starting on November 4th until Inauguration Day , ” Weaver explained .
The organizers talked about using the sycophantic ear of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message out .
“ If you read the mainstream press , they all have Signal accounts , ” said one of the organizers .
“ Text them .
Leak everything you can.
” He added : “ Journalists I ’ ve dealt with have been super ethical in ways to shield me to being the source of the leaks.
” The agitators discussed the need to characterize the outcome of the election if Trump wins as a “ coup.
” “ On the 5th , we ’ re going to shut down the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizer .
“ On the 6th , we ’ re going to shut down larger parts of Washington D.C. ” Legendary left-wing organizer Lisa Fithian was also in on the call .
“ We ’ ve been working on a target map and a framework for scenarios , ” she said .
[ The Shut Down DC target map can be viewed here ] .
“ So , where are all the police stations , where are all the key government buildings , who are the Trump boosters ?
“ Members of congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re going to meet them at the airports or Union Station and send them back to where they came from until we deal with the situation that we ’ re in , ” a male organizer said .
“ We are going to be in a crisis , but we want it to be one that we are creating , ” Fithian told the junior radicals .
“ Whoever ’ s got the guns , can win !
Let ’ s take over the buildings .
If there are people who are willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , ” she added .
A coalition of left-wing groups in Minnesota , meanwhile , are preparing to execute wide scale “ strategic disruption ” in the event President Trump wins the state .
A leaked document obtained by Breitbart News revealed what the leftists are planning .
“ We believe that regardless of the strength of the Minnesota election system , mass mobilization will and must happen in Minnesota to defend democracy , ” the leaked document reads .
“ We expect that this mobilization will create space and opportunity for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this context , the situation could rapidly spiral beyond control depending on the nature of the unrest and the State ’ s reaction.
” The left-wing agitators appear to be setting up a narrative blaming the right and the Minneapolis Police Department ( MPD ) for inciting the violence .
“ The possibility of right-wing violence is real , as is the possibility of MPD inciting or enabling violence , ” the document warns , adding that the MPD is “ either disengaged or instigating tension ” during and since the “ uprising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd .
The unrest appears to have been in the works since at least Sept. of 2019 , documents show .
“ A major Color Revolution organizer will be Sean Eldridge , the Founder of ‘ Stand Up America , ’ ” tweeted researcher “ Echo Chamber.
” “ ’ Stand Up America ’ led the mail-in voting drive in *all 50 states* and works closely with George Soros , ” he added .
“ The SAME people who pushed mail in voting are organizing the DC protests .
”

by Debra Heine
In cities across the nation, wary residents are preparing for violent demonstrations surrounding the election.
Businesses in Washington, D.C., New York City, Boston, Portland, Chicago, San Francisco, St. Louis, and many other cities have begun to board up windows and entrances with plywood ahead of the expected violence.
Preparations in DC reportedly resemble what would see in a coastal town bracing for a hurricane.
Washington DC: Businesses all around the nation’s capitol are boarding up in preparation for predicted civil unrest upon determination of the 2020 election results. pic.twitter.com/kfwPK6Z8IZ — Kalen From Scriberr (@FromKalen) October 30, 2020
Large swaths of downtown Washington, within blocks of the White House, resembled a coastal community girding for a powerful hurricane. Hotels, office buildings, coffee shops and restaurants were sheathed in plywood, with some of the makeshift barriers stretching nearly entire blocks.
Although officials say “they’re not aware of credible threats of violence on or after Election Day,” leftists in multiple states are openly planning to hold mass demonstrations and “mobilizations” surrounding the election.
A coalition of over 135 left-wing advocacy groups, including “Stand Up America” and “Indivisible,” have announced that they are organizing “Protect the Results” demonstrations in at least 375 cities on Nov. 4.
On Election Day, a far-left group called “Shutdown DC” plans to hold an eight-hour extravaganza at Black Lives Matter plaza complete with a Jumbotron showing election results. The event will also “have DJs, performances from dance troupes like DC’s Step Africa, three GoGo bands, and speeches.”
In the days following the election, the organizers plan to mob and harass Republican lawmakers “at the train station or the airports or if they drive into town we can meet them at their homes.”
The week after the election members of Congress (many of whom will have just been voted out of office) are coming back to DC to go back into session. If Trump is trying to launch a coup, that’s no time for business as usual. We’ll meet them at the train station or the airports or if they drive into town we can meet them at their homes. And if Trump has already conceded, then we can pivot and use these actions to demand COVID-19 relief and other essential legislation!
An undercover reporter sat in on a Zoom chats among various left-wing groups, including Shut Down D.C., Black Lives Matter, and the Sunrise Movement, an organization dedicated to advancing climate change legislation.
Independent journalist Millie Weaver said the radicals were planning major disruptions in D.C. with the help of Democrat office holders, federal employees, and intelligence contractors.
“They plan to shut down Washington D.C. and other major U.S. cities starting on November 4th until Inauguration Day,” Weaver explained.
The organizers talked about using the sycophantic ear of the corporate media to get their left-wing message out.
“If you read the mainstream press, they all have Signal accounts,” said one of the organizers. “Text them. Leak everything you can.”
He added: “Journalists I’ve dealt with have been super ethical in ways to shield me to being the source of the leaks.”
The agitators discussed the need to characterize the outcome of the election if Trump wins as a “coup.”
“On the 5th, we’re going to shut down the White House,” said one delusional organizer. “On the 6th, we’re going to shut down larger parts of Washington D.C.”
Legendary left-wing organizer Lisa Fithian was also in on the call.
“We’ve been working on a target map and a framework for scenarios,” she said. [The Shut Down DC target map can be viewed here].
“So, where are all the police stations, where are all the key government buildings, who are the Trump boosters?
“Members of congress that are coming in, we’re going to meet them at the airports or Union Station and send them back to where they came from until we deal with the situation that we’re in,” a male organizer said.
“We are going to be in a crisis, but we want it to be one that we are creating,” Fithian told the junior radicals. “Whoever’s got the guns, can win! Let’s take over the buildings. If there are people who are willing to do that, we should support them,” she added.
A coalition of left-wing groups in Minnesota, meanwhile, are preparing to execute wide scale “strategic disruption” in the event President Trump wins the state.
A leaked document obtained by Breitbart News revealed what the leftists are planning.
Led by TakeAction Minnesota, described as a “hub for Minnesota’s progressive movement,” the groups warn of a need for mass mobilization in a recently leaked highly confidential document circulating among the group’s leadership and intended as a prep guide for the coming weeks.
“We believe that regardless of the strength of the Minnesota election system, mass mobilization will and must happen in Minnesota to defend democracy,” the leaked document reads.
“We expect that this mobilization will create space and opportunity for unrest, primarily in Minneapolis. In this context, the situation could rapidly spiral beyond control depending on the nature of the unrest and the State’s reaction.”
The left-wing agitators appear to be setting up a narrative blaming the right and the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) for inciting the violence.
“The possibility of right-wing violence is real, as is the possibility of MPD inciting or enabling violence,” the document warns, adding that the MPD is “either disengaged or instigating tension” during and since the “uprising” immediately following the murder of George Floyd.
The unrest appears to have been in the works since at least Sept. of 2019, documents show.
“A major Color Revolution organizer will be Sean Eldridge, the Founder of ‘Stand Up America,’” tweeted researcher “Echo Chamber.”
“’Stand Up America’ led the mail-in voting drive in *all 50 states* and works closely with George Soros,” he added. “The SAME people who pushed mail in voting are organizing the DC protests.”
A major Color Revolution organizer will be Sean Eldridge, the Founder of “Stand Up America”. “Stand Up America” led the mail-in voting drive in *all 50 states* and works closely with George Soros. The SAME people who pushed mail in voting are organizing the DC protests. pic.twitter.com/2A8I7DcCut — Echo Chamber (@echo_chamberz) October 30, 2020
Sean Eldridge organized #3 (mass mail in ballots) and is organizing #2 (400 pre-planned “Protect the Results” events) https://t.co/j4guJdQXnk — Echo Chamber (@echo_chamberz) October 30, 2020
None of Eldridge’s actions are secret. He openly tells the media he is organizing hundreds of post-election protests, and he openly led the push for mail in ballots. He knew that the mail in ballots would allow a contested election scenario, which is why he pushed for them. pic.twitter.com/ShE4UOALxY — Echo Chamber (@echo_chamberz) October 30, 2020
RICO roll-up as soon as Wray is gone? — 🇺🇸 NY Post Free Speech Matters 🟧 (@crwinnin) October 30, 2020
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Debra Heine reports for American Greatness.
Photo “Boarded Up” by Lorie Shaull CC2.0


thetennesseestar--2020-11-01--Convicted Felon in Memphis Used a Firearm to Traffic Drugs, Feds Say

Federal officials in Memphis have sentenced a man , already a felon , to prison for possessing a firearm , possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute , and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime .
This , according to a press release that officials with the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office for the Western District of Tennessee published on their website this week .
Officials sentenced that man , Demetrius Lay , 41 , to 120 months in federal prison , the press release said .
“ According to information presented in court , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Memphis Police Department performed a traffic stop on Faxon Street .
The driver , Demetrius Lay , pulled into the driveway of a residence near that location .
When officers approached , Lay fled the vehicle and threw a rifle over a fence and into an adjacent yard , ” the press release said .
“ Officers recovered the rifle , and a large plastic bag next to the rifle .
The rifle was reported stolen on July 5 , 2018 .
Inside the plastic bag were three smaller plastic bags @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspected to be crack cocaine .
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation forensic laboratory tested the narcotics and determined the defendant possessed over 28 grams of cocaine.
” Lay is a prohibited person with a prior felony conviction history that includes voluntary manslaughter , possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver , and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon .
As a result federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition , the press release said .
“ On December 13 , 2018 , Lay was indicted for one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a firearm , one count of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute , and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime .
On July 23 , 2020 , Lay pled guilty as charged in the indictment , ” according to the press release .
“ On October 27 , 2020 , U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced the defendant to 120 months in federal prison followed by four years supervised release .
There is no parole in the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Project Safe Neighborhoods ( PSN ) Task Force investigated this case .
The PSN initiative is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone , the press release said .
In 2017 , PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Justice Department ’ s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals , according to the press release .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to @ @ @ @

Federal officials in Memphis have sentenced a man, already a felon, to prison for possessing a firearm, possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This, according to a press release that officials with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee published on their website this week.
Officials sentenced that man, Demetrius Lay, 41, to 120 months in federal prison, the press release said.
“According to information presented in court, on July 24, 2018, officers with the Memphis Police Department performed a traffic stop on Faxon Street. The driver, Demetrius Lay, pulled into the driveway of a residence near that location. When officers approached, Lay fled the vehicle and threw a rifle over a fence and into an adjacent yard,” the press release said.
“Officers recovered the rifle, and a large plastic bag next to the rifle. The rifle was reported stolen on July 5, 2018. Inside the plastic bag were three smaller plastic bags all containing a white rock- like substance suspected to be crack cocaine. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation forensic laboratory tested the narcotics and determined the defendant possessed over 28 grams of cocaine.”
Lay is a prohibited person with a prior felony conviction history that includes voluntary manslaughter, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a result federal law prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition, the press release said.
“On December 13, 2018, Lay was indicted for one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On July 23, 2020, Lay pled guilty as charged in the indictment,” according to the press release.
“On October 27, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced the defendant to 120 months in federal prison followed by four years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.”
The Memphis Police Department and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force investigated this case. The PSN initiative is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone, the press release said.
In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Justice Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, according to the press release.
– – –
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected]