washingtontimes--2020-07-24--US Supreme Court denies Nevada church's appeal of virus rule

RENO , Nev. ( AP ) - A sharply divided U.S. Supreme Court denied a rural Nevada church ’ s request late Friday to strike down as unconstitutional a 50-person cap on worship services as part of the state ’ s ongoing response to the coronavirus .
In a 5-4 decision , the high court refused to grant the request from the Christian church east of Reno to be subjected to the same COVID-19 restrictions in Nevada that allow casinos , restaurants and other businesses to operate at 50 % of capacity with proper social distancing .
Calvary Chapel Dayton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religious gatherings was an unconstitutional violation of its parishioners ’ First Amendment rights to express and exercise their beliefs .
Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the liberal majority in denying the request without explanation .
Three justices wrote strongly worded dissenting opinions on behalf of the four conservatives who said they would have granted the injunctive relief while the court fully considers the merits of the case .
“ That Nevada would discriminate in favor of the powerful gaming industry and its employees may not come as a surprise , but this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discrimination is disappointing , ” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in a dissent joined by Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh .
“ We have a duty to defend the Constitution , and even a public health emergency does not absolve us of that responsibility , ” Alito said .
“ The Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion .
It says nothing about freedom to play craps or blackjack , to feed tokens into a slot machine or to engage in any other game of chance.
” Kavanaugh also wrote his own dissent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said today ’ s world “ with a pandemic upon us , poses unusual challenges.
” “ But there is no world in which the Constitution permits Nevada to favor Caesars Palace over Calvary Chapel , ” Gorsuch wrote .
Neither the governor ’ s office nor lawyers for the church immediately responded to requests for comment on the ruling .
Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley appealed to the 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals last month after a U.S. judge in Nevada upheld the state ’ s policy that allows casinos and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of normal capacity .
The appellate court in San Francisco is still considering the appeal , but it has denied the church ’ s request for an emergency injunction in the meantime .
Its ruling July 2 pointed to the Supreme Court ’ s refusal in May to strike down California ’ s limit on the size of religious gatherings .
The church in Nevada ’ s Lyon County appealed to the Supreme Court six days later , asking for an emergency injunction prohibiting the state from enforcing the cap on religious gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the merits of the case .
“ The governor allows hundreds to thousands to assemble in pursuit of financial fortunes but only 50 to gather in pursuit of spiritual ones .
That is unconstitutional , ” its lawyers wrote in their most recent filing to the high court last week .
The church wants to allow as many as 90 people to attend services at the same time - with masks required , sitting 6-feet apart - at the sanctuary with a capacity of 200 .
Other secular businesses in the state that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include bars , gyms , hair salons , bowling alleys and water parks .
Nevada ’ s lawyers said last week several courts nationwide have followed the Supreme Court ’ s lead in upholding state authority to impose emergency restrictions in response to COVID-19 .
“ Temporarily narrowing restrictions on the size of mass gatherings , including for religious services , protects the health and well-being of Nevada citizens during a global pandemic , ” they wrote .
Alito said in the lead dissent that by allowing thousands to gather in casinos , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a compelling interest in limiting religious gatherings to 50 people - regardless of the size of the facility and the measures adopted to prevent the spread of the virus .
“ The idea that allowing Calvary Chapel to admit 90 worshipers present a greater public health risk than allowing casinos to operate at 50 % capacity is hard to swallow , ” he wrote .
Kavanaugh said he agreed that courts should be “ very differential to the states ’ line-drawing in opening businesses and allowing certain activities during the pandemic.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a state to discriminate against religious people , religious organizations and religious services , ” he wrote in his own dissent .
“ Nevada is discriminating against religion .
”

RENO, Nev. (AP) - A sharply divided U.S. Supreme Court denied a rural Nevada church’s request late Friday to strike down as unconstitutional a 50-person cap on worship services as part of the state’s ongoing response to the coronavirus.
In a 5-4 decision, the high court refused to grant the request from the Christian church east of Reno to be subjected to the same COVID-19 restrictions in Nevada that allow casinos, restaurants and other businesses to operate at 50% of capacity with proper social distancing.
Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley argued that the hard cap on religious gatherings was an unconstitutional violation of its parishioners’ First Amendment rights to express and exercise their beliefs.
Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the liberal majority in denying the request without explanation.
Three justices wrote strongly worded dissenting opinions on behalf of the four conservatives who said they would have granted the injunctive relief while the court fully considers the merits of the case.
“That Nevada would discriminate in favor of the powerful gaming industry and its employees may not come as a surprise, but this Court’s willingness to allow such discrimination is disappointing,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in a dissent joined by Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh.
“We have a duty to defend the Constitution, and even a public health emergency does not absolve us of that responsibility,” Alito said. “The Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion. It says nothing about freedom to play craps or blackjack, to feed tokens into a slot machine or to engage in any other game of chance.”
Kavanaugh also wrote his own dissent, as did Justice Neil Gorsuch, who said today’s world “with a pandemic upon us, poses unusual challenges.”
“But there is no world in which the Constitution permits Nevada to favor Caesars Palace over Calvary Chapel,” Gorsuch wrote.
David Cortman, senior counsel for Georgia-based Alliance Defending Freedom representing the church, said in an email sent to The Associated Press late Friday that they were disappointed in the ruling but will continue to work to protect Calvary Chapel and others “from discriminatory policies that put religious groups at the back of the line for reopening.”
“When the government treats churches worse than casinos, gyms, and indoor amusement parks in its COVID-19 response, it clearly violates the Constitution,” he said.
The governor’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last month after a U.S. judge in Nevada upheld the state’s policy that allows casinos and other businesses to operate at 50% of normal capacity.
The appellate court in San Francisco is still considering the appeal, but it has denied the church’s request for an emergency injunction in the meantime. Its ruling July 2 pointed to the Supreme Court’s refusal in May to strike down California’s limit on the size of religious gatherings.
The church in Nevada’s Lyon County appealed to the Supreme Court six days later, asking for an emergency injunction prohibiting the state from enforcing the cap on religious gatherings at least temporarily while the justices consider the merits of the case.
“The governor allows hundreds to thousands to assemble in pursuit of financial fortunes but only 50 to gather in pursuit of spiritual ones. That is unconstitutional,” its lawyers wrote in their most recent filing to the high court last week.
The church wants to allow as many as 90 people to attend services at the same time - with masks required, sitting 6-feet apart - at the sanctuary with a capacity of 200. Other secular businesses in the state that are allowed to operate at half capacity include gyms, hair salons, bowling alleys and water parks.
Nevada’s lawyers said last week several courts nationwide have followed the Supreme Court’s lead in upholding state authority to impose emergency restrictions in response to COVID-19.
“Temporarily narrowing restrictions on the size of mass gatherings, including for religious services, protects the health and well-being of Nevada citizens during a global pandemic,” they wrote.
Alito said in the lead dissent that by allowing thousands to gather in casinos, the state cannot claim to have a compelling interest in limiting religious gatherings to 50 people - regardless of the size of the facility and the measures adopted to prevent the spread of the virus.
“The idea that allowing Calvary Chapel to admit 90 worshipers present a greater public health risk than allowing casinos to operate at 50% capacity is hard to swallow,” he wrote.
Kavanaugh said he agreed that courts should be “very deferential to the states’ line-drawing in opening businesses and allowing certain activities during the pandemic.”
“But COVID-19 is not a blank check for a state to discriminate against religious people, religious organizations and religious services,” he wrote in his own dissent. “Nevada is discriminating against religion.”
___
This story was first published on July 24, 2020. It was updated on July 25, 2020 to correct that Justice Brett Kavanaugh said courts should be “deferential” to states, not “differential.”


washingtontimes--2020-07-24--Sam Coonrod refuses to kneel for Black Lives Matter, cites Christian faith

San Francisco Giants player Sam Coonrod was the only player who declined to kneel for Black Lives Matter during the season opener Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers , a decision he attributed to his Christian faith .
“ I ’ m a Christian , so I just believe that I can ’ t kneel before anything besides God , ” the 27-year-old pitcher said , according to TMZ .
He cited the Black Lives Matter Global Network ’ s position on the nuclear family .
On its website , the group says , “ We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t get on board with a couple things I ’ ve read about Black Lives Matter , how they lean towards Marxism , ” said Coonrod .
“ And … they said some negative things about the nuclear family .
I just can ’ t get on board with that.
” Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors said in a 2015 interview that she and co-founder Alicia Garza were “ trained Marxists.
” “ We actually do have an ideological frame , ” Ms. Cullors told Real News Network .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organizers .
We are trained Marxists .
We are super-versed on sort of ideological theories.
” Bishop Aubrey Shines , who leads Conservative Clergy of Color , commended Coonrod for his stance .
“ I ’ m moved by this young man ’ s courage and faith , ” said Mr. Shines in a statement .
“ He knows where to give his due for all that ’ s good in this world .
Our country was founded on the principles of the Enlightenment and Christianity .
Americans don ’ t bow to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The other Giants and Dodgers players took a knee and held a black ribbon before the game , then stood for the national anthem .
The only player who continued to kneel during the anthem was Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts , according to MLB .
“ The only thing we said is we were going to let people express themselves , ” Kapler said .
“ We were going to give them the choice on whether they were going to stand , kneel or do something else .
That was a personal decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter ” T-shirts and were given the option of wearing “ Black Lives Matter ” patches on their uniforms .
Former MLB player Aubrey Huff commended Coonrod , saying “ he ’ s making league minimum , ” unlike the superstar Betts , and that “ young Sam is getting crushed by liberal media.
” “ We need to show him support , ” said Huff , asking viewers to go to Coonrod ’ s Instagram page .
The MLB season kicked off Thursday , and each team will play only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limit travel in the name of slowing the novel coronavirus .
“ The leftists who run Black Lives Matter want to strip our country of those principles with the worship of ‘ the revolution , ’ but I ’ m pleased to see that Mr. Coonrod isn ’ t going to be bullied by the mob , ” said Mr. Shines .

San Francisco Giants player Sam Coonrod was the only player who declined to kneel for Black Lives Matter during the season opener Thursday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a decision he attributed to his Christian faith.
“I’m a Christian, so I just believe that I can’t kneel before anything besides God,” the 27-year-old pitcher said, according to TMZ.
He cited the Black Lives Matter Global Network’s position on the nuclear family. On its website, the group says, “We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement.”
“I just can’t get on board with a couple things I’ve read about Black Lives Matter, how they lean towards Marxism,” said Coonrod. “And … they said some negative things about the nuclear family. I just can’t get on board with that.”
Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors said in a 2015 interview that she and co-founder Alicia Garza were “trained Marxists.”
“We actually do have an ideological frame,” Ms. Cullors told Real News Network. “Myself and Alicia in particular are trained organizers. We are trained Marxists. We are super-versed on sort of ideological theories.”
Bishop Aubrey Shines, who leads Conservative Clergy of Color, commended Coonrod for his stance.
“I’m moved by this young man’s courage and faith,” said Mr. Shines in a statement. “He knows where to give his due for all that’s good in this world. Our country was founded on the principles of the Enlightenment and Christianity. Americans don’t bow to anything or anyone except God Almighty.”
Sports Illustrated said this man “hid” behind his religion. The walk of a practicing Christian is lonely. Takes courage. https://t.co/vXqL4lTN4j — Jason Whitlock (@WhitlockJason) July 24, 2020
Sam Coonrod of the @SFGiants stood alone for the anthem. “I’m a Christian, so I just believe that I can’t kneel before anything besides God.” 🇺🇸 He needs our support patriots. Show him love on his Instagram @samcoonrod65. #AubreysArmy @MLB @Dodgers @mookiebetts pic.twitter.com/qCcqjAbxS2 — Aubrey Huff (@aubrey_huff) July 24, 2020
The other Giants and Dodgers players took a knee and held a black ribbon before the game, then stood for the national anthem. The only player who continued to kneel during the anthem was Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts, according to MLB.
Giants manager Gabe Kaplan said he respected Coonrod’s decision.
“The only thing we said is we were going to let people express themselves,” Kapler said. “We were going to give them the choice on whether they were going to stand, kneel or do something else. That was a personal decision for Sam.”
Players also wore “Black Lives Matter” T-shirts and were given the option of wearing “Black Lives Matter” patches on their uniforms.
Former MLB player Aubrey Huff commended Coonrod, saying “he’s making league minimum,” unlike the superstar Betts, and that “young Sam is getting crushed by liberal media.”
“We need to show him support,” said Huff, asking viewers to go to Coonrod’s Instagram page.
The MLB season kicked off Thursday, and each team will play only 60 games in their geographic region to limit travel in the name of slowing the novel coronavirus.
“The leftists who run Black Lives Matter want to strip our country of those principles with the worship of ‘the revolution,’ but I’m pleased to see that Mr. Coonrod isn’t going to be bullied by the mob,” said Mr. Shines.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-07-24--Supreme Court won't halt Nevada's ban on 50 people or less at church

The Supreme Court refused Friday to halt Nevada ’ s ban on no more than 50 people at church services , with four of the high court ’ s GOP-appointed justices dissenting , saying the state is violating the Constitution .
Alliance Defending Freedom , a religious liberty law firm , represented Calvary Chapel in its legal battle against the state of Nevada , asking the justices to issue an injunction against the governor ’ s ban on churches having services with more than 50 people .
The governor — like other state leaders — made various orders about church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the wake of the pandemic .
But the church argued in court papers it “ only seeks to host about 90 people at a socially-distanced church service , while the Governor allows hundreds to thousands of people to gamble and enjoy entertainment at casinos.
” The court ’ s liberal wing , joined by Chief Justice John G. Roberts , Jr. , allowed the governor ’ s order to remain in place .
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. , joined by Justice Clarence Thomas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court ’ s decision , saying the state ’ s ban on church services appears to violate the Constitution , noting casinos in Nevada are allowed to have customers at half capacity — in some cases that means thousands of gamblers in one space .
“ The Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion .
It says nothing about the freedom to play craps or blackjack , to feed tokens into a slot machine , or to engage in any other game of chance .
But the Governor of Nevada apparently has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Justice Neil M. Gorsuch also dissented , saying the governor ’ s move is discriminatory under the First Amendment .
“ In Nevada , it seems , it is better to be in entertainment than religion .
Maybe that is nothing new .
But the First Amendment prohibits such obvious discrimination against the exercise of religion .
The world we inhabit today , with a pandemic upon us , poses unusual challenges .
But there is no world in which the Constitution permits Nevada to favor Caesars Palace over Calvary Chapel , @ @ @ @

The Supreme Court refused Friday to halt Nevada’s ban on no more than 50 people at church services, with four of the high court’s GOP-appointed justices dissenting, saying the state is violating the Constitution.
Alliance Defending Freedom, a religious liberty law firm, represented Calvary Chapel in its legal battle against the state of Nevada, asking the justices to issue an injunction against the governor’s ban on churches having services with more than 50 people.
The governor — like other state leaders — made various orders about church services and capacity limits at businesses in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in the wake of the pandemic.
But the church argued in court papers it “only seeks to host about 90 people at a socially-distanced church service, while the Governor allows hundreds to thousands of people to gamble and enjoy entertainment at casinos.”
The court’s liberal wing, joined by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., allowed the governor’s order to remain in place.
Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., joined by Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, disagreed with the court’s decision, saying the state’s ban on church services appears to violate the Constitution, noting casinos in Nevada are allowed to have customers at half capacity — in some cases that means thousands of gamblers in one space.
“The Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion. It says nothing about the freedom to play craps or blackjack, to feed tokens into a slot machine, or to engage in any other game of chance. But the Governor of Nevada apparently has different priorities,” Justice Alito wrote.
Justice Neil M. Gorsuch also dissented, saying the governor’s move is discriminatory under the First Amendment.
“In Nevada, it seems, it is better to be in entertainment than religion. Maybe that is nothing new. But the First Amendment prohibits such obvious discrimination against the exercise of religion. The world we inhabit today, with a pandemic upon us, poses unusual challenges. But there is no world in which the Constitution permits Nevada to favor Caesars Palace over Calvary Chapel,” he wrote.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-07-24--AG sues U.S. Education Department over CARES Act funding

OLYMPIA , Wash. ( AP ) - Washington is the latest state to sue the U.S. Department of Education for the way it is distributing emergency relief funds from the CARES Act to schools .
On Thursday , Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a motion in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington requesting that the court issue a preliminary injunction in the case , The Seattle Times reported .
Ferguson argued the Education Department has created new rules for disbursing the funds that would require public school districts to share a larger portion of the money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enroll a much lower percentage of low-income students , and often have endowment funds , so their need is not as great , Ferguson argued .
The Education Department created two new formulas for distributing CARES money .
Under the traditional formula , private schools in Seattle would have received about 3.4 % of the federal money allocated to Seattle ; Seattle public schools would have received the rest .
But under one of the new formulas the Education Department says districts must use , private schools in Seattle would receive about 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Using the second formula , Seattle public schools would only be able to use the money at Title I schools .
Title I is a federal program for high-poverty schools , but not all high-poverty schools in Seattle participate , for example .
The Education Department is also being sued by the national NAACP , which was joined in its suit by several school districts .
Attorneys general in the District of Columbia and five states - Michigan , California , Maine , New Mexico and Wisconsin - have also filed suit against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make similar claims .

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Washington is the latest state to sue the U.S. Department of Education for the way it is distributing emergency relief funds from the CARES Act to schools.
On Thursday, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a motion in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington requesting that the court issue a preliminary injunction in the case, The Seattle Times reported.
Ferguson argued the Education Department has created new rules for disbursing the funds that would require public school districts to share a larger portion of the money with private schools.
Private schools generally enroll a much lower percentage of low-income students, and often have endowment funds, so their need is not as great, Ferguson argued.
The Education Department created two new formulas for distributing CARES money. Under the traditional formula, private schools in Seattle would have received about 3.4% of the federal money allocated to Seattle; Seattle public schools would have received the rest.
But under one of the new formulas the Education Department says districts must use, private schools in Seattle would receive about 19% of the CARES Act money.
Using the second formula, Seattle public schools would only be able to use the money at Title I schools. Title I is a federal program for high-poverty schools, but not all high-poverty schools in Seattle participate, for example.
The Education Department is also being sued by the national NAACP, which was joined in its suit by several school districts. Attorneys general in the District of Columbia and five states - Michigan, California, Maine, New Mexico and Wisconsin - have also filed suit against the Education Department. The lawsuits all make similar claims.


washingtontimes--2020-07-24--ASU professor's body found in dump, Louisiana teens held

PHOENIX ( AP ) - Authorities say two Louisiana teens have been arrested in the killing of an Arizona State University professor whose body has been found in a landfill .
The Maricopa County Sheriff ’ s Office announced Friday that Javian Ezell and Gabrielle Austin , both age 18 , have been extradited and booked into a Phoenix jail on suspicion of first-degree murder , armed robbery and theft of means of transportation .
They are each being held on a $ 1 million bond .
It was not immediately known if they had attorneys to comment on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor of engineering , was first reported missing to police on March 25 after not returning home .
Authorities found his remains along with other evidence in a Surprise landfill on July 17 .
His body was positively identified by the county medical examiner .
Sheriff ’ s deputies say Shreveport , Louisiana police contacted them March 30 after encountering the suspects .
Shreveport police determined the vehicle they were using belonged to the victim .
Chae was reported missing to the ASU Police Department after he did not return home from work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sheriff ’ s detectives were contacted by the by Shreveport , Louisiana Police Department .
Investigators say questioning of the suspects led them to believe that Chae had been killed and his body placed in a dumpster in metro Phoenix .
Detectives say they searched the landfill between mid-May and mid-July .

PHOENIX (AP) - Authorities say two Louisiana teens have been arrested in the killing of an Arizona State University professor whose body has been found in a landfill.
The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday that Javian Ezell and Gabrielle Austin, both age 18, have been extradited and booked into a Phoenix jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, armed robbery and theft of means of transportation.
They are each being held on a $1 million bond. It was not immediately known if they had attorneys to comment on the charges.
Jun Seok Chae, a professor of engineering, was first reported missing to police on March 25 after not returning home. Authorities found his remains along with other evidence in a Surprise landfill on July 17. His body was positively identified by the county medical examiner.
Sheriff’s deputies say Shreveport, Louisiana police contacted them March 30 after encountering the suspects. Shreveport police determined the vehicle they were using belonged to the victim.
Chae was reported missing to the ASU Police Department after he did not return home from work. On March 30, Maricopa County sheriff’s detectives were contacted by the by Shreveport, Louisiana Police Department.
Investigators say questioning of the suspects led them to believe that Chae had been killed and his body placed in a dumpster in metro Phoenix. Detectives say they searched the landfill between mid-May and mid-July.


washingtontimes--2020-07-24--DNR board will reconsider deer hunt amid meeting allegations

MADISON , Wis. ( AP ) - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources board is set to reconsider changes next week that it made to the fall deer hunt amid allegations that four members violated open meeting laws when they drafted them ahead of a vote .
The seven-member board adopted the 2020 season framework during a meeting June 24 .
They voted 5-2 to adopt an amendment reducing antlerless quotas that citizen advisory committees wanted in 11 northern Wisconsin counties , including Bayfield , Burnett , Douglas , Florence , Langlade , Lincoln , Marinette , Oconto , Oneida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted notice Friday of its planned special meeting next Thursday to reconsider the vote .
The move comes after former board members David Clausen , Fred Clark and John Welter wrote a letter to current board Chairman Fred Prehn on July 13 alleging some board members shared the amendment among themselves the day before the meeting in a walking quorum , a violation of Wisconsin ’ s open meetings law .
Clausen wrote in a formal complaint that Prehn , Greg Kazmierzski , Terry Hilgenberg and Bill Bruins made up the walking quorum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ request to review hunter complaints about low deer populations in northern counties , according to the complaint .
The amendment was never adequately noticed , amounting to another open meetings violation , according to the complaint .
It remains unclear if Clausen had ever filed the complaint with anyone ; he didn ’ t immediately return a voicemail Friday .
“ Regardless … of whether an Open Meetings Law violation is substantiated , the public appearance of this action is counter to the spirit and intent of the Open Meetings Law , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of openness that we as former members expect from the NRB , ” the letter said .
Former Gov .
Jim Doyle , a Democrat , appointed Clausen and Welter to the board .
Current Gov .
Tony Evers , another Democrat , appointed Clark .
Former Republican Gov .
Scott Walker appointed Prehn , Kazmierzski Hilgenberg and Bruins .
Prehn didn ’ t respond to a message left with his answering service Friday afternoon .
Kazmierski said in a telephone interview that the amendment was crafted the same way members have done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board decided to reconsider the vote because Prehn and board members want to be free of any “ process issues.
” Bruins called the allegations “ a bunch of hooey.
” He said members developed the amendment under the guidance of DNR attorneys .
DNR spokeswoman Sarah Hoyle didn ’ t immediately respond to a message seeking comment .
Hilgenberg , for his part , called the accusations “ ridiculous and unfounded.
” He said he never spoke to more than one member of the board at a time about the amendment and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t like Walker ’ s appointees .
“ It ’ s just something to try to create issues , ” Hilgenberg said .
“ And we ’ ve got enough issues .
”

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources board is set to reconsider changes next week that it made to the fall deer hunt amid allegations that four members violated open meeting laws when they drafted them ahead of a vote.
The seven-member board adopted the 2020 season framework during a meeting June 24. They voted 5-2 to adopt an amendment reducing antlerless quotas that citizen advisory committees wanted in 11 northern Wisconsin counties, including Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Florence, Langlade, Lincoln, Marinette, Oconto, Oneida, Sawyer and Vilas. The board posted notice Friday of its planned special meeting next Thursday to reconsider the vote.
The move comes after former board members David Clausen, Fred Clark and John Welter wrote a letter to current board Chairman Fred Prehn on July 13 alleging some board members shared the amendment among themselves the day before the meeting in a walking quorum, a violation of Wisconsin’s open meetings law.
Clausen wrote in a formal complaint that Prehn, Greg Kazmierzski, Terry Hilgenberg and Bill Bruins made up the walking quorum. Kazmierski developed the amendment at Bruins’ request to review hunter complaints about low deer populations in northern counties, according to the complaint.
The amendment was never adequately noticed, amounting to another open meetings violation, according to the complaint. It remains unclear if Clausen had ever filed the complaint with anyone; he didn’t immediately return a voicemail Friday.
“Regardless … of whether an Open Meetings Law violation is substantiated, the public appearance of this action is counter to the spirit and intent of the Open Meetings Law, and it is counter to the tradition of openness that we as former members expect from the NRB,” the letter said.
Former Gov. Jim Doyle, a Democrat, appointed Clausen and Welter to the board. Current Gov. Tony Evers, another Democrat, appointed Clark. Former Republican Gov. Scott Walker appointed Prehn, Kazmierzski Hilgenberg and Bruins.
Prehn didn’t respond to a message left with his answering service Friday afternoon. Kazmierski said in a telephone interview that the amendment was crafted the same way members have done it for decades. He said the board decided to reconsider the vote because Prehn and board members want to be free of any “process issues.”
Bruins called the allegations “a bunch of hooey.” He said members developed the amendment under the guidance of DNR attorneys. DNR spokeswoman Sarah Hoyle didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
Hilgenberg, for his part, called the accusations “ridiculous and unfounded.” He said he never spoke to more than one member of the board at a time about the amendment and the former board members simply don’t like Walker’s appointees.
“It’s just something to try to create issues,” Hilgenberg said. “And we’ve got enough issues.”
___
Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trichmond1


washingtontimes--2020-07-24--Trump opponents sue to force census to report number of illegal immigrants

Civil liberties groups and a coalition of states , cities and counties filed lawsuits Friday challenging President Trump ’ s new policy to discount illegal immigrants when the census reports the population for purposes of apportioning congressional districts next year .
The challengers said Mr. Trump is blatantly violating the Constitution by refusing to report the actual count of all people residing in the country , regardless of legal status .
Mr. Trump earlier this week signed a directive telling the Commerce Department that though everyone will be counted , it must try to figure out who among them is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the official count used to decide how to allocate the 435 seats in Congress among the states .
“ No one ceases to be a person because they lack documentation , which is why we filed this lawsuit , ” said New York Attorney General Letitia James , part of the coalition of states and localities that sued .
The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution says seats in Congress are apportioned “ according to their respective numbers , counting the whole number of persons in each State.
” That , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegal immigrants — counts for purposes of allocating seats .
In addition to the states and localities , the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of immigration groups .
“ Trump ’ s outrageous memo is an attempt to erase immigrants , ” said Theo Oshiro , deputy director of Make the Road New York .
Experts say it will be difficult to come up with a solid count of how many illegal immigrants are in the country , particularly when it comes to counts for each state .
Estimates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ range from about 10 million up to as many as 20 million .

Civil liberties groups and a coalition of states, cities and counties filed lawsuits Friday challenging President Trump’s new policy to discount illegal immigrants when the census reports the population for purposes of apportioning congressional districts next year.
The challengers said Mr. Trump is blatantly violating the Constitution by refusing to report the actual count of all people residing in the country, regardless of legal status.
Mr. Trump earlier this week signed a directive telling the Commerce Department that though everyone will be counted, it must try to figure out who among them is not here legally, then slice them out of the official count used to decide how to allocate the 435 seats in Congress among the states.
“No one ceases to be a person because they lack documentation, which is why we filed this lawsuit,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James, part of the coalition of states and localities that sued.
The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution says seats in Congress are apportioned “according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State.”
That, the challengers say, means everyone — including illegal immigrants — counts for purposes of allocating seats.
In addition to the states and localities, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of immigration groups.
“Trump’s outrageous memo is an attempt to erase immigrants,” said Theo Oshiro, deputy director of Make the Road New York.
Experts say it will be difficult to come up with a solid count of how many illegal immigrants are in the country, particularly when it comes to counts for each state.
Estimates for the unauthorized population in the U.S. range from about 10 million up to as many as 20 million.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-07-24--Lawyer: All new DACA applications put in 'pending' bucket

PHOENIX ( AP ) - The U.S. government said Friday that it ’ s putting new DACA applications in a “ pending ” bucket while officials decide whether to again try to end the program for young immigrants , keeping enrollment stalled even though the Supreme Court ruled last month that it was improperly ended .
The latest came during a telephonic federal court hearing in Maryland by U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm , who last week ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program must be restored to its original form , before President Donald Trump attempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Immigrant advocates who sued the government over its attempt to end DACA say new rulings in the case , including the one by the Supreme Court , mean the government must resume accepting and considering first-time applications .
U.S .
Citizenship and Immigration Services had only been accepting renewals for DACA recipients who were already enrolled by Sept. 5 , 2017 .
DACA allows young immigrants who were brought to the country as children to legally work and shields them from deportation .
About 650,000 are enrolled , but another 66,000 now meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Migration Policy Institute , a nonpartisan think tank .
The Supreme Court ruled last month that the Trump administration didn ’ t properly end the program .
The administration can still end it , but has to go about it differently .
In the meantime , lawyers with the nonprofit advocacy group Casa de Maryland , which filed one of the several lawsuits challenging the end of the program , say the Supreme Court ruling and two others mean DACA should revert to its original form - accepting new applications as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as advanced parole .
A government attorney said Friday that USCIS hasn ’ t updated its website to reflect that it is accepting new applications , and that it had rejected some new applications on incorrect grounds and others because they weren ’ t filled out correctly or were missing information .
But the lawyer , Stephen Michael Pezzi , said that in general the agency is accepting new applications , putting them on tentative status while the administration decides what to do with DACA .
That means that any new applicants aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a court orders it or the administration decides to keep the program .
Grimm did not seem inclined to wade into whether the government should accept or reject new applications while it decides what to do with the program , but he did chide it for not having updated information on its website and for not explaining rejections to applicants who had flaws in their application , such as a missing signature .
“ I think frankly the agency ought to be the first to want to have that corrected and it seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to get some sense as to when that will be corrected , ” Grimm said .
Grimm told the government he ’ d like the website to be updated within 30 days , and he gave its lawyers until next week to figure out whether USCIS can develop some sort of process where they acknowledge receipt of new applications so that applicants will know their status .

PHOENIX (AP) - The U.S. government said Friday that it’s putting new DACA applications in a “pending” bucket while officials decide whether to again try to end the program for young immigrants, keeping enrollment stalled even though the Supreme Court ruled last month that it was improperly ended.
The latest came during a telephonic federal court hearing in Maryland by U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm, who last week ruled that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program must be restored to its original form, before President Donald Trump attempted to end it in September 2017.
Immigrant advocates who sued the government over its attempt to end DACA say new rulings in the case, including the one by the Supreme Court, mean the government must resume accepting and considering first-time applications. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services had only been accepting renewals for DACA recipients who were already enrolled by Sept. 5, 2017.
DACA allows young immigrants who were brought to the country as children to legally work and shields them from deportation. About 650,000 are enrolled, but another 66,000 now meet age requirements to join, according to the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank.
The Supreme Court ruled last month that the Trump administration didn’t properly end the program. The administration can still end it, but has to go about it differently.
In the meantime, lawyers with the nonprofit advocacy group Casa de Maryland, which filed one of the several lawsuits challenging the end of the program, say the Supreme Court ruling and two others mean DACA should revert to its original form - accepting new applications as well as requests to travel abroad, known as advanced parole.
A government attorney said Friday that USCIS hasn’t updated its website to reflect that it is accepting new applications, and that it had rejected some new applications on incorrect grounds and others because they weren’t filled out correctly or were missing information.
But the lawyer, Stephen Michael Pezzi, said that in general the agency is accepting new applications, putting them on tentative status while the administration decides what to do with DACA.
That means that any new applicants aren’t likely to be approved unless a court orders it or the administration decides to keep the program.
Grimm did not seem inclined to wade into whether the government should accept or reject new applications while it decides what to do with the program, but he did chide it for not having updated information on its website and for not explaining rejections to applicants who had flaws in their application, such as a missing signature.
“I think frankly the agency ought to be the first to want to have that corrected and it seems to me that we ought to be able to get some sense as to when that will be corrected,” Grimm said.
Grimm told the government he’d like the website to be updated within 30 days, and he gave its lawyers until next week to figure out whether USCIS can develop some sort of process where they acknowledge receipt of new applications so that applicants will know their status.


washingtontimes--2020-07-24--Del Mar riders return after COVID-19 positives

DEL MAR , Calif. ( AP ) - Del Mar ’ s jockey colony returned for the resumption of racing after the track was forced to cancel last weekend after 15 jockeys tested positive for the coronavirus .
Riders were cleared Friday after passing screenings by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club medical staff .
Track president Josh Rubenstein says riders who are asymptomatic and test positive may return to work if no symptoms continue 10 days after testing positive .
All but one of the 15 riders who tested positive recently rode at Los Alamitos in Orange County .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mar after jockeys Flavien Prat and Victor Espinoza tested positive and went into quarantine .
Prat , Espinoza and Umberto Rispoli were among those who were asymptomatic and returned to ride Friday .
After the spate of positive tests , Del Mar announced a new rule that prohibits any jockey who rides elsewhere during the meet from returning to compete at the track .
Other tracks across the country , including Saratoga in upstate New York , have installed similar rules .
Del Mar is adding races on Monday to make up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seaside track located north of San Diego opened its popular summer meet on July 10 without spectators .
It races on Fridays , Saturdays and Sundays through Labor Day .

DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) - Del Mar’s jockey colony returned for the resumption of racing after the track was forced to cancel last weekend after 15 jockeys tested positive for the coronavirus.
Riders were cleared Friday after passing screenings by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club medical staff. Track president Josh Rubenstein says riders who are asymptomatic and test positive may return to work if no symptoms continue 10 days after testing positive.
All but one of the 15 riders who tested positive recently rode at Los Alamitos in Orange County. The recent mass testing was ordered by Del Mar after jockeys Flavien Prat and Victor Espinoza tested positive and went into quarantine.
Prat, Espinoza and Umberto Rispoli were among those who were asymptomatic and returned to ride Friday.
After the spate of positive tests, Del Mar announced a new rule that prohibits any jockey who rides elsewhere during the meet from returning to compete at the track. Other tracks across the country, including Saratoga in upstate New York, have installed similar rules.
Del Mar is adding races on Monday to make up for last weekend’s shutdown.
The seaside track located north of San Diego opened its popular summer meet on July 10 without spectators. It races on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Labor Day.
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More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports


washingtontimes--2020-07-24--Reno schools to reconsider opening amid virus concerns

RENO , Nev. ( AP ) - Reno-area school trustees are reconsidering plans to reopen Washoe County schools Aug. 12 , after the county health officer raised concerns that in-school classes could further spread the coronavirus .
Health officer Kevin Dick told the county Board of Health on Thursday he could not recommend reopening schools amid growing virus concerns .
“ Distance learning is the safest path forward at this time , ” he said .
Earlier this week , unions representing Washoe County teachers , principals and support staff sent a letter to district leadership demanding distance-only education for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year due to safety concerns .
Clark County School District trustees cited fears of spreading the coronavirus while deciding this week to keep classrooms dark and choose online education for some 300,000 students in the Las Vegas area in the semester starting next month .
Washoe County ’ s virus load has climbed to 190.8 over the past 14 days - 90 more than the 100-case threshold set by Gov .
Steve Sisolak , officials said .
Dick will make a formal presentation Tuesday to school trustees , who will “ have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recommendation during the meeting , ” Board President Malena Raymond and Superintendent Kristen McNeill said in a joint statement .
They said they are prioritizing the health and well-being of the school district ’ s 64,000 students and more than 8,000 staff members .
The developments came as state health officials reported nearly 41,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus .
At least 13 more have died , bringing total deaths to 722 .
Nevada ’ s unemployment rate remains the highest in the nation , at 22 % , and state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ straight increase in first-time claims for weekly jobless benefits .
The State Department of Employment , Training and Rehabilitation said more than 571,000 people have filed unemployment claims since Sisolak declared a state of emergency March 12 due to the pandemic .
DETR acknowledged receiving fraudulent filings for benefits .
It tallied more than 330,000 claims but only about 122,000 benefits paid for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance to independent contractors and gig workers .
The department noted the extra $ 600 in weekly unemployment benefits , provided by the federal government , is set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kimberly Gaa told reporters on a conference call that people who are still due $ 600 weekly payments will be paid .
Sisolak , state Attorney General Aaron Ford and U.S. Attorney Nicholas Trutanich issued advisories this week about unemployment benefit fraud , and Gaa said disbursement of funds was slowed by efforts to identify bogus claims .
Nevada will be one of four states testing what state community health official Julia Peek called a vaccine administration management system program .
The project aims to develop accurate and accessible COVID-19 vaccination registry information @ @ @ @ @

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Reno-area school trustees are reconsidering plans to reopen Washoe County schools Aug. 12, after the county health officer raised concerns that in-school classes could further spread the coronavirus.
Health officer Kevin Dick told the county Board of Health on Thursday he could not recommend reopening schools amid growing virus concerns.
“Distance learning is the safest path forward at this time,” he said.
Earlier this week, unions representing Washoe County teachers, principals and support staff sent a letter to district leadership demanding distance-only education for the first nine weeks of the school year due to safety concerns.
Clark County School District trustees cited fears of spreading the coronavirus while deciding this week to keep classrooms dark and choose online education for some 300,000 students in the Las Vegas area in the semester starting next month.
Washoe County’s virus load has climbed to 190.8 over the past 14 days - 90 more than the 100-case threshold set by Gov. Steve Sisolak, officials said.
Dick will make a formal presentation Tuesday to school trustees, who will “have the option of making decisions based upon this recommendation during the meeting,” Board President Malena Raymond and Superintendent Kristen McNeill said in a joint statement.
They said they are prioritizing the health and well-being of the school district’s 64,000 students and more than 8,000 staff members.
The developments came as state health officials reported nearly 41,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus. At least 13 more have died, bringing total deaths to 722.
Nevada’s unemployment rate remains the highest in the nation, at 22%, and state officials said Friday they charted a fourth straight increase in first-time claims for weekly jobless benefits.
The State Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation said more than 571,000 people have filed unemployment claims since Sisolak declared a state of emergency March 12 due to the pandemic.
DETR acknowledged receiving fraudulent filings for benefits. It tallied more than 330,000 claims but only about 122,000 benefits paid for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance to independent contractors and gig workers. The department noted the extra $600 in weekly unemployment benefits, provided by the federal government, is set to expire next week.
Department Administrator Kimberly Gaa told reporters on a conference call that people who are still due $600 weekly payments will be paid.
Sisolak, state Attorney General Aaron Ford and U.S. Attorney Nicholas Trutanich issued advisories this week about unemployment benefit fraud, and Gaa said disbursement of funds was slowed by efforts to identify bogus claims.
Nevada will be one of four states testing what state community health official Julia Peek called a vaccine administration management system program.
The project aims to develop accurate and accessible COVID-19 vaccination registry information for reporting and analysis.


washingtontimes--2020-07-24--Albuquerque says US agents should respect its police reforms

SANTA FE , N.M. ( AP ) - The Democratic-led city of Albuquerque , New Mexico , asked the U.S. Justice Department for written assurances Friday that a surge in federal agents won ’ t be used to police protests or to target immigrant families or racial and ethnic minorities .
In a letter to the Justice Department ’ s U.S. attorney in Albuquerque , the city said it does not welcome federal agents making arrests and using force on people who assemble to exercise their rights to free speech .
The letter from deputy city attorney Samantha Hults seeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same standards of conduct imposed on the Albuquerque Police Department under a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department aimed at reining in police brutality - including the use of body-worn cameras .
The U.S. attorney ’ s office had no immediate response to the city ’ s requests .
The Albuquerque Police Department began implementing reforms years ago under a prior administration as part of a consent decree with the Justice Department .
Federal authorities in 2014 issued a scathing report in response to a series of deadly police shootings in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force , constitutional violations and a lack of training and oversight of its officers .
“ We ask for your written commitment that federal agents will abide by the City of Albuquerque ’ s policies governing First Amendment assemblies … use of force and the use of on-body recording devices , ” Hults wrote .
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller announced in June that he wants to create a new city department to focus on community safety amid nationwide protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
That new department would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other civilian professionals to focus on violence prevention and provide alternatives to dispatching police , firefighters or paramedics when people call 911 .
The White House announced this week that federal agents will deploy to Chicago , Cleveland , Detroit , Milwaukee and Albuquerque to combat violent crime .
U.S. Attorney General William Barr says 35 agents are being assigned to Albuquerque .
The Trump administration is contending with a backlash to sending federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security to Portland , Oregon , where protests have spiraled into violence .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a judge to block federal agents sent to the city from interfering in or policing protests , arguing in a lawsuit filed Thursday that the surge ordered by President Donald Trump will inhibit residents ’ ability to hold demonstrations .
The city of Albuquerque is seeking a “ written commitment that these agents will focus on continuing the existing operations based on our partnership and continue to focus on high-level drug offenses , human trafficking offenses , federal crimes against children and gun crimes , ” the letter says .

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - The Democratic-led city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, asked the U.S. Justice Department for written assurances Friday that a surge in federal agents won’t be used to police protests or to target immigrant families or racial and ethnic minorities.
In a letter to the Justice Department’s U.S. attorney in Albuquerque, the city said it does not welcome federal agents making arrests and using force on people who assemble to exercise their rights to free speech.
The letter from deputy city attorney Samantha Hults seeks to hold newly assigned federal agents to the same standards of conduct imposed on the Albuquerque Police Department under a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department aimed at reining in police brutality - including the use of body-worn cameras.
The U.S. attorney’s office had no immediate response to the city’s requests.
The Albuquerque Police Department began implementing reforms years ago under a prior administration as part of a consent decree with the Justice Department. Federal authorities in 2014 issued a scathing report in response to a series of deadly police shootings in the city that pointed to patterns of excessive force, constitutional violations and a lack of training and oversight of its officers.
“We ask for your written commitment that federal agents will abide by the City of Albuquerque’s policies governing First Amendment assemblies … use of force and the use of on-body recording devices,” Hults wrote.
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller announced in June that he wants to create a new city department to focus on community safety amid nationwide protests over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
That new department would be made up of social workers and other civilian professionals to focus on violence prevention and provide alternatives to dispatching police, firefighters or paramedics when people call 911.
The White House announced this week that federal agents will deploy to Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee and Albuquerque to combat violent crime. U.S. Attorney General William Barr says 35 agents are being assigned to Albuquerque.
The Trump administration is contending with a backlash to sending federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security to Portland, Oregon, where protests have spiraled into violence.
A collection of Chicago activist groups want a judge to block federal agents sent to the city from interfering in or policing protests, arguing in a lawsuit filed Thursday that the surge ordered by President Donald Trump will inhibit residents’ ability to hold demonstrations.
The city of Albuquerque is seeking a “written commitment that these agents will focus on continuing the existing operations based on our partnership and continue to focus on high-level drug offenses, human trafficking offenses, federal crimes against children and gun crimes,” the letter says.


washingtontimes--2020-07-24--Alabama environmental agency reaches agreement with 3M

MONTGOMERY , Ala. ( AP ) - The Alabama Department of Environmental Management announced Friday that it has reached an agreement with chemical giant 3M regarding cleanup of “ forever chemicals ” at its plant in Decatur and at multiple sites in northwest part of the state .
The state environmental agency said under the interim consent order that the company must assess waste sites in Morgan and Lawrence counties and cleanup sites contaminated with a class of chemical compounds commonly known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances .
The substances are in a family known as “ forever chemicals ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment .
The company must also put in place a system to monitor , test and research the effects of exposure .
“ It protects the public from both past and future contaminations and puts Alabama ahead of the game in regulating these harmful compounds .
This agreement expands ADEM ’ s ability to control PFAS beyond what would otherwise be available , ” ADEM Director Lance LaFleur said in a statement .
“ 3M will pay what it takes to fix permanently whatever PFAS problems it created , in addition to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effects of PFAS on public health and the environment , LaFleur said .
The agency said 3M will assume all the costs of the assessments , remedial actions and research associated with the consent order .
Penalties will be assessed later .
“ During the last 12 months , we have identified areas where we can do more and better , and we ’ re committed to doing our part in our operations moving forward , ” Michelle Howell , 3M Decatur plant manager , said in a statement .
The company said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its newly launched webpage : www.3M.com/AlabamaStewardship .

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Department of Environmental Management announced Friday that it has reached an agreement with chemical giant 3M regarding cleanup of “forever chemicals” at its plant in Decatur and at multiple sites in northwest part of the state.
The state environmental agency said under the interim consent order that the company must assess waste sites in Morgan and Lawrence counties and cleanup sites contaminated with a class of chemical compounds commonly known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The substances are in a family known as “forever chemicals” because they do not degrade in the environment.
The company must also put in place a system to monitor, test and research the effects of exposure.
“It protects the public from both past and future contaminations and puts Alabama ahead of the game in regulating these harmful compounds. This agreement expands ADEM’s ability to control PFAS beyond what would otherwise be available,” ADEM Director Lance LaFleur said in a statement.
“3M will pay what it takes to fix permanently whatever PFAS problems it created, in addition to the requirements for investigations and research on any effects of PFAS on public health and the environment, LaFleur said.
The agency said 3M will assume all the costs of the assessments, remedial actions and research associated with the consent order. Penalties will be assessed later.
“During the last 12 months, we have identified areas where we can do more and better, and we’re committed to doing our part in our operations moving forward,” Michelle Howell, 3M Decatur plant manager, said in a statement.
3M has faced multiple lawsuits over contamination.
The company said it will communicate about its actions on its newly launched webpage: www.3M.com/AlabamaStewardship.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Malaysian ex-PM Najib arrives in court for graft verdict

KUALA LUMPUR , Malaysia ( AP ) - Ex-Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak arrived at court Tuesday for a verdict in the first of several corruption trials linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of the 1MDB state investment fund .
The outcome is widely seen as a test of the rule of law five months after a new government took power .
Najib ’ s Malay party returned to office as a key player in the new ruling alliance , less than two years after its shocking ouster in 2018 elections driven by public anger over the 1MDB scandal .
Security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public barred from entering and staff spraying hand sanitizer for media outside .
As Najib , wearing a mask and beige suit , entered the building a crowd of supporters gathered outside , some wearing shirts reading “ bossku , ” or “ my boss.
” Najib , 67 , said in a Facebook post late Monday that he was prepared to fight to the end .
He said he would appeal if he was found guilty , and expects prosecutors to appeal if he was acquitted .
“ From day one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance for me to clear my name , ” he wrote .
“ Whatever the decision in the High Court tomorrow , it does not end here … after this , we will go to the Court of Appeal .
I am ready.
” Najib faces a total of 42 charges in five separate graft trials linked to the 1MDB saga and may be sentenced to years in prison if convicted in the first trial alone .
Analysts said the ruling could affect Najib ’ s other trials and send a signal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Malaysia ’ s legal system in tackling international financial crime .
The verdict will also test current Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin , who was fired as Najib ’ s deputy in 2016 for speaking out on the 1MDB scandal but now relies on Najib ’ s party for support .
Najib ’ s party is the biggest bloc in the current Malay nationalist alliance , which was formed in March after a political coup by Muhyiddin ’ s party toppled the former reformist government .
Najib set up 1MDB shortly after becoming prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s economic development .
But the fund accumulated billions in debt , and U.S. investigators allege that at least $ 4.5 billion was stolen from it and laundered by Najib ’ s associates to finance Hollywood films and buy hotels , a luxury yacht , artwork , jewelry and other extravagances .
More than $ 700 million from the fund allegedly landed in Najib ’ s bank accounts .
Najib ’ s wife and several officials from his party and previous government have also been charged with graft .
Najib , whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second and third prime ministers , denies any wrongdoing .
He calls the prosecutions a political attack on him .
Najib ’ s first trial began in April 2019 over seven charges related to the transfer of 42 million ringgit ( $ 9.8 million ) from SRC International , a former 1MDB unit , into his bank accounts through intermediary companies .
Najib is accused of using his position to receive a bribe for approving a government guarantee for billions in loans to SRC , committing criminal breach of trust and accepting proceeds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complex trail of money through the accounts that paid for renovating Najib ’ s home , credit card purchases including a Chanel watch bought in Hawaii as a birthday gift for his wife , and disbursements to political parties .
Najib has said he was misled by rogue bankers led by Malaysian fugitive financier Low Taek Jho , identified by investigators as a mastermind in the looting of 1MDB .
Najib testified he assumed the money was part of an Arab donation arranged by Low .
Najib ’ s lawyers said Low used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Najib from being suspicious of his plundering of the 1MDB fund .
Prosecutors argued Najib was the real power behind 1MDB and SRC , and called the Arab donation “ manufactured evidence ” to cover up his tracks .
Whatever the verdict , both sides can appeal the decision in a lengthy process .

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A Malaysian court sentenced former Prime Minister Najib Razak to serve 12 years in prison on Tuesday after finding him guilty in the first of several corruption trials linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of the 1MDB state investment fund that brought down his government two years ago.
Najib was calm and stone-faced as he became the first Malaysian leader to be convicted. He took an oath in brief remarks in the dock that he was innocent.
Judge Mohamad Nazlan Ghazali sentenced Najib to 12 years in jail on one count of abuse of power, 10 years each for three counts of criminal breach of trust, and 10 years each for three counts of money laundering, as well as a fine of 210 million ringgit ($49.4 million). But he ordered the sentences to run concurrently, meaning that Najib will face only up to 12 years in jail.
The judge allowed a stay of the jail sentence and fine pending Najib’s planned appeal. But he raised the bail amount and ordered Najib to report to the police twice a month.
The judge earlier read out an elaborate two-hour ruling that convicted Najib of all seven charges.
The judge said the sentence was “appropriate and proportionate” taking into account that Najib had committed the crime from a “position of trust” as prime minister, his final plea and the need to deter others from committing the same crime.
The ruling in the first of his five corruption trials came five months after Najib’s Malay party returned to government as the biggest bloc in an alliance that took power from the reformist government that ousted Najib’s in 2018 elections.
Analysts said the ruling would bolster the prosecution’s case in Najib’s other trials and would signal to the business community that Malaysia’s legal system has strength in tackling international financial crimes. But others cautioned the ruling could be overturned as his political party remains in office.
Prosecutors earlier said the case had tarnished the country as a kleptocracy and sought a sentence that would remind those in high public office that “no one is above the law.”
Najib asked the court to take into account his achievements during his nine-year tenure and gave an oath that he wasn’t aware of the 42 million ringgit ($9.8 million) channeled into his bank accounts from SRC International, a former unit of 1MDB.
“I did not demand the 42 million, I did not plan for the 42 million, nor was the 42 million offered to me. There has been no evidence nor witness to this. And I also like to say that I have no knowledge of the 42 million,” Najib insisted.
Some of Najib’s supporters outside the courthouse cried when they learned of the verdict while others chanted “free bossku” and “long live bossku.” The nickname meaning “my boss” was coined for Najib in his social media campaign to reinvent himself as a working-class leader.
Najib, 67, has vowed to fight to the end. He has said he was misled by rogue bankers and the case against him is political.
“I want justice. I want to clear my name,” he wrote on Facebook late Monday. “After this, we will go to the Court of Appeal. I am ready.” A scion of one of Malaysia’s most prominent political families, he faces 42 charges in five separate trials.
“The conviction would serve as a solid foundation for the prosecution in ensuing 1MDB-related trials,” said Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow with Singapore’s Institute of International Affairs.
He said the ruling also would strengthen the credibility of current Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, even though he now relies on Najib’s party for support. Muhyiddin was fired as Najib’s deputy exactly five years ago for speaking out on the 1MDB scandal.
Najib’s party is the biggest bloc in the current Malay nationalist alliance that has governed since March with a shaky, wafer-thin majority in parliament.
The ruling was “absolutely” good for Malaysia, said analyst Bridget Welsh, honorary research associate with the University of Nottingham Malaysia.
“I think that there is a sense of euphoria among the citizens that justice is being served, among the majority of Malaysians,” Welsh said. “Keep in mind that majority of Malaysians voted (in 2018) for political change, and the 1MDB case was a catalyst in that. The 1MDB case damaged Malaysia’s reputation, and I think today worked towards restoring that.”
Najib’s father and uncle were Malaysia’s second and third prime ministers. Shortly after he took office in 2009, he set up 1MDB to ostensibly accelerate Malaysia’s economic development.
But the fund accumulated billions in debt, and U.S. investigators allege that at least $4.5 billion was stolen from it and laundered by Najib’s associates to finance Hollywood films and buy hotels, a luxury yacht, artwork, jewelry and other extravagances. More than $700 million from the fund allegedly landed in Najib’s bank accounts.
During the trial, Najib was accused of using his position to receive a bribe for approving a government guarantee for billions in loans to SRC, committing criminal breach of trust and accepting proceeds from unlawful activities.
Evidence showed a complex trail of ill-gotten money paid for his home renovation, credit card purchases including a Chanel watch bought in Hawaii as a birthday gift for his wife, and disbursements to political parties.
The judge agreed with prosecutors on Tuesday that Najib had “overarching control” of SRC and failed to rebut allegations that he misappropriated money for his own use.
The judge said the defense’s argument that Najib, as prime minister, was duped by rogue bankers led by Malaysian fugitive financier Low Taek Jho was “too far-fetched” as the two had a close relationship. Investigators have identified Low as the mastermind behind the looting of 1MDB and he remains at large.
Najib testified he assumed the money was part of a donation by the Saudi royal family arranged by Low as a guise to keep Najib from being suspicious of his plundering of the 1MDB fund. The judge debunked that argument in the guilty verdict, finding it an “elaborate but weak fabrication.”
Najib’s second and third trials involving some of the remaining charges are ongoing. His wife and several officials from his party and previous government have also been charged with graft related to 1MDB corruption.
“People should not really be celebrating now … we know in Malaysia, many of these politically charged cases, once they get to the appeals court, they get reversed,” said James Chin, professor of Asian studies at Australia’s University of Tasmania.
“So the fact that we have today’s guilty verdict doesn’t mean things will change. Najib will still remain an MP (member of parliament) and we have to wait for the appeal court system,” Chin added.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Activists want Seattle police held in contempt

SEATTLE ( AP ) - Activists who won a U.S. court order restricting the Seattle Police Department ’ s use of chemical weapons for crowd control say the department should be held in contempt of court for violating it in a “ vengeful outburst ” over the weekend .
In June , U.S. District Judge Richard Jones issued an order forbidding Seattle police from using “ chemical irritants or projectiles of any kind ” against people demonstrating peacefully .
But in a motion filed Monday , the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington and other groups said that on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blast balls indiscriminately into a crowd after a small number of protesters engaged in property destruction .
“ Two days ago , the Seattle Police Department ( SPD ) ambushed peaceful protesters with a level of violence that surpasses that seen in early June , ” the motion said .
“ Protesters were indiscriminately hit with blast balls , pepper spray , and blunt force objects .
Journalists were trampled .
Medics were maced for attending to patients .
Legal observers were shot at close range .
The injuries were extensive.
” Seattle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ riot after several people set fire to the construction site of a new youth detention center and set off explosives at the department ’ s East Precinct building .
They arrested 47 people and said 59 officers suffered injuries including scrapes , bruises and burns .
The department did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment .
The judge ’ s order allowed individual officers to take “ necessary , reasonable , proportional , and targeted action ” to protect against specific threats , but it added : “ To the extent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in accordance with this paragraph , they shall not be deployed indiscriminately into a crowd … ” The motion for contempt cites the accounts of several protesters who say they were marching peacefully when they were hit by flash-bangs , pepper spray or other munitions .
Some suffered burns .
The police also clearly targeted journalists and legal observers with blast balls or pepper spray , the motion said .

SEATTLE (AP) - Activists who won a U.S. court order restricting the Seattle Police Department’s use of chemical weapons for crowd control say the department should be held in contempt of court for violating it in a “vengeful outburst” over the weekend.
In June, U.S. District Judge Richard Jones issued an order forbidding Seattle police from using “chemical irritants or projectiles of any kind” against people demonstrating peacefully. But in a motion filed Monday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington and other groups representing Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County said that on Saturday, the department shot pepper spray and blast balls indiscriminately into a crowd after a small number of protesters engaged in property destruction.
“Two days ago, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) ambushed peaceful protesters with a level of violence that surpasses that seen in early June,” the motion said. “Protesters were indiscriminately hit with blast balls, pepper spray, and blunt force objects. Journalists were trampled. Medics were maced for attending to patients. Legal observers were shot at close range. The injuries were extensive.”
Seattle police said they declared the demonstration a riot after several people set fire to the construction site of a new youth detention center and set off explosives at the department’s East Precinct building. They arrested 47 people and said 59 officers suffered injuries including scrapes, bruises and burns.
The department did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
The judge’s order allowed individual officers to take “necessary, reasonable, proportional, and targeted action” to protect against specific threats, but it added: “To the extent that chemical irritants or projectiles are used in accordance with this paragraph, they shall not be deployed indiscriminately into a crowd …”
The motion for contempt cites the accounts of several protesters who say they were marching peacefully when they were hit by flash-bangs, pepper spray or other munitions. Some suffered burns.
The police also clearly targeted journalists and legal observers with blast balls or pepper spray, the motion said.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Cowboys for Trump defends 'go back to Africa' comments

SANTA FE , N.M. ( AP ) - The founder of the Cowboys for Trump political support group urged people who support performances of the Black National Anthem at football games to “ go back to Africa ” and condemned as “ vile scum ” people who portray the Confederate flag as racist , in a live Facebook video that has since been removed .
The selfie video of Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin was recorded Sunday on Facebook and watched by at least 2,200 people before it was removed from the Cowboys for Trump website .
Griffin says he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 35-minute speech from Griffin on themes of God , faith , politics and country takes place on a mountaintop in southern New Mexico , where Griffin says he fasted for three days as he contemplates the nation ’ s political fate as the November election approaches .
In one passage , he sharply criticizes those who support performances at football games of the “ Lift Ev ’ ry Voice and Sing ” - traditionally known as the Black National Anthem - as a gesture of solidarity against racial injustice .
“ They want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to talk about playing a Black national anthem before football games ?
I got a better idea , why don ’ t you go back to Africa and form your little football teams over in Africa and you can play on a ( n ) old beat-out dirt lot and you can play your Black national anthem there .
How about that ?
” he said .
“ This is America , we play the National Anthem in America today.
” Reached by phone Monday , Griffin said he was speaking out against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holds white people responsible for racist behavior , and described the “ back to Africa ” phrase on his part as a poor choice of words .
“ It seems like we have such a double standard , ” Griffin said .
“ You know the Black community can say whatever they feel like saying about the white community and label us all as racist .
But as soon as you disagree with something like the Black National Anthem being played , then all of the sudden you ’ re deemed a racist.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a shift with a “ C4T , ” which stands for Cowboys for Trump , and acknowledges that media outlets are likely to highlight excerpts of his speech as racist .
He used an epithet to describe Chinese Americans and “ Africans ” to describe Black activists and urged any person of color who didn ’ t identify as “ American ” first “ to go back.
” Harold Bailey , president of the Albuquerque chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People , said he was horrified by Griffin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remarks some of the most hateful things he ’ s heard in recent memory .
“ This cat is off the charts .
There is no denying that this is a racist rant meant to spark violence , ” Bailey said .
“ It ’ s despicable and unacceptable .
I really don ’ t know what else to say.
” Devont ’ e Kurt Watson , a member of the Black Lives Matter movement in Albuquerque , also called Griffin ’ s remarks bigoted and believed they were given to incite violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an American anthem and we are fighting for American ideals , ” Watson said .
“ He ’ d know that if he ’ d have a conversation with Black Lives Matter instead of acting like a child.
” Griffin said he would never incite violence - unless perhaps the U.S. Constitution were under attack .
And he explained that he supports a vision for an America of all races and ethnicities without bias against whites .
“ It ’ s such a hypocritical thing for people to say , ‘ Well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an immigrant if you ’ re a person of color , ’ ” he said .
“ If you don ’ t have Native American ancestry , we ’ re all immigrants .
… And we need to get back to that.
” Trump plans to visit the Permian Basin oil region in West Texas on Wednesday , including an appearance at an oil rig in the Midland area .
Griffin said he was invited and hopes to attend .
He said he considers Trump a friend but that his own online speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit to the neighboring state of Texas .
“ We stand on our own set of ideals , ” Griffin said .
“ And they just so coincide with the Trump administration.
” Griffin ’ s speech delves into his opposition to New Mexico ’ s health orders in response to the coronavirus pandemic , and his decision to forgo visits from his son under a joint custody agreement rather than wear a mask due to the virus .
In March , Griffin faced calls to resign from his county commissioner ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ the only good Democrat is a dead Democrat.
” Griffin said Democrats were anti-American because they oppose President Donald Trump .
Russell Contreras is a member of The Associated Press ’ Race and Ethnicity Team .
Follow him on Twitter at : http : //twitter.com/russcontreras

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - The founder of the Cowboys for Trump political support group urged people who support performances of the Black National Anthem at football games to “go back to Africa” and condemned as “vile scum” people who portray the Confederate flag as racist, in a live Facebook video that has since been removed.
The selfie video of Otero County Commissioner Couy Griffin was recorded Sunday on Facebook and watched by at least 2,200 people before it was removed from the Cowboys for Trump website. Griffin says he did not remove the video.
The 35-minute speech from Griffin on themes of God, faith, politics and country takes place on a mountaintop in southern New Mexico, where Griffin says he fasted for three days as he contemplates the nation’s political fate as the November election approaches.
In one passage, he sharply criticizes those who support performances at football games of the “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” - traditionally known as the Black National Anthem - as a gesture of solidarity against racial injustice.
“They want to destroy our country. They want to talk about playing a Black national anthem before football games? I got a better idea, why don’t you go back to Africa and form your little football teams over in Africa and you can play on a(n) old beat-out dirt lot and you can play your Black national anthem there. How about that?” he said. “This is America, we play the National Anthem in America today.”
Reached by phone Monday, Griffin said he was speaking out against a double standard that he says only holds white people responsible for racist behavior, and described the “back to Africa” phrase on his part as a poor choice of words.
“It seems like we have such a double standard,” Griffin said. “You know the Black community can say whatever they feel like saying about the white community and label us all as racist. But as soon as you disagree with something like the Black National Anthem being played, then all of the sudden you’re deemed a racist.”
In his speech, Griffin wears a shift with a “C4T,” which stands for Cowboys for Trump, and acknowledges that media outlets are likely to highlight excerpts of his speech as racist. He used an epithet to describe Chinese Americans and “Africans” to describe Black activists and urged any person of color who didn’t identify as “American” first “to go back.”
Harold Bailey, president of the Albuquerque chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said he was horrified by Griffin’s comments. He called the remarks some of the most hateful things he’s heard in recent memory.
“This cat is off the charts. There is no denying that this is a racist rant meant to spark violence,” Bailey said. “It’s despicable and unacceptable. I really don’t know what else to say.”
Devont’e Kurt Watson, a member of the Black Lives Matter movement in Albuquerque, also called Griffin’s remarks bigoted and believed they were given to incite violence.
“The Black National Anthem is an American anthem and we are fighting for American ideals,” Watson said. “He’d know that if he’d have a conversation with Black Lives Matter instead of acting like a child.”
Griffin said he would never incite violence - unless perhaps the U.S. Constitution were under attack. And he explained that he supports a vision for an America of all races and ethnicities without bias against whites.
“It’s such a hypocritical thing for people to say, ‘Well, you know, you’re only an immigrant if you’re a person of color,’” he said. “If you don’t have Native American ancestry, we’re all immigrants. … And we need to get back to that.”
Trump plans to visit the Permian Basin oil region in West Texas on Wednesday, including an appearance at an oil rig in the Midland area. Griffin said he was invited and hopes to attend. He said he considers Trump a friend but that his own online speech was not coordinated with Trump or his visit to the neighboring state of Texas.
“We stand on our own set of ideals,” Griffin said. “And they just so coincide with the Trump administration.”
Griffin’s speech delves into his opposition to New Mexico’s health orders in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and his decision to forgo visits from his son under a joint custody agreement rather than wear a mask due to the virus.
In March, Griffin faced calls to resign from his county commissioner’s seat after he said in a video, “the only good Democrat is a dead Democrat.”
Griffin said Democrats were anti-American because they oppose President Donald Trump.
___
Russell Contreras is a member of The Associated Press’ Race and Ethnicity Team. Follow him on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/russcontreras


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Ronald Bernard Hickey, Canadian man, charged with doxxing police in Portland riots

Federal officers arrested 22 people during another weekend of clashes in Portland , Oregon , the U.S. attorney said Monday evening , ranging from doxxing federal officers to flying a drone in restricted space .
U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams said the arrests came around the federal Hatfield Courthouse in downtown Portland , which has become the focal point for demonstrations that , on a nightly basis , devolve into violence as protesters try to break into the courthouse grounds to light fires or paint graffiti .
Most of the new arrests were on charges of assaulting a federal officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Canadian citizen , was charged with stalking and harassing federal officers .
According to an affidavit filed in the case , Mr. Hickey — using the Twitter account @ TawasiSoce — posted video of federal agents being housed at a Marriott hotel , and asking followers to call the hotel and urge them to stop “ housing violent federal goons.
” He also urged hotel employees to mess with their food orders .
An ICE agent said he connected Mr. Hickey to the account after a video that seemed to inadvertently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plate .
After seeing him post one night that he was out protesting , they tracked down his car and staked it out , then arrested him .
Mr. Williams , the prosecutor , said he has also charged Richard Lindstet with operating a drone in a restricted airspace .
No case document was available Monday night .
The 22 charged persons range in age from 18 to 65 .

Federal officers arrested 22 people during another weekend of clashes in Portland, Oregon, the U.S. attorney said Monday evening, ranging from doxxing federal officers to flying a drone in restricted space.
U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams said the arrests came around the federal Hatfield Courthouse in downtown Portland, which has become the focal point for demonstrations that, on a nightly basis, devolve into violence as protesters try to break into the courthouse grounds to light fires or paint graffiti.
Most of the new arrests were on charges of assaulting a federal officer, but a man identified only as Tawasi was charged with stalking and harassing federal officers.
Prosecutors originally identified Tawasi as Ronald Bernard Hickey, 44, a Canadian citizen. But more than a week after the charges were announced, they issued a correction, saying in fact Mr. Hickey has not been charged.
The U.S. attorney’s office didn’t say how it conflated the two men.
According to an affidavit filed in the case, Tawasi — using the Twitter account @TawasiSoce — posted video of federal agents being housed at a Marriott hotel, and asking followers to call the hotel and urge them to stop “housing violent federal goons.” He also urged hotel employees to mess with their food orders.
An ICE agent said he connected Tawasi to the account after a video that seemed to inadvertently show Tawasi’s car license plate. After seeing him post one night that he was out protesting, they tracked down his car and staked it out, then arrested him.
Mr. Williams, the prosecutor, said he has also charged Richard Linstedt with operating a drone in a restricted airspace. They originally identified him to the public as Lindtstet, but promised to correct that, too, after The Washington Times reported no case could be found under the name they announced.
The 22 charged persons range in age from 18 to 65.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--Texas organizers say local police did not protect protesters

WEATHERFORD , Texas ( AP ) - Community leaders say local law enforcement in Texas did not protect protesters from opposing groups after weekend rallies turned violent .
Local law enforcement disbanded a protest in Weatherford over the removal of a Confederate monument , saying it was unlawful after a confrontation with counter-protesters .
But organizer Tony Crawford , of Parker County Progressives , said police did not seem to know what to do and failed to protect the protesters .
Crawford ’ s group and Fort Worth-based Enough is Enough coordinated the protest on Saturday that supported removal of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to march from a city park to the Parker County Courthouse .
But they were met with hundreds of counter-protesters who thought the statue would be damaged .
Some in the crowd carried Confederate flags , yelled racial slurs and threw water bottles , Crawford said .
“ It got to a point where I wasn ’ t sure we were going to be able to get everybody out of there safely , ” Crawford said .
“ We don ’ t want to touch that statue because anything that happens to that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me.
” Jim Webster , a former Parker County commissioner , was among the counter-protesters .
He said citizens stood up to bullies that came to take down their statue .
Videos show a counter-protester punching a protester in the head .
Others show a counter-protester brandishing a knife and a man charging into protesters .
Parker County Judge Pat Deen said two people were arrested .
Weatherford police did not immediately respond to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram ’ s request for comment on Sunday .
Deen said there aren ’ t plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s agenda because the Daughters of the Confederacy , who own it , want it moved but can ’ t afford it .
On Sunday , a Portland Protest Rally and a Back the Blue Rally in Tyler turned violent .
Democratic congressional candidate Hank Gilbert of Tyler held the original rally , while a Back the Blue Rally started later on the downtown square .
One person was choked , a woman said she was punched and Gilbert ’ s campaign manager Ryan Miller was cut on the face .
Supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louie Gohmert , brutally beat and assaulted Miller , according to Gilbert ’ s campaign staff ’ s Sunday press release .
But supporters of President Donald Trump said they were provoked .
Tyler Police took statements from protesters , but Gilbert said that was not enough .
“ The Tyler police were idly driving around the square in their patrol cars , and waving at the counter-protesters who were heavily armed , ” Gilbert said .
Andy Erbaugh , the department ’ s public information officer , said officers responded quickly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calling on Governor Greg Abbott and the city of Tyler to investigate the Tyler Police Department .

WEATHERFORD, Texas (AP) - Community leaders say local law enforcement in Texas did not protect protesters from opposing groups after weekend rallies turned violent.
Local law enforcement disbanded a protest in Weatherford over the removal of a Confederate monument, saying it was unlawful after a confrontation with counter-protesters. But organizer Tony Crawford, of Parker County Progressives, said police did not seem to know what to do and failed to protect the protesters.
Crawford’s group and Fort Worth-based Enough is Enough coordinated the protest on Saturday that supported removal of the statue. The groups had planned to march from a city park to the Parker County Courthouse. But they were met with hundreds of counter-protesters who thought the statue would be damaged.
Some in the crowd carried Confederate flags, yelled racial slurs and threw water bottles, Crawford said.
“It got to a point where I wasn’t sure we were going to be able to get everybody out of there safely,” Crawford said. “We don’t want to touch that statue because anything that happens to that statue is going to get blamed on me.”
Jim Webster, a former Parker County commissioner, was among the counter-protesters. He said citizens stood up to bullies that came to take down their statue.
Videos show a counter-protester punching a protester in the head. Others show a counter-protester brandishing a knife and a man charging into protesters.
Parker County Judge Pat Deen said two people were arrested. Weatherford police did not immediately respond to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s request for comment on Sunday.
Deen said the state chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy owns the statue and they are planning to move it to another location once they can fund the move.
Deen said the county commissioners will hold a special meeting Thursday “to agree and approve the statue can remain” till that group has the funds to move it.
On Sunday, a Portland Protest Rally and a Back the Blue Rally in Tyler turned violent. Democratic congressional candidate Hank Gilbert of Tyler held the original rally, while a Back the Blue Rally started later on the downtown square.
One person was choked, a woman said she was punched and Gilbert’s campaign manager Ryan Miller was cut on the face. Supporters of Gilbert’s opponent, Congressman Louie Gohmert, brutally beat and assaulted Miller, according to Gilbert’s campaign staff’s Sunday press release.
But supporters of President Donald Trump said they were provoked.
Tyler Police took statements from protesters, but Gilbert said that was not enough.
“The Tyler police were idly driving around the square in their patrol cars, and waving at the counter-protesters who were heavily armed,” Gilbert said.
Andy Erbaugh, the department’s public information officer, said officers responded quickly and no arrests were made.
Gilbert is calling on Governor Greg Abbott and the city of Tyler to investigate the Tyler Police Department.


washingtontimes--2020-07-27--New Zealand suspends extradition treaty with Hong Kong

WELLINGTON , New Zealand ( AP ) - New Zealand announced Tuesday it will follow the lead of its intelligence allies by suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong .
The move comes in response to China passing a sweeping new security law for the semi-autonomous territory .
New Zealand is the final member of the “ Five Eyes ” intelligence-sharing alliance to take such action after the U.S. , Australia , Canada and the U.K. previously announced similar measures .
New Zealand relies on China as its largest trading partner and in the past has often tried to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buys billions of dollars worth of New Zealand ’ s agricultural goods , including its lucrative milk powder which is used in infant formula .
But Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the new law went against commitments China had made to the international community .
“ New Zealand can no longer trust that Hong Kong ’ s criminal justice system is sufficiently independent from China , ” Peters said in a statement .
He said there would be other changes to the relationship .
New Zealand would now treat military and technology exports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as it treats such exports to China , he said , and had updated its travel advice to warn New Zealanders about the risks they faced under the new law .
“ New Zealand remains deeply concerned at the imposition of this legislation , and we will continue to monitor the situation in Hong Kong as the law is applied , ” Peters said .
“ As a result , the review of our cooperation settings with Hong Kong will be ongoing.
” China says the new security law is needed to combat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from becoming a base for undermining Chinese state power .
In general , cases would be tried in Hong Kong , but the law allows for mainland jurisdiction in some circumstances .
China ’ s embassy in Wellington , led by ambassador Wu Xi , said Tuesday it was preparing a response to the announcement .
Earlier this month , as New Zealand considered such a move , the embassy put out a statement urging the nation to “ stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China ’ s internal affairs , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong path .
”

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - New Zealand announced Tuesday that it will follow the lead of its intelligence allies by suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong.
The move comes in response to China passing a sweeping new security law for the semi-autonomous territory.
New Zealand is the final member of the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance to take such action after the U.S., Australia, Canada and Britain previously announced similar measures.
New Zealand relies on China as its largest trading partner and in the past has often tried to avoid direct political confrontation. China each year buys billions of dollars worth of New Zealand’s agricultural goods, including its lucrative milk powder, which is used in infant formula.
But Foreign Minister Winston Peters said the new law went against commitments China had made to the international community.
“New Zealand can no longer trust that Hong Kong’s criminal justice system is sufficiently independent from China,” he said.
Peters said there would be other changes to the relationship. New Zealand will now treat military and technology exports to Hong Kong in the same way as it treats such exports to China, he said. New Zealand also has updated its travel advice to warn its citizens about the risks they face under the new law.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said New Zealand was following its principles.
“We do have a mature relationship with China,” Ardern said. “There have been occasions where we have taken different positions. This obviously will be one of them.”
China says the new security law is needed to combat terrorism and separatism and prevent Hong Kong from becoming a base for undermining Chinese state power. In general, cases will be tried in Hong Kong, but the law allows for mainland jurisdiction in some circumstances.
China’s embassy in Wellington, led by ambassador Wu Xi, said New Zealand should stop interfering.
“The New Zealand government’s decision is a serious violation of international law and basic norms governing international relations,” the embassy said in a statement. “It is a gross interference in China’s internal affairs. The Chinese side has lodged its grave concern and strong opposition.”
Peters said New Zealand had taken its stance independently of its Five Eyes partners and wasn’t concerned about any impact on exports. “We are surely entitled as a democracy to make our views known,” he said.
He said New Zealand remains deeply concerned about the legislation and would monitor the situation in Hong Kong as the new law was enforced.