bonginoreport--2020-12-27--FBI Had Reportedly Been Warned Twice About Nashville Bombing Suspect

Anthony Quinn Warner was a 63-year-old Tennessee computer contract worker named as the Nashville bomber who detonated a parked RV in downtown Nashville , Tennessee , on Christmas morning , according to Nashville ’ s police chief .
An RV similar to the one used in the Nashville bombing was parked at Warner ’ s home address in images on Google Maps and Google Earth , Heavy discovered .
Authorities have now matched human tissue recovered at the blast zone to Warner ’ s DNA .
“ We ’ ve come to the conclusion that an individual named Anthony Warner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Q. Cochran , Jr. declared in a December 27 news conference .
Warner was “ present when the bomb went off ” and “ perished in the bombing , ” said Cochran .
Forensic scientists confirmed a DNA match , he said .
Authorities also scoured surveillance video and saw no one else near the RV , leading them to believe that Warner acted alone .
“ Anthony Warner is the man believed responsible for this horrible crime , ” said Nashville Police Chief John Drake .
The first clue emerged pointing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Jeremy Finley is reporting that FBI agents have been “ pursuing tips that he ( Warner ) was paranoid about 5g spying on Americans.
” Since the pandemic hit , conspiracy theories have raged that 5G cell phone towers spread COVID-19 ; scientists have found the claims baseless , according to BBC .
In May , the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned of the potential for attacks by 5G conspiracy theorists against cell towers and wireless providers .
However , that ’ s only one motive being considered , the television @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5G motive , authorities said only , “ We ’ re aware of certain things online , and we ’ re looking at every possible angle.
” Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch said forensic scientists processed evidence from the crime scene and compared it to evidence collected from a vehicle used by Warner .
They found a DNA “ match at both locations , ” he said .
Douglas Korneski , the special agent in charge of the FBI ’ s Memphis office , said “ human remains discovered at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There is no indication that any other persons was involved .
We ’ ve reviewed hours of security video…we saw no other people involved around that vehicle , ” he said .
Tips from the public proved crucial .
A vehicle identification number was unearthed from the blast zone , he said .
Authorities told CNN the explosion was likely a suicide bombing .
Authorities said in the news conference that a label of domestic terrorism has to be tied to a political or social ideology .
“ We haven ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , as a definite motive remains a mystery so far .
The song “ Downtown ” by Petula Clark was playing from the RV right before the blast , authorities said .
That song ’ s lyrics start , “ When you ’ re alone and life is making you lonely , you can always go downtown… ” It appears that Warner was shedding elements of his already isolated life in recent weeks ; he gave up a job earlier this month and gave up his house for nothing to a California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was unmarried and childless , was self-employed in the IT area , a neighbor said ; state records show he once was licensed as an alarm contractor , with a specialty in burglar alarm installation .
In recent years , the reclusive Warner , known as Tony to some , lost a father and brother , leaving him with few living family members .
On Saturday , a Newsweek editor said DNA swabs were being collected from Warner ’ s mother , “ possibly to help identify human remains.
” Authorities said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to conduct the DNA match , but they wouldn ’ t confirm the relative was his mother .
Heavy reached a neighbor of Warner ’ s who confirmed that the FBI and ATF were at Warner ’ s longtime house along Bakertown Road in Antioch , Tennessee , which is a Nashville neighborhood .
Documents show Warner transferred the home to a Los Angeles woman a month before the blast , however .
It was the second house he ’ d quit claimed to her in the past year , although the reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , police visited Fridrich & Clark Realty ’ s office in Green Hills to follow up leads ; the owner told the newspaper that Warner once worked for the company .
The owner had contacted authorities with tips .
Warner worked as a contract laborer doing computer consulting but told the company by email earlier this month that he wasn ’ t going to work for them anymore .
The owner told the newspaper that Warner seemed “ very personable ” and the bombing “ quite out of character.
” Warner fixed broken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep roots in the Nashville area ; Heavy found an old picture of Warner in a 1974 Antioch High School yearbook .
He was a junior in high school when this was taken .
Warner doesn ’ t have any obvious/confirmed social media profiles to emerge so far .
The chief gave the suspect ’ s name as Anthony Q. Warner .
The neighbor didn ’ t want her name printed , but she said he “ lived here a long time .
He was quiet , kept to himself.
” Even though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 years , the neighbor said she ’ s never known his last name .
She described Warner as a white male with a “ slight ” build , standing about about 5 feet , 5 inches tall , with “ grayish hair , kind of long.
” She noticed that the RV , which had been parked in his yard , was moved a couple days ago , and it ’ s not there now .
She said Warner has lived at the home since at least 1995 .
The home is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s motive puzzled many because the bomber made deliberate efforts to encourage people to evacuate the area using a recorded message of a woman telling people to leave .
The recording was interspersed with music and included a countdown , authorities said .
However , the bombing also disabled a major communication network , because it occurred near a significant AT & T facility ; CNN reported that it knocked out much of the region ’ s wireless service and that authorities are investigating whether it was the bomber ’ s target @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not internet , and authorities were hoping the site will be at full capacity by December 27 , authorities said in an earlier new conference .
Videos and photos showed investigators had converged on Warner ’ s former home .
Here ’ s video from the search of Warner ’ s Antioch residence : In a December 26 press conference , authorities declined to confirm the release of Warner ’ s name , which was first reported by CBS News , but they did release it the following day .
They said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were looking into multiple individuals .
They said they don ’ t believe there are any active threats .
“ Let me reiterate that Nashville is safe .
We feel and know that we have no known threats at this time , ” Metro Police Chief John Drake said .
Here ’ s a Google Maps image of the RV parked at Warner ’ s home address : Here ’ s how it looks in Google Earth : Below is the lone image of the RV used in the blast that was released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a tip about the RV used in the explosion led authorities to the Antioch home for a “ court-authorized search.
” Two days after the Nashville bombing , on December 27 , the Rutherford County Sheriff ’ s Department in Tennessee revealed that deputies detained a box truck driver who was parked outside a Walter Hill convenience store “ playing audio similar to what was heard before the Christmas Day explosion in Nashville.
” They weren ’ t more specific about the audio , and the driver ’ s name was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here .
Here ’ s what you need to know : 1 .
The Neighbor Says Warner Worked in ‘ Computers ’ & Was Unmarried Without Children ; State Records Show He Had a License to Install Alarms The neighbor told Heavy that Warner told her once that he “ worked for himself in computers .
That was a long time ago.
” She also said she believed he was “ self-employed in IT.
” The neighbor said Warner had no family — no wife or kids that she knew of .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the animals he had.
” She said he had little dogs , and “ when they got older , he built them a ramp so they wouldn ’ t have to climb.
” Online records show that Warner ’ s name is linked to a company called Custom Alarms Electronics , but it doesn ’ t come up in corporate records .
All Biz.com says of that company , “ Custom Alarms Electronics is located in Nashville , Tennessee , and was founded in 2000 .
This business is working in the following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Custom Alarms Electronics are around USD 70,000.00.
” It lists Warner ’ s name as the principal and the Bakertown Road address .
It ’ s described as an “ alarm contracting company ” in state records .
Here ’ s his expired license for that work .
The neighbor said that Warner would wave and say hi , but he generally kept to himself .
She said she was “ shocked to see the ATF and FBI ” at his house .
“ It ’ s a little quiet neighborhood street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the RV , she said he would “ park it in his backyard and then move it .
A couple days ago , I noticed it was moved.
” Warner doesn ’ t come up as a registered voter in Tennessee records .
People on Twitter are widely sharing an old expired explosives handler identification registration in his name ; however , Tennessee state records give a different city for that Anthony Warner , and there are three people with that name in the latter city , none Anthony Quinn Warner , 63 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warner did computer contracting work for him .
He said that he tipped authorities off that they should look at Warner for the bombing .
He also told the television station that FBI agents “ asked him whether or not Warner had paranoia about 5G technology , ” but said he didn ’ t have any information about that .
The television station reported that “ agents are investigating whether or not Warner had paranoia that 5G technology was being used to spy on Americans.
” The damage to the communication infrastructure was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blast to the AT & T building .
AT & T wrote in a December 26 statement : On Christmas Day , AT & T wrote , “ Power is essential to restoring wireless and wireline communications and we are working with law enforcement to get access to our equipment and make needed repairs .
Given the damage to our facility it will take time to restore service .
We have already rerouted significant traffic from this facility and are bringing in other equipment , including numerous portable cell sites to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popular theory deals with AT & T ’ s ties to the NSA .
In 2018 , the Intercept alleged that NSA electronic spying facilities were located in AT & T buildings in cities across the country .
However , the article does not mention Nashville .
Snopes debunked another conspiracy theory – one that alleges that AT & T had a contract to audit Dominion voting systems .
First of all , nothing has emerged establishing any ideology espoused by Warner , whose internet footprint is meager .
According to Snopes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have disclaimed the notion that the former company was engaged in audit of the latter , or that any Dominion-related systems were being moved to Nashville in preparation for a ‘ forensic audit ’ ( by anyone ) .
No available external evidence suggests AT & T was involved in any such audit , either.
” We ’ ve contacted Dominion directly to ask about that claim , and we will update this story if response is received .
The Tennessean reported that the bomb squad cleared the Bakertown Road property on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no one was inside the property .
Authorities said they have no information of additional explosive threats .
In a press conference on December 26 , they called the bomber the “ ultimate scrooge.
” Police said almost immediately that the blast was “ an intentional act.
” “ An explosion linked to a vehicle occurred at 6:30 this morning outside 166 2nd Ave N downtown .
Investigation active by MNPD & federal partners , ” Metro Nashville Police confirmed in their first statement on the explosion .
It ’ s not clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was a fairly large blast zone .
The downtown Nashville blast damaged a large section of 2nd Avenue early on Christmas morning .
Three people were injured , but not seriously , and at least 41 buildings were damaged in the historic neighborhood , the mayor said in an earlier press conference .
“ MNPD , FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation and ATF investigating the 6:30 a.m. explosion on 2nd Ave North linked to a vehicle .
This appears to have been an intentional act .
Law enforcement is closing downtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote on their Facebook page .
A video captured part of the recorded message that the RV was blaring before the explosion .
The message urged people to evacuate ; police officers who arrived at the scene heard it , and heroically started to evacuate residents in the mix-use historical neighborhood , authorities said in a news conference .
The police chief said in a news conference that the RV ’ s recording included a countdown that started at 15 minutes , urging people to evacuate and telling them how much time they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can hear this message , evacuate now .
This area must be evacuated now , ” a woman ’ s recorded voice says in a monotone voice in a video that captured part of the recorded message : Officer Tyler Llewelyn arrived first at the scene .
“ Initially we got a shots fired call .
I was running zone that night so I took it , ” he said in a news conference .
The actions of the officers were widely praised .
“ I arrived on scene .
Initially I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We were told shots were coming from inside the building.
” He said it was a liquor store/apartment complex and airbnb .
He couldn ’ t see or hear anything so he requested access to get inside the building .
“ The RV started making an announcement .
Somewhere along the lines , there ’ s a large bomb within this vehicle .
Your primary objective is to evacuate , ” said the officer .
Another officer was at the scene .
The recording “ started over.
” He called a police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone you can out there.
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A Quit Claim Deed Says That Anthony Quinn Warner Recently Gave His House to a Los Angeles Woman for Zero Dollars , But She Claims She Knows Nothing About It Online records say that Anthony Warner first showed up at the property address with the RV in the 1980s and was there through 2020 .
A quit claim deed available through Davidson County records shows that on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for unclear reasons , gave the property in Antioch to an unmarried Los Angeles , California , woman named Michelle Swing for $ 0 .
The deed confirms that Warner was unmarried .
Michelle L. Swing has ties to Tennessee and is 29 years old , according to online records .
Her Facebook page is deleted .
Daily Mail reached Swing and says she claimed she knew nothing about the house , but they called her “ Lisa Swing.
” They later changed the name to Michelle .
She told Daily Mail : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can deed property to someone else without their consent or their signature or anything .
I didn ’ t even buy the house he just deeded it over to me without my knowledge .
So this all very weird to me , that ’ s about all I can say.
” According to Daily Mail , Swing declined to say whether she had ever met Warner or had family ties to him , saying , “ I ’ ve been told to direct everything else to FBI.
” A second property at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transferred to Swing via quit claim deed .
First , the property belonged to Warner ’ s parents .
It was quit claimed to his brother , and then to Anthony Q. Warner , who quit claimed it to Swing .
See the second record here .
In March 2019 , Swing quit claimed the property to a woman named Betty Lane .
Neither woman has been accused of having any knowledge about or involvement in any wrongdoing related to the Nashville bombing .
“ As for the explosion , we ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we ’ ll get to the bottom of it , ” he said in a news conference .
“ It seems intentional , but I think it ’ s just a one-off event , and people should not be concerned about it .
But in a year that has had everything else , let ’ s add an explosion to it.
” “ At 6:32 Christmas morning , @ MNPDNashville and @ NashvilleFD responded to the scene of an explosion on 2nd Ave , approximately one block north of Broadway , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the source of the explosion came from a vehicle .
The cause of the explosion is under investigation with help from federal authorities .
MNPD will share updates as they become available and is restricting downtown traffic .
Be safe Nashville .
Thank you to our emergency personnel for your quick response.
” 3 .
Anthony Warner Has an Old Arrest History Dating to the 1970s & Had Little Close Family Left Anthony Warner , of the same age as the man named by authorities , has an arrest history for felony controlled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can see that arrest record here .
The conviction dates to the late 1970s .
In addition to being unmarried and without children , Warner had lost two close family members in the last decade , leaving him with a sister and nephew , according to his father ’ s obituary , in addition to the mother .
The father was known as “ Popeye.
” Warner ’ s high school yearbook lists him as playing golf .
Heavy reached a high school classmate who knew his brother , but Tony made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t remember him .
Here ’ s another yearbook picture of him , an even younger one from his sophomore year .
He has relatives with ties to New York state , according to online records .
The obituary that appears to be for his father doesn ’ t mention “ Tony ” Warner having a spouse , but it does list a brother and sister .
The obituary says his dad was from Nashville and died there in 2011 .
In 2018 , his brother died of cancer , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Antioch High School alumni group .
4 .
Authorities Say Warner Wasn ’ t on Their Radar Before the Explosion , But Vehicle Parts Helped Identify Him According to journalist David Begnaud , a CBS News national correspondent , “ At least 2 tips were called in to @ FBI about Warner , prior to the explosion.
” What those tips said has not yet been released .
However , authorities denied that Warner was on authorities ’ radar before the blast .
They also said that vehicle parts helped identify Warner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area and found vehicle parts that helped connect the RV to Warner , authorities said .
When the explosion went off , it “ knocked one of our officers to the ground , ” the police spokesman said .
No officers were severely hurt .
One suffered temporary hearing loss .
“ There were a number of officers working a call when the explosion occurred , ” he said .
Officers were “ conducting searches of downtown buildings to make sure there ’ s no one in need of help.
” Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city ’ s downtown , according to WSMV-TV .
According to WKRN-TV , the explosion occurred in the area of Second Avenue and Broadway near Commerce Street around 6:30 a.m. on Christmas Day .
5 .
Police Responded to Shots Fired Reports Before the Blast ; Warner ’ s Ideology Remains a Mystery A neighbor told The Tennessean that Warner placed lights and security cameras outside his house .
He never talked about politics or religion , and neighbors weren ’ t sure what his ideology was .
In fact , no concrete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has emerged , other than the FBI ’ s queries on 5G conspiracy theories .
Police initially were called to the area for a report of shots fired .
Witnesses have also told Nashville news outlets that they heard gunfire .
When police arrived , the chief said in a news conference , they encountered the RV playing the recorded message that warned people to evacuate .
Six police officers have been celebrated as heroes for beginning to evacuate residents in the area , despite not knowing for sure if the bomb would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Officer Brenna Hosey , Officer James Luellen , Officer Michael Sipos , Officer Amanda Topping , Officer James Wells and Sergeant Timothy Miller were named as those who evacuated residents .
A WKRN journalist reported speaking to a man in the area who reported hearing what sounded like multiple gunshots .
It ’ s not clear whether they really were gunshots , however .
Authorities haven ’ t yet confirmed that there was actual gunfire .
Phil Williams , a reporter with NC5 , wrote , “ Explosion in downtown Nashville , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fire department personnel being told to pull back two blocks from explosion site , concerned about potential vehicle bombs .
Police bomb squad and fire hazmat team on scene.
” A police spokesman said in a news conference , “ The immediate downtown area has been sealed off by law enforcement .
A number of police dogs have been called and are now searching the area… to make sure there are no secondary devices .
We have no indication there are secondary devices.
” The search is occurring out of an “ abundance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that officers saw that the “ RV was parked there .
There were circumstances about the RV that caused the officers to request the bomb squad.
” He said police don ’ t know if anyone was physically inside the RV when it exploded .
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Anthony Quinn Warner was a 63-year-old Tennessee computer contract worker named as the Nashville bomber who detonated a parked RV in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, on Christmas morning, according to Nashville’s police chief. An RV similar to the one used in the Nashville bombing was parked at Warner’s home address in images on Google Maps and Google Earth, Heavy discovered.
Authorities have now matched human tissue recovered at the blast zone to Warner’s DNA. “We’ve come to the conclusion that an individual named Anthony Warner is the bomber,” U.S. Attorney Donald Q. Cochran, Jr. declared in a December 27 news conference. Warner was “present when the bomb went off” and “perished in the bombing,” said Cochran. Forensic scientists confirmed a DNA match, he said. It took about nine hours to get one. Authorities also scoured surveillance video and saw no one else near the RV, leading them to believe that Warner acted alone.
The FBI’s Memphis office released this photo of Warner.
“Anthony Warner is the man believed responsible for this horrible crime,” said Nashville Police Chief John Drake.
Nashville police released body cam video that shows the RV before the explosion and captures the sound of the blast.
The first clue emerged pointing toward a possible motive; WSMV-TV’s Jeremy Finley reported that FBI agents have been “pursuing tips that he (Warner) was paranoid about 5g spying on Americans.” Since the pandemic hit, conspiracy theories have raged that 5G cell phone towers spread COVID-19; scientists have found the claims baseless, according to BBC. In May, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned of the potential for attacks by 5G conspiracy theorists against cell towers and wireless providers. However, that’s only one motive being considered, the television station reported. Asked about the possible 5G motive, authorities said only, “We’re aware of certain things online, and we’re looking at every possible angle.”
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Director David Rausch said forensic scientists processed evidence from the crime scene and compared it to evidence collected from a vehicle used by Warner. They found a DNA “match at both locations,” he said. In part, they used a hat and gloves. Douglas Korneski, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Memphis office, said “human remains discovered at the scene” were Warner’s. “There is no indication that any other persons was involved. We’ve reviewed hours of security video…we saw no other people involved around that vehicle,” he said. Tips from the public proved crucial. A vehicle identification number was unearthed from the blast zone, he said.
Authorities told CNN the explosion was likely a suicide bombing. Authorities said in the news conference that a label of domestic terrorism has to be tied to a political or social ideology. “We haven’t tied to that yet,” they said, as a definite motive remains a mystery so far.
The song “Downtown” by Petula Clark was playing from the RV right before the blast, authorities said. That song’s lyrics start, “When you’re alone and life is making you lonely, you can always go downtown…”
It appears that Warner was shedding elements of his already isolated life in recent weeks; he gave up a job earlier this month and gave up his house for nothing to a California woman last month. He told an ex-girlfriend that he had cancer, according to The New York Times.
Warner, who was unmarried and childless, was self-employed in the IT area, a neighbor said; state records show he once was licensed as an alarm contractor, with a specialty in burglar alarm installation.
In recent years, the reclusive Warner, known as Tony to some, lost a father and brother, leaving him with few living family members. On Saturday, a Newsweek editor said DNA swabs were being collected from Warner’s mother, “possibly to help identify human remains.” Authorities said they matched items from Warner and a relative to conduct the DNA match, but they wouldn’t confirm the relative was his mother.
Heavy reached a neighbor of Warner’s who confirmed that the FBI and ATF were at Warner’s longtime house along Bakertown Road in Antioch, Tennessee, which is a Nashville neighborhood. Documents show Warner transferred the home to a Los Angeles woman a month before the blast, however. It was the second house he’d quitclaimed to her in the past year, although the reason is unclear.
According to the Tennessean, police visited Fridrich & Clark Realty’s office in Green Hills to follow up leads; the owner told the newspaper that Warner once worked for the company. The owner had contacted authorities with tips. Warner worked as a contract laborer doing computer consulting but told the company by email earlier this month that he wasn’t going to work for them anymore. The owner told the newspaper that Warner seemed “very personable” and the bombing “quite out of character.” Warner fixed broken computers for the company.
Warner had deep roots in the Nashville area; Heavy found an old picture of Warner in a 1974 Antioch High School yearbook. He was a junior in high school when this was taken. Warner doesn’t have any obvious/confirmed social media profiles to emerge so far. The chief gave the suspect’s name as Anthony Q. Warner.
The neighbor didn’t want her name printed, but she said he “lived here a long time. He was quiet, kept to himself.” Even though she’s lived near him for 25 years, the neighbor said she’s never known his last name. She described Warner as a white male with a “slight” build, standing about 5-feet-5-inches tall, with “grayish hair, kind of long.” She noticed that the RV, which had been parked in his yard, was moved a couple of days ago, and it’s not there now. She said Warner had lived at the home since at least 1995. The home is assessed at $89,900.
The bomber’s motive puzzled many because the bomber made deliberate efforts to encourage people to evacuate the area using a recorded message of a woman telling people to leave. The recording was interspersed with music and included a countdown, authorities said. However, the bombing also disabled a major communication network, because it occurred near a significant AT&T facility; CNN reported that it knocked out much of the region’s wireless service and that authorities are investigating whether it was the bomber’s target. Mobile service was back up but not internet, and authorities were hoping the site will be at full capacity by December 27, authorities said in an earlier news conference.
Rausch said on the Today show of Warner’s motive, “We don’t know if we’ll every get there….We may never find out the exact reasoning behind the activity that took place.” Nothing’s emerged so far of a known political ideology or even social media profiles.
Videos and photos showed investigators had converged on Warner’s former home. Here’s video from the search of Warner’s Antioch residence:
In a December 26 press conference, authorities declined to confirm the release of Warner’s name, which was first reported by CBS News, but they did release it the following day. They said they had more than 500 investigative leads and were looking into multiple individuals. They said they don’t believe there are any active threats. “Let me reiterate that Nashville is safe. We feel and know that we have no known threats at this time,” Metro Police Chief John Drake said.
Here’s a Google Maps image of the RV parked at Warner’s home address:
Here’s how it looks in Google Earth:
Below is the lone image of the RV used in the blast that was released by Metropolitan Nashville police. CNN reported that a tip about the RV used in the explosion led authorities to the Antioch home for a “court-authorized search.”
BREAKING: This is the RV that exploded on 2nd Ave N this morning. It arrived on 2nd Ave at 1:22 a.m. Have you seen this vehicle in our area or do you have information about it? Please contact us via Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463 or online via https://t.co/dVGS7o0m4v. @ATFHQ pic.twitter.com/JNx9sDinAH — Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) December 25, 2020
Two days after the Nashville bombing, on December 27, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department in Tennessee revealed that deputies detained a box truck driver who was parked outside a Walter Hill convenience store “playing audio similar to what was heard before the Christmas Day explosion in Nashville.” Read more about that story here. It turned out to be a hoax.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. A Neighbor Says Warner Worked in ‘Computers’ & Was Unmarried Without Children; State Records Show He Had a License to Install Alarms
A neighbor told Heavy that Warner told her once that he “worked for himself in computers. That was a long time ago.” She also said she believed he was “self-employed in IT.”
The neighbor said Warner had no family — no wife or kids that she knew of. She said he “was very good to the animals he had.” She said he had little dogs, and “when they got older, he built them a ramp so they wouldn’t have to climb.”
Online records show that Warner’s name is linked to a company called Custom Alarms Electronics, but it doesn’t come up in corporate records. AllBiz.com says of that company, “Custom Alarms Electronics is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and was founded in 2000. This business is working in the following industry: Electrical installation. Annual sales for Custom Alarms Electronics are around USD 70,000.00.” It lists Warner’s name as the principal and the Bakertown Road address. It’s described as an “alarm contracting company” in state records.
Here’s his expired license for that work.
The neighbor said that Warner would wave and say hi, but he generally kept to himself.
She said she was “shocked to see the ATF and FBI” at his house. “It’s a little quiet neighborhood street,” she said.
As for the RV, she said he would “park it in his backyard and then move it. A couple days ago, I noticed it was moved.”
Warner doesn’t come up as a registered voter in Tennessee records. People on Twitter are widely sharing an old expired explosives handler identification registration in his name; however, Tennessee state records give a different city for that Anthony Warner, and there are three people with that name in the latter city, none Anthony Quinn Warner, 63.
Realtor Steve Fridrich told WSMV-TV that Warner did computer contracting work for him. He said that he tipped authorities off that they should look at Warner for the bombing. He also told the television station that FBI agents “asked him whether or not Warner had paranoia about 5G technology,” but said he didn’t have any information about that.
The television station reported that “agents are investigating whether or not Warner had paranoia that 5G technology was being used to spy on Americans.”
The damage to the communication infrastructure was significant, due to the proximity of the blast to the AT&T building. AT&T wrote in a December 27 statement:
The AT&T building on 2nd Avenue suffered significant damage in the blast. That facility includes connection points for regional internet services as well as local wireless, internet and video. In the hours that followed the explosion, our local service remained intact through temporary battery power. Unfortunately, a combination of the explosion and resulting water and fire damage took out a number of backup power generators intended to provide power to the batteries. That led to service disruptions across parts of Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama. More than 48 hours later, some customers are still experiencing outages. We know it is frustrating and we apologize for the inconvenience. We also thank you for your understanding. What has made network restoration so difficult is doing it while maintaining the integrity of an active crime scene in cooperation with federal and local law enforcement. Hundreds of employees – our own AT&T employees as well as first responders – have stepped in over the last two days to restore service. We’ve restored power to multiple floors in the building and deployed over 25 temporary satellite cell towers and 24 additional trailers of disaster recovery equipment across the impacted area. Given its importance to customers and first responders, we prioritized restoration of wireless service. As of now, 96% of our wireless network is restored, 60% of our business services are restored, and 86% of our consumer broadband and entertainment services are restored. It is our goal to restore all service late today.
On Christmas Day, AT&T wrote, “Power is essential to restoring wireless and wireline communications and we are working with law enforcement to get access to our equipment and make needed repairs. Given the damage to our facility it will take time to restore service. We have already rerouted significant traffic from this facility and are bringing in other equipment, including numerous portable cell sites to the area.”
On social media, one popular theory deals with AT&T’s ties to the NSA. In 2018, the Intercept alleged that NSA electronic spying facilities were located in AT&T buildings in cities across the country. However, the article does not mention Nashville.
Snopes debunked another conspiracy theory – one that alleges that AT&T had a contract to audit Dominion Voting Systems. First of all, nothing has emerged establishing any ideology espoused by Warner, whose internet footprint is meager. According to Snopes, “both AT&T and Dominion have disclaimed the notion that the former company was engaged in audit of the latter, or that any Dominion-related systems were being moved to Nashville in preparation for a ‘forensic audit’ (by anyone). No available external evidence suggests AT&T was involved in any such audit, either.” We’ve contacted Dominion and AT&T directly to ask about those claims.
To AT&T, we asked whether the Dominion forensic audit claims were true and whether it’s true the facility in Nashville was used as an NSA substation/hub/facility. Jim Greer, spokesman for AT&T, told Heavy in an email, “I can confirm the conspiracy theory about Dominion is not true. Anything related to the investigation or the government, I’d have to refer you to law enforcement.”
The Tennessean reported that the bomb squad cleared the Bakertown Road property on the afternoon of December 26 and confirmed that no one was inside the property.
Authorities said they have no information of additional explosive threats. In a press conference on December 26, they called the bomber the “ultimate scrooge.”
Police said almost immediately that the blast was “an intentional act.”
#UPDATE: Don Aaron with Metro police says it appears the RV explosion "was an intentional act." The scene at 2nd/Commerce in downtown Nashville will be active for an extensive period of time. ATF, FBI and other agencies involved in investigation. We are LIVE on @WKRN. pic.twitter.com/SfYilpVdqf — Josh Breslow (@JoshBreslowWKRN) December 25, 2020
“An explosion linked to a vehicle occurred at 6:30 this morning outside 166 2nd Ave N downtown. Investigation active by MNPD & federal partners,” Metro Nashville Police confirmed in their first statement on the explosion.
It’s not clear what ignited the explosion specifically, but there was a fairly large blast zone.
The downtown Nashville blast damaged a large section of 2nd Avenue early on Christmas morning. Three people were injured, but not seriously, and at least 41 buildings were damaged in the historic neighborhood, the mayor said in an earlier press conference.
“MNPD, FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation and ATF investigating the 6:30 a.m. explosion on 2nd Ave North linked to a vehicle. This appears to have been an intentional act. Law enforcement is closing downtown streets as investigation continues,” police wrote on their Facebook page.
A video captured part of the recorded message that the RV was blaring before the explosion. The message urged people to evacuate; police officers who arrived at the scene heard it, and heroically started to evacuate residents in the mix-use historical neighborhood, authorities said in a news conference. The police chief said in a news conference that the RV’s recording included a countdown that started at 15 minutes, urging people to evacuate and telling them how much time they had to do so.
“If you can hear this message, evacuate now. This area must be evacuated now,” a woman’s recorded voice says in a monotone voice in a video that captured part of the recorded message:
The RV that was rigged with explosives had a loud speaker recording that announced a bomb would explode in 15 minutes. The FBI evacuated nearby buildings. The fact there was a tip off means personnel were not the target, so perhaps it was the AT&T building. #nashvilleexplosion pic.twitter.com/SRYAyNEDmF — Syrian Girl 🎗🇸🇾 (@Partisangirl) December 26, 2020
Officer James Luellen arrived first at the scene. “Initially we got a shots fired call. I was running zone that night so I took it,” he said in a news conference. The actions of the officers were widely praised. “I arrived on scene. Initially I didn’t hear any shots fired. We were told shots were coming from inside the building.” He said it was a liquor store/apartment complex and Airbnb. He couldn’t see or hear anything so he requested access to get inside the building.
“The RV started making an announcement. Somewhere along the lines, there’s a large bomb within this vehicle. Your primary objective is to evacuate,” said the officer. Another officer was at the scene. The recording “started over.” He called a police sergeant, who said, “Get everyone you can out there.”
2. A Quitclaim Deed Says That Warner Recently Gave His House to a Los Angeles Woman for Free, but She Claims She Knows Nothing About It
Online records say that Warner first showed up at the property address with the RV in the 1980s and was there through 2020.
A quitclaim deed available through Davidson County records shows that on November 25, 2020, Warner, for unclear reasons, gave the property in Antioch to an unmarried Los Angeles, California, woman named Michelle Swing for $0. The deed confirms that Warner was unmarried. Michelle L. Swing has ties to Tennessee and is 29 years old, according to online records. Her Facebook page is deleted. Daily Mail reached Swing and reported she claimed she knew nothing about the house, but they called her “Lisa Swing.” They later changed the name to Michelle. Swing is an artist development director at AEG Presents.
She told Daily Mail: “In the state of Tennessee you can deed property to someone else without their consent or their signature or anything. I didn’t even buy the house he just deeded it over to me without my knowledge. So this all very weird to me, that’s about all I can say.” According to Daily Mail, Swing declined to say whether she had ever met Warner or had family ties to him, saying, “I’ve been told to direct everything else to FBI.”
The Sun obtained a letter that Warner allegedly sent Swing. “The attic has plywood and lighting, take a look. The basement is not normal, take a look. Woof woof Julio,” part of it reads.
Here’s the home’s tax record:
Here’s the history of tax payments:
A second property at a different address on Bakertown Road was previously transferred to Swing via quitclaim deed. First, the property belonged to Warner’s parents. It was quitclaimed to his brother, and then to Anthony Q. Warner, who quitclaimed it to Swing. See the second record here. In March 2019, Swing quitclaimed the property to a woman named Betty Lane. That home is worth about $249,000. Lane is Warner’s mother. The mom sued Warner in a dispute over who should get the house, Daily Mail reports.
Neither woman has been accused of having any knowledge about or involvement in any wrongdoing related to the Nashville bombing.
Nashville Mayor John Cooper previously called the bombing a “one-off event.”
“As for the explosion, we’ve got great people working on it, and we’ll get to the bottom of it,” he said in a news conference. “It seems intentional, but I think it’s just a one-off event, and people should not be concerned about it. But in a year that has had everything else, let’s add an explosion to it.”
An explosion linked to a vehicle occurred at 6:30 this morning outside 166 2nd Ave N downtown. Investigation active by MNPD & federal partners. — Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) December 25, 2020
“At 6:32 Christmas morning, @MNPDNashville and @NashvilleFD responded to the scene of an explosion on 2nd Ave, approximately one block north of Broadway,” Cooper tweeted. “Metro Police confirm the source of the explosion came from a vehicle. The cause of the explosion is under investigation with help from federal authorities. MNPD will share updates as they become available and is restricting downtown traffic. Be safe Nashville. Thank you to our emergency personnel for your quick response.”
3. Warner Has an Old Arrest History From the 1970s & Had Little Close Family Left
Anthony Warner, of the same age as the man named by authorities, has an arrest history for felony controlled substances in Davidson County, Tennessee. You can see that arrest record here. The conviction dates to the late 1970s.
In addition to being unmarried and without children, Warner had lost two close family members in the last decade, leaving him with a sister and nephew, according to his father’s obituary, in addition to his mother. His father was known as “Popeye.” Warner’s high school yearbook lists him as playing golf. Heavy reached a high school classmate who knew his brother, but Anthony Warner made so little of an impression that she didn’t remember him.
According to Daily Mail, Warner’s dad once worked for BellSouth, a former AT&T subsidiary.
Here’s another yearbook picture of him, an even younger one from his sophomore year.
He has relatives with ties to New York state, according to online records. The obituary that appears to be for his father doesn’t mention “Tony” Warner having a spouse, but it does list a brother and sister. The obituary says his dad was from Nashville and died there in 2011. In 2018, his brother died of cancer, according to a post his sister made in an Antioch High School alumni group.
4. Authorities Say Warner Wasn’t on Their Radar Before the Explosion, but Vehicle Parts Helped Identify Him
According to journalist David Begnaud, a CBS News national correspondent, “At least 2 tips were called in to @FBI about Warner, prior to the explosion.” What those tips said has not yet been released.
However, authorities denied that Warner was on their radar before the blast. They also said that vehicle parts helped identify Warner as the bomber. Special agents combed the area and found vehicle parts that helped connect the RV to Warner, authorities said.
BREAKING: @jeffpeguescbs reports for CBS News: Anthony Quinn Warner, 63, is the person of interest in the Nashville Christmas Day explosion. At least 2 tips were called in to @FBI about Warner, prior to the explosion. Quinn is a Nashville area resident https://t.co/FCZdy13a6b — David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) December 26, 2020
When the explosion went off, it “knocked one of our officers to the ground,” the police spokesman said. No officers were severely hurt. One suffered temporary hearing loss. “There were a number of officers working a call when the explosion occurred,” he said. Officers were “conducting searches of downtown buildings to make sure there’s no one in need of help.”
Police closed a 10-block radius of the Tennessee city’s downtown, according to WSMV-TV.
According to WKRN-TV, the explosion occurred in the area of Second Avenue and Broadway near Commerce Street around 6:30 a.m. on Christmas Day.
5. Police Responded to Shots Fired Reports Before the Blast; Warner’s Ideology Remains a Mystery
As of this tweet, he said, there is no person of interest or suspect in custody. https://t.co/xEMMDXp5bM — Natalie Neysa Alund (@nataliealund) December 26, 2020
A neighbor told The Tennessean that Warner placed lights and security cameras outside his house. He never talked about politics or religion, and neighbors weren’t sure what his ideology was. In fact, no concrete information on Warner’s political beliefs has emerged, other than the FBI’s queries on 5G conspiracy theories.
Police initially were called to the area for a report of shots fired. Witnesses have also told Nashville news outlets that they heard gunfire. When police arrived, the chief said in a news conference, they encountered the RV playing the recorded message that warned people to evacuate. Six police officers have been celebrated as heroes for beginning to evacuate residents in the area, despite not knowing for sure if the bomb would detonate when the recording claimed it would.
Officer Brenna Hosey, Officer James Luellen, Officer Michael Sipos, Officer Amanda Topping, Officer James Wells and Sergeant Timothy Miller were named as those who evacuated residents.
A WKRN journalist reported speaking to a man in the area who reported hearing what sounded like multiple gunshots. It’s not clear whether they really were gunshots, however. Authorities haven’t yet confirmed that there was actual gunfire.
JUST IN: Metro Nashville Office of Emergency Management district chief said a parked RV exploded and caused damage to several buildings. No injures reported. Metro crews are working to assess damage. This is near 2nd/Commerce. #NashvilleExplosion @WKRN https://t.co/G2jOCcDeBK pic.twitter.com/MUCh6cy4bq — Nickelle Smith (@NickelleReports) December 25, 2020
Phil Williams, a reporter with NC5, wrote, “Explosion in downtown Nashville, apparently from parked vehicle on 2nd Ave. Fire department personnel being told to pull back two blocks from explosion site, concerned about potential vehicle bombs. Police bomb squad and fire hazmat team on scene.”
A police spokesman said in a news conference, “The immediate downtown area has been sealed off by law enforcement. A number of police dogs have been called and are now searching the area… to make sure there are no secondary devices. We have no indication there are secondary devices.” The search occurred out of an “abundance of caution.”
The police spokesman said that officers saw that the “RV was parked there. There were circumstances about the RV that caused the officers to request the bomb squad.” He said police don’t know if anyone was physically inside the RV when it exploded.
READ NEXT: Wife Shoots D.C. Police Detective Husband After Sharing Wedding Video, Police Say


bonginoreport--2020-12-27--Longest-Surviving Veteran of Pearl Harbor Gets Post Office Named After Him

Two years after his death , the Navy veteran who became the oldest survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor will have a post office named in his honor .
President Trump signed a bill Monday ordering the main post office in Poway , a San Diego suburb , to bear Ray Chavez ’ s name , according to NBC News .
Chavez was the last living survivor of the surprise attack that catapulted America into World War II when he died in 2018 .
He was 106 .
He joined the Navy in 1938 and was aboard the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japan attacked the Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7 , 1941 , the outlet reported .
Before dawn that day , the Condor crew spotted a Japanese submarine two miles from the harbor and summoned a destroyer to attack it , but it was considered an isolated incident .
The massive enemy air attack soon followed .
FOR MORE THAN 7 DECADES , US SOLDIERS SERVE AS 'FATHER CHRISTMAS ' FOR PERILED ORPHANS IN JAPAN Chavez grew up in San Diego and worked as a groundskeeper at the University of California , San Diego @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a landscaping business in Poway .
Before his death , Chavez visited the White House to meet Trump .
Afterward , the president called him an `` inspiration to all who are here today and all of our great country , '' according to NBC .
After Chavez ’ s death , Trump said , `` His legacy is forever etched into our country ’ s rich history . ''
INDIANA WORLD WAR II VETERAN 'S CHRISTMAS WISH COMES TRUE AS HUNDREDS SEND LETTERS Chavez always felt a close connection to Pearl Harbor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decades after the war .
`` I still feel a loss , '' the veteran said during a 2016 ceremony on the attack ’ s 75th anniversary , according to The Hill .
`` We were all together .
We were friends and brothers .
I feel close to all of them . ''
Last year , Kathleen Chavez , Chavez ’ s daughter and a fellow Navy veteran , said her father would feel humbled to have a post office named after him .
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking down from heaven right now and saying , ‘ I don ’ t know what they ’ re making such a big deal about.
’ He was always so humble about his service in World War II and would probably say , ‘ I was just doing my job like everyone else , ' '' she told the San Diego Union-Tribune .
`` But also I think he ’ d be very pleased and I think he deserves it . ''
This article first appeared in the New York Post .

Two years after his death, the Navy veteran who became the oldest survivor of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor will have a post office named in his honor.
President Trump signed a bill Monday ordering the main post office in Poway, a San Diego suburb, to bear Ray Chavez’s name, according to NBC News.
Chavez was the last living survivor of the surprise attack that catapulted America into World War II when he died in 2018. He was 106.
He joined the Navy in 1938 and was aboard the USS Condor, a minesweeper, before Japan attacked the Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, the outlet reported.
Before dawn that day, the Condor crew spotted a Japanese submarine two miles from the harbor and summoned a destroyer to attack it, but it was considered an isolated incident. The massive enemy air attack soon followed.
FOR MORE THAN 7 DECADES, US SOLDIERS SERVE AS 'FATHER CHRISTMAS' FOR PERILED ORPHANS IN JAPAN
Chavez grew up in San Diego and worked as a groundskeeper at the University of California, San Diego after the war. He later started a landscaping business in Poway.
Before his death, Chavez visited the White House to meet Trump. Afterward, the president called him an "inspiration to all who are here today and all of our great country," according to NBC.
After Chavez’s death, Trump said, "His legacy is forever etched into our country’s rich history."
INDIANA WORLD WAR II VETERAN'S CHRISTMAS WISH COMES TRUE AS HUNDREDS SEND LETTERS
Chavez always felt a close connection to Pearl Harbor and his fellow service members, even decades after the war.
"I still feel a loss," the veteran said during a 2016 ceremony on the attack’s 75th anniversary, according to The Hill.
"We were all together. We were friends and brothers. I feel close to all of them."
Last year, Kathleen Chavez, Chavez’s daughter and a fellow Navy veteran, said her father would feel humbled to have a post office named after him.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"I think he’s probably looking down from heaven right now and saying, ‘I don’t know what they’re making such a big deal about.’ He was always so humble about his service in World War II and would probably say, ‘I was just doing my job like everyone else,'" she told the San Diego Union-Tribune.
"But also I think he’d be very pleased and I think he deserves it."
This article first appeared in the New York Post.


bonginoreport--2020-12-27--NFL Ratings Continue Getting Killed

NFL Ratings Continue Getting Killed

The COVID-19 pandemic was headed toward its earliest and most ...

With the Super Bowl just around the corner, Monday morning quarterbacking around the NFL’s nightmare 2020 TV ratings is about to kick into high gear.
The coronavirus will surely be blamed as most games were played in supposedly sterile and fan-less stadiums. Cord-cutting will also be cited as it has younger fans watching only highlights on their smartphones instead of tuning into whole games.
But there’s one excuse you won’t likely hear all that much about, despite the fact that experts who have crunched the numbers find it’s turning fans away: People hate being told they need to be re-educated on race relations when they simply want to relax and watch a game.
Woke football seemed to be a great idea to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell when the season began amid the nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd. The country, it appeared, was truly ready to embrace social-justice issues through the preachy testimonials we now see on TV and racial-equity slogans now plastered all over stadiums.
President Trump and the GOP were about to get trounced in a blue wave. The Washington Redskins changed their name during the summer, as will the Cleveland Indians. Progressivism was on the rise, and Big Business — which, let’s admit, the NFL is — was eager to promote it through endless seminars, public letters and advertisements that have flooded the airwaves.
One more thing: Since so many people were locked down, there was nowhere to go but sit in front of a television and watch games even if social-justice sermons were the price of admission.
Well, things didn’t work out that way. Trump, of course, lost the election, but there was no blue wave. Progressive initiatives were voted down as the country, in many ways, turned more red than blue.
Meanwhile, NFL ratings are down big time, around 7 percent, according to Nielsen.
Sure, football is still tremendously profitable. It generated revenues of around $15 billion in 2019 in part because all the networks that carry the NFL pay the league a combined $6.25 billion a year to air games.
But those profits also reflect a bounce-back in ratings since 2016 — the last time the NFL and Goodell began engaging in social-justice issues by allowing players to take a knee during the national anthem. After fan backlash, the league made it a policy that players and personnel must stand during the anthem.
With social-justice sermons once again on the rise and NFL ratings falling — again — this year, ad revenues (which came in at about $5 billion last year) are almost certainly going to take a big hit, marketing executives tell me.
As the Wall Street Journal reported, the networks are already giving rebates to major advertisers to maintain relationships during the ratings drought. NFL profits will certainly be squeezed.
Not everyone agrees that social justice doesn’t sell. Mark Cuban, the voluble tech entrepreneur and owner of the NBA Dallas Mavericks, tells Fox Business’ Lydia Moynihan that “of all the issues facing sports, [social justice is] a positive, not a negative, for ratings.”
Others have pointed to the fact that football — for all its preaching — isn’t the only sport taking a ratings hit. Look at ratings for golf, the least woke sport of them all, and you will see the same sort of declining interest.
But people who crunch the sports-marketing numbers say there is evidence to suggest mixing woke-ism with football doesn’t fly with many fans.
The Morning Consult, a marketing data company, surveyed 2,200 adults on their sports viewership during the pandemic that coincided with the nationwide protests over the Floyd killing, the reaction of sports leagues through ads, and outright support of movements such as Black Lives Matter.
“Of that group, 615 [28 percent] said they were watching less frequently than before the pandemic,” said Kara Gelber, communications director for the Morning Consult, in an email. “We then offered respondents a blank space to provide the primary reason they are watching sports less frequently; 17 percent cited politics, social justice or general contempt for athletes.”
It was the leading reason why fans are boycotting sports this year, followed by 16 percent saying they were “too busy” and 14 percent citing “other entertainment activities.”
Remember, this was to be the year when people had nothing better to do than binge-watch television, including news and sports.
Netflix, which notably is commercial-free, has been killing it during the pandemic with 195 million worldwide subscribers in the third quarter of 2020, a 23 percent increase from the same period a year ago. According to Bloomberg, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings’ net worth grew by $2.2 billion to more than $6 billion this year.
For my part, I have no problem with sports woke-ism. I never thought taking a knee was the most provocative social-justice statement. But I’m also a die-hard football fan who will sit through almost anything to watch Patrick Mahomes perform his magic.
I’m also not representative of most NFL customers, marketing execs tell me. But if Goodell wants the NFL to remain the financial juggernaut it has always been, he’d better get to know his customer.


bonginoreport--2020-12-27--Restaurant Revenue Falls Despite Delivery and Takeout Sales Soaring

U.S. restaurant revenue is falling as takeout and delivery orders fail to make up for lost dine-in sales .
UBS Evidence Lab found that dine-in restaurant sales plunged 69 % in the week ended Nov. 29 .
In that same week , takeout and delivery sales soared 59 % .
But total restaurant revenue remained well in the red .
Industry experts predicted that the winter would further aggravate eateries ' troubles during the coronavirus pandemic .
Cold temperatures mean fewer customers are willing to eat outside , even if the establishment provides heat lamps and blankets .
The winter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new Covid-19 cases , making consumers more cautious about eating out and leading governors and mayors to place another round of restrictions on restaurants .
New York City has banned indoor dining once again , while Los Angeles has halted all in-person dining .
The pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated the shift to food delivery , with eMarketer predicting that overall third-party digital sales are set to more than double this year to $ 44.94 billion .
Investors have followed the growth in third-party delivery companies closely .
Shares of DoorDash , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are up 55 % .
Its market value of $ 50.3 billion tops those of Chipotle Mexican Grill , Taco Bell owner Yum Brands and Domino 's Pizza .
Still , delivery and to-go sales will not be enough to save some restaurants if these revenue trends continue .
The National Restaurant Association estimates that 110,000 establishments have already closed due to the pandemic .
The new Covid relief bill passed by Congress late Monday means that restaurants will be able to apply for Paycheck Protection Program funding , but trade groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President-elect Joe Biden takes office .

U.S. restaurant revenue is falling as takeout and delivery orders fail to make up for lost dine-in sales.
UBS Evidence Lab found that dine-in restaurant sales plunged 69% in the week ended Nov. 29. In that same week, takeout and delivery sales soared 59%. But total restaurant revenue remained well in the red.
Industry experts predicted that the winter would further aggravate eateries' troubles during the coronavirus pandemic. Cold temperatures mean fewer customers are willing to eat outside, even if the establishment provides heat lamps and blankets.
The winter weather has also ushered in a surge of new Covid-19 cases, making consumers more cautious about eating out and leading governors and mayors to place another round of restrictions on restaurants. New York City has banned indoor dining once again, while Los Angeles has halted all in-person dining.
The pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated the shift to food delivery, with eMarketer predicting that overall third-party digital sales are set to more than double this year to $44.94 billion.
Investors have followed the growth in third-party delivery companies closely. Shares of DoorDash , which made its public debut in early December, are up 55%. Its market value of $50.3 billion tops those of Chipotle Mexican Grill , Taco Bell owner Yum Brands and Domino's Pizza .
Still, delivery and to-go sales will not be enough to save some restaurants if these revenue trends continue. The National Restaurant Association estimates that 110,000 establishments have already closed due to the pandemic. The new Covid relief bill passed by Congress late Monday means that restaurants will be able to apply for Paycheck Protection Program funding, but trade groups are hoping for more targeted relief when President-elect Joe Biden takes office.


bonginoreport--2020-12-27--Michael Flynn Gives Exclusive Interview: Will the American Republic Survive?

Socialist and communist ideology has crept into American culture and education .
At the same time , America is threatened @ @ @ @ @ China ’ s Communist Party being the greatest opponent of all .
In this exclusive @ @ @ @ @ Flynn , we sit down to discuss this watershed moment in America ’ s history @ @ @ @ @ the future holds .
Will this great American experiment into republican governance survive or will @ @ @

Socialist and communist ideology has crept into American culture and education. At the same time, America is threatened by foreign adversaries, with China’s Communist Party being the greatest opponent of all. In this exclusive interview with Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, we sit down to discuss this watershed moment in America’s history, and what he believes the future holds. Will this great American experiment into republican governance survive or will it fail?
The Epoch Times: “A Fresh Look at Our Changing World”
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We have offices in 30 countries across five continents, and our content is published in 17 languages. We are proud to offer print and web editions in Chinese, English, German, French, Spanish, Hebrew, Russian, Japanese, Korean and Indonesian, as well as web versions in Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Vietnamese and Swedish.


bonginoreport--2020-12-27--Kamala Harris Pretends That Kwanzaa Is Important to Her

California Senator Kamala Harris tweeted about her Kwanzaa celebrations being `` one of her childhood memories , '' but critics are posting evidence that those celebrations likely never happened .
`` You know , my sister and I , we grew up celebrating Kwanzaa .
Every year , our family ... and our extended family , we would gather around across multiple generations .
And we would tell stories .
The kids would sit on the carpet and the elders would sit on chairs , and we would light the candles and , of course , afterwards have a beautiful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Kwanzaa was only established in 1966 , two years after Harris was born in 1964 so it is unlikely that her family celebrated it `` across multiple generations . ''
`` And of course , there was always the discussion of the seven principles .
And my favorite , I have to tell you , was always the one about self-determination , kujichagulia , '' which she mispronounced .
As can be seen above in the tweet reproduced , the user `` Rising serpent '' posted a screenshot of a search he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kwanzaa before just now .
In fact , as a child she celebrated Christmas .
Harris is the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother who met in California , where she was born and raised .
Neither of these cultures are known to embrace celebrations like Kwanzaa .
The celebration itself comes from northeast Africa ; Kwanzaa and kujichagulia are both Swahili words .
It should be noted that few in the Americas have ancestry from that part of Africa , since those Africans who were enslaved were trafficked from @ @ @ @ @ @ @

California Senator Kamala Harris tweeted about her Kwanzaa celebrations being "one of her childhood memories," but critics are posting evidence that those celebrations likely never happened.
And not once in the past did she talk about her family celebrating it. pic.twitter.com/Bu9b1yvaPH — Rising serpent ?? (@rising_serpent) December 26, 2020
"You know, my sister and I, we grew up celebrating Kwanzaa. Every year, our family... and our extended family, we would gather around across multiple generations. And we would tell stories. The kids would sit on the carpet and the elders would sit on chairs, and we would light the candles and, of course, afterwards have a beautiful meal."
It's worth noting that Kwanzaa was only established in 1966, two years after Harris was born in 1964 so it is unlikely that her family celebrated it "across multiple generations."
"And of course, there was always the discussion of the seven principles. And my favorite, I have to tell you, was always the one about self-determination, kujichagulia," which she mispronounced.
As can be seen above in the tweet reproduced, the user "Rising serpent" posted a screenshot of a search he did. Harris never publicly spoke about Kwanzaa before just now.
In fact, as a child she celebrated Christmas.
“Happy Kwanzaa everyone! Of course I remember we always celebrated it when I was a little girl.” pic.twitter.com/JUt8j3Mjbw — Garbage Human (@GarbyJooman3) December 27, 2020
Harris is the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother who met in California, where she was born and raised. Neither of these cultures are known to embrace celebrations like Kwanzaa.
The celebration itself comes from northeast Africa; Kwanzaa and kujichagulia are both Swahili words. It should be noted that few in the Americas have ancestry from that part of Africa, since those Africans who were enslaved were trafficked from the opposite side of the continent.


bonginoreport--2020-12-28--President Trump Signs $900 Billion Relief Bill and Spending Bill to Avoid Government Shutdown

President Donald Trump has signed into law a $ 2.3 trillion coronavirus aid and government spending package aimed at restoring unemployment benefits to millions of Americans and averting a partial federal government shutdown .
President Trump released a statement announcing his decision to sign the relief bill in which he said , “ I will never give up my fight for the American people ” : As President of the United States it is my responsibility to protect the people of our country from the economic devastation and hardship that was caused by the China Virus .
I understand that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close as a result of harsh actions by Democrat-run states .
Many people are back to work , but my job is not done until everyone is back to work .
Fortunately , as a result of my work with Congress in passing the CARES Act earlier this year , we avoided another Great Depression .
Under my leadership , Project Warp Speed has been a tremendous success , my Administration and I developed a vaccine many years ahead of wildest expectations , and we are distributing these vaccines , and others soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As President , I have told Congress that I want far less wasteful spending and more money going to the American people in the form of $ 2,000 checks per adult and $ 600 per child .
As President I am demanding many rescissions under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 .
The Act provides that , “ whenever the President determines that all or part of any budget authority will not be required to carry out the full objectives or scope of programs for which it is provided , or that such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy or other reasons ( including termination of authorized projects or activities for which budget authority has been provided ) , the President shall transmit to both Houses of Congress a special message ” describing the amount to be reserved , the relevant accounts , the reasons for the rescission , and the economic effects of the rescission .
2 U.S.C .
§ 683 .
I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed .
I will send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ item by item , accompanied by the formal rescission request to Congress insisting that those funds be removed from the bill .
I am signing this bill to restore unemployment benefits , stop evictions , provide rental assistance , add money for PPP , return our airline workers back to work , add substantially more money for vaccine distribution , and much more .
On Monday the House will vote to increase payments to individuals from $ 600 to $ 2,000 .
Therefore , a family of four would receive $ 5,200 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 230 , which so unfairly benefits Big Tech at the expense of the American people , will be reviewed and either be terminated or substantially reformed .
Likewise , the House and Senate have agreed to focus strongly on the very substantial voter fraud which took place in the November 3 Presidential election .
The Senate will start the process for a vote that increases checks to $ 2,000 , repeals Section 230 , and starts an investigation into voter fraud .
Big Tech must not get protections of Section 230 !
Voter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money is coming .
I will never give up my fight for the American people !

President Donald Trump has signed into law a $2.3 trillion coronavirus aid and government spending package aimed at restoring unemployment benefits to millions of Americans and averting a partial federal government shutdown.
President Trump released a statement announcing his decision to sign the relief bill in which he said, “I will never give up my fight for the American people”:
As President of the United States it is my responsibility to protect the people of our country from the economic devastation and hardship that was caused by the China Virus. I understand that many small businesses have been forced to close as a result of harsh actions by Democrat-run states. Many people are back to work, but my job is not done until everyone is back to work. Fortunately, as a result of my work with Congress in passing the CARES Act earlier this year, we avoided another Great Depression. Under my leadership, Project Warp Speed has been a tremendous success, my Administration and I developed a vaccine many years ahead of wildest expectations, and we are distributing these vaccines, and others soon coming, to millions of people. As President, I have told Congress that I want far less wasteful spending and more money going to the American people in the form of $2,000 checks per adult and $600 per child. As President I am demanding many rescissions under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. The Act provides that, “whenever the President determines that all or part of any budget authority will not be required to carry out the full objectives or scope of programs for which it is provided, or that such budget authority should be rescinded for fiscal policy or other reasons (including termination of authorized projects or activities for which budget authority has been provided), the President shall transmit to both Houses of Congress a special message” describing the amount to be reserved, the relevant accounts, the reasons for the rescission, and the economic effects of the rescission. 2 U.S.C. § 683. I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed. I will send back to Congress a redlined version, item by item, accompanied by the formal rescission request to Congress insisting that those funds be removed from the bill. I am signing this bill to restore unemployment benefits, stop evictions, provide rental assistance, add money for PPP, return our airline workers back to work, add substantially more money for vaccine distribution, and much more. On Monday the House will vote to increase payments to individuals from $600 to $2,000. Therefore, a family of four would receive $5,200. Additionally, Congress has promised that Section 230, which so unfairly benefits Big Tech at the expense of the American people, will be reviewed and either be terminated or substantially reformed. Likewise, the House and Senate have agreed to focus strongly on the very substantial voter fraud which took place in the November 3 Presidential election. The Senate will start the process for a vote that increases checks to $2,000, repeals Section 230, and starts an investigation into voter fraud. Big Tech must not get protections of Section 230! Voter Fraud must be fixed! Much more money is coming. I will never give up my fight for the American people!


bonginoreport--2020-12-29--House Overrides President Trump’s Veto of Defense Bill

The Democratic-controlled House voted overwhelmingly Monday to override President Donald Trump ’ s veto of a defense policy bill , setting the stage for what would be the first veto override of his presidency .
House members voted 322-87 to override the veto , well above the two-thirds needed to override .
The Senate , which is expected to vote on the override this week , also needs to approve it by a two-thirds majority .
Trump rejected the defense bill last week , saying it failed to limit social media companies he claims were biased against him during his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ language that allows for the renaming of military bases that honor Confederate leaders .
The defense bill , known as the National Defense Authorization Act , or NDAA , affirms 3 % pay raises for U.S. troops and authorizes more than $ 740 billion in military programs and construction .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif. , said after the vote that the House had done its part to ensure the NDAA becomes law `` despite the president ’ s dangerous sabotage efforts . ''
Trump 's “ reckless veto would have denied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removed key protections for global peace and security and ” undermined our nation ’ s values and work to combat racism , by blocking overwhelmingly bipartisan action to rename military bases , '' Pelosi said .
Sen. Jim Inhofe , R-Okla. , chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee , called the bill “ absolutely vital to our national security and our troops , '' adding , `` Our men and women who volunteer to wear the uniform shouldn ’ t be denied what they need — ever.
” President Trump is rejecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed by Congress after months of gridlock .
In a video posted to Twitter on Tuesday , the president complained the bill 's $ 600 cash payment to Americans was too small .
Trump has offered a series of rationales for rejecting the bill .
He urged lawmakers to impose limits on Twitter and other social media companies he claimed are biased against him , as well as to strip out language that allows for the renaming of military bases such as Fort Benning and Fort Hood that honor Confederate leaders .
Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winner from the defense bill would be China .
In his veto message , Trump also said the bill restricts his ability to conduct foreign policy , `` particularly my efforts to bring our troops home . ''
Trump was referring to provisions in the bill that impose conditions on his plan to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan and Germany .
The measures require the Pentagon to submit reports certifying that the proposed withdrawals would not jeopardize U.S. national security .
The veto override was supported by 212 Democrats , 109 Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the override , along with 66 Republicans and an independent .
The Senate approved the bill 84-13 earlier this month , well above the margin needed to override a presidential veto .
Trump has vetoed eight other bills , but those were all sustained because supporters did not gain the two-thirds vote needed in each chamber for the bills to become law without Trump ’ s signature .
Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed , the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee , said Trump ’ s declaration that China gained from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also noted the shifting explanations Trump had given for the veto .
The relief package now heads to President Donald Trump for his signature .
The bill would provide $ 600 payments to many Americans .
“ From Confederate base names to social media liability provisions ... to imaginary and easily refutable charges about China , it ’ s hard to keep track of President Trump ’ s unprincipled , irrational excuses for vetoing this bipartisan bill , '' Reed said .
Reed called the Dec. 23 veto “ Trump ’ s parting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Putin and a lump of coal for our troops .
Donald Trump is showing more devotion to Confederate base names than to the men and women who defend our nation . ''
Rep. Adam Smith , D-Wash. , chairman of the House Armed Services Committee , said Trump 's veto `` made it clear that he does not care about the needs of our military personnel and their families . ''
The measure guides Pentagon policy and cements decisions about troop levels , new weapons systems and military readiness , personnel policy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including military construction , can only go into effect if the bill is approved .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , in a rare break with Trump , had urged passage of the defense bill despite Trump ’ s veto threat .
McConnell said it was important for Congress to continue its nearly six-decade-long streak of passing the defense policy bill .

The Democratic-controlled House voted overwhelmingly Monday to override President Donald Trump’s veto of a defense policy bill, setting the stage for what would be the first veto override of his presidency.
House members voted 322-87 to override the veto, well above the two-thirds needed to override. The Senate, which is expected to vote on the override this week, also needs to approve it by a two-thirds majority.
Trump rejected the defense bill last week, saying it failed to limit social media companies he claims were biased against him during his failed reelection campaign. Trump also opposes language that allows for the renaming of military bases that honor Confederate leaders.
President Donald Trump’s move comes after he threatened to veto the bill if it didn’t include termination of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The act protects tech companies from liability for what is posted on their platforms.
The defense bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, affirms 3% pay raises for U.S. troops and authorizes more than $740 billion in military programs and construction.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said after the vote that the House had done its part to ensure the NDAA becomes law "despite the president’s dangerous sabotage efforts.''
Trump's “reckless veto would have denied our service members hazard-duty pay,'' removed key protections for global peace and security and ”undermined our nation’s values and work to combat racism, by blocking overwhelmingly bipartisan action to rename military bases,'' Pelosi said.
Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the bill “absolutely vital to our national security and our troops,'' adding, "Our men and women who volunteer to wear the uniform shouldn’t be denied what they need — ever.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Tuesday blocked a Democratic bid to vote on increasing the COVID-19 relief checks from $600 to $2,000.
Trump has offered a series of rationales for rejecting the bill. He urged lawmakers to impose limits on Twitter and other social media companies he claimed are biased against him, as well as to strip out language that allows for the renaming of military bases such as Fort Benning and Fort Hood that honor Confederate leaders. Trump also claimed without evidence that the biggest winner from the defense bill would be China.
In his veto message, Trump also said the bill restricts his ability to conduct foreign policy, "particularly my efforts to bring our troops home.'' Trump was referring to provisions in the bill that impose conditions on his plan to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan and Germany. The measures require the Pentagon to submit reports certifying that the proposed withdrawals would not jeopardize U.S. national security.
The veto override was supported by 212 Democrats, 109 Republicans and an independent. Twenty Democrats opposed the override, along with 66 Republicans and an independent.
The Senate approved the bill 84-13 earlier this month, well above the margin needed to override a presidential veto. Trump has vetoed eight other bills, but those were all sustained because supporters did not gain the two-thirds vote needed in each chamber for the bills to become law without Trump’s signature.
President Trump is rejecting the $900 billion COVID-19 relief bill passed by Congress after months of gridlock. In a video posted to Twitter on Tuesday, the president complained the bill's $600 cash payment to Americans was too small.
Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Trump’s declaration that China gained from the defense bill was false. He also noted the shifting explanations Trump had given for the veto.
“From Confederate base names to social media liability provisions ... to imaginary and easily refutable charges about China, it’s hard to keep track of President Trump’s unprincipled, irrational excuses for vetoing this bipartisan bill,'' Reed said.
Reed called the Dec. 23 veto “Trump’s parting gift to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and a lump of coal for our troops. Donald Trump is showing more devotion to Confederate base names than to the men and women who defend our nation.''
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said Trump's veto "made it clear that he does not care about the needs of our military personnel and their families.''
The measure guides Pentagon policy and cements decisions about troop levels, new weapons systems and military readiness, personnel policy and other military goals. Many programs, including military construction, can only go into effect if the bill is approved.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in a rare break with Trump, had urged passage of the defense bill despite Trump’s veto threat. McConnell said it was important for Congress to continue its nearly six-decade-long streak of passing the defense policy bill.


bonginoreport--2020-12-28--Biden Claims Defense Department and OMB Are Obstructing Transition

Speaking to the press on Monday , President-elect Joe Biden said that the White House has been `` irresponsible '' in its handling of the transition between the Trump administration and the incoming Biden team .
`` And right now , as our nation is in a period of transition , we need to make sure that nothing is lost in the hand off between administrations .
My team needs a clear picture of our force posture around the world and our operations to deter our enemies .
`` We need full visibility into the budget planning underway at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid any window of confusion or catch-up that our adversaries may try to exploit .
`` As I said from the beginning , we have encountered road blocks from the political leadership at the Department of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget .
Right now , we just are n't getting all the information that we need for the ongoing , outgoing , from the outgoing administration in key national security areas .
`` It 's nothing short , in my view , of irresponsibility . ''
Biden then pivoted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US and Mexico , and the need to process asylum seekers with the help of the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency .
He said that the Trump administration `` has made it much harder by working to erode our capacity .
It 's going to take time to rebuild that capacity , '' he said .
On Dec. 18 , numerous outlets reported that the Department of Defense had put a halt to briefings to the transition team , but these reports were refuted by the Acting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Department of Defense will continue to provide all required support to the Agency Review Team ( ART ) to keep our nation and her citizens safe .
As of today , we have supported 139 interviews sessions more than 200 DoD personnel , 161 requests for information , and disclosed thousands of pages of non-public and classified documents , exceeding prior transitions .
At no time has the Department cancelled or declined any interview . ''

Speaking to the press on Monday, President-elect Joe Biden said that the White House has been "irresponsible" in its handling of the transition between the Trump administration and the incoming Biden team.
WATCH: Biden accuses Trump's White House of 'obstruction' over handling of transition. pic.twitter.com/323Czu1IFA — The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) December 28, 2020
"And right now, as our nation is in a period of transition, we need to make sure that nothing is lost in the hand off between administrations. My team needs a clear picture of our force posture around the world and our operations to deter our enemies.
"We need full visibility into the budget planning underway at the Defense Department and other agencies in order to avoid any window of confusion or catch-up that our adversaries may try to exploit.
"As I said from the beginning, we have encountered road blocks from the political leadership at the Department of Defense and the Office of Management and Budget. Right now, we just aren't getting all the information that we need for the ongoing, outgoing, from the outgoing administration in key national security areas.
"It's nothing short, in my view, of irresponsibility."
Biden then pivoted to talking about the border situation between the US and Mexico, and the need to process asylum seekers with the help of the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
He said that the Trump administration "has made it much harder by working to erode our capacity. It's going to take time to rebuild that capacity," he said.
On Dec. 18, numerous outlets reported that the Department of Defense had put a halt to briefings to the transition team, but these reports were refuted by the Acting Defense Secretary, who said that "The Department of Defense will continue to provide all required support to the Agency Review Team (ART) to keep our nation and her citizens safe. As of today, we have supported 139 interviews sessions more than 200 DoD personnel, 161 requests for information, and disclosed thousands of pages of non-public and classified documents, exceeding prior transitions. At no time has the Department cancelled or declined any interview."


bonginoreport--2020-12-28--Jeffrey Epstein’s Last Cell Mate Reportedly Died Last Month From Coronavirus

• Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein ’ s last cellmate died last month after catching COVID-19 in prison , authorities say .
• Efrain “ Stone ” Reyes shared a cell with Epstein in August 2019 before he was transferred to Queens Detention Facility , the New York Daily News reported Monday .
• The day after Reyes was transferred , Epstein died of an apparent suicide in a New York City federal jail .
Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein ’ s last cellmate was found dead last month after catching COVID-19 in prison , the New York Police Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday .
Fifty-one-year-old Efrain Reyes was found “ unresponsive lying on a bed ” on November 27 in his mother ’ s Bronx apartment , NYPD spokesman Sergeant Edward Riley told the DCNF .
“ EMS responded and performed CPR on the individual but the aided was later pronounced deceased , ” Riley said .
Though the city Medical Examiner has not determined a cause of death , the former Epstein cellmate reportedly caught the coronavirus while he was in a jail for cooperating witnesses , the New York Daily News reported Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems and diabetes , which are both conditions that are associated with more serious coronavirus cases , the News noted .
Reyes shared a cell with Epstein in August 2019 before he was transferred to Queens Detention Facility , according to the News .
The day after Reyes was transferred , Bureau of Prison ( BOP ) records show , Epstein died of an apparent suicide in a federal jail in New York City in August 2019 .
According to Reyes ’ s 27-year-old niece Angelique Lopez , her uncle was chosen as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ disabled ” and “ had a broken leg ” and “ kept to himself.
” Reyes had pleaded guilty to narcotics conspiracy that involved both crack and heroin , the News reported .
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For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s last cellmate died last month after catching COVID-19 in prison, authorities say.
Efrain “Stone” Reyes shared a cell with Epstein in August 2019 before he was transferred to Queens Detention Facility, the New York Daily News reported Monday.
The day after Reyes was transferred, Epstein died of an apparent suicide in a New York City federal jail.
Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s last cellmate was found dead last month after catching COVID-19 in prison, the New York Police Department confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation Monday.
Fifty-one-year-old Efrain Reyes was found “unresponsive lying on a bed” on November 27 in his mother’s Bronx apartment, NYPD spokesman Sergeant Edward Riley told the DCNF.
“EMS responded and performed CPR on the individual but the aided was later pronounced deceased,” Riley said.
Though the city Medical Examiner has not determined a cause of death, the former Epstein cellmate reportedly caught the coronavirus while he was in a jail for cooperating witnesses, the New York Daily News reported Monday. He had suffered from both heart problems and diabetes, which are both conditions that are associated with more serious coronavirus cases, the News noted.
Reyes shared a cell with Epstein in August 2019 before he was transferred to Queens Detention Facility, according to the News. The day after Reyes was transferred, Bureau of Prison (BOP) records show, Epstein died of an apparent suicide in a federal jail in New York City in August 2019.
The last man to share a cell with Jeffrey Epstein died in a Bronx apartment after catching coronavirus at a jail for cooperating witnesses. Efrain “Stone” Reyes, 51, was found dead at his mother’s apartment, the NYPD confirms.https://t.co/kBDZMo9Chy — New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) December 28, 2020
According to Reyes’s 27-year-old niece Angelique Lopez, her uncle was chosen as Epstein’s cellmate because he was “disabled” and “had a broken leg” and “kept to himself.” Reyes had pleaded guilty to narcotics conspiracy that involved both crack and heroin, the News reported.
She continued: “(Epstein) liked to read a lot and he kept to himself. He wasn’t a problem starter or too loud. My uncle said he was a good cellmate.” Epstein was treated badly by both prison inmates and correctional officers, Lopez told the publication. (RELATED: Bill Clinton Spokesman Says Former President ‘Never’ Went To Jeffrey Epstein’s Pedo Island, Despite Accuser’s Statements) “They knew how much money he had. They said let’s push him around and extort him for money. They thought they could get his money,” Lopez said. “(Staff) were treating him like crap. They were making him sleep on the floor. They wouldn’t let him sleep on a cot.” The FBI questioned Reyes after Epstein’s apparent suicide, Lopez said, noting that her uncle “cooperated” though he was afraid of reprisal. “He was a little worried about if he told on the security workers at MCC they would somehow lash out at him. He was worried if they told them what they did to Epstein he was worried it would follow him and affect him negatively,” Lopez said. “They were asking how Epstein was when he was in the cell, if he seemed suicidal. They were asking if he had any indication that he would do that. My uncle cooperated.” The jail in which Reyes caught COVID-19 had been overrun by the virus early on in the pandemic, the News reported, and Reyes reportedly cried when he told his family that he had caught COVID-19. Reyes was released in April but died five months later, according to the publication. “He thought he wasn’t going to get out of GEO alive,” Lopez said, referring to the private prison where her uncle had been incarcerated. “He thought that was going to be it, he was going to die there.” “I can’t say COVID didn’t play a part (in his death),” Lopez said. “He came back coughing more than normal. His lungs weren’t the same.” The FBI and the SDNY declined to comment for this story. The BOP did not immediately return the DCNF’s requests for comment.
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