bonginoreport--2020-06-23--Flynn Lawyers Receive Strzok Notes From U.S. Attorney

Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn 's legal team has received notes taken by former FBI special agent Peter Strzok .
A court filing Tuesday said U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Jensen of Missouri , who was picked by Attorney General William Barr to review the government 's case against Flynn , `` obtained and analyzed '' the document .
`` While the page itself is undated ; we believe that the notes were taken in early January 2017 , possibly between January 3 and January 5 , '' acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin for the District of Columbia wrote to Flynn 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Protective Order entered by the Court on February 21 , 2018 ; additional documents may be forthcoming . ''
The one-page letter was submitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia as part of the discovery process .
Susan Rice , the national security adviser under President Barack Obama , wrote an email to herself detailing a Jan. 5 , 2017 , Oval Office discussion about the Flynn inquiry , which was part of the FBI 's counterintelligence investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ first national security adviser , pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to FBI investigators about his December 2016 conversations with a Russian envoy about a United Nations resolution on Israel and sanctions .
But Flynn now claims he was set up by the FBI , and the Justice Department is seeking to drop the case .
Judge Emmet Sullivan , a President Bill Clinton appointee who has been handling the Flynn case since December 2017 , has so far resisted dismissing the case right away .
Strzok took part in the Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declassified in April indicate Strzok abruptly stopped the FBI from closing its investigation into Flynn in early January 2017 at the insistence of the FBI ’ s “ 7th floor ” leadership after the bureau had uncovered “ no derogatory information ” on the incoming national security adviser .
Emails from later that month showed Strzok , along with FBI lawyer Lisa Page and several others , sought out ways to continue investigating Flynn , including by deploying the Logan Act .
Strzok also authored the “ opening electronic communication '' that initiated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump campaign .
After DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz uncovered anti-Trump text messages between Strzok and Page , Republicans accused them of being part of a plot to undermine Trump .
The FBI intercepted Flynn 's discussions with the Russian ambassador , after which Strzok and another agent , believed to be Joseph Pientka , grilled him on the contents of the conversation on Jan. 24 , 2017 .
Former FBI Director James Comey admitted last year he took advantage of the chaos in the early days of Trump 's administration when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flynn .
Notes from the FBI 's head of counterintelligence , Bill Priestap , seem to show him casting doubt on the plan to interview Flynn , asking : “ What is our goal ?
Truth/Admission or to get him to lie , so we can prosecute him or get him fired ?
” Strzok was fired in August 2018 and a year later filed a wrongful termination lawsuit .
In the face of repeated insults by Trump , Strzok warned in February that he will `` have a great deal more to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on those with responsibility for holding him accountable . ''
Former Rep. Trey Gowdy recently told Fox News that Strzok may very likely be a target of U.S. Attorney John Durham 's inquiry into the Russia investigation after Barr said `` some '' of the people his hand-picked federal prosecutor is scrutinizing would be familiar to the public .
There is a two-tier battle ongoing in the Flynn case .
At the district court level , Sullivan appointed a retired New York federal judge , John Gleeson , in May to serve as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition to the Justice Department ’ s motion to drop the false statement charges against Flynn , even asking Gleeson to look into possible perjury or contempt charges against the former Trump national security adviser .
Gleeson has argued the Justice Department engaged in “ a gross abuse of prosecutorial power ” in moving to dismiss the Flynn case .
Flynn ’ s team countered that “ the irony and sheer duplicity of Amicus ’ s accusations against the Justice Department now — which is finally exposing the truth — is stunning ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ wrap-up smear.
” The Justice Department has repeatedly insisted that “ the Constitution vests in the Executive Branch the power to decide when — and when not — to prosecute potential crimes.
” A hearing is scheduled for July .
The Flynn team and DOJ lawyers also argued separately before the U.S. Court of Appeals in D.C. earlier in June against an outside lawyer hired by Sullivan , urging the court to issue a writ of mandamus telling the judge to dismiss the case .
The appeals court has not yet issued @ @ @

Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn's legal team has received notes taken by former FBI special agent Peter Strzok.
A court filing Tuesday said U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Jensen of Missouri, who was picked by Attorney General William Barr to review the government's case against Flynn, "obtained and analyzed" the document.
"While the page itself is undated; we believe that the notes were taken in early January 2017, possibly between January 3 and January 5," acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin for the District of Columbia wrote to Flynn's team. "These materials are covered by the Protective Order entered by the Court on February 21, 2018; additional documents may be forthcoming."
The one-page letter was submitted to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia as part of the discovery process.
Susan Rice, the national security adviser under President Barack Obama, wrote an email to herself detailing a Jan. 5, 2017, Oval Office discussion about the Flynn inquiry, which was part of the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Flynn, who was President Trump's first national security adviser, pleaded guilty in December 2017 to lying to FBI investigators about his December 2016 conversations with a Russian envoy about a United Nations resolution on Israel and sanctions. But Flynn now claims he was set up by the FBI, and the Justice Department is seeking to drop the case.
Judge Emmet Sullivan, a President Bill Clinton appointee who has been handling the Flynn case since December 2017, has so far resisted dismissing the case right away.
Strzok took part in the Russia and Hillary Clinton email investigations.
Documents declassified in April indicate Strzok abruptly stopped the FBI from closing its investigation into Flynn in early January 2017 at the insistence of the FBI’s “7th floor” leadership after the bureau had uncovered “no derogatory information” on the incoming national security adviser.
Emails from later that month showed Strzok, along with FBI lawyer Lisa Page and several others, sought out ways to continue investigating Flynn, including by deploying the Logan Act.
Michael Flynn, right, and his lawyer Sidney Powell, left. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Strzok also authored the “opening electronic communication" that initiated the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign. After DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz uncovered anti-Trump text messages between Strzok and Page, Republicans accused them of being part of a plot to undermine Trump.
The FBI intercepted Flynn's discussions with the Russian ambassador, after which Strzok and another agent, believed to be Joseph Pientka, grilled him on the contents of the conversation on Jan. 24, 2017.
Former FBI Director James Comey admitted last year he took advantage of the chaos in the early days of Trump's administration when he sent Strzok and Pientka to talk to Flynn.
Notes from the FBI's head of counterintelligence, Bill Priestap, seem to show him casting doubt on the plan to interview Flynn, asking: “What is our goal? Truth/Admission or to get him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired?”
Strzok was fired in August 2018 and a year later filed a wrongful termination lawsuit. In the face of repeated insults by Trump, Strzok warned in February that he will "have a great deal more to say about the president’s attacks on those with responsibility for holding him accountable."
Peter Strzok. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)
Former Rep. Trey Gowdy recently told Fox News that Strzok may very likely be a target of U.S. Attorney John Durham's inquiry into the Russia investigation after Barr said "some" of the people his hand-picked federal prosecutor is scrutinizing would be familiar to the public.
There is a two-tier battle ongoing in the Flynn case.
At the district court level, Sullivan appointed a retired New York federal judge, John Gleeson, in May to serve as an amicus curiae to present arguments in opposition to the Justice Department’s motion to drop the false statement charges against Flynn, even asking Gleeson to look into possible perjury or contempt charges against the former Trump national security adviser.
Gleeson has argued the Justice Department engaged in “a gross abuse of prosecutorial power” in moving to dismiss the Flynn case. Flynn’s team countered that “the irony and sheer duplicity of Amicus’s accusations against the Justice Department now — which is finally exposing the truth — is stunning” and accused Gleeson of carrying out a “wrap-up smear.” The Justice Department has repeatedly insisted that “the Constitution vests in the Executive Branch the power to decide when — and when not — to prosecute potential crimes.” A hearing is scheduled for July.
The Flynn team and DOJ lawyers also argued separately before the U.S. Court of Appeals in D.C. earlier in June against an outside lawyer hired by Sullivan, urging the court to issue a writ of mandamus telling the judge to dismiss the case. The appeals court has not yet issued a ruling.


bonginoreport--2020-06-23--EU Pays No Attention to China’s Human Rights Violations

Meeting with Xi Jinping of China on Monday , the European Union 's two top officials again proved their unwillingness to address China 's deception-aggression policy epidemic .
Due to the coronavirus pandemic , European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel met with Xi via video conference .
But the dynamic was the same as in all of the previous in-person meetings .
China lied , the EU made a few pathetic gestures , and then both sides stuck to business as usual .
The subsequent EU press conference proves as much .
Addressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which shreds the Sino-British treaty 's stipulation that the city 's democratic rule of law be preserved until 2047 , Von Der Leyen was circumspect .
`` For the European Union , '' she said , `` human rights and fundamental freedoms are non-negotiable .
We always raise our concerns , so was it today too , and insist on having a view on these topics . ''
Views , sure , but no threat of any consequences if China introduces the law .
This is n't surprising from Von Der Leyen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their previous respective roles as German defense secretary and Belgian prime minister , the two officials further hollowed out their already hollow armed forces .
Still , it would be unfair to blame these officials alone .
They 're simply following in a not-so-proud EU foreign policy tradition that when the going gets tough , the EU gets really quiet .
That 's not to say we should simply shrug our shoulders and accept the EU 's failure to hold China to account .
Because what we 're seeing here is how much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ values it claims define it .
To her credit , Von Der Leyen was at least honest about why the EU is practically unconcerned with China 's human rights record .
Take the very next words offered after her comment that `` We always raise our concerns , so was it today too , and insist on having a view on these topics . ''
`` Of course , we discussed trade and investment . ''
While Von Der Leyen then lamented Chinese failures to `` follow up '' on prior commitments to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` more ambition on the Chinese side in order to conclude negotiations on an investment agreement . ''
The translation is that with more investment , Xi can buy EU silence on Hong Kong , on China 's coronavirus deceptions , on its use of Huawei as a signals intelligence service , and on its imperialism in the South China Sea .
China runs concentration camps , uses servile labor , and is trying to turn the global economy into its own little feudal empire .
But billions more in annual investment will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away .
Note the sharp contrast here between the Trump administration 's robust threat of sanctions over Hong Kong and the EU 's big nothing .
It 's really quite sad — except not for China .
A crowing People 's Liberation Army-Daily newspaper article welcomed Von Der Leyen and Michel 's cowardly performance on Monday .
It celebrated their stated willingness to `` strengthen cooperation with China on vaccine research and development , resumption of production and production , expand bilateral trade scale , promote more cooperation in a wide range of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digital economy , and reach an EU-China investment agreement as soon as possible to overcome the impact of the epidemic and promote efforts to recover the world economy . ''
It 's a joke with a lesson : For those who seek freedom , for all our flaws , America remains the indispensable global force for positive action .
Watch the relevant part of the press conference below .

Meeting with Xi Jinping of China on Monday, the European Union's two top officials again proved their unwillingness to address China's deception-aggression policy epidemic.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel met with Xi via video conference. But the dynamic was the same as in all of the previous in-person meetings. China lied, the EU made a few pathetic gestures, and then both sides stuck to business as usual.
The subsequent EU press conference proves as much.
Addressing China's new Hong Kong security law, which shreds the Sino-British treaty's stipulation that the city's democratic rule of law be preserved until 2047, Von Der Leyen was circumspect. "For the European Union," she said, "human rights and fundamental freedoms are non-negotiable. We always raise our concerns, so was it today too, and insist on having a view on these topics."
Views, sure, but no threat of any consequences if China introduces the law.
This isn't surprising from Von Der Leyen or her colleague, Michel. In their previous respective roles as German defense secretary and Belgian prime minister, the two officials further hollowed out their already hollow armed forces.
Still, it would be unfair to blame these officials alone. They're simply following in a not-so-proud EU foreign policy tradition that when the going gets tough, the EU gets really quiet. That's not to say we should simply shrug our shoulders and accept the EU's failure to hold China to account. Because what we're seeing here is how much the EU truly values those human rights values it claims define it.
To her credit, Von Der Leyen was at least honest about why the EU is practically unconcerned with China's human rights record. Take the very next words offered after her comment that "We always raise our concerns, so was it today too, and insist on having a view on these topics."
"Of course, we discussed trade and investment."
Of course.
While Von Der Leyen then lamented Chinese failures to "follow up" on prior commitments to trade more equitably, she called for "more ambition on the Chinese side in order to conclude negotiations on an investment agreement." The translation is that with more investment, Xi can buy EU silence on Hong Kong, on China's coronavirus deceptions, on its use of Huawei as a signals intelligence service, and on its imperialism in the South China Sea. China runs concentration camps, uses servile labor, and is trying to turn the global economy into its own little feudal empire. But billions more in annual investment will be enough to make it all go away.
Note the sharp contrast here between the Trump administration's robust threat of sanctions over Hong Kong and the EU's big nothing. It's really quite sad — except not for China.
A crowing People's Liberation Army-Daily newspaper article welcomed Von Der Leyen and Michel's cowardly performance on Monday. It celebrated their stated willingness to "strengthen cooperation with China on vaccine research and development, resumption of production and production, expand bilateral trade scale, promote more cooperation in a wide range of fields such as green and low-carbon, digital economy, and reach an EU-China investment agreement as soon as possible to overcome the impact of the epidemic and promote efforts to recover the world economy."
It's a joke with a lesson: For those who seek freedom, for all our flaws, America remains the indispensable global force for positive action.
Watch the relevant part of the press conference below.


bonginoreport--2020-06-24--Federal Judge in Brazil Orders President to Wear Mask in Public

A federal court in Brazil , in a ruling Tuesday , ordered President Jair Bolsonaro to wear a mask in public after he attended political rallies in the capital city of Brasilia without any face covering .
Federal Judge Renato Borelli said Bolsonaro was not exempt from a federal ordinance that requires residents to wear face coverings in the capital district , including government officials .
Borelli also said that Bolsonaro would be charged a $ 387 fine every day that he did not wear a mask , Reuters reported .
Brazil is a global hotspot for the coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 51,000 recorded deaths , according to data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center .
The country has the largest number of recorded cases and deaths in the world after the United States , and its federal government has been unable to contain the outbreak .
The rule was first introduced in late April by the governor of the capital district , Ibaneis Rocha , which required people in the capital to cover their nose and mouth in all public spaces , according to The Guardian .
Bolsonaro , however , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has been filmed coughing multiple times at rallies .
At one rally in Brasilia he appeared to sneeze into his hand and shake an elderly woman ’ s hand immediately afterwards , BBC News reported .
Media outlets in the U.S. and Brazil reported in March that Bolsonaro tested positive for the coronavirus , although he has flatly denied the claims .
( RELATED : Trump Shuts Down Entry To United States For The Majority Of Individuals Traveling From Brazil Over Coronavirus Fears ) Borelli added that Bolsonaro had a duty to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also cited the president ’ s oath of office which states that the president must “ promote the wellbeing of the Brazilian people , ” according to a transcript of the ruling .

A federal court in Brazil, in a ruling Tuesday, ordered President Jair Bolsonaro to wear a mask in public after he attended political rallies in the capital city of Brasilia without any face covering.
Federal Judge Renato Borelli said Bolsonaro was not exempt from a federal ordinance that requires residents to wear face coverings in the capital district, including government officials. Borelli also said that Bolsonaro would be charged a $387 fine every day that he did not wear a mask, Reuters reported.
Brazil’s President Bolsonaro coughs repeatedly during speech at anti-quarantine protest – as he calls for coronavirus measures to be scrapped this week, but many of Brazil’s regional governors have more or less shut down their states in recent weeks. pic.twitter.com/HZxUjYRSrQ — Lilian Chan (@bestgug) April 21, 2020
Brazil is a global hotspot for the coronavirus, with more than 1.1 million recorded cases and 51,000 recorded deaths, according to data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center. The country has the largest number of recorded cases and deaths in the world after the United States, and its federal government has been unable to contain the outbreak.
The rule was first introduced in late April by the governor of the capital district, Ibaneis Rocha, which required people in the capital to cover their nose and mouth in all public spaces, according to The Guardian.
Bolsonaro, however, has repeatedly appeared in public without a mask and has been filmed coughing multiple times at rallies. At one rally in Brasilia he appeared to sneeze into his hand and shake an elderly woman’s hand immediately afterwards, BBC News reported.
President Bolsonaro will be forced to wear a mask in public, or pay a BRL 2,000 daily fine, according to the decision of a trial court. The order also forces all federal civil servants to wear masks, or the government will face penalties of BRL 20,000 a day. pic.twitter.com/NmwgbYp493 — The Brazilian Report (@BrazilianReport) June 23, 2020
Media outlets in the U.S. and Brazil reported in March that Bolsonaro tested positive for the coronavirus, although he has flatly denied the claims. (RELATED: Trump Shuts Down Entry To United States For The Majority Of Individuals Traveling From Brazil Over Coronavirus Fears)
Borelli added that Bolsonaro had a duty to rectify his “disrespectful” behavior. He also cited the president’s oath of office which states that the president must “promote the wellbeing of the Brazilian people,” according to a transcript of the ruling.


bonginoreport--2020-06-24--Five Witnesses Rebut Bolton’s Book

Five Witnesses Rebut Bolton’s Book

At least five major witnesses reject substantive claims in John Bolton 's forthcoming , 592-page memoir titled `` The Room Where It Happened . ''
In the book , Bolton reportedly claimed that Trump offered “ personal favors to dictators he liked , '' and asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him in the 2020 election .
1 .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo : Pushing back hard against Bolton 's credibility and access , Pompeo told Fox News host Sean Hannity Monday that Bolton was shut out of key meetings because colleagues were worried that Bolton would leak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I haven ’ t read the book in its entirety , but the excerpts I ’ ve seen , there ’ s lots of falsehoods , there ’ s lots of lies contained there , ” Pompeo told Hannity , saying he disagreed with the book 's title , “ The Room Where It Happened.
” 2 .
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer : At a Senate Finance Committee hearing Wednesday , Lighthizer firmly rebutted Bolton ’ s claim that President Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping for help winning the 2020 election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Lighthizer said .
`` I was there , I have no recollection of that ever happening .
I do n't believe it 's true , I do n't believe it ever happened . ''
3 .
Bolton 's former chief of staff Fred Fleitz : The fact that Trump `` decided last June not to bomb Iran , '' Fleitz told Fox News , `` disproves '' what he called the premise of Bolton 's book — that the `` president does n't have principles [ and ] he 's not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may remember that a drone was shot down , '' Fleitz told Fox News .
`` And at the last minute , President Trump decided he was not going to attack Iran because we would have killed 100-200 people , no more . ''
Fleitz said he had known Bolton for 30 years and that Trump 's decision not to escalate the conflict with Iran — and Bolton 's response — showed that his former boss `` could n't figure out how to work '' with Trump .
4 .
U.S. Treasury Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Bolton ’ s book that I have reviewed are full of lies and factual inaccuracies , ' Mnuchin said in a statement put out by Treasury spokeswoman Monica Crowley .
`` John Bolton has put self-promotion ahead of the truth and of the interests of the country.
” 5 .
White House Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro : “ I never heard that , ” trade adviser Peter Navarro said of Bolton 's China claim , which Navarro called `` silly '' and `` a John Bolton fantasy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that book , ” Navarro told CNN 's Jake Tapper .
“ But I was in those rooms too .
”

At least five major witnesses reject substantive claims in John Bolton's forthcoming, 592-page memoir titled "The Room Where It Happened."
In the book, Bolton reportedly claimed that Trump offered “personal favors to dictators he liked," and asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to help him in the 2020 election.
1. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: Pushing back hard against Bolton's credibility and access, Pompeo told Fox News host Sean Hannity Monday that Bolton was shut out of key meetings because colleagues were worried that Bolton would leak or lie about the meetings.
“I haven’t read the book in its entirety, but the excerpts I’ve seen, there’s lots of falsehoods, there’s lots of lies contained there,” Pompeo told Hannity, saying he disagreed with the book's title, “The Room Where It Happened.”
2. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer: At a Senate Finance Committee hearing Wednesday, Lighthizer firmly rebutted Bolton’s claim that President Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping for help winning the 2020 election. "Absolutely untrue, never happened," Lighthizer said. "I was there, I have no recollection of that ever happening. I don't believe it's true, I don't believe it ever happened."
3. Bolton's former chief of staff Fred Fleitz: The fact that Trump "decided last June not to bomb Iran," Fleitz told Fox News, "disproves" what he called the premise of Bolton's book — that the "president doesn't have principles [and] he's not qualified to lead."
"You may remember that a drone was shot down," Fleitz told Fox News. "And at the last minute, President Trump decided he was not going to attack Iran because we would have killed 100-200 people, no more."
Fleitz said he had known Bolton for 30 years and that Trump's decision not to escalate the conflict with Iran — and Bolton's response — showed that his former boss "couldn't figure out how to work" with Trump.
4. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin: “The excerpts of John Bolton’s book that I have reviewed are full of lies and factual inaccuracies,' Mnuchin said in a statement put out by Treasury spokeswoman Monica Crowley. "John Bolton has put self-promotion ahead of the truth and of the interests of the country.”
5. White House Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro: “I never heard that,” trade adviser Peter Navarro said of Bolton's China claim, which Navarro called "silly" and "a John Bolton fantasy."
“I hate the title of that book,” Navarro told CNN's Jake Tapper. “But I was in those rooms too.”


bonginoreport--2020-06-24--Twitter Suspends Raheem Kassam for Sharing Video of London Terror Attack

BREAKING ( GRAPHIC ) : Multiple people reported stabbed .
Some reports of fatalities in vicinity of a Black Lives Matter protest in Reading , UK .
While users can still see the account , Kassam can no longer access his account or share new content with his over 210,000 followers .
Three days after the post in question was shared , Kassam received the following message : In short , Kassam ’ s post allegedly violated Twitter ’ s proscriptions against sharing “ content of deceased individuals ” with either the “ intent to abuse ” or being “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media platform ’ s double standard regarding George Floyd content , Kassam told The National Pulse : “ As a REAL news person , you deeply think about — every time — whether or not you ’ re showing something people don ’ t need to see .
On balance I made the calculation that there was serious breaking news that would aid the public during a terror attack in England .
This is the same thought people had when the shared the George Floyd video .
They wanted people to know the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some reason , the Floyd death remains up on twitter but the deaths of three white men at the hands of a Libyan asylum seeker must come down ?
People can draw their own conclusions.
” The lock follows a barrage of National Pulse exclusives exposing tech companies like Facebook , Twitter , and Google for what they are : bastions of hardcore left-wing activists intent on weaponizing their platforms to influence the 2020 election and beyond .
Some highlights include : Facebook Oversight Board – Responsible For Reviewing Censorship – Is 95 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Citizens Facebook ’ s Fact-Checker ‘ Lead Stories ’ Is Staffed By Exclusively Democrat Party Donors , CNN Staffers , And ‘ Defeat Trump ’ Activists

Kassam’s original – and now censored – tweet read:
BREAKING (GRAPHIC): Multiple people reported stabbed. Some reports of fatalities in vicinity of a Black Lives Matter protest in Reading, UK.
While users can still see the account, Kassam can no longer access his account or share new content with his over 210,000 followers. Three days after the post in question was shared, Kassam received the following message:
In short, Kassam’s post allegedly violated Twitter’s proscriptions against sharing “content of deceased individuals” with either the “intent to abuse” or being “excessively gory.”
Pointing to the social media platform’s double standard regarding George Floyd content, Kassam told The National Pulse:
“As a REAL news person, you deeply think about — every time — whether or not you’re showing something people don’t need to see. On balance I made the calculation that there was serious breaking news that would aid the public during a terror attack in England. This is the same thought people had when the shared the George Floyd video. They wanted people to know the truth and tweeted it. But for some reason, the Floyd death remains up on twitter but the deaths of three white men at the hands of a Libyan asylum seeker must come down? People can draw their own conclusions.”
The lock follows a barrage of National Pulse exclusives exposing tech companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Google for what they are: bastions of hardcore left-wing activists intent on weaponizing their platforms to influence the 2020 election and beyond. Some highlights include:
Twitter Hires Chinese Communist Party-Linked AI Expert Who Wanted To Hide ‘Secret’ Weapons Contracts
Facebook Oversight Board – Responsible For Reviewing Censorship – Is 95% Anti-Trump AND Three Quarters Are Non-U.S. Citizens
Facebook’s Fact-Checker ‘Lead Stories’ Is Staffed By Exclusively Democrat Party Donors, CNN Staffers, And ‘Defeat Trump’ Activists
Google’s Go-To ‘Conservative’ Influencer List Who Claim ‘Big Tech Bias Is A Good Thing’
But yeah, big tech isn’t biased…


bonginoreport--2020-06-24--Gallup Poll: Media Ranks Last in Public Trust

In a Gallup public opinion survey released near the beginning of the coronavirus shutdown , eight of the nine institutions studied received majority positive ratings — led by U.S. hospitals , at 88 % approval .
The media ranked dead last in the study of Americans ' trust in institutions .
Only the media got a more negative than positive review .
The finding is part of a decades-long decline in popular trust in the media , Gallup 's editor-in-chief Mohamed Younis said Tuesday during a virtual panel organized by the U.S. Council on Competitiveness .
Since 2015 , Gallup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans and Democrats on their attitudes toward the national media , Younis explained .
The current partisan split is `` not surprising , '' given the contentious relationship President Trump , a Republican , has with the current media , Younis said .
Still , the deterioration of trust among Republicans has been persisting for decades .
`` Just to give you context , when we were polling in the time of President Nixon 's impeachment , seven in 10 Americans said they had confidence in the honesty of the media they had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Younis said .
`` Today , only four in 10 Americans say the same .
So there 's been a general decline .
That decline is most pronounced among Republicans , like I said in the past five years or so .
But as of now , 41 % of independents approve of the job that media has done in the Covid crisis , which is exactly the national average ; 68 % of Democrats share that view , and only 16 % of Republicans ...
So there is definitely a partisan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gallup was currently running a an online sociology experiment to understand people 's news consumption and what is driving the partisan divide .
`` Overall , what we found is that people again , similarly to government , want to trust and want access to local news sources and see them dwindling away across the United States , '' Younis said .
`` So what I 'm saying is , on a national level , what we find is that people trust local news more than the national news offerings . ''
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ click the video below :

In a Gallup public opinion survey released near the beginning of the coronavirus shutdown, eight of the nine institutions studied received majority positive ratings — led by U.S. hospitals, at 88% approval.
The media ranked dead last in the study of Americans' trust in institutions. Only the media got a more negative than positive review. The finding is part of a decades-long decline in popular trust in the media, Gallup's editor-in-chief Mohamed Younis said Tuesday during a virtual panel organized by the U.S. Council on Competitiveness.
Since 2015, Gallup has tracked an increase in divergence between Republicans and Democrats on their attitudes toward the national media, Younis explained.
The current partisan split is "not surprising," given the contentious relationship President Trump, a Republican, has with the current media, Younis said. Still, the deterioration of trust among Republicans has been persisting for decades.
"Just to give you context, when we were polling in the time of President Nixon's impeachment, seven in 10 Americans said they had confidence in the honesty of the media they had access to in the United States," Younis said. "Today, only four in 10 Americans say the same. So there's been a general decline. That decline is most pronounced among Republicans, like I said in the past five years or so. But as of now, 41% of independents approve of the job that media has done in the Covid crisis, which is exactly the national average; 68% of Democrats share that view, and only 16% of Republicans ... So there is definitely a partisan angle to that."
Image Coronavirus Response: Hospitals Rated Best, News Media Worst (Source: Gallup)
Younis said Gallup was currently running a an online sociology experiment to understand people's news consumption and what is driving the partisan divide.
"Overall, what we found is that people again, similarly to government, want to trust and want access to local news sources and see them dwindling away across the United States," Younis said. "So what I'm saying is, on a national level, what we find is that people trust local news more than the national news offerings."
To watch the full online panel discussion, click the video below:


bonginoreport--2020-06-24--Seven Hints AG Barr Has Given About the Durham Probe

Attorney General William Barr is bringing increasing clarity to the focus of U.S. Attorney John Durham ’ s criminal investigation into the conduct of the Russia collusion investigators .
In a series of recent interviews , the nation ’ s chief enforcement officer has dropped some big hints about what is under investigation , who is and isn ’ t being investigated , and what evidence uncovered by the Durham team is emerging as important .
Barr also has suggested what events in the timeline are emerging as important in the 2016-17 effort to find dirt on President Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the seven most important revelations Barr has made over the last month .
1 .
Timetable : Durham ’ s investigation has been slowed by the pandemic .
But some action is expected by end of summer , and the probe could stretch beyond Election Day .
Barr told Fox News ’ Maria Bartiromo on Sunday that the coronavirus has slowed Durham ’ s ability to interview witnesses and use a grand jury if needed , though he did not officially confirm there was grand jury activity in the case .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not been grand juries in virtually all districts for a long period of time , ” Barr said .
But most importantly , the attorney general laid out a likely timeline for when the first actions might be taken in the case , while stressing the probe could carry beyond the election .
“ In terms of the future of Durham ’ s investigation , he ’ s pressing ahead as hard as he can , and I expect that we will have some developments , hopefully before the end of the summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as I ’ ve said , his investigation will continue .
It ’ s not going to stop because of the election .
What happens after the election may depend on who wins the election.
” 2 .
Barr believes evidence used by the FBI to justify opening an investigation into the Trump campaign ’ s ties to Moscow was very thin .
The attorney general has made clear in multiple interviews that Australian diplomat Alexander Downer ’ s meeting with Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos at a London bar in May 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hurricane .
Downer claimed Papadopoulos made comments about Russians possessing dirt on Hillary Clinton , and the FBI believed that was enough to predicate a counterintelligence investigation .
DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz agreed in his report that was enough , but found substantial evidence the FBI cheated afterwards to keep the probe going in the absence of evidence of wrongdoing .
Barr does not seem to accept the opening of the FBI probe was justified .
Papadopoulos ’ alleged “ comment in a London wine bar ” would be “ a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence agencies involved in investigating the campaign of one ’ s political opponent , ” Barr declared Sunday .
Barr isn ’ t the only high-profile figure to think that .
Former FBI Assistant Director for Intelligence Kevin Brock has said the FBI memo opening Crossfire Hurricane did not meet the standards for opening a counter-intelligence investigation .
3 .
Investigators are focused on what happened before Crossfire Hurricane officially started , including when Christopher Steele first began compiling his dossier .
In multiple interviews , Barr has made clear Durham ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and private individuals may have taken in the winter and spring of 2016 before the FBI officially opened its probe of the Trump campaign on July 31 , 2016 .
Perhaps the most tantalizing statement Barr has made on this came Sunday when he suggested it was important that Steele began working on his dossier before July 2016 , raising the possibility that some unexplained events earlier that year may have been connected to that early Steele work .
“ I understand why it is important to try to determine whether there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Papadopoulos wine bar conversation , ” Barr explained .
“ And so people are looking at that .
It ’ s significant also that the dossier was initiated before July.
” 4 .
Barr views the FBI ’ s continuation of the Russia probe after the Steele dossier “ collapsed ” as an illegitimate effort to remove the president .
Barr has repeatedly cited the fact that the FBI continued to rely on the Steele dossier after the former MI6 agent ’ s primary sub-source contradicted information in the dossier in January 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell the FISA court about the problems with the repudiated evidence .
“ The dossier pretty much collapsed at that point — and yet they continued to use it as a basis for pursuing this counterintelligence investigation , ” Barr noted this past weekend .
The attorney general suggested such behavior supports arguments that what was really going on was an attempted coup to remove Trump from office .
`` It is the closest we have come to an organized effort to push a president out of office , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ into leaks of classified information .
Barr made clear that Durham and others are examining multiple leaks for possible criminal violations while cautioning proving leak cases can be challenging .
One of those is focused on who leaked Michael Flynn 's call with the Russian ambassador .
`` Leaking national defense information , unauthorized disclosure of that information is a felony , '' Barr said .
“ We have a lot of leak investigations underway.
” 6 .
Barr is concerned by the outgoing Obama administration ’ s extensive unmasking of Americans ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barack Obama or Joe Biden to get in trouble .
After the recent revelation that more than three dozen Obama administration officials sought to unmask intercepted conversations of incoming Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn , Barr declared , “ It makes you wonder what they were doing.
” “ It ’ s unusual for an outgoing administration , high-level officials , to be unmasking very much in the days they ’ re preparing to leave office , ” he added .
As a sign of that concern , Barr has named a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to examine the unmaskings for any illegalities .
But Barr also tamped down any expectation that the former president or vice president will be investigated , stating clearly they are not targets of the probe .
`` As to President Obama and Vice President Biden , whatever their level of involvement , based on the information I have today , I do n't expect Mr. Durham 's work will lead to a criminal investigation of either man , '' the attorney general said last month .
`` Our concern over potential criminality is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Durham is examining whether political pressures were applied during the intelligence community 's assessment of Russia 's intentions in 2016 election meddling .
That could be bad news for former CIA chief John Brennan .
In the Obama administration 's final days , Brennan , outgoing DNI James Clapper and then-FBI Director James Comey release the Intelligence Community Assessment , which declared Russia meddled in the 2016 election with hacking and Facebook ads and that Moscow 's intention was to help Trump win .
The first conclusion is widely accepted , while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that evidence has been declassified showing Russia was feeding derogatory disinformation about Trump to Steele .
Why , experts wonder , would Russia be doing that if Putin wanted Trump to win ?
Barr said Durham is investigating whether any political pressure was brought to bear to come to that second conclusion .
Sources have told Just the News there is some evidence that CIA analysts and others had concerns about the strength of the evidence about Russia 's intentions .

Attorney General William Barr is bringing increasing clarity to the focus of U.S. Attorney John Durham’s criminal investigation into the conduct of the Russia collusion investigators.
In a series of recent interviews, the nation’s chief enforcement officer has dropped some big hints about what is under investigation, who is and isn’t being investigated, and what evidence uncovered by the Durham team is emerging as important.
Barr also has suggested what events in the timeline are emerging as important in the 2016-17 effort to find dirt on President Trump and his campaign and transition team.
Here are the seven most important revelations Barr has made over the last month.
1. Timetable: Durham’s investigation has been slowed by the pandemic. But some action is expected by end of summer, and the probe could stretch beyond Election Day.
Barr told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on Sunday that the coronavirus has slowed Durham’s ability to interview witnesses and use a grand jury if needed, though he did not officially confirm there was grand jury activity in the case.
"It is a fact that there have not been grand juries in virtually all districts for a long period of time,” Barr said.
But most importantly, the attorney general laid out a likely timeline for when the first actions might be taken in the case, while stressing the probe could carry beyond the election.
“In terms of the future of Durham’s investigation, he’s pressing ahead as hard as he can, and I expect that we will have some developments, hopefully before the end of the summer,” Barr said. “But as I’ve said, his investigation will continue. It’s not going to stop because of the election. What happens after the election may depend on who wins the election.”
2. Barr believes evidence used by the FBI to justify opening an investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Moscow was very thin.
The attorney general has made clear in multiple interviews that Australian diplomat Alexander Downer’s meeting with Trump campaign aide George Papadopoulos at a London bar in May 2016 was a weak justification for opening Crossfire Hurricane.
Downer claimed Papadopoulos made comments about Russians possessing dirt on Hillary Clinton, and the FBI believed that was enough to predicate a counterintelligence investigation.
DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz agreed in his report that was enough, but found substantial evidence the FBI cheated afterwards to keep the probe going in the absence of evidence of wrongdoing.
Barr does not seem to accept the opening of the FBI probe was justified.
Papadopoulos’ alleged “comment in a London wine bar” would be “a very slender reed to get law enforcement and intelligence agencies involved in investigating the campaign of one’s political opponent,” Barr declared Sunday.
Barr isn’t the only high-profile figure to think that. Former FBI Assistant Director for Intelligence Kevin Brock has said the FBI memo opening Crossfire Hurricane did not meet the standards for opening a counter-intelligence investigation.
3. Investigators are focused on what happened before Crossfire Hurricane officially started, including when Christopher Steele first began compiling his dossier.
In multiple interviews, Barr has made clear Durham’s team is examining what actions government officials and private individuals may have taken in the winter and spring of 2016 before the FBI officially opened its probe of the Trump campaign on July 31, 2016.
Perhaps the most tantalizing statement Barr has made on this came Sunday when he suggested it was important that Steele began working on his dossier before July 2016, raising the possibility that some unexplained events earlier that year may have been connected to that early Steele work.
“I understand why it is important to try to determine whether there was any activity before July, before the Papadopoulos wine bar conversation,” Barr explained. “And so people are looking at that. It’s significant also that the dossier was initiated before July.”
4. Barr views the FBI’s continuation of the Russia probe after the Steele dossier “collapsed” as an illegitimate effort to remove the president.
Barr has repeatedly cited the fact that the FBI continued to rely on the Steele dossier after the former MI6 agent’s primary sub-source contradicted information in the dossier in January 2017 and March 2017 — and failed to tell the FISA court about the problems with the repudiated evidence.
“The dossier pretty much collapsed at that point — and yet they continued to use it as a basis for pursuing this counterintelligence investigation,” Barr noted this past weekend.
The attorney general suggested such behavior supports arguments that what was really going on was an attempted coup to remove Trump from office. "It is the closest we have come to an organized effort to push a president out of office,” he said.
5. There are multiple criminal investigations into leaks of classified information.
Barr made clear that Durham and others are examining multiple leaks for possible criminal violations while cautioning proving leak cases can be challenging. One of those is focused on who leaked Michael Flynn's call with the Russian ambassador.
"Leaking national defense information, unauthorized disclosure of that information is a felony," Barr said. “We have a lot of leak investigations underway.”
6. Barr is concerned by the outgoing Obama administration’s extensive unmasking of Americans’ conversations ... but don’t expect Barack Obama or Joe Biden to get in trouble.
After the recent revelation that more than three dozen Obama administration officials sought to unmask intercepted conversations of incoming Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Barr declared, “It makes you wonder what they were doing.”
“It’s unusual for an outgoing administration, high-level officials, to be unmasking very much in the days they’re preparing to leave office,” he added.
As a sign of that concern, Barr has named a U.S. attorney from Texas to assist Durham to examine the unmaskings for any illegalities.
But Barr also tamped down any expectation that the former president or vice president will be investigated, stating clearly they are not targets of the probe.
"As to President Obama and Vice President Biden, whatever their level of involvement, based on the information I have today, I don't expect Mr. Durham's work will lead to a criminal investigation of either man," the attorney general said last month. "Our concern over potential criminality is focused on others."
7. Durham is examining whether political pressures were applied during the intelligence community's assessment of Russia's intentions in 2016 election meddling. That could be bad news for former CIA chief John Brennan.
In the Obama administration's final days, Brennan, outgoing DNI James Clapper and then-FBI Director James Comey release the Intelligence Community Assessment, which declared Russia meddled in the 2016 election with hacking and Facebook ads and that Moscow's intention was to help Trump win.
The first conclusion is widely accepted, while the second is more controversial, especially now that evidence has been declassified showing Russia was feeding derogatory disinformation about Trump to Steele. Why, experts wonder, would Russia be doing that if Putin wanted Trump to win?
Barr said Durham is investigating whether any political pressure was brought to bear to come to that second conclusion. Sources have told Just the News there is some evidence that CIA analysts and others had concerns about the strength of the evidence about Russia's intentions.


bonginoreport--2020-06-24--DOJ Goes on Indictment Spree Against Rioters

Since late May and early June , violence has erupted in leftist cities around the country and the Department of Justice has wasted no time indicting and arresting violent rioters .
U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that David Elmakayes , 24 , of Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , was charged by criminal complaint with malicious damage of property with an explosive device and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon .
The defendant is currently in federal custody and will make his initial appearance in federal court today .
The government will be seeking the defendant ’ s detention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaint alleges that on June 3 , 2020 , at approximately 11:45 p.m. , Elmakayes used an explosive device to heavily damage an automated teller machine ( ATM ) on the sidewalk at 217 East Westmoreland Street in North Philadelphia .
When he was arrested a short time later , he had three more explosive devices in his possession , as well as a .32 caliber pistol .
“ Blowing up an ATM and illegal firearms possession are not acts of protest against perceived injustice .
They are federal felonies and will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Attorney McSwain .
“ As alleged , Elmakayes tried to take advantage of the unrest in Philadelphia to get away with a violent crime .
Now he will face the consequences.
” U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Lore-Elisabeth Blumenthal , 33 , of Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , has been charged by criminal complaint for the arson of two Philadelphia Police Department ( PPD ) vehicles .
The defendant is currently in federal custody and had her initial appearance in federal court yesterday .
The government will be filing a motion for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Following peaceful protests in the early afternoon of May 30 , 2020 , in response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis , Minnesota , civil unrest began to unfold later that afternoon in Philadelphia that resulted in widespread looting , burglary , arson , destruction of property , and other violent acts .
On that day , two vehicles , one PPD sedan ( number 2514 ) and one PPD sport utility vehicle ( number 1612 ) , were parked on the north side of City Hall in Philadelphia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Hall that afternoon , Blumenthal allegedly set fire to both vehicles .
According to the complaint , various videos taken at the scene captured the defendant wearing protective goggles and gloves , taking a flaming piece of wooden police barricade from the rear window of the PPD sedan that was already on fire , and then shoving the flaming wood into the PPD SUV that was not on fire .
Within minutes , the PPD SUV was also completely engulfed in flames .
As a result of the fires , both PPD @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office fully support the First Amendment right of the people to assemble peaceably and to petition their government .
But torching a police car has nothing to do with peaceful protest or any legitimate message .
It is a violent and despicable act that will be prosecuted in this district to the fullest extent of the law , ” said U.S. Attorney McSwain .
“ Anybody who engaged in such acts can stand by to put your hands behind your back and head to federal prison .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vegas , where a police officer was shot and paralyzed from the neck down : A federal grand jury indicted Stephen T. Parshall , aka “ Kiwi , ” 35 , Andrew Lynam , 23 , and William L. Loomis , 40 , all of Las Vegas , for violations of federal law for conspiracy to cause destruction during protests in Las Vegas and possession of an unregistered destructive device , specifically , a so-called “ Molotov cocktail.
” According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and indictment , Parshall , Lynam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the “ Boogaloo ” movement , a term used by extremists to signify a coming civil war and/or collapse of society .
From April 2020 to May 30 , 2020 , the defendants conspired to damage and destroy — by fire and explosives — buildings and property owned by the U.S. Government , as well as a public utility installation .
On May 30 , the defendants possessed Molotov cocktails to throw at police in downtown Las Vegas , during a protest connected to George Floyd ’ s death .
If convicted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $ 250,000 fine for conspiracy to damage and destroy by fire and explosive ; and ten years in prison and a $ 250,000 fine for possession of unregistered firearms .
The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only .
If convicted of any federal offense , the sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors .
U.S. Attorney Erica H. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Bryce Michael Williams , 26 , charging him with conspiracy to commit arson at the Minneapolis Police Department ’ s Third Precinct .
Williams , who was arrested on June 16 , 2020 , made his initial appearance earlier today before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis .
According to the allegations in the complaint , on the night of May 28 , 2020 , the Minneapolis Police Department ’ s Third Precinct was overrun and heavily damaged due to vandalism and arson .
Investigators with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Explosives ( ATF ) identified multiple separate fires had been started in the building .
Investigators were able to identify Williams in surveillance video footage from the Third Precinct .
Williams , wearing a mask , a baseball cap , and a hooded sweatshirt , can be seen in the video standing near the entrance of the Third Precinct holding a Molotov cocktail while other individuals attempt to light the wick .
According to the allegations in the complaint , ATF investigators also reviewed videos that were posted on Williams ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 .
In one of the videos , Williams can be seen standing in front of the burning Third Precinct building wearing clothing consistent with the clothing Williams was wearing in the Third Precinct surveillance video .
In another video , Williams ’ s face is clearly visible and he appears to be in close proximity to the Third Precinct building .
In Oakland , where Federal Officer David Underwood was murdered : At a press conference held this morning at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S .
Courthouse in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice announced that murder and attempted murder charges have been filed against Steven Carrillo , the alleged gunman in the May 29 , 2020 , drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of Protective Security Officer David Patrick Underwood and injuries to a second security officer .
The Department of Justice also announced aiding and abetting charges against Robert Alvin Justus Jr. , the driver of the vehicle from which Carrillo is alleged to have attacked the guards .
“ Liberty flourishes in the rule of law , ” said Assistant Attorney General @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Indiscriminate targeting of law enforcement officers by those motivated by violent extremism of any stripe is contrary to our nation ’ s values and undermines the powerful message of peaceful protestors .
The Department of Justice stands in support of all Americans exercising their First Amendment rights to peaceable assembly and speech but we stand firmly against anyone who seeks to hijack the protests with acts of violence and destruction.
” On Monday night , violent anarchists attempted to build an `` autonomous zone '' outside of the White House in Lafayette @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down a statue of President Andrew Jackson , vandalized St. John 's Church for a second time and lit a series of fires in the streets .
As a result , President Trump called for additional prosecutions and protection of federal monuments .

Since late May and early June, violence has erupted in leftist cities around the country and the Department of Justice has wasted no time indicting and arresting violent rioters.
In Philadelphia:
U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that David Elmakayes, 24, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was charged by criminal complaint with malicious damage of property with an explosive device and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The defendant is currently in federal custody and will make his initial appearance in federal court today. The government will be seeking the defendant’s detention pending trial on these charges. The complaint alleges that on June 3, 2020, at approximately 11:45 p.m., Elmakayes used an explosive device to heavily damage an automated teller machine (ATM) on the sidewalk at 217 East Westmoreland Street in North Philadelphia. When he was arrested a short time later, he had three more explosive devices in his possession, as well as a .32 caliber pistol. “Blowing up an ATM and illegal firearms possession are not acts of protest against perceived injustice. They are federal felonies and will be treated as such,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “As alleged, Elmakayes tried to take advantage of the unrest in Philadelphia to get away with a violent crime. Now he will face the consequences.”
Also in Philadelphia:
U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Lore-Elisabeth Blumenthal, 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been charged by criminal complaint for the arson of two Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) vehicles. The defendant is currently in federal custody and had her initial appearance in federal court yesterday. The government will be filing a motion for the defendant to be detained pending trial. Following peaceful protests in the early afternoon of May 30, 2020, in response to the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, civil unrest began to unfold later that afternoon in Philadelphia that resulted in widespread looting, burglary, arson, destruction of property, and other violent acts. On that day, two vehicles, one PPD sedan (number 2514) and one PPD sport utility vehicle (number 1612), were parked on the north side of City Hall in Philadelphia. During the violent episodes that began around City Hall that afternoon, Blumenthal allegedly set fire to both vehicles. According to the complaint, various videos taken at the scene captured the defendant wearing protective goggles and gloves, taking a flaming piece of wooden police barricade from the rear window of the PPD sedan that was already on fire, and then shoving the flaming wood into the PPD SUV that was not on fire. Within minutes, the PPD SUV was also completely engulfed in flames. As a result of the fires, both PPD vehicles were destroyed. “We at the U.S. Attorney’s Office fully support the First Amendment right of the people to assemble peaceably and to petition their government. But torching a police car has nothing to do with peaceful protest or any legitimate message. It is a violent and despicable act that will be prosecuted in this district to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Anybody who engaged in such acts can stand by to put your hands behind your back and head to federal prison. We are coming for you.”
In Las Vegas, where a police officer was shot and paralyzed from the neck down:
A federal grand jury indicted Stephen T. Parshall, aka “Kiwi,” 35, Andrew Lynam, 23, and William L. Loomis, 40, all of Las Vegas, for violations of federal law for conspiracy to cause destruction during protests in Las Vegas and possession of an unregistered destructive device, specifically, a so-called “Molotov cocktail.” According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint and indictment, Parshall, Lynam, and Loomis claimed to be members of the “Boogaloo” movement, a term used by extremists to signify a coming civil war and/or collapse of society. From April 2020 to May 30, 2020, the defendants conspired to damage and destroy — by fire and explosives — buildings and property owned by the U.S. Government, as well as a public utility installation. On May 30, the defendants possessed Molotov cocktails to throw at police in downtown Las Vegas, during a protest connected to George Floyd’s death. If convicted, Parshall, Lynam, and Loomis each face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to damage and destroy by fire and explosive; and ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possession of unregistered firearms. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only. If convicted of any federal offense, the sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In Minneapolis:
U.S. Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced a federal criminal complaint against Bryce Michael Williams, 26, charging him with conspiracy to commit arson at the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct. Williams, who was arrested on June 16, 2020, made his initial appearance earlier today before Magistrate Judge David T. Schultz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis. According to the allegations in the complaint, on the night of May 28, 2020, the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct was overrun and heavily damaged due to vandalism and arson. Investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) identified multiple separate fires had been started in the building. Investigators were able to identify Williams in surveillance video footage from the Third Precinct. Williams, wearing a mask, a baseball cap, and a hooded sweatshirt, can be seen in the video standing near the entrance of the Third Precinct holding a Molotov cocktail while other individuals attempt to light the wick. According to the allegations in the complaint, ATF investigators also reviewed videos that were posted on Williams’s TikTok account on May 28 and 29, 2020. In one of the videos, Williams can be seen standing in front of the burning Third Precinct building wearing clothing consistent with the clothing Williams was wearing in the Third Precinct surveillance video. In another video, Williams’s face is clearly visible and he appears to be in close proximity to the Third Precinct building.
In Oakland, where Federal Officer David Underwood was murdered:
At a press conference held this morning at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland, California, the Department of Justice announced that murder and attempted murder charges have been filed against Steven Carrillo, the alleged gunman in the May 29, 2020, drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of Protective Security Officer David Patrick Underwood and injuries to a second security officer. The Department of Justice also announced aiding and abetting charges against Robert Alvin Justus Jr., the driver of the vehicle from which Carrillo is alleged to have attacked the guards. “Liberty flourishes in the rule of law,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “Indiscriminate targeting of law enforcement officers by those motivated by violent extremism of any stripe is contrary to our nation’s values and undermines the powerful message of peaceful protestors. The Department of Justice stands in support of all Americans exercising their First Amendment rights to peaceable assembly and speech but we stand firmly against anyone who seeks to hijack the protests with acts of violence and destruction.”
On Monday night, violent anarchists attempted to build an "autonomous zone" outside of the White House in Lafayette Park. They also tried to tear down a statue of President Andrew Jackson, vandalized St. John's Church for a second time and lit a series of fires in the streets. As a result, President Trump called for additional prosecutions and protection of federal monuments.


bonginoreport--2020-06-24--Mel Gibson Responds to Winona Ryder’s “Oven Dodger” Allegation

`` Around 1996 , my friend Kevyn Aucoin and I were on ...

Mel Gibson has denied bombshell claims by Winona Ryder that the Aussie actor-director lobbed anti-Semitic slurs at the actress at a Hollywood party in the mid-’90s.
The “Stranger Things” star and Gen X icon accused Gibson in an interview Sunday of calling her an “oven dodger” when he learned of her Jewish heritage. The offensive term is an apparent reference to Jewish prisoners who avoided being incinerated at Nazi death camps during World War II.
At the same industry soiree, Ryder claims Gibson asked her friend, who is gay, “‘Oh, wait, am I gonna get AIDS?’”
“This is 100% untrue,” Gibson’s reps told The Post in an emailed statement.
“She lied about it over a decade ago, when she talked to the press, and she’s lying about it now,” the reps said, referencing a 2010 GQ article in which Ryder, now 48, first mentioned the alleged incident. She also claimed Gibson once tried to make amends for offending her.
However, the 64-year-old “Braveheart” Oscar winner’s rep continued, “Also, she lied about him trying to apologize to her back then. He did reach out to her, many years ago, to confront her about her lies, and she refused to address it with him.”
Ryder — who was born Winona Laura Horowitz — told The Post she remembers the altercation quite differently.
“I believe in redemption and forgiveness and hope that Mr. Gibson has found a healthy way to deal with his demons, but I am not one of them,” Ryder said. “Around 1996, my friend Kevyn Aucoin and I were on the receiving end of his hateful words. It is a painful and vivid memory for me. Only by accepting responsibility for our behavior in this life, can we make amends and truly respect each other, and I wish him well on this lifelong journey.”
Gibson was first accused of making anti-Jewish remarks in 2006, when he was booked for a DUI near Malibu, California. The actor-director told a police officer, “Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world” and referred to a female officer on the scene as “sugar tits.”
The “Mad Max” actor’s father, the late author Hutton Red Gibson, infamously gave an interview in which he declared the Holocaust “fiction.”


bonginoreport--2020-06-24--J.J. Abrams Creates 20-Page Guide to “Dismantle White Supremacy”

Director J.J. Abrams ( “ The Force Awakens ” ) released a 20-page guideline to his company Bad Robot on ways to combat white supremacy .
Titled “ Bad Robot ’ s Guide to Dismantling White Supremacy at Work , ” the guidebook encourages employees to learn about racism in the United States by reading articles and books , watching movies , and following certain ( left-wing ) black activists to better educate themselves on the subject of race relations .
“ At Bad Robot , we are committed to dismantling white supremacy at work & at large .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ artists and have compiled an evolving set of resources that we are sharing with friends and colleagues .
Onward !
” the company said in a tweet on Tuesday .
The guide divides tasks for people to follow based on the amount of time they have to spare in a day .
Fox News breaks it down : There are sections for people with 5-10 minutes , 30 minutes and 60 minutes .
It also has sections full of resources for employees with children as well as managers to help them talk about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People with a small amount of time are encouraged to read articles while people with 30 minutes or so are encouraged to view a collection of videos .
People with more than an hour to spare are met with a list of movies to watch like Spike Lee ’ s “ Do The Right Thing , ” John Singleton ’ s “ Boyz n the Hood ” and Ava DuVernay ’ s “ The 13th ” and ” When They See Us.
” “ At Bad Robot , we are committed as storytellers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work and at large , ” the introduction reads .
“ With this ever-evolving and far from complete guide , we hope to share some resources to explore and navigate this time for ourselves and with each other as we strive to do the delicate , raw , humbling , and enraging work of anti-racism.
” The resource also lists a series of articles from left-wing outlets written by left-wing black writers from Ta-Nehisi Coates .
Shelby Steele , Thomas Sowell , Starr Parker , are nowhere to be seen .
Here are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , This Is Your Chance | Michelle Alexander , New York Times • The Case for Reparations | Ta-Nehisi Coates , The Atlantic • Dear White People : Here are 5 Uncomfortable Truths Black Colleagues Need You to Know | Forbes • Here ’ s Why It Hurts When People Say , “ All Lives Matter ” | Vanity Fair • Letters for Black Lives | An Open Letter Project on Anti-Blackness • Welcome to the Anti-racism Movement – Here ’ s What You ’ ve Missed | Medium Director J.J. Abrams has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an organization founded by a racist eugenicist .
In 2019 , he also vowed to fight Georgia ’ s anti-abortion law as various movie studios were threatening to boycott the state .
Georgia ’ s population is 30.5 % black .
The Daily Wire , headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro , is a leading provider of conservative news , cutting through the mainstream media ’ s rhetoric to provide readers the most important , relevant , and engaging stories of the day .
Get inside access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Director J.J. Abrams (“The Force Awakens”) released a 20-page guideline to his company Bad Robot on ways to combat white supremacy.
Titled “Bad Robot’s Guide to Dismantling White Supremacy at Work,” the guidebook encourages employees to learn about racism in the United States by reading articles and books, watching movies, and following certain (left-wing) black activists to better educate themselves on the subject of race relations.
“At Bad Robot, we are committed to dismantling white supremacy at work & at large. We are following leading academics, activists & artists and have compiled an evolving set of resources that we are sharing with friends and colleagues. Onward!” the company said in a tweet on Tuesday.
The guide divides tasks for people to follow based on the amount of time they have to spare in a day. Fox News breaks it down:
There are sections for people with 5-10 minutes, 30 minutes and 60 minutes. It also has sections full of resources for employees with children as well as managers to help them talk about the topic in a non-problematic way. People with a small amount of time are encouraged to read articles while people with 30 minutes or so are encouraged to view a collection of videos. People with more than an hour to spare are met with a list of movies to watch like Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing,” John Singleton’s “Boyz n the Hood” and Ava DuVernay’s “The 13th” and ”When They See Us.”
“At Bad Robot, we are committed as storytellers and executives to dismantling white supremacy at work and at large,” the introduction reads. “With this ever-evolving and far from complete guide, we hope to share some resources to explore and navigate this time for ourselves and with each other as we strive to do the delicate, raw, humbling, and enraging work of anti-racism.”
The resource also lists a series of articles from left-wing outlets written by left-wing black writers from Ta-Nehisi Coates. Shelby Steele, Thomas Sowell, Starr Parker, are nowhere to be seen. Here are just a few samples:
The American Nightmare | Ibram X. Kendi, The Atlantic
America, This Is Your Chance | Michelle Alexander, New York Times
Being Antiracist | National Museum of African American History & Culture
The Case for Reparations | Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Atlantic
Dear White People: Here are 5 Uncomfortable Truths Black Colleagues Need You to Know | Forbes
Here’s Why It Hurts When People Say, “All Lives Matter” | Vanity Fair
Letters for Black Lives | An Open Letter Project on Anti-Blackness
Welcome to the Anti-racism Movement – Here’s What You’ve Missed | Medium
Director J.J. Abrams has been an outspoken supporter of Planned Parenthood, an organization founded by a racist eugenicist. In 2019, he also vowed to fight Georgia’s anti-abortion law as various movie studios were threatening to boycott the state. Georgia’s population is 30.5% black.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member.


bonginoreport--2020-06-24--Jimmy Kimmel Releases Statement Over Past Blackface Sketches, Takes Shots at Conservatives

On Tuesday , late-night host Jimmy Kimmel broke his silence concerning his past donning of blackface in old “ Man Show ” sketches , though he did not explicitly address reports of his alleged use of the N-word on a past Christmas album .
In a statement released Tuesday , the embattled “ Jimmy Kimmel Live !
” host took shots at folks on the right , whom he identified as “ those who equate apologies with weakness and cheer for leaders who use prejudice to divide us , ” while offering his apologizes to those “ offended ” by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been reluctant to address this , as I knew doing so would be celebrated as a victory by those who equate apologies with weakness and cheer for leaders who use prejudice to divide us , ” the statement started , “ That delay was a mistake .
There is nothing more important to me than your respect , and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke.
” “ On KROQ radio in the mid-90s , I did a recurring impression @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the late 90s , I continued impersonating Malone on TV .
We hired makeup artists to make me look as much like Karl Malone as possible , ” Kimmel admitted .
“ I never considered that this might be seen as anything other than an imitation of a fellow human being , one that had no more to do with Karl ’ s skin color than it did his bulging muscles and bald head.
” “ Looking back , many of these sketches are embarrassing , ” he continued , “ and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have become a weapon used by some to diminish my criticisms of social and other injustices.
” The host noted that he has “ evolved and matured ” since his past infractions , a commentary that runs counter to the Left ’ s so-called “ cancel culture ” rules that suggest no such change is possible .
“ I know that this will not be the last I hear of this and that it will be used again to try to quiet me , ” Kimmel said .
“ I love this country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t be bullied into silence by those who feign outrage to advance their oppressive and genuinely racist agendas.
” Just one day earlier , Kimmel , who consistently preaches left-wing politics and smears the president as racist , was pummeled in the press over reports that he used the N-word multiple times in a song for a Christmas album recorded in 1996 , though , ironically , as noted by The Daily Wire , “ Kimmel previously pressed actor Tom Arnold to release an alleged ‘ N-word ’ tape of President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The host recently announced that he ’ ll be taking the summer off , an announcement that came on the heels of the resurfaced “ Man Show ” blackface sketches .
“ I ’ m taking this summer off to spend even more time with my family , ” Kimmel said last week .
“ There ’ s nothing wrong .
I ’ m healthy , my family ’ s healthy , I just need a couple of months off.
” See Kimmel ’ s full statement , below ( via The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been reluctant to address this , as I knew doing so would be celebrated as a victory by those who equate apologies with weakness and cheer for leaders who use prejudice to divide us .
That delay was a mistake .
There is nothing more important to me than your respect , and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke .
On KROQ radio in the mid-90s , I did a recurring impression of the NBA player Karl Malone .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ impersonating Malone on TV .
We hired makeup artists to make me look as much like Karl Malone as possible .
I never considered that this might be seen as anything other than an imitation of a fellow human being , one that had no more to do with Karl ’ s skin color than it did his bulging muscles and bald head .
I ’ ve done dozens of impressions of famous people , including Snoop Dogg , Oprah , Eminem , Dick Vitale , Rosie , and many others .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as impersonations of celebrities and nothing more .
Looking back , many of these sketches are embarrassing , and it is frustrating that these thoughtless moments have become a weapon used by some to diminish my criticisms of social and other injustices .
I believe that I have evolved and matured over the last twenty-plus years , and I hope that is evident to anyone who watches my show .
I know that this will not be the last I hear of this and that it will be used again to try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too much to allow that .
I won ’ t be bullied into silence by those who feign outrage to advance their oppressive and genuinely racist agendas .
My summer vacation has been planned for more than a year and includes the next two summers off as well .
I will be back to work in September .
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to explain and to those I ’ ve disappointed , I am sorry .
The Daily Wire , headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news , cutting through the mainstream media ’ s rhetoric to provide readers the most important , relevant , and engaging stories of the day .
Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member .

On Tuesday, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel broke his silence concerning his past donning of blackface in old “Man Show” sketches, though he did not explicitly address reports of his alleged use of the N-word on a past Christmas album.
In a statement released Tuesday, the embattled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host took shots at folks on the right, whom he identified as “those who equate apologies with weakness and cheer for leaders who use prejudice to divide us,” while offering his apologizes to those “offended” by his actions.
“I have long been reluctant to address this, as I knew doing so would be celebrated as a victory by those who equate apologies with weakness and cheer for leaders who use prejudice to divide us,” the statement started, “That delay was a mistake. There is nothing more important to me than your respect, and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke.”
“On KROQ radio in the mid-90s, I did a recurring impression of the NBA player Karl Malone. In the late 90s, I continued impersonating Malone on TV. We hired makeup artists to make me look as much like Karl Malone as possible,” Kimmel admitted. “I never considered that this might be seen as anything other than an imitation of a fellow human being, one that had no more to do with Karl’s skin color than it did his bulging muscles and bald head.”
“Looking back, many of these sketches are embarrassing,” he continued, “and it is frustrating that these thoughtless moments have become a weapon used by some to diminish my criticisms of social and other injustices.”
The host noted that he has “evolved and matured” since his past infractions, a commentary that runs counter to the Left’s so-called “cancel culture” rules that suggest no such change is possible.
“I know that this will not be the last I hear of this and that it will be used again to try to quiet me,” Kimmel said. “I love this country too much to allow that. I won’t be bullied into silence by those who feign outrage to advance their oppressive and genuinely racist agendas.”
Just one day earlier, Kimmel, who consistently preaches left-wing politics and smears the president as racist, was pummeled in the press over reports that he used the N-word multiple times in a song for a Christmas album recorded in 1996, though, ironically, as noted by The Daily Wire, “Kimmel previously pressed actor Tom Arnold to release an alleged ‘N-word’ tape of President Donald Trump, which has not materialized.”
The host recently announced that he’ll be taking the summer off, an announcement that came on the heels of the resurfaced “Man Show” blackface sketches.
“I’m taking this summer off to spend even more time with my family,” Kimmel said last week. “There’s nothing wrong. I’m healthy, my family’s healthy, I just need a couple of months off.”
See Kimmel’s full statement, below (via The Hollywood Reporter):
I have long been reluctant to address this, as I knew doing so would be celebrated as a victory by those who equate apologies with weakness and cheer for leaders who use prejudice to divide us. That delay was a mistake. There is nothing more important to me than your respect, and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke. On KROQ radio in the mid-90s, I did a recurring impression of the NBA player Karl Malone. In the late 90s, I continued impersonating Malone on TV. We hired makeup artists to make me look as much like Karl Malone as possible. I never considered that this might be seen as anything other than an imitation of a fellow human being, one that had no more to do with Karl’s skin color than it did his bulging muscles and bald head. I’ve done dozens of impressions of famous people, including Snoop Dogg, Oprah, Eminem, Dick Vitale, Rosie, and many others. In each case, I thought of them as impersonations of celebrities and nothing more. Looking back, many of these sketches are embarrassing, and it is frustrating that these thoughtless moments have become a weapon used by some to diminish my criticisms of social and other injustices. I believe that I have evolved and matured over the last twenty-plus years, and I hope that is evident to anyone who watches my show. I know that this will not be the last I hear of this and that it will be used again to try to quiet me. I love this country too much to allow that. I won’t be bullied into silence by those who feign outrage to advance their oppressive and genuinely racist agendas. My summer vacation has been planned for more than a year and includes the next two summers off as well. I will be back to work in September. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to explain and to those I’ve disappointed, I am sorry. Sincerely, Jimmy Kimmel
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member.


bonginoreport--2020-06-24--President Trump Meets With President of Poland

WASHINGTON ( Reuters ) - Polish President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday became the first foreign leader to visit U.S. President Donald Trump since the coronavirus pandemic led to global lockdowns , and the two leaders said they looked forward to signing a defense cooperation agreement .
Duda ’ s visit appeared aimed at boosting his re-election campaign - Poland ’ s nationwide presidential vote is on Sunday .
The nationalist Polish leader has emerged as one of Trump ’ s preferred foreign partners .
The two have met one-on-one at least five times .
A defense agreement would send more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooperation between the two NATO allies and acting as a further counterweight against Russian aggression .
“ I think it sends a strong message to Russia , ” Trump told a news conference with Duda in the White House Rose Garden , where he criticized other European countries for buying Russian energy .
The two leaders spoke after meeting in the Oval Office .
Duda said it was an honor to discuss next steps in relations at the White House .
“ Today we are entering another stage , namely there is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our country , ” he said .
Trump said he might move U.S. troops from Germany to Poland .
The Republican president wants to take thousands of U.S. forces out of Germany because he says the United States bears too much of a financial burden for the deployment and criticizes the government in Berlin for buying Russian energy .
“ We ’ re going to be reducing our forces in Germany .
Some will be coming home and some will be going to other places , but Poland would be one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the news conference .
“ Germany is paying Russia billions of dollars to purchase energy from Russia .
And through the pipeline .
And I ’ m saying what ’ s that all about ?
You ’ re spending billions of dollars to Russia , then we ’ re supposed to defend you from Russia .
So I think it ’ s ... very bad , ” Trump said .
Washington objects to the Russia ’ s Nord Stream 2 pipeline , which would double the amount of gas piped directly from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ piped in Ukraine .
Critics have accused Duda and Trump of calling the visit just before the Polish election in order to improve the right-leaning Duda ’ s chances of winning , as his lead in opinion polls has dropped in recent weeks .
Duda ’ s campaign has focused on rallying his conservative base with attacks on what he calls lesbian , gay , bisexual and transgender “ ideology , ” while promising to protect popular social benefit programs for families and pensioners that have transformed life for many poorer Poles .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ support group in the region that can be tailored to increase the number of U.S. soldiers in Poland .
According to Polish media reports , the United States could offer 2,000 soldiers to Poland , 1,000 more than initially agreed in June 2019 .
Those additional troops would include the U.S. Army V Corps from Kentucky and F-16s from Germany .
Another official with knowledge of the talks told Reuters that moving the V Corps to Poland was under discussion and that Poland could get more than the 1,000 troops agreed to last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,000 would be sent .
Trump also told the news conference that the United States and Poland were discussing a project to construct a nuclear-powered plant in Poland .

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Polish President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday became the first foreign leader to visit U.S. President Donald Trump since the coronavirus pandemic led to global lockdowns, and the two leaders said they looked forward to signing a defense cooperation agreement.
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a joint news conference with Poland's President Andrzej Duda in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 24, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
Duda’s visit appeared aimed at boosting his re-election campaign - Poland’s nationwide presidential vote is on Sunday. The nationalist Polish leader has emerged as one of Trump’s preferred foreign partners. The two have met one-on-one at least five times.
A defense agreement would send more U.S. troops to Poland, bolstering defense cooperation between the two NATO allies and acting as a further counterweight against Russian aggression.
“I think it sends a strong message to Russia,” Trump told a news conference with Duda in the White House Rose Garden, where he criticized other European countries for buying Russian energy.
The two leaders spoke after meeting in the Oval Office.
Duda said it was an honor to discuss next steps in relations at the White House. “Today we are entering another stage, namely there is a possibility of further increase in American troops in our country,” he said.
Trump said he might move U.S. troops from Germany to Poland. The Republican president wants to take thousands of U.S. forces out of Germany because he says the United States bears too much of a financial burden for the deployment and criticizes the government in Berlin for buying Russian energy.
“We’re going to be reducing our forces in Germany. Some will be coming home and some will be going to other places, but Poland would be one of those other places,” Trump said at the news conference.
CRITICIZING GERMANY
“Germany is paying Russia billions of dollars to purchase energy from Russia. And through the pipeline. And I’m saying what’s that all about? You’re spending billions of dollars to Russia, then we’re supposed to defend you from Russia. So I think it’s... very bad,” Trump said.
Washington objects to the Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which would double the amount of gas piped directly from Russia to Germany and reduce the amount piped in Ukraine.
Critics have accused Duda and Trump of calling the visit just before the Polish election in order to improve the right-leaning Duda’s chances of winning, as his lead in opinion polls has dropped in recent weeks.
Duda’s campaign has focused on rallying his conservative base with attacks on what he calls lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender “ideology,” while promising to protect popular social benefit programs for families and pensioners that have transformed life for many poorer Poles.
Slideshow ( 7 images )
The U.S. Army already has an area support group in the region that can be tailored to increase the number of U.S. soldiers in Poland.
According to Polish media reports, the United States could offer 2,000 soldiers to Poland, 1,000 more than initially agreed in June 2019. Those additional troops would include the U.S. Army V Corps from Kentucky and F-16s from Germany.
Another official with knowledge of the talks told Reuters that moving the V Corps to Poland was under discussion and that Poland could get more than the 1,000 troops agreed to last year, but would not say if 2,000 would be sent.
Trump also told the news conference that the United States and Poland were discussing a project to construct a nuclear-powered plant in Poland.


bonginoreport--2020-06-24--Grand Jury Indicts 3 Suspects in Ahmaud Arbery Murder Case

A grand jury has returned indictments of the three suspects in the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery .
Cobb County District Attorney Joyette M. Holmes announced the charges at the Glynn County Courthouse at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday .
The indictment has nine charges , including malice murder , four counts of felony murder , two counts of aggravated assault , false imprisonment ; and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment .
Holmes said she would be moving forward with the prosecution of 64-year-old Greg McMichael , 34-year-old Travis McMichael , and 50-year-old William “ Roddie ” Bryan , and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she acknowledged there will be a bit of a slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AHMAUD ARBERY SHOOTING '' This is another positive step , another great step , for finding justice for Ahmaud , for finding justice for this family and for the community beyond , '' she said .
According to Holmes , the Cobb District Attorney 's Office presented the case to an existing grand jury due to the rules of Georgia 's statewide judicial emergency .
While Georgia 's Gov .
Brian Kemp is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hate crimes bill , Holmes said that the new bill would not apply to the case because of the timing .
The deadly shooting happened on Feb. 23 as 25-year-old Arbery jogged through a predominately white neighborhood along Satilla Drive near Holmes Drive in Brunswick .
Greg McMichael , 64 , who is a former police officer and DA investigator , and his son Travis , 34 , were arrested two days after cellphone video of the shooting leaked online and stirred a national outcry .
Both were charged with felony murder .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50-year-old William “ Roddie ” Bryan , was also arrested and charged with felony murder and illegally using a vehicle to try to confine and detain Arbery .
Holmes was appointed to prosecute the case after the lawyers for Arbery 's family say they demanded to replace the former prosecutor , District Attorney Tom Durden , saying on Twitter that he had `` sat on the case '' until video of the shooting was leaked .
It was n't until May 7 — two days after Bryan ’ s cellphone video leaked online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the defendants were charged .
Earlier in June , a GBI agent testified in court that there was no evidence Arbery committed crimes in the subdivision where he was shot .
The investigator also testified that Travis McMichael was heard saying a racist slur as he stood over Arbery ’ s body , moments after fatally shooting him with a pump-action shotgun .
MORE : In his final days , Ahmaud Arbery 's life was at a crossroads “ Mr .
Bryan said that after the shooting took place before police arrival , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that he heard Travis McMichael make the statement , ‘ f - - - ing n - - - er , ’ ” GVI agent Richard Dial said .
After the hearing , a judge ruled there was enough evidence to try three suspects on murder charges .
Download the FOX 5 Atlanta app for breaking news and weather alerts .
The Associated Press contributed to this report .

A grand jury has returned indictments of the three suspects in the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery.
Cobb County District Attorney Joyette M. Holmes announced the charges at the Glynn County Courthouse at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. The indictment has nine charges, including malice murder, four counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, false imprisonment; and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment.
Holmes said she would be moving forward with the prosecution of 64-year-old Greg McMichael, 34-year-old Travis McMichael, and 50-year-old William “Roddie” Bryan, and was looking at the next steps, though she acknowledged there will be a bit of a slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AHMAUD ARBERY SHOOTING
Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was shot and killed while out jogging in a south Georgia neighborhood on Feb. 23, 2020. (Photo provided by family members)
"This is another positive step, another great step, for finding justice for Ahmaud, for finding justice for this family and for the community beyond," she said.
According to Holmes, the Cobb District Attorney's Office presented the case to an existing grand jury due to the rules of Georgia's statewide judicial emergency.
While Georgia's Gov. Brian Kemp is expected to be signing a recently passed hate crimes bill, Holmes said that the new bill would not apply to the case because of the timing.
The deadly shooting happened on Feb. 23 as 25-year-old Arbery jogged through a predominately white neighborhood along Satilla Drive near Holmes Drive in Brunswick.
Greg McMichael, 64, who is a former police officer and DA investigator, and his son Travis, 34, were arrested two days after cellphone video of the shooting leaked online and stirred a national outcry. Both were charged with felony murder.
The neighbor who filmed the video, 50-year-old William “Roddie” Bryan, was also arrested and charged with felony murder and illegally using a vehicle to try to confine and detain Arbery.
Holmes was appointed to prosecute the case after the lawyers for Arbery's family say they demanded to replace the former prosecutor, District Attorney Tom Durden, saying on Twitter that he had "sat on the case" until video of the shooting was leaked. It wasn't until May 7 — two days after Bryan’s cellphone video leaked online and stirred a national outcry — that the defendants were charged.
Gregory McMichael and Travis McMichael (Glynn County Sheriff's Office)
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Earlier in June, a GBI agent testified in court that there was no evidence Arbery committed crimes in the subdivision where he was shot.
The investigator also testified that Travis McMichael was heard saying a racist slur as he stood over Arbery’s body, moments after fatally shooting him with a pump-action shotgun.
MORE: In his final days, Ahmaud Arbery's life was at a crossroads
“Mr. Bryan said that after the shooting took place before police arrival, while Mr. Arbery was on the ground, that he heard Travis McMichael make the statement, ‘f - - - ing n - - - er,’” GVI agent Richard Dial said.
Greg and Travis McMichael sit next to each other with masks participating remotely in a probable cause hearing on June 4, 2020. (FOX 5)
After the hearing, a judge ruled there was enough evidence to try three suspects on murder charges.
Download the FOX 5 Atlanta app for breaking news and weather alerts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.