westernjournal--2020-01-24--LA Times Reverses Course, Slams Sanctuary City Movement — At Least for Gun Owners

The newly Democratic Virginia legislature ’ s bold push to codify as much gun control as humanly possible this session has hardly been met with cheers .
In fact , ranging from universal background checks and bans on so-called “ assault weapons ” to a “ red flag ” weapon seizure law that passed in the state Senate this week , the bills within disgraced Gov .
Ralph Northam ’ s once-failed gun control package sparked immense nationwide controversy this year as they were brought up again in the state legislature , according to Vox .
Prompting several protests , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights advocates on the state capitol Monday , Northam ’ s proposals have even led officials around the state to publicly refuse to enforce any gun control deemed unconstitutional — a peaceful , democratic response that many conservatives and Second Amendment supporters have hailed as patriotic .
According to the gun control left , however , such dissent , namely the gun rights movement ’ s co-opting of the “ sanctuary city ” policy , is apparently an unthinkable and inadvisable act of “ faithlessness in government.
” TRENDING : Trump Rolls Back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All ' from Obama Era At least , that is what the Los Angeles Times Editorial Board argued in an piece published the day before before Monday ’ s demonstration — one of the largest Second Amendment rallies in U.S. history .
“ The simple fact is : Local governments can not decide willy-nilly that if they don ’ t like a state law , they don ’ t have to enforce it , ” the editorial board wrote Sunday .
“ While states may have powers unique from the federal government ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the municipal level.
” “ We all have the right to protest or mount a demonstration , ” the editors continued .
“ Local governments also have a right to dissent from laws they dislike , and to lobby for changes .
That is how democracy works .
“ But it is irresponsible for local jurisdictions to pick and choose which laws they will enforce , especially when such stances undermine the legitimacy of a democratically elected government and play into the hands of extremists , ” they claimed .
Of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remotely resembling self-awareness thrown to the wind , considering this is the same outlet that has supported sanctuary city policies since they were popularized by California ’ s progressives in an effort to protect illegal immigrants from deportation .
Heck , this is the same outlet responsible for editorial opinions and third-party Op-Eds carrying headlines such as “ Don ’ t fulfill Trump ’ s false depiction of California as a ‘ sanctuary state ’ for undocumented immigrants ” and “ Why sanctuary cities must exist , ” in which arguments were made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to honor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers .
And of course , the hypocrisy of it all hardly went unnoticed , as public figures like acting Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli took the time to poke fun at the clear double standard being set .
RELATED : After CNN Settles for Smearing a Kid , Cuomo Slams Mnuchin for Answering Question on Thunberg And what ’ s worse is the fact that the LA Times leaned into that very double standard within the body of its editorial , making the absurd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difference between Second Amendment sanctuaries and immigration sanctuaries .
That difference ?
The fact that immigration enforcement falls under federal civil codes while gun control enforcement falls under state criminal codes .
Apparently , refusing to cooperate with federal officials regarding civil law is acceptable .
But don ’ t take my word for it .
The LA Times says so outright , claiming that the “ movements are related in name only , and it is possible to support the latter without supporting the former.
” “ Immigration codes , after all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not criminal law , and local jurisdictions have the right to decide that they don ’ t want to use local tax dollars to enforce federal civil codes , ” the editorial board wrote .
“ They may not impede the federal government ’ s ability to enforce its immigration codes , but they don ’ t have to cooperate.
” Now , if you were to ask a constitutional scholar , refusing to enforce gun control laws is , in fact , in adherence with the U.S. Constitution , the supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s far more meaningful than either state criminal law or federal civil law .
Such digression , however , is wasted on the gun control left .
Anyone willing to partake in the Olympic-caliber mental gymnastics required to argue that a municipality ’ s refusal to cooperate with one law and not another is somehow justifiable , immediately after arguing “ local governments can not decide willy-nilly ” which laws they chose to enforce , can not be reasoned with .
And the gun control left does not want to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does .
They want their way — and they will justify any means , no matter how hypocritical , to have it .
The Los Angeles Times declined The Western Journal ’ s request for comment .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The newly Democratic Virginia legislature’s bold push to codify as much gun control as humanly possible this session has hardly been met with cheers.
In fact, ranging from universal background checks and bans on so-called “assault weapons” to a “red flag” weapon seizure law that passed in the state Senate this week, the bills within disgraced Gov. Ralph Northam’s once-failed gun control package sparked immense nationwide controversy this year as they were brought up again in the state legislature, according to Vox.
Prompting several protests, including the non-violent marching of 22,000 gun rights advocates on the state capitol Monday, Northam’s proposals have even led officials around the state to publicly refuse to enforce any gun control deemed unconstitutional — a peaceful, democratic response that many conservatives and Second Amendment supporters have hailed as patriotic.
According to the gun control left, however, such dissent, namely the gun rights movement’s co-opting of the “sanctuary city” policy, is apparently an unthinkable and inadvisable act of “faithlessness in government.”
“If local jurisdictions dislike state laws, there are democratic mechanisms for changing them. Laws that have been duly passed and enacted should be followed; that’s what the rule of law means,” writes the editorial board.https://t.co/vBSshg1v71 — L.A. Times Opinion (@latimesopinion) January 20, 2020
At least, that is what the Los Angeles Times Editorial Board argued in an piece published the day before before Monday’s demonstration — one of the largest Second Amendment rallies in U.S. history.
“The simple fact is: Local governments cannot decide willy-nilly that if they don’t like a state law, they don’t have to enforce it,” the editorial board wrote Sunday. “While states may have powers unique from the federal government’s, no such duality exists at the municipal level.”
“We all have the right to protest or mount a demonstration,” the editors continued. “Local governments also have a right to dissent from laws they dislike, and to lobby for changes. That is how democracy works.
Do you support Second Amendment sanctuaries? Yes No
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“But it is irresponsible for local jurisdictions to pick and choose which laws they will enforce, especially when such stances undermine the legitimacy of a democratically elected government and play into the hands of extremists,” they claimed.
Of course, the claim was clearly made with anything remotely resembling self-awareness thrown to the wind, considering this is the same outlet that has supported sanctuary city policies since they were popularized by California’s progressives in an effort to protect illegal immigrants from deportation.
Heck, this is the same outlet responsible for editorial opinions and third-party Op-Eds carrying headlines such as “Don’t fulfill Trump’s false depiction of California as a ‘sanctuary state’ for undocumented immigrants” and “Why sanctuary cities must exist,” in which arguments were made in favor of local law enforcement declining to honor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers.
And of course, the hypocrisy of it all hardly went unnoticed, as public figures like acting Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli took the time to poke fun at the clear double standard being set.
If you’re starved for hypocrisy, the LA Times should fill you up w/ this one: Editorial: 2nd Amendment sanctuaries are acts of faithlessness in government https://t.co/f17TPFEikk — Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli (@HomelandKen) January 20, 2020
And what’s worse is the fact that the LA Times leaned into that very double standard within the body of its editorial, making the absurd claim that there is actually a substantive difference between Second Amendment sanctuaries and immigration sanctuaries.
That difference? The fact that immigration enforcement falls under federal civil codes while gun control enforcement falls under state criminal codes.
Apparently, refusing to cooperate with federal officials regarding civil law is acceptable.
But don’t take my word for it. The LA Times says so outright, claiming that the “movements are related in name only, and it is possible to support the latter without supporting the former.”
“Immigration codes, after all, are part of federal civil law, not criminal law, and local jurisdictions have the right to decide that they don’t want to use local tax dollars to enforce federal civil codes,” the editorial board wrote. “They may not impede the federal government’s ability to enforce its immigration codes, but they don’t have to cooperate.”
Now, if you were to ask a constitutional scholar, refusing to enforce gun control laws is, in fact, in adherence with the U.S. Constitution, the supreme law of the land and a document that’s far more meaningful than either state criminal law or federal civil law.
Such digression, however, is wasted on the gun control left.
Anyone willing to partake in the Olympic-caliber mental gymnastics required to argue that a municipality’s refusal to cooperate with one law and not another is somehow justifiable, immediately after arguing “local governments cannot decide willy-nilly” which laws they chose to enforce, cannot be reasoned with.
And the gun control left does not want to be reasoned with.
Nobody on the left does.
They want their way — and they will justify any means, no matter how hypocritical, to have it.
The Los Angeles Times declined The Western Journal’s request for comment.
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westernjournal--2020-01-24--Arrest Made in ‘Pillowcase Rapist’ Cold Case, Suspect’s DNA Linked to 25 Sexual Assault Cases

With DNA testing becoming so popular that it ’ s available to anyone with a little petty cash , more and more mysteries are being solved .
People are ( ostensibly ) learning about their heritage , finding long-lost relatives and tracking down violent criminals .
Recently , DNA testing helped authorities track down the notorious Golden State Killer — also known as the East Area Rapist — whose relatives ’ DNA in an online database helped solve the cold case .
Now , another infamous criminal may have been identified after his own son unwittingly gave him away .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested in 2019 for domestic violence assault and other charges , according to the Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale , Florida .
Because he was charged with a felony , his DNA was collected and recorded .
Oddly , his DNA was linked to another unsolved case that had taken place before he ’ d even been born .
During the 1980s , a man known as the Pillowcase Rapist plagued the Miami-Dade area for years , racking up dozens of victims and putting the community on edge .
TRENDING : Trump Rolls Back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All ' from Obama Era The rapist got his name because he generally wore something over his face , often a pillowcase or towel .
He attacked women who lived in apartments or townhomes .
When Koehler ’ s DNA pointed to a specific rape from 1983 that was attributed to the Pillowcase Rapist , authorities began to look closely at Koehler ’ s father , also named Robert .
According to CNN , police followed Robert Eugene Koehler on Jan. 16 .
Officers took DNA samples from the store he shopped at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Koehler was arrested .
“ Investigators can not confirm Robert Koehler is the Pillowcase Rapist , ” Miami-Dade Police spokesman Alvaro Zabaleta initially told CNN .
“ However , they are not discarding the possibility.
” Koehler , 60 , from Palm Bay , Florida , is a registered sex offender .
The last time he was arrested was in 1991 — before taking DNA samples had become standard .
According to the Sun-Sentinel , after Koehler was arrested , a judge issued a search warrant to collect his DNA .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ him to over 20 other unsolved cases .
“ That was the breaking point for us , ” Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said .
“ It was just what we needed to piece this all together.
” When police searched his home , they made a series of concerning discoveries .
Safes on the property contained jewelry and other items that officers suspected could be souvenirs from Koehler ’ s past crimes .
Additionally , investigators found what Miami-Dade senior prosecutor Laura Adams called a “ dungeon in process ” — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been cleared .
Both discoveries suggested Koehler might be the rapist .
“ We feared very much that if we had not gotten him into custody that he may have had other plans even worse than what he executed on all of these women from these cases , ” Adams said during a news conference , according to People .
“ We want to find out about every crime he has committed , ” she said , according to the Sun-Sentinel .
Now that police have Koehler in hand , they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other cases he might be linked to , and if — in fact — he could be the Pillowcase Rapist .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

With DNA testing becoming so popular that it’s available to anyone with a little petty cash, more and more mysteries are being solved. People are (ostensibly) learning about their heritage, finding long-lost relatives and tracking down violent criminals.
Recently, DNA testing helped authorities track down the notorious Golden State Killer — also known as the East Area Rapist — whose relatives’ DNA in an online database helped solve the cold case.
Now, another infamous criminal may have been identified after his own son unwittingly gave him away.
Robert J. Koehler, 29, was arrested in 2019 for domestic violence assault and other charges, according to the Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Because he was charged with a felony, his DNA was collected and recorded.
Oddly, his DNA was linked to another unsolved case that had taken place before he’d even been born. During the 1980s, a man known as the Pillowcase Rapist plagued the Miami-Dade area for years, racking up dozens of victims and putting the community on edge.
The rapist got his name because he generally wore something over his face, often a pillowcase or towel. He attacked women who lived in apartments or townhomes.
When Koehler’s DNA pointed to a specific rape from 1983 that was attributed to the Pillowcase Rapist, authorities began to look closely at Koehler’s father, also named Robert.
According to CNN, police followed Robert Eugene Koehler on Jan. 16. Officers took DNA samples from the store he shopped at.
The initial tests were a match, and Koehler was arrested.
“Investigators cannot confirm Robert Koehler is the Pillowcase Rapist,” Miami-Dade Police spokesman Alvaro Zabaleta initially told CNN. “However, they are not discarding the possibility.”
Koehler, 60, from Palm Bay, Florida, is a registered sex offender. The last time he was arrested was in 1991 — before taking DNA samples had become standard.
According to the Sun-Sentinel, after Koehler was arrested, a judge issued a search warrant to collect his DNA. It was a match, and connected him to over 20 other unsolved cases.
“That was the breaking point for us,” Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said. “It was just what we needed to piece this all together.”
When police searched his home, they made a series of concerning discoveries.
Safes on the property contained jewelry and other items that officers suspected could be souvenirs from Koehler’s past crimes. Additionally, investigators found what Miami-Dade senior prosecutor Laura Adams called a “dungeon in process” — a section under the house that had been cleared.
Both discoveries suggested Koehler might be the rapist.
“We feared very much that if we had not gotten him into custody that he may have had other plans even worse than what he executed on all of these women from these cases,” Adams said during a news conference, according to People.
“We want to find out about every crime he has committed,” she said, according to the Sun-Sentinel.
Now that police have Koehler in hand, they’re trying to find out just how many other cases he might be linked to, and if — in fact — he could be the Pillowcase Rapist.
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westernjournal--2020-01-24--Firefighters Issue Warning After New Teen Challenge on TikTok Goes Viral

Massachusetts firefighters are warning parents to be on guard about the latest social media challenge that can potentially spark fires and scorch electrical outlets .
One of the greatest attributes of teenagers is also one of their most dangerous pitfalls : a willingness to try just about anything without much thought about the end result .
Firefighters from the Holden Fire Department have already responded to a handful of incidents involving teenagers trying out one of the latest social media challenges .
The challenge seems to have originated from TikTok , a social media network that centers around sharing short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the idea to slide a penny between a phone charger and an electrical outlet has gone viral in Massachusetts , resulting in one fire and a handful of scorched outlets .
TRENDING : Trump Rolls Back 'One of the Most Ridiculous Regulations of All ' from Obama Era “ The Holden Fire Department would like to warn parents of a new viral teen video that may result in fire incidents and cause serious injury , ” the department wrote on Facebook .
“ The “ challenge ” seen on the popular video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plug part of a phone charger , partially inserting it into the wall outlet , and then sliding a penny down the wall onto the exposed prongs , ” the department continued .
“ The result is sparks , electrical system damage , and in some cases fire.
” Two students at Plymouth High School got caught trying the prank earlier this week , which resulted in scorched outlets , WZZM reported .
Students at Westford Academy also tried the challenge , which did lead to a fire .
According to an advisory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ostroskey , the student or students responsible for starting the fire will face charges .
“ These videos are a concern and similar to past viral videos that encourage unsafe behavior , ” the Holden Fire Department wrote .
RELATED : 91-Year-Old Woman Ditches Walker for Dancing Shoes To Celebrate End of Therapy “ We are alerting parents to this challenge , and advise them to not only look for signs of fire play like scorched outlets , but to have conversations about fire and electrical safety with tweens and teenagers.
” Teenagers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information — for better or worse — can be quickly spread across social media platforms .
In the name of a good laugh , teens tend to impulsively repeat unsafe behavior without much thought to the consequence .
“ They see it online , they see someone do it , they start laughing , they run away and no one gets hurt and they assume the same will happen when they do it , so they think it ’ s funny to do it in a classroom.
” We are committed to truth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Read our editorial standards .

Massachusetts firefighters are warning parents to be on guard about the latest social media challenge that can potentially spark fires and scorch electrical outlets.
One of the greatest attributes of teenagers is also one of their most dangerous pitfalls: a willingness to try just about anything without much thought about the end result.
Firefighters from the Holden Fire Department have already responded to a handful of incidents involving teenagers trying out one of the latest social media challenges.
The challenge seems to have originated from TikTok, a social media network that centers around sharing short videos with friends.
According to WZZM, the idea to slide a penny between a phone charger and an electrical outlet has gone viral in Massachusetts, resulting in one fire and a handful of scorched outlets.
“The Holden Fire Department would like to warn parents of a new viral teen video that may result in fire incidents and cause serious injury,” the department wrote on Facebook.
“The “challenge” seen on the popular video app, TikTok, involves using the plug part of a phone charger, partially inserting it into the wall outlet, and then sliding a penny down the wall onto the exposed prongs,” the department continued.
“The result is sparks, electrical system damage, and in some cases fire.”
Two students at Plymouth High School got caught trying the prank earlier this week, which resulted in scorched outlets, WZZM reported.
Students at Westford Academy also tried the challenge, which did lead to a fire.
According to an advisory from Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey, the student or students responsible for starting the fire will face charges.
“These videos are a concern and similar to past viral videos that encourage unsafe behavior,” the Holden Fire Department wrote.
“We are alerting parents to this challenge, and advise them to not only look for signs of fire play like scorched outlets, but to have conversations about fire and electrical safety with tweens and teenagers.”
Teenagers are growing up in an era where information — for better or worse — can be quickly spread across social media platforms.
In the name of a good laugh, teens tend to impulsively repeat unsafe behavior without much thought to the consequence.
“Social media elevates it,” Plymouth Fire Chief Ed Bradley told WZZM.
“They see it online, they see someone do it, they start laughing, they run away and no one gets hurt and they assume the same will happen when they do it, so they think it’s funny to do it in a classroom.”
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westernjournal--2020-01-24--Wuhan Virus Hits Chicago, New Trait Means Things Could Get Much Worse

With the number of quarantined cities in China rising , a second case of the Wuhan virus has been found in a major American city .
To make matters worse , one trait of the deadly virus means it could have slipped under CDC screens undetected .
The CDC made an announcement confirming an individual infected with the coronavirus had been discovered in Illinois on Friday , according to WGN-TV .
The Chicago woman traveled in China before coming back to America earlier in January .
Her infection was discovered days after she returned home .
Authorities have her in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no further threat to the public .
The CDC previously began screening at multiple airports in the United States in an attempt to halt the virus before it entered the country .
Since one of the symptoms is fever , the agency relies on temperature readings to determine if any travelers need to be evaluated in depth .
TRENDING : Angry Father Confronts Stunned Elizabeth Warren over Student Loan Plan - 'Am I Going To Get My Money Back ? '
But this failed to detect the Chicago woman , who was only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And thanks to a newly-discovered trait of the Wuhan virus , the CDC ’ s screenings could be all but useless .
China ’ s Hubei Health Commission confirmed that some people who have been killed by the virus never had a fever before dying , according to Bloomberg .
Although this may seem minor , catching those with a high temperature seems to be the CDC ’ s plan of action in airports .
With a normal temperature , an infected person with no visible symptoms is likely to be allowed into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communist regime appears to be downplaying the seriousness of the outbreak , there seems to be no substantial data on how fast this virus travels or how many people it has infected .
Expert models estimate that the number of infected is many times greater than China is letting on .
China ’ s actions should give the CDC reason to worry .
Along with quarantining tens of millions of people , the country is also canceling major celebrations and shuttering tourist sites .
The panic appears to be gripping Chinese social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply collapsing in Wuhan and other infected cities are now circulating .
There are now even reports of the Chinese army being deployed as video of rifle-armed men in biohazard gear have surfaced .
RELATED : CDC Admits 'Rapidly Changing Situation , ' Possible Virus Cases Being Monitored in 22 States So far , it appears the CDC has been successful in keeping this virus under control in the United States .
Although new traits of the Wuhan virus could make things more difficult in preventing its spread , our government seems to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

With the number of quarantined cities in China rising, a second case of the Wuhan virus has been found in a major American city. To make matters worse, one trait of the deadly virus means it could have slipped under CDC screens undetected.
The CDC made an announcement confirming an individual infected with the coronavirus had been discovered in Illinois on Friday, according to WGN-TV.
The Chicago woman traveled in China before coming back to America earlier in January. Her infection was discovered days after she returned home.
Authorities have her in isolation, and claim that there is no further threat to the public.
The CDC previously began screening at multiple airports in the United States in an attempt to halt the virus before it entered the country. Since one of the symptoms is fever, the agency relies on temperature readings to determine if any travelers need to be evaluated in depth.
But this failed to detect the Chicago woman, who was only diagnosed after days of being home.
And thanks to a newly-discovered trait of the Wuhan virus, the CDC’s screenings could be all but useless.
China’s Hubei Health Commission confirmed that some people who have been killed by the virus never had a fever before dying, according to Bloomberg. Although this may seem minor, catching those with a high temperature seems to be the CDC’s plan of action in airports.
With a normal temperature, an infected person with no visible symptoms is likely to be allowed into the country.
Should the CDC step up screening in airports? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 99% (1350 Votes) No: 1% (18 Votes)
Since China’s communist regime appears to be downplaying the seriousness of the outbreak, there seems to be no substantial data on how fast this virus travels or how many people it has infected.
Expert models estimate that the number of infected is many times greater than China is letting on.
China’s actions should give the CDC reason to worry. Along with quarantining tens of millions of people, the country is also canceling major celebrations and shuttering tourist sites.
The panic appears to be gripping Chinese social media as well, where videos of people simply collapsing in Wuhan and other infected cities are now circulating.
There are now even reports of the Chinese army being deployed as video of rifle-armed men in biohazard gear have surfaced.
Likely a video from #Wuhan railway station.
Someone please helps me to verify. China’s army is locking down the city with assault weapons due to #WuhanPneumonia outbreak.
Is it necessary？People just want to survive. No individual life is respected when its odd with CCP interest pic.twitter.com/DGUHFSjLgR — 巴丢草 Badiucao (@badiucao) January 24, 2020
So far, it appears the CDC has been successful in keeping this virus under control in the United States.
Although new traits of the Wuhan virus could make things more difficult in preventing its spread, our government seems to be taking this outbreak seriously.
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westernjournal--2020-01-24--ICE Chief Threatens Sanctuary City Officials with Jail Time if They Don’t Comply with Subpoenas

Denver and New York City officials are on thin ice with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement this week as a result of their widely publicized unwillingness to comply with federal immigration law .
According to the Washington Examiner , acting ICE Director Matt Albence told reporters Thursday in Washington that local officials who refuse to cooperate , releasing criminal illegal immigrants back into the population rather than handing them or their personal information over to the agency , should be prepared to “ show up to court with a toothbrush.
” The agency is now willing to use its full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent so-called “ sanctuary city ” policies from hindering immigration enforcement , even if that means having the officials responsible for those policies jailed .
“ We expect them to comply ” with subpoenas , Albence said .
“ If they don ’ t comply , we ’ ll be working with [ the Department of Justice ] to go to district court to force them to comply with the requirements.
” “ The individuals that fail to comply can be held in contempt , ” Albence continued .
“ They can show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they might not be going home that night .
Because they could be jailed for failure to comply with a lawful order from a judge.
” TRENDING : Angry Father Confronts Stunned Elizabeth Warren over Student Loan Plan - 'Am I Going To Get My Money Back ? '
Going to court , however , is not ICE ’ s preferred route .
Instead , Albence told reporters , it is a “ last resort.
” “ Hopefully , when some of these other jurisdictions that don ’ t want to cooperate see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , maybe they ’ ll come around and try to help us help their own communities , ” he said .
Under President Donald Trump , the agency has repeatedly sought cooperation with sanctuary cities , counties and states , reaching out when illegal immigrants are arrested for crimes and requesting that the alleged perpetrators be held until they can be transferred into ICE custody for federal processing .
This decades-old process has been ignored and undermined nationwide .
In locations that endorse such policies , compliance with ICE is no longer the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases of alleged criminal immigrants being released back into the general public following arraignment or a decision not to prosecute , as is typical in many criminal cases involving U.S. citizens .
In such cases , federal subpoenas requiring local officials to hand over the personal information regarding the alleged perpetrators is ICE ’ s last best hope of investigating and apprehending the illegal immigrant in question .
RELATED : Denver Officials Refuse To Give ICE Information on Immigrants Arrested for Sexual Assault , Child Abuse , Domestic Violence More than a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high-profile cases over the years , with many alleged perpetrators committing further , sometimes increasingly violent crimes upon returning to the general public .
Just weeks ago , 92-year-old Maria Fuertes was brutally murdered while walking the streets outside her Queens home around midnight on Jan. 6 , according to WCBS .
While collecting cans late into the evening for spar cash , police say Fuertes was ambushed by 21-year-old Guyanese illegal immigrant Reeaz Khan , who allegedly brutally assaulted and strangled the woman in what authorities believe was a sexually motivated attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jamaica Hospital , where she was pronounced dead .
Khan was previously released by local authorities after being arrested when a household argument turned violent , leading Khan to allegedly smash his father ’ s face with a broken mug .
Speaking Jan. 17 in New York , Khan blasted local leadership , claiming NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio ’ s policies “ make this city less safe , ” according to the New York Post .
City officials complied with just 10 of the 7,500 ICE detainers lodged last year for illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ranging from homicide to sexual assault , Albence said .
“ ICE has no option but to increase enforcement ” due to the city ’ s “ lack of cooperation , ” he said “ We wanted [ Khan ] three months ago , before he did this , ” Albence said .
“ If we had been able to cooperate with the NYPD , Maria Fuentes would be alive today.
” “ Too little , too late , New York City , ” the ICE chief added .
We are committed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Denver and New York City officials are on thin ice with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement this week as a result of their widely publicized unwillingness to comply with federal immigration law.
According to the Washington Examiner, acting ICE Director Matt Albence told reporters Thursday in Washington that local officials who refuse to cooperate, releasing criminal illegal immigrants back into the population rather than handing them or their personal information over to the agency, should be prepared to “show up to court with a toothbrush.”
The agency is now willing to use its full authority under the U.S. legal code to prevent so-called “sanctuary city” policies from hindering immigration enforcement, even if that means having the officials responsible for those policies jailed.
“We expect them to comply” with subpoenas, Albence said. “If they don’t comply, we’ll be working with [the Department of Justice] to go to district court to force them to comply with the requirements.”
“The individuals that fail to comply can be held in contempt,” Albence continued. “They can show up to court with a toothbrush because they might not be going home that night. Because they could be jailed for failure to comply with a lawful order from a judge.”
“That’s the route we’re going,” the ICE chief added.
Going to court, however, is not ICE’s preferred route. Instead, Albence told reporters, it is a “last resort.”
“Hopefully, when some of these other jurisdictions that don’t want to cooperate see that we’re taking this seriously, maybe they’ll come around and try to help us help their own communities,” he said.
Under President Donald Trump, the agency has repeatedly sought cooperation with sanctuary cities, counties and states, reaching out when illegal immigrants are arrested for crimes and requesting that the alleged perpetrators be held until they can be transferred into ICE custody for federal processing.
Do you agree with Albence's plan of action? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 100% (3363 Votes) No: 0% (15 Votes)
This decades-old process has been ignored and undermined nationwide.
In locations that endorse such policies, compliance with ICE is no longer the norm.
And there have been numerous cases of alleged criminal immigrants being released back into the general public following arraignment or a decision not to prosecute, as is typical in many criminal cases involving U.S. citizens.
In such cases, federal subpoenas requiring local officials to hand over the personal information regarding the alleged perpetrators is ICE’s last best hope of investigating and apprehending the illegal immigrant in question.
The death of Maria Fuertes is because of #nyc sanctuary city policies, says Acting ICE Director Matthew Albence, adding politicians are putting politics over public safety pic.twitter.com/NoQAon7s9R — Courtney Gross (@courtneycgross) January 17, 2020
More than a few of these quarrelsome releases have turned into high-profile cases over the years, with many alleged perpetrators committing further, sometimes increasingly violent crimes upon returning to the general public.
Just weeks ago, 92-year-old Maria Fuertes was brutally murdered while walking the streets outside her Queens home around midnight on Jan. 6, according to WCBS.
While collecting cans late into the evening for spar cash, police say Fuertes was ambushed by 21-year-old Guyanese illegal immigrant Reeaz Khan, who allegedly brutally assaulted and strangled the woman in what authorities believe was a sexually motivated attack.
Fuertes would later be rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Khan was previously released by local authorities after being arrested when a household argument turned violent, leading Khan to allegedly smash his father’s face with a broken mug.
Speaking Jan. 17 in New York, Albence blasted local leadership, claiming NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s policies “make this city less safe,” according to the New York Post.
City officials complied with just 10 of the 7,500 ICE detainers lodged last year for illegal immigrants convicted of or charged with crimes ranging from homicide to sexual assault, Albence said.
“ICE has no option but to increase enforcement” due to the city’s “lack of cooperation,” he said
“We wanted [Khan] three months ago, before he did this,” Albence said.
“If we had been able to cooperate with the NYPD, Maria Fuentes would be alive today.”
“Too little, too late, New York City,” the ICE chief added.
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westernjournal--2020-01-24--Brewery Features Shelter Dogs on Cans To Help Find Them Their Forever Homes

Lots of people enjoy getting drinks with friends , and lots of people have furry friends they like to take out and about .
Many breweries , bars and restaurants have realized this and it has spurred the creation of many dog-friendly patios .
One of the breweries with an affinity for canines is Motorworks Brewing in Bradenton , Florida , which has a monthly “ Yappy Hour ” where they invite patrons of all shapes and sizes to come hang out , get something to eat or drink and support a good cause .
“ We are huge animal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director of sales and marketing , told WFLA .
“ Huge dog people .
We have this massive 14,000 square foot beer garden , it ’ s the largest beer garden in the state .
And it ’ s always dog-friendly out in the beer garden , we love to share this.
” During their Yappy Hour , the brewery often teams up with a local rescue or shelter to help bring awareness to their cause and hopefully get more homeless pets into loving homes .
Recently , they ’ ve found a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has impressed many people .
Teaming up with Shelter Manatee , they formed a plan .
TRENDING : Angry Father Confronts Stunned Elizabeth Warren over Student Loan Plan - 'Am I Going To Get My Money Back ? '
“ And we were all three of us talking and just kind of said ‘ Hey how can we raise awareness and the most funds for the shelter that ’ s trying to build their new space , ' ” Elwonger said .
So , they decided to put the pups where they couldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the middle of the cans for one of their new lagers .
“ Special Adoptable Dog Beer Release Benefit at this Sunday ’ s Yappy Hour 1-4PM !
” the brewery shared on Facebook earlier this month .
“ Partnering with this month ’ s cause , Shelter Manatee , we are excited to release an exclusive ADOPTABLE DOG Cruiser Kölsch 4-PACK.
” “ Proceeds go to Shelter Manatee to help build the new shelter for our less fortunate four-legged friends .
The dogs featured on the can will be on-site ready for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , silent auctions , drink specials , food trucks & local vendors.
” “ We are totally excited about the overwhelming support we ’ re getting for these Adoptable Dog Cruiser Kölsch 4-Packs !
” the brewery posted on Wednesday .
The cans feature a cute photo of the adoptable pup , along with its name , impound number and a short blurb .
After the initial launch , two of the four featured dogs have been adopted — but there are plenty more waiting for their close-ups .
“ There ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes , ” Elwonger told WTVT .
“ We wanted to showcase that the shelter has some really lovable dogs and , you know , go and check it out and look into a rescue.
” RELATED : 'World 's Worst Cat ' Up for Adoption : 'We Thought She Was Sick , Turns Out She 's Just a Jerk' The shelter was heartened by the positive reception as well , and expressed their appreciation on their own Facebook page .
“ OK folks this is amazing how a simple idea has spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Thank you all for the continued support locally and through out the country .
Thank you Motorworks Brewing and Manatee County Animal Services for partnering with us on this.
” “ We also want to be sure to give credit to Fargo Brewing Company and 4 Luv of Dog Rescue who originally came up with the concept.
” As this idea spreads , don ’ t be surprised if your local dog-friendly spots start doing something similar .
It ’ s a great way to highlight dogs that might otherwise be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the adoptees will become regulars at their local joint .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Lots of people enjoy getting drinks with friends, and lots of people have furry friends they like to take out and about. Many breweries, bars and restaurants have realized this and it has spurred the creation of many dog-friendly patios.
One of the breweries with an affinity for canines is Motorworks Brewing in Bradenton, Florida, which has a monthly “Yappy Hour” where they invite patrons of all shapes and sizes to come hang out, get something to eat or drink and support a good cause.
“We are huge animal lovers here,” Barry Elwonger, director of sales and marketing, told WFLA. “Huge dog people. We have this massive 14,000 square foot beer garden, it’s the largest beer garden in the state. And it’s always dog-friendly out in the beer garden, we love to share this.”
During their Yappy Hour, the brewery often teams up with a local rescue or shelter to help bring awareness to their cause and hopefully get more homeless pets into loving homes.
Recently, they’ve found a unique way to promote adoptable pups that has impressed many people. Teaming up with Shelter Manatee, they formed a plan.
“And we were all three of us talking and just kind of said ‘Hey how can we raise awareness and the most funds for the shelter that’s trying to build their new space,'” Elwonger said.
So, they decided to put the pups where they couldn’t be missed: Smack-dab in the middle of the cans for one of their new lagers.
“Special Adoptable Dog Beer Release Benefit at this Sunday’s Yappy Hour 1-4PM!” the brewery shared on Facebook earlier this month. “Partnering with this month’s cause, Shelter Manatee, we are excited to release an exclusive ADOPTABLE DOG Cruiser Kölsch 4-PACK.”
“Proceeds go to Shelter Manatee to help build the new shelter for our less fortunate four-legged friends. The dogs featured on the can will be on-site ready for adoption alongside several more puppers-in-need plus raffles, silent auctions, drink specials, food trucks & local vendors.”
Would you adopt an animal you saw on a beer can? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 93% (67 Votes) No: 7% (5 Votes)
“We are totally excited about the overwhelming support we’re getting for these Adoptable Dog Cruiser Kölsch 4-Packs!” the brewery posted on Wednesday.
The cans feature a cute photo of the adoptable pup, along with its name, impound number and a short blurb. After the initial launch, two of the four featured dogs have been adopted — but there are plenty more waiting for their close-ups.
“There’s hundreds more dogs that are looking for homes,” Elwonger told WTVT. “We wanted to showcase that the shelter has some really lovable dogs and, you know, go and check it out and look into a rescue.”
The shelter was heartened by the positive reception as well, and expressed their appreciation on their own Facebook page.
“OK folks this is amazing how a simple idea has spread,” the shelter posted on Thursday. “Thank you all for the continued support locally and through out the country. Thank you Motorworks Brewing and Manatee County Animal Services for partnering with us on this.”
“We also want to be sure to give credit to Fargo Brewing Company and 4 Luv of Dog Rescue who originally came up with the concept.”
As this idea spreads, don’t be surprised if your local dog-friendly spots start doing something similar. It’s a great way to highlight dogs that might otherwise be overlooked — and who knows, maybe the adoptees will become regulars at their local joint.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
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* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-01-24--After CNN Settles for Smearing a Kid, Cuomo Slams Mnuchin for Answering Question on Thunberg

It ’ s difficult for me to bring myself to criticize Greta Thunberg .
It ’ s not that I ’ m of the opinion that minors shouldn ’ t be attacked , especially when they ’ re most likely being swayed by a coterie of adults who seem practically giddy at the kind of attention she ’ s getting .
Rather , it ’ s this : I usually don ’ t take teenagers very seriously policy-wise , particularly ones who seem dangerously unskilled in political science and economics .
That said , the 17-year-old Thunberg wants to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , coming eyebrow-raisingly close to winning the Nobel Peace Prize .
She wouldn ’ t have been the worst winner , given that prior honorees include Yasser Arafat , North Vietnamese dictator Le Duc Tho and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev , but she ’ s at least as useless as winners such as Al Gore , Barack Obama and the European Union .
Beyond that , however , if you ’ ve fashioned yourself as a thought leader in the global conversation over climate change and emissions control , you ’ ve done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one is forcing Greta Thunberg to cross the Atlantic in a carbon-neutral boat ( which required a replacement crew to fly over the Atlantic to retrieve it on a very much non-carbon-neutral aircraft ) or to lecture us all about how we were ruining her childhood and how , if we ’ d only acquiesce to her quixotic demands , she could be in school on the other side of the ocean .
How dare us !
TRENDING : Trump Rolls Back 'One of the Most Ridiculous Regulations of All ' from Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to mention her age — collided in a strange way with the case of another minor in the news : Nicholas Sandmann .
Last year , a seemingly unrelated case of a minor whose political leanings were excoriated came during the March for Life in Washington .
Sandmann , at the time a 16-year-old student at Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky , was involved in a viral clip showing him smiling while a Native American man played a drum in his face .
That man , Nathan Phillips , said Sandmann @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America Great Again ” cap — was blocking him .
Subsequent video showed nothing of the sort .
Network TV endlessly analyzed that smile before additional evidence came out and speculated about how evil it made the 16-year-old .
Quoth former CNN host Reza Aslan , “ Honest question .
Have you ever seen a more punchable face than this kid ’ s ?
” There were some rather facile similarities between the two cases until CNN ’ s Chris Cuomo ensured they ’ d converge .
Earlier in January , his network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Sandmann for its coverage of him and the Covington High School Students for an undisclosed amount .
Given the difficulty of winning a case against the media in our First Amendment-centric country , CNN either thought it had a good chance of losing or believed discovery was going to look doubleplusungood when you considered the fact more extensive footage showed the version of events being peddled by Phillips was prima facie false ; waiting for a fuller picture to emerge before accusations were slung would have saved CNN a lot of face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the intervening weeks , the network either hasn ’ t learned its lesson or its implementation as policy is weak .
Context : Greta Thunberg was in Davos , Switzerland , where the supposititious masters of the universe meet annually for the World Economic Forum .
President Donald Trump was there as well .
If you didn ’ t catch her speech , it was nothing to write home about — not that you should be writing , because paper kills trees and email uses electricity .
RELATED : Landslide Majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Out of Business Part of it involved asking countries to divest entirely from fossil fuels , a sure sign maybe it ’ s time to return to class .
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was asked about Thunberg during a news conference in Davos on Thursday .
“ Is she the chief economist ?
Who is she ?
I ’ m confused , ” he joked , before saying , “ After she goes and studies economics in college she can go back and explain that to us.
” Here ’ s Chris Cuomo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Sandmann settlement or is unfamiliar with the concept of cognitive dissonance .
Thunberg has chosen to inject herself into the global debate on how to address climate change .
Her prescriptions on the matter are extremist , which is to put it mildly .
They also exist in isolation from any other branch of social or mathematical science .
Yet , if you criticize her for her opinions , expect people to froth over at the mouth .
Greta ’ s words drop like manna from her lips .
If only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ youngster is — and don ’ t you dare attack her , you Trumpers !
Nick Sandmann wasn ’ t a public figure by choice .
He didn ’ t seek out the limelight .
He came to America ’ s attention after a misleading video of an incident between him and Nathan Phillips , in the aftermath of the Black Hebrew Israelites stoking the fire , went viral .
He had no desire to be in the spotlight .
Greta has an entire team ensuring she stays in it .
If Chris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between these two things , he shouldn ’ t be on CNN .
I ’ m willing to bet very well can tell the difference between these two things — and his desire to turn a blind eye to them explains exactly why he ’ s on CNN in the first place .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

It’s difficult for me to bring myself to criticize Greta Thunberg.
It’s not that I’m of the opinion that minors shouldn’t be attacked, especially when they’re most likely being swayed by a coterie of adults who seem practically giddy at the kind of attention she’s getting.
Rather, it’s this: I usually don’t take teenagers very seriously policy-wise, particularly ones who seem dangerously unskilled in political science and economics.
That said, the 17-year-old Thunberg wants to be taken seriously, and she has been, coming eyebrow-raisingly close to winning the Nobel Peace Prize. She wouldn’t have been the worst winner, given that prior honorees include Yasser Arafat, North Vietnamese dictator Le Duc Tho and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, but she’s at least as useless as winners such as Al Gore, Barack Obama and the European Union.
Beyond that, however, if you’ve fashioned yourself as a thought leader in the global conversation over climate change and emissions control, you’ve done so by your own volition. No one is forcing Greta Thunberg to cross the Atlantic in a carbon-neutral boat (which required a replacement crew to fly over the Atlantic to retrieve it on a very much non-carbon-neutral aircraft) or to lecture us all about how we were ruining her childhood and how, if we’d only acquiesce to her quixotic demands, she could be in school on the other side of the ocean. How dare us!
Greta’s doomsday prophecies — not to mention her age — collided in a strange way with the case of another minor in the news: Nicholas Sandmann.
Last year, a seemingly unrelated case of a minor whose political leanings were excoriated came during the March for Life in Washington.
Sandmann, at the time a 16-year-old student at Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky, was involved in a viral clip showing him smiling while a Native American man played a drum in his face. That man, Nathan Phillips, said Sandmann — who was wearing a “Make America Great Again” cap — was blocking him. Subsequent video showed nothing of the sort.
Network TV endlessly analyzed that smile before additional evidence came out and speculated about how evil it made the 16-year-old. Quoth former CNN host Reza Aslan, “Honest question. Have you ever seen a more punchable face than this kid’s?”
There were some rather facile similarities between the two cases until CNN’s Chris Cuomo ensured they’d converge.
Earlier in January, his network settled a $250 million lawsuit brought by Sandmann for its coverage of him and the Covington High School Students for an undisclosed amount.
Given the difficulty of winning a case against the media in our First Amendment-centric country, CNN either thought it had a good chance of losing or believed discovery was going to look doubleplusungood when you considered the fact more extensive footage showed the version of events being peddled by Phillips was prima facie false; waiting for a fuller picture to emerge before accusations were slung would have saved CNN a lot of face (and money, to boot).
In the intervening weeks, the network either hasn’t learned its lesson or its implementation as policy is weak.
Context: Greta Thunberg was in Davos, Switzerland, where the supposititious masters of the universe meet annually for the World Economic Forum. President Donald Trump was there as well.
If you didn’t catch her speech, it was nothing to write home about — not that you should be writing, because paper kills trees and email uses electricity.
Part of it involved asking countries to divest entirely from fossil fuels, a sure sign maybe it’s time to return to class.
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was asked about Thunberg during a news conference in Davos on Thursday.
“Is she the chief economist? Who is she? I’m confused,” he joked, before saying, “After she goes and studies economics in college she can go back and explain that to us.”
U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin says climate activist Greta Thunberg should go study economics https://t.co/ujOicDrQSc — The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 23, 2020
Here’s Chris Cuomo, who either hadn’t heard of the Sandmann settlement or is unfamiliar with the concept of cognitive dissonance.
Why do these trumpers think it is ok to go at a kid? https://t.co/RYY2IrJPL3 — Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) January 23, 2020
Are you kidding me?https://t.co/v18aj9KrgT — Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) January 23, 2020
Thunberg has chosen to inject herself into the global debate on how to address climate change. Her prescriptions on the matter are extremist, which is to put it mildly. They also exist in isolation from any other branch of social or mathematical science.
Do you think that Greta Thunberg is a fair target for criticism? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 98% (557 Votes) No: 2% (11 Votes)
Yet, if you criticize her for her opinions, expect people to froth over at the mouth. Greta’s words drop like manna from her lips. If only we would realize how deeply powerful this youngster is — and don’t you dare attack her, you Trumpers!
Nick Sandmann wasn’t a public figure by choice. He didn’t seek out the limelight. He came to America’s attention after a misleading video of an incident between him and Nathan Phillips, in the aftermath of the Black Hebrew Israelites stoking the fire, went viral.
He had no desire to be in the spotlight. Greta has an entire team ensuring she stays in it.
If Chris Cuomo can’t tell the difference between these two things, he shouldn’t be on CNN.
I’m willing to bet very well can tell the difference between these two things — and his desire to turn a blind eye to them explains exactly why he’s on CNN in the first place.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
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* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-01-24--After Struggling Mom Asks for Cake Mix for Son’s Birthday, Community Rallies To Throw Boy ‘Toy Story

After Struggling Mom Asks for Cake Mix for Son’s Birthday, Community Rallies To Throw Boy ‘Toy Story’ Party

Most parents long to give their children the world , and anytime there ’ s a crunch they ’ ll make sacrifices to make sure their child gets priority .
When that comes to time constraints , it ’ s a decision mostly up to the parents .
When there are financial constraints , the decisions get a little more difficult .
Many families struggle to acquire necessities , let alone non-essentials , and sometimes when it comes down to it , they could use a little extra help .
Mayra Vasquez-Ruiz of Imperial Beach , California , wanted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birthday , but she didn ’ t have what she needed .
Her son , who has Down syndrome , loves “ Toy Story , ” so she wanted to give him something with that theme .
“ As a mom of four , it ’ s hard , ” she told KFMB-TV .
“ I want to give my kids everything I can.
” TRENDING : Trump Rolls Back 'One of the Most Ridiculous Regulations of All ' from Obama Era Turning to a local Facebook group for help , she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and went way above her initial ask of cake mix and Toy-Story-themed party decorations .
“ As soon as someone posted , ‘ Oh yeah , I have cake mix , ’ I was excited , I was like ‘ Yes , I have him a cake , ' ” she said .
Soon , multiple people offered baked goods , help decorating and even to bring gifts for the 4-year-old .
Someone even said they ’ d bring a pony to the event for pony rides .
“ Late at night when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like , ‘ Oh my god , he ’ s not getting just a small cake he is getting a birthday party , ' ” Vasquez-Ruiz said .
Vasquez-Ruiz ’ s mom , who hosted the party , was just as stunned .
“ I couldn ’ t believe it , ” she said .
“ I kept asking her , are you sure , are you sure ?
” The offers meant so much to Vasquez-Ruiz , especially because the year before , the birthday she ’ d planned for Abel wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ d hoped .
There were only a few guests that showed up , but this year was very , very different .
After over 200 responses flooded in , the grateful mom had to refuse offers and limit the guest list because of how many people were willing to get involved and participate .
RELATED : Veteran 's Prosthetic Legs Repossessed Two Days Before Christmas , VA Vows To Make Him New Ones “ Me and my family are so grateful for what you did for our son Abel .
We can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ Imperial Beach made that happen .
That big smile on my son ’ s face.
” “ I met a grateful family in a selfless community !
” KFMB-TV reporter Abbie Alford posted on Monday .
“ Mom went to an Imperial Beach Facebook page asking for cake mix and decorations for her son , Abel ’ s 4th birthday , and the community response is a great act of kindness !
” Photos show the 4-year-old clearly enjoying himself , the generosity of the community only matched by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smile .
“ It was really exciting to see Abel smile , ” his uncle , Jose Ruiz , told KMFB-TV .
“ He ’ s just a really special kid.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Most parents long to give their children the world, and anytime there’s a crunch they’ll make sacrifices to make sure their child gets priority. When that comes to time constraints, it’s a decision mostly up to the parents.
When there are financial constraints, the decisions get a little more difficult. Many families struggle to acquire necessities, let alone non-essentials, and sometimes when it comes down to it, they could use a little extra help.
Mayra Vasquez-Ruiz of Imperial Beach, California, wanted to celebrate her son Abel’s 4th birthday, but she didn’t have what she needed. Her son, who has Down syndrome, loves “Toy Story,” so she wanted to give him something with that theme.
“As a mom of four, it’s hard,” she told KFMB-TV. “I want to give my kids everything I can.”
Turning to a local Facebook group for help, she was shocked when offers started pouring in — and went way above her initial ask of cake mix and Toy-Story-themed party decorations.
“As soon as someone posted, ‘Oh yeah, I have cake mix,’ I was excited, I was like ‘Yes, I have him a cake,'” she said.
Soon, multiple people offered baked goods, help decorating and even to bring gifts for the 4-year-old. Someone even said they’d bring a pony to the event for pony rides.
“Late at night when it just hit me I’m like, ‘Oh my god, he’s not getting just a small cake he is getting a birthday party,'” Vasquez-Ruiz said.
Vasquez-Ruiz’s mom, who hosted the party, was just as stunned. “I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I kept asking her, are you sure, are you sure?”
The offers meant so much to Vasquez-Ruiz, especially because the year before, the birthday she’d planned for Abel wasn’t as special as she’d hoped. There were only a few guests that showed up, but this year was very, very different.
After over 200 responses flooded in, the grateful mom had to refuse offers and limit the guest list because of how many people were willing to get involved and participate.
“Me and my family are so grateful for what you did for our son Abel. We can’t thank you enough,” she said. “Imperial Beach made that happen. That big smile on my son’s face.”
“I met a grateful family in a selfless community!” KFMB-TV reporter Abbie Alford posted on Monday. “Mom went to an Imperial Beach Facebook page asking for cake mix and decorations for her son, Abel’s 4th birthday, and the community response is a great act of kindness!”
Photos show the 4-year-old clearly enjoying himself, the generosity of the community only matched by the joy in the young boy’s smile.
“It was really exciting to see Abel smile,” his uncle, Jose Ruiz, told KMFB-TV. “He’s just a really special kid.”
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
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* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-01-24--Nadler Uses Old Clip of GOP To Support Impeachment, So Here’s a Clip of Him from the Same Time

Politicians lack self-awareness the same way members of “ The Real Housewives of < insert city here > ” lack shame .
This isn ’ t to say politicians can lack shame — they usually do , although not in the same way that cosmetically enhanced rich women with a preternatural tendency to throw mojitos in someone else ’ s face in a trendy restaurant do — but it ’ s the self-awareness that truly distinguishes the elected official from the woman with the expensive outfit and Bobbi Brown makeup who smells of mint and top-shelf rum .
In that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Rep. Jerrold Nadler — impeachment manager , House Judiciary Committee chairman and ( even though I ’ ve been reliably informed this is the worst thing you can do to a person on the left aside from call an Italian pundit “ Fredo ” ) a liberal hack .
Nadler made news Wednesday when he played a clip of South Carolina GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham , a prominent Trump ally and one of the individuals who says a crime needs to have been committed in order for him to consider voting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USA Today , when asked about his openness to conviction last October , he responded , “ Sure .
I mean , show me something that is a crime.
” TRENDING : Trump Rolls Back 'One of the Most Ridiculous Regulations of All ' from Obama Era The fact that the articles of impeachment don ’ t include any crimes has been one of the major issues for the Democrats .
Yes , constitutional scholars agree you don ’ t need a crime to impeach and remove someone from office .
It certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusing the president of attempting to turn the United States into a corrupt oligarchy with no respect for the rule of law and you can ’ t quite point to a crime the president has committed instead of vague ideas involving abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
Nadler took to the Senate floor Wednesday and played a clip of Graham speaking back in 1999 , when the South Carolina Republican was singing a different tune .
“ What ’ s a high crime ?
How about if an important person hurts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in the clip .
“ It ’ s not very scholarly , but I think it ’ s the truth , ” Graham continued .
“ I think that ’ s what [ the framers of the Constitution ] meant by high crimes .
It doesn ’ t even have to be a crime .
It ’ s just when you start using your office and you ’ re acting in a way that hurts people , you ’ ve committed a high crime.
” Graham isn ’ t a lawyer on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and he hasn ’ t made that argument in more than 20 years , but he was owned by the libs , if you listened to Twitter .
Oh , sorry , my mistake , that ’ s “ conservative ” Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin , a writer whose Trump-era go-to is to excoriate Republicans who don ’ t don sackcloth whenever Donald Trump is mentioned and then side with the Democrats on most matters of substance .
Well , if we ’ re going to the heady days of AOL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we might as well see what everyone was saying , not just those on the right .
For instance , let ’ s take Jerrold Nadler ’ s opening statement at a House Judiciary Committee hearing during the impeachment proceedings against then-President Bill Clinton in December 1998 .
Back then , Nadler made it clear not all felonies are impeachable : “ Some of our Republican colleagues have made much of the fact that some of the Democrats on this committee in 1974 , voted in favor of an article of impeachment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perjury on his tax returns , ” he said .
“ But the plain fact is that a bipartisan vote of that committee , something we have not yet had in this process on any substantive question , rejected that article.
” “ That ’ s the historical record , and it was rejected largely based on the belief that an impeachable offense must be an abuse of presidential power , a great and serious offense against the nation , not perjury on a private matter , ” Nadler added , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard it said tonight that perjury is as serious an offense as bribery .
That it is equivalent to bribery , a per se impeachable offense .
But bribery goes to the heart of the president ’ s conduct of his constitutional duties .
It converts his loyalties and efforts from promoting the welfare of the republic to promoting some other interest .
“ Perjury is a serious crime .
And if proven , should be prosecuted in a court of law .
But it may or may not implicate the president ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perjury on a private matter , perjury regarding sex , is not a great and serious offense against the nation .
It is not an abuse of uniquely presidential power , it does not threaten our form of government.
” But wait , it gets better : “ The effect of impeachment is to overturn the popular will of the voters as expressed in a national election , ” he continued .
“ We must not overturn an election and remove a president from office except to defend our very system of government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat .
And we must not do so without an overwhelming consensus of the American people and of their representatives in congress of the absolute necessity.
” Now , I ’ m certain we can all evolve in the space of 20 years and change .
You can just admit you ’ ve changed .
Or you can talk about Republicans ’ “ fixation on the Clinton precedent ” : There might be other contexts for this , after all , but one of them could very well be what The Daily Wire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t like Republicans using what I said in 1999 against me now.
” Furthermore , it ’ s easier to evolve in the way that Graham did than Nadler did .
And , even if you don ’ t believe so , consider the fact that Nadler sounds every bit as hypocritical to the right as Graham does to the left .
The only difference is , Nadler is an impeachment manager .
He ’ s the one making the case and trying to make Graham look as if he ’ s some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as we can see here , the New York Democrat ’ s position has shifted even more so than the South Carolina Republican ’ s has — and , as always , he lacks any modicum of self-awareness of that fact .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Politicians lack self-awareness the same way members of “The Real Housewives of ” lack shame.
This isn’t to say politicians can lack shame — they usually do, although not in the same way that cosmetically enhanced rich women with a preternatural tendency to throw mojitos in someone else’s face in a trendy restaurant do — but it’s the self-awareness that truly distinguishes the elected official from the woman with the expensive outfit and Bobbi Brown makeup who smells of mint and top-shelf rum.
In that tradition, I give you Democratic New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler — impeachment manager, House Judiciary Committee chairman and (even though I’ve been reliably informed this is the worst thing you can do to a person on the left aside from call an Italian pundit “Fredo”) a liberal hack.
Nadler made news Wednesday when he played a clip of South Carolina GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, a prominent Trump ally and one of the individuals who says a crime needs to have been committed in order for him to consider voting to convict President Donald Trump.
According to USA Today, when asked about his openness to conviction last October, he responded, “Sure. I mean, show me something that is a crime.”
The fact that the articles of impeachment don’t include any crimes has been one of the major issues for the Democrats.
Yes, constitutional scholars agree you don’t need a crime to impeach and remove someone from office.
It certainly helps, particularly if you’re accusing the president of attempting to turn the United States into a corrupt oligarchy with no respect for the rule of law and you can’t quite point to a crime the president has committed instead of vague ideas involving abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Nadler took to the Senate floor Wednesday and played a clip of Graham speaking back in 1999, when the South Carolina Republican was singing a different tune.
Do you think Donald Trump should be convicted in the Senate? Yes No
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“What’s a high crime? How about if an important person hurts somebody of low means,” Graham said in the clip.
“It’s not very scholarly, but I think it’s the truth,” Graham continued. “I think that’s what [the framers of the Constitution] meant by high crimes. It doesn’t even have to be a crime. It’s just when you start using your office and you’re acting in a way that hurts people, you’ve committed a high crime.”
Graham isn’t a lawyer on Trump’s team, mind you, and he hasn’t made that argument in more than 20 years, but he was owned by the libs, if you listened to Twitter.
oh. my. New clip of @LindseyGrahamSC saying of course you don’t need a crime for impeachment. — Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) January 23, 2020
Oh, sorry, my mistake, that’s “conservative” Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin, a writer whose Trump-era go-to is to excoriate Republicans who don’t don sackcloth whenever Donald Trump is mentioned and then side with the Democrats on most matters of substance.
Well, if we’re going to the heady days of AOL, Windows 95 and the Sega Dreamcast, we might as well see what everyone was saying, not just those on the right.
For instance, let’s take Jerrold Nadler’s opening statement at a House Judiciary Committee hearing during the impeachment proceedings against then-President Bill Clinton in December 1998. Back then, Nadler made it clear not all felonies are impeachable:
“Some of our Republican colleagues have made much of the fact that some of the Democrats on this committee in 1974, voted in favor of an article of impeachment relating to President Nixon’s alleged perjury on his tax returns,” he said. “But the plain fact is that a bipartisan vote of that committee, something we have not yet had in this process on any substantive question, rejected that article.”
“That’s the historical record, and it was rejected largely based on the belief that an impeachable offense must be an abuse of presidential power, a great and serious offense against the nation, not perjury on a private matter,” Nadler added, according to a CNN transcript.
“I have heard it said tonight that perjury is as serious an offense as bribery. That it is equivalent to bribery, a per se impeachable offense. But bribery goes to the heart of the president’s conduct of his constitutional duties. It converts his loyalties and efforts from promoting the welfare of the republic to promoting some other interest.
“Perjury is a serious crime. And if proven, should be prosecuted in a court of law. But it may or may not implicate the president’s duties and performance in office. Perjury on a private matter, perjury regarding sex, is not a great and serious offense against the nation. It is not an abuse of uniquely presidential power, it does not threaten our form of government.”
But wait, it gets better:
“The effect of impeachment is to overturn the popular will of the voters as expressed in a national election,” he continued. “We must not overturn an election and remove a president from office except to defend our very system of government or our constitutional liberties against a dire threat. And we must not do so without an overwhelming consensus of the American people and of their representatives in congress of the absolute necessity.”
Now, I’m certain we can all evolve in the space of 20 years and change. You can just admit you’ve changed.
Or you can talk about Republicans’ “fixation on the Clinton precedent”:
What he said: “I just want to add that this fixation on the Clinton precedent is weird.” What he meant: “I don’t like Republicans using what I said in 1999 against me now.” pic.twitter.com/ICRmHGzPim — The Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) January 21, 2020
There might be other contexts for this, after all, but one of them could very well be what The Daily Wire pointed out: “I don’t like Republicans using what I said in 1999 against me now.”
Furthermore, it’s easier to evolve in the way that Graham did than Nadler did.
And, even if you don’t believe so, consider the fact that Nadler sounds every bit as hypocritical to the right as Graham does to the left.
The only difference is, Nadler is an impeachment manager.
He’s the one making the case and trying to make Graham look as if he’s some kind of B-movie politician.
Yet, as we can see here, the New York Democrat’s position has shifted even more so than the South Carolina Republican’s has — and, as always, he lacks any modicum of self-awareness of that fact.
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Into the Abstract

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Branco cartoons , go to WesternJournal.com/opinion/cartoons .
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Aldi opened its first store in the U.S. in 1976 after it was founded a decade earlier in Germany by two brothers.


westernjournal--2020-01-24--In Odd Twist, Klobuchar Promises To Select Her Own Cabinet as President

A few times during every presidency comes a negative biography about the sitting commander in chief which compiles every bad single-sourced story about them — usually from fired administration officials now salty about their time in the executive manse — in a single volume that presents the past few years as a failure of epic proportions .
You ’ ve seen them before — they usually come with titles like “ Dereliction of Duty ” or “ A Pit of Vipers ” and do nothing for historical posterity except satiate the faithful .
Normally , they only manage to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but in the Trump age , they ’ re Events with a capital-E .
Lest we forget , Michael Wolff ’ s “ Fire and Fury ” captivated us for a good month or two even after it became clear it was , in a factual sense , the dodgiest presidential biography since “ Abraham Lincoln : Vampire Hunter.
” We now have a new entrant in the Trump sweepstakes : “ A Very Stable Genius ” by Philip Rucker and Carol D. Leonnig of The Washington Post .
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Don ’ t let the provenance fool you .
It ’ s still full of stories like this , according to NBC News : “ Before he took a private tour of the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii in November 2017 , Trump reportedly asked his chief of staff at the time , John Kelly : ‘ Hey , John , what ’ s this all about ?
What ’ s this a tour of ? '
” Right — and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down exactly how the book said it did , you ’ re probably gullible enough to spend $ 25.99 while this thing ’ s still in hardcover .
Anyhow , I mention this all because the only upside to the possibility of Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar going to 1600 Pennsylvania is the eventual poison-pen hyperpartisan biography .
I ’ m trying to come up with the title — I ’ m so far torn between “ Land of 1,000 Fakes ” and “ A Prairie Home Communist ” — but I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will lead the book off .
On Saturday , Klobuchar and other Democratic presidential hopefuls visited the Iowa State Education Association ’ s legislative conference in Des Moines , according to Reuters .
Klobuchar still has an outside chance in the Hawkeye State , which is good for her , because without a surprise finish there , she ’ s thoroughly doomed , no matter how many New York Times endorsements she picks up .
Klobuchar ’ s mom was a public school teacher , which gave her a springboard to tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of President Donald Trump ’ s Cabinet members .
“ In my first 100 days I have 137 things that I found out you can do without Congress — a president can do herself — that are legal , but I will tell you this , in the first 100 seconds I will fire [ Education Secretary ] Betsy DeVos , ” Klobuchar said .
This got cheers , which seemed odd .
RELATED : Seattle-Area Residents Can Now Use Cell Phones To Vote in Next Election After all , DeVos , like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is chosen by the president and serves at their pleasure .
Of course Klobuchar would fire DeVos .
The Minnesota Democrat doesn ’ t even have to fire DeVos — if Klobuchar wins the election , she ’ ll be gone .
All right , though .
Maybe this was merely rhetorical .
Reuters reported in the story that “ Democrats vying for the party ’ s 2020 presidential nomination courted Iowa ’ s teachers on Saturday by promising to oust U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and appoint someone who has taught in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasn ’ t the only one .
Maybe this is just symbolic language .
Sure , they don ’ t need to fire DeVos — but they ’ re going to fire what she stands for or something like that .
We in conservative media should practice what we preach and not take a single utterance at a campaign appearance at a teacher ’ s union event in the first state to vote too seriously .
After all , this– “ Sen .
Amy Klobuchar ( D. , Minn. ) in a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Education Betsy DeVos within her first 100 days as president — a likely unnecessary move given that DeVos would depart with sitting president Donald Trump , ” the Washington Free Beacon reported .
“ Klobuchar lists various progressive policy wishes in the 30-second spot now airing in Iowa , sandwiching a promise to dismiss DeVos between expanding Veterans Affairs benefits and addressing mental health and addiction.
” OK , forget all that .
“ Klobuchar ’ s campaign did not respond to a request for comment as to why firing DeVos would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Klobuchar would consider keeping any Trump cabinet members , as when President Barack Obama kept on Secretary of Defense Robert Gates from the Bush administration , ” the Free Beacon ’ s David Rutz reported .
There are indeed very few reasons for keeping on someone from a previous Cabinet — and usually , it ’ s a generally nonpartisan person in a sensitive position .
The aforementioned Gates was the defense secretary as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were in their most precarious states .
Nobody was going to confuse the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ horses in mid-stream probably wasn ’ t advisable .
But if I were DeVos — who ’ s done amazing work if you ’ re a conservative and is the most malevolent educator since Professor Umbridge if you ’ re a liberal — I wouldn ’ t buy any green bananas for the office if Trump loses the 2020 election .
No matter who the Democratic nominee is , they ’ ll fire DeVos , along with every other Trump Cabinet member .
What Klobuchar is saying is that she ’ ll select @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news in some quarters .
The real news is that she sounds like just realized she can ( and should ) pick her own Cabinet if she becomes president , which is something she should have learned in high school civics .
Unbelievably , she isn ’ t the only candidate who ’ s made this kind of mistake .
Answering a set of questions from The New York Times in June , while he was still in the presidential race , California Rep. Eric Swalwell said , when commenting on the Middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m going to fire Jared Kushner on Day 1 , because he has no business being on the job of seeking a two-state solution or finding peace in the Middle East .
It requires serious scholars and a serious leader committed to making it happen.
” A serious scholar , of course , would have realized Kushner was Donald Trump ’ s son-in-law and wouldn ’ t be hanging around the White House for more than five minutes after his father-in-law had departed .
Maybe Swalwell should have hired a few of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House , but I digress .
Thankfully , we won ’ t have to countenance any White House biographies about Eric Swalwell — which means the title “ Like Nukes for Guns ” will sadly go unused , at least for now .
As for Klobuchar , unfortunately , that possibility still hangs in the air .
The good news is that when the authors need the embarrassing anecdote to start the thing off , they don ’ t need to rely on a single-sourced allegation .
All they have to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A few times during every presidency comes a negative biography about the sitting commander in chief which compiles every bad single-sourced story about them — usually from fired administration officials now salty about their time in the executive manse — in a single volume that presents the past few years as a failure of epic proportions.
You’ve seen them before — they usually come with titles like “Dereliction of Duty” or “A Pit of Vipers” and do nothing for historical posterity except satiate the faithful.
Normally, they only manage to get some attention in the partisan media, but in the Trump age, they’re Events with a capital-E.
Lest we forget, Michael Wolff’s “Fire and Fury” captivated us for a good month or two even after it became clear it was, in a factual sense, the dodgiest presidential biography since “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.”
We now have a new entrant in the Trump sweepstakes: “A Very Stable Genius” by Philip Rucker and Carol D. Leonnig of The Washington Post.
Don’t let the provenance fool you. It’s still full of stories like this, according to NBC News: “Before he took a private tour of the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii in November 2017, Trump reportedly asked his chief of staff at the time, John Kelly: ‘Hey, John, what’s this all about? What’s this a tour of?'”
Right — and if you buy that this story went down exactly how the book said it did, you’re probably gullible enough to spend $25.99 while this thing’s still in hardcover.
Anyhow, I mention this all because the only upside to the possibility of Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar going to 1600 Pennsylvania is the eventual poison-pen hyperpartisan biography.
I’m trying to come up with the title — I’m so far torn between “Land of 1,000 Fakes” and “A Prairie Home Communist” — but I can tell you with near-absolute certainty the anecdote that will lead the book off.
Do you think Amy Klobuchar has a chance at the Democratic nomination? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 2% (11 Votes) No: 98% (625 Votes)
On Saturday, Klobuchar and other Democratic presidential hopefuls visited the Iowa State Education Association’s legislative conference in Des Moines, according to Reuters.
Klobuchar still has an outside chance in the Hawkeye State, which is good for her, because without a surprise finish there, she’s thoroughly doomed, no matter how many New York Times endorsements she picks up.
Klobuchar’s mom was a public school teacher, which gave her a springboard to tell the audience she would unequivocally fire one of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet members.
“In my first 100 days I have 137 things that I found out you can do without Congress — a president can do herself — that are legal, but I will tell you this, in the first 100 seconds I will fire [Education Secretary] Betsy DeVos,” Klobuchar said.
This got cheers, which seemed odd.
After all, DeVos, like all other members of the Cabinet, is chosen by the president and serves at their pleasure.
Of course Klobuchar would fire DeVos. The Minnesota Democrat doesn’t even have to fire DeVos — if Klobuchar wins the election, she’ll be gone.
All right, though. Maybe this was merely rhetorical.
Reuters reported in the story that “Democrats vying for the party’s 2020 presidential nomination courted Iowa’s teachers on Saturday by promising to oust U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and appoint someone who has taught in public schools.”
Democrats as in, plural.
So clearly, Klobuchar wasn’t the only one.
Maybe this is just symbolic language.
Sure, they don’t need to fire DeVos — but they’re going to fire what she stands for or something like that.
(You know, school choice, breaking the hold teachers’ unions have on public schools, holding teachers accountable, seeking alternatives in cities and towns where the public school system has failed — those sorts of affronts to education.)
We in conservative media should practice what we preach and not take a single utterance at a campaign appearance at a teacher’s union event in the first state to vote too seriously. After all, this–
“Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.) in a new ad released Wednesday pledged to fire Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos within her first 100 days as president — a likely unnecessary move given that DeVos would depart with sitting president Donald Trump,” the Washington Free Beacon reported.
“Klobuchar lists various progressive policy wishes in the 30-second spot now airing in Iowa, sandwiching a promise to dismiss DeVos between expanding Veterans Affairs benefits and addressing mental health and addiction.”
OK, forget all that.
“Klobuchar’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment as to why firing DeVos would be necessary, or as to whether Klobuchar would consider keeping any Trump cabinet members, as when President Barack Obama kept on Secretary of Defense Robert Gates from the Bush administration,” the Free Beacon’s David Rutz reported.
Klobuchar’s new ad promises to “fire Betsy DeVos,” which is kind of a no-brainer but also a sign of how unpopular Trump’s Education Secretary is pic.twitter.com/UpU7uMtOOb — ryan teague beckwith (@ryanbeckwith) January 23, 2020
There are indeed very few reasons for keeping on someone from a previous Cabinet — and usually, it’s a generally nonpartisan person in a sensitive position.
The aforementioned Gates was the defense secretary as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were in their most precarious states.
Nobody was going to confuse the guy with Curtis LeMay, and changing horses in mid-stream probably wasn’t advisable.
But if I were DeVos — who’s done amazing work if you’re a conservative and is the most malevolent educator since Professor Umbridge if you’re a liberal — I wouldn’t buy any green bananas for the office if Trump loses the 2020 election.
No matter who the Democratic nominee is, they’ll fire DeVos, along with every other Trump Cabinet member.
What Klobuchar is saying is that she’ll select her own Cabinet.
This qualifies as news in some quarters.
The real news is that she sounds like just realized she can (and should) pick her own Cabinet if she becomes president, which is something she should have learned in high school civics.
Unbelievably, she isn’t the only candidate who’s made this kind of mistake.
Answering a set of questions from The New York Times in June, while he was still in the presidential race, California Rep. Eric Swalwell said, when commenting on the Middle East peace process, that “I’m going to fire Jared Kushner on Day 1, because he has no business being on the job of seeking a two-state solution or finding peace in the Middle East. It requires serious scholars and a serious leader committed to making it happen.”
A serious scholar, of course, would have realized Kushner was Donald Trump’s son-in-law and wouldn’t be hanging around the White House for more than five minutes after his father-in-law had departed.
Maybe Swalwell should have hired a few of those scholars on his road to the White House, but I digress.
Thankfully, we won’t have to countenance any White House biographies about Eric Swalwell — which means the title “Like Nukes for Guns” will sadly go unused, at least for now.
As for Klobuchar, unfortunately, that possibility still hangs in the air.
The good news is that when the authors need the embarrassing anecdote to start the thing off, they don’t need to rely on a single-sourced allegation.
All they have to do is look for the commercial.
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* Message
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westernjournal--2020-01-24--Moderate GOP Senator, Potential Swing Vote ‘Offended’ by Nadler’s ‘Cover-Up’ Accusation

House Democratic impeachment managers need a handful of GOP senators to vote to allow witnesses in order to prolong their sham trial of President Donald Trump , and they can not afford to lose any prospective defectors .
One of the senators on the fence , and one of the easiest ones to sway , would be Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski .
Murkowski has a history of being a thorn in the president ’ s side and was the only GOP senator to vote against the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh .
Which is why it should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their managers , New York Rep. Jerry Nadler , offended the wishy-washy senator .
Nadler accused Republican senators who vote against having witnesses in the impeachment trial , after they hear opening arguments , of being engaged in a “ cover-up.
” TRENDING : Angry Father Confronts Stunned Elizabeth Warren over Student Loan Plan - 'Am I Going To Get My Money Back ? '
“ I see a lot of senators voting for a cover-up , voting to deny witnesses , an absolutely indefensible vote , obviously a treacherous vote , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it as very offensive , ” Murkowski said to reporters Wednesday .
“ As one who is listening attentively and working hard to get to a fair process , I was offended.
” There are not many Republicans who appear to be open to the idea of having witnesses in the trial as they believe , rightly , that the House is asking the Senate to do the job it was supposed to do during its impeachment inquiry .
That ’ s why losing any one of them could be a death blow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Donald Trump ’ s inevitable acquittal .
Among the ones to watch are Tennessee ’ s Lamar Alexander , Pennsylvania ’ s Pat Toomey and the usual suspects , Sens .
Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah , Susan Collins of Maine and Murkowski .
Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley also said he believed that Democrats shot themselves in the foot on Wednesday with their approach .
“ I mean , that ’ s an extraordinary thing to say on the floor of the United States Senate , the middle of the trial , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebuke and rightly so , ” he said , according to Fox News .
“ I can tell you , there was an open , open gasping on the Senate floor when Nadler was saying these things .
I mean , it ’ s really , really extraordinary , ” the senator said .
RELATED : Nadler Uses Old Clip of GOP To Support Impeachment , So Here 's a Clip of Him from the Same Time “ If the goal was to persuade , they took a huge step backward last night.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to be able to shame Republicans into siding with them , but that approach is falling flat , Fox News reported .
“ The House is completely miscalculating how to handle this , ” a Republican Senate source told the news outlet on Thursday .
“ They ’ re putting far too much emphasis on the time they use than the substance of what they ’ re delivering , ” the source said .
As anyone who has watched the hearings can attest , Democrats have been brutally boring , rehashing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impeachment inquiry .
They did not appear to make much headway on Thursday , and they only have one day left to make their case before the president ’ s attorneys get their chance .
And if they lose Murkowski , it is all but over .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

House Democratic impeachment managers need a handful of GOP senators to vote to allow witnesses in order to prolong their sham trial of President Donald Trump, and they cannot afford to lose any prospective defectors.
One of the senators on the fence, and one of the easiest ones to sway, would be Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
Murkowski has a history of being a thorn in the president’s side and was the only GOP senator to vote against the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Which is why it should be very worrisome for Democrats that one of their managers, New York Rep. Jerry Nadler, offended the wishy-washy senator.
Nadler accused Republican senators who vote against having witnesses in the impeachment trial, after they hear opening arguments, of being engaged in a “cover-up.”
“I see a lot of senators voting for a cover-up, voting to deny witnesses, an absolutely indefensible vote, obviously a treacherous vote,” the 72-year-old said.
That comment infuriated the Alaska senator.
“I took it as very offensive,” Murkowski said to reporters Wednesday. “As one who is listening attentively and working hard to get to a fair process, I was offended.”
There are not many Republicans who appear to be open to the idea of having witnesses in the trial as they believe, rightly, that the House is asking the Senate to do the job it was supposed to do during its impeachment inquiry.
Will President Trump be vindicated? Yes No
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That’s why losing any one of them could be a death blow to the Democrats’ hopes of prolonging President Donald Trump’s inevitable acquittal.
Among the ones to watch are Tennessee’s Lamar Alexander, Pennsylvania’s Pat Toomey and the usual suspects, Sens. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine and Murkowski.
Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley also said he believed that Democrats shot themselves in the foot on Wednesday with their approach.
“I mean, that’s an extraordinary thing to say on the floor of the United States Senate, the middle of the trial, and that’s what drew the rebuke and rightly so,” he said, according to Fox News.
“I can tell you, there was an open, open gasping on the Senate floor when Nadler was saying these things. I mean, it’s really, really extraordinary,” the senator said.
“If the goal was to persuade, they took a huge step backward last night.”
Democrats appear to believe that they are going to be able to shame Republicans into siding with them, but that approach is falling flat, Fox News reported.
“The House is completely miscalculating how to handle this,” a Republican Senate source told the news outlet on Thursday.
“They’re putting far too much emphasis on the time they use than the substance of what they’re delivering,” the source said.
As anyone who has watched the hearings can attest, Democrats have been brutally boring, rehashing what they laid out in the House impeachment inquiry.
They did not appear to make much headway on Thursday, and they only have one day left to make their case before the president’s attorneys get their chance.
And if they lose Murkowski, it is all but over.
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