westernjournal--2020-06-04--California Man Who Drew AR-15 on Advancing Mob Arrested, Charged with Assault

A Southern California man has been arrested and charged with assault after displaying a rifle and shouting at a group of protesters who were marching through a neighborhood in San Bernardino County .
According to KABC , 39-year-old Jacob Bracken has been charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon resulting from the incident , which occurred on June 1 .
Bracken , who resides in the nearby town of Rancho Cucamonga , California , was at a home in Upland , California , Monday when hundreds of demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis inundated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the San Bernardino County District Attorney ’ s Office described the protesters as “ peaceful , ” and Bracken as the aggressor , but video and witness testimony of the incident does not necessarily support that assessment .
Bracken is seen on a now-viral video posted on Twitter taking the weapon from a pickup truck and shouting at the crowd to back away from the home ’ s driveway .
WARNING : The following video contains explicit language which some viewers will find offensive The district attorney ’ s office announced Bracken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident , in which no rounds were fired and no one was injured .
“ On June 1 , 2020 , the Upland Police Department was monitoring a peaceful protest in their city .
The police officers were notified by protestors of a potentially life-threatening incident .
The officers immediately investigated the incident .
Bracken was arrested by the Upland Police Department , and the case was forwarded to our office for filing consideration , ” the DA ’ s office stated in the news release .
Citing a California Penal Code statute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bracken could face up to four years in prison and a $ 10,000 fine if he is convicted , as California laws classify Bracken ’ s actions as an assault with a deadly weapon .
“ This incident was captured on video by the peaceful protestors who cooperated with law enforcement , which is encouraging to the community .
Thankfully , through the restraint of the protestors and the swift investigation by the Upland Police Department , a potential tragedy may have been avoided , ” the news release stated .
Citing “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused Bracken of taking a “ violent position ” amid an escalating environment of civil unrest in Southern California and similar upheaval taking place across the country .
RELATED : Police : California Man Caught in the Act of Cannibalizing Own Grandmother Goodman also said that the arrest of Bracken was not intended to make an example of him .
“ There ’ s no attempt to make an example .
The example is simply we follow the rule of law and that applies to everybody , ” he said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of opinion and different views without taking a violent position , just like I hope the protesters can learn to continue to be peaceful in their protests and not destroy property , ” Goodman said .
But an acquaintance of Bracken , who was not named , told the outlet that he , Bracken and five others were observing the protest and that they feared for their lives .
“ The entire crowd essentially rushed us , a lot of madness , I turned around and he had a weapon in his hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ It ’ s ] 200 against seven people here .
We don ’ t know where these people came from .
They don ’ t live in Upland .
They ’ re all out-of-towners , ” the man told KNBC .
One of the protestors accused Bracken of engaging in “ hate and racism ” over his pointing of the weapon .
The man also claimed that the protest was “ peaceful.
” Fox News , however , reported that some of the protestors later threw rocks and bottles at officers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sting balls to disperse them .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

A Southern California man has been arrested and charged with assault after displaying a rifle and shouting at a group of protesters who were marching through a neighborhood in San Bernardino County.
According to KABC, 39-year-old Jacob Bracken has been charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon resulting from the incident, which occurred on June 1.
Bracken, who resides in the nearby town of Rancho Cucamonga, California, was at a home in Upland, California, Monday when hundreds of demonstrators protesting the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis inundated the neighborhood.
In a news release, the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office described the protesters as “peaceful,” and Bracken as the aggressor, but video and witness testimony of the incident does not necessarily support that assessment.
Bracken is seen on a now-viral video posted on Twitter taking the weapon from a pickup truck and shouting at the crowd to back away from the home’s driveway.
WARNING: The following video contains explicit language which some viewers will find offensive
The district attorney’s office announced Bracken was arrested and charged shortly after the incident, in which no rounds were fired and no one was injured.
Do you think California laws support criminals over law-abiding citizens? Yes No
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“On June 1, 2020, the Upland Police Department was monitoring a peaceful protest in their city. The police officers were notified by protestors of a potentially life-threatening incident. The officers immediately investigated the incident. Bracken was arrested by the Upland Police Department, and the case was forwarded to our office for filing consideration,” the DA’s office stated in the news release.
Citing a California Penal Code statute, the DA’s office stated Bracken could face up to four years in prison and a $10,000 fine if he is convicted, as California laws classify Bracken’s actions as an assault with a deadly weapon.
“This incident was captured on video by the peaceful protestors who cooperated with law enforcement, which is encouraging to the community. Thankfully, through the restraint of the protestors and the swift investigation by the Upland Police Department, a potential tragedy may have been avoided,” the news release stated.
Upland Police Chief Darren Goodman told KNBC that Bracken’s actions were “unacceptable.”
Citing “the rule of law,” Goodman accused Bracken of taking a “violent position” amid an escalating environment of civil unrest in Southern California and similar upheaval taking place across the country.
Goodman also said that the arrest of Bracken was not intended to make an example of him.
“There’s no attempt to make an example. The example is simply we follow the rule of law and that applies to everybody,” he said.
#Upland– Jacob Bracken the man accused of pulling an assault rifle on protestors in #Upland on Monday has been charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. I sat down with @UplandPD_Chief to get his reaction to the charges. #NBCLA pic.twitter.com/vmwMFmwppW — AlexVnews (@alexvnews) June 3, 2020
“I would hope that people could accept difference of opinion and different views without taking a violent position, just like I hope the protesters can learn to continue to be peaceful in their protests and not destroy property,” Goodman said.
But an acquaintance of Bracken, who was not named, told the outlet that he, Bracken and five others were observing the protest and that they feared for their lives.
“The entire crowd essentially rushed us, a lot of madness, I turned around and he had a weapon in his hand,” the man said.
“[It’s] 200 against seven people here. We don’t know where these people came from. They don’t live in Upland. They’re all out-of-towners,” the man told KNBC.
Explanation from a friend of the man who pulled out the gun. The suspect does NOT live at that location. pic.twitter.com/FZ2Kl4GUZQ — AlexVnews (@alexvnews) June 2, 2020
One of the protestors accused Bracken of engaging in “hate and racism” over his pointing of the weapon. The man also claimed that the protest was “peaceful.”
I always try and get both sides pic.twitter.com/EBvvHvQtrn — AlexVnews (@alexvnews) June 2, 2020
Fox News, however, reported that some of the protestors later threw rocks and bottles at officers, and officers responded by using pepper balls and sting balls to disperse them.
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westernjournal--2020-06-04--Dem Rep Caught on Hot Mic at Protest Saying He ‘Wouldn’t Care’ If He Weren’t Campaigning

Democrats are opportunists , and they will seize upon any emergent topic or event , apolitical or otherwise , to reach potential voters .
We saw it happen early with the coronavirus pandemic , which they downplayed until it became apparent the rampant spread of the disease was ripe to use as political ammunition against President Donald Trump and Republicans .
They have gleefully pounced on Trump at every turn , shamelessly using dead Americans and the resulting downturn of a robust economy to posture for votes .
We ’ ve seen their opportunism on display with all matters of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years , and now they have even dug in amid the nation ’ s current civil unrest .
Democrat Eliot Engel , who represents New York ’ s 16th Congressional District , on Tuesday paid a visit to his district , where people had gathered to express concerns about their neighborhood and the death of George Floyd while in police custody last week in Minneapolis .
There was just one small problem with Engel ’ s appearance at the event , where people were cleaning up after a riot : A microphone caught @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it wasn ’ t for solidarity with his fellow citizens .
Engel apparently hoped to use the event for his campaign and became frustrated that he had to wait in line for his turn to speak .
“ If I didn ’ t have a primary , I wouldn ’ t care , ” the Democrat said as he spoke to Ruben Diaz Jr. , who is the Bronx borough president .
“ Don ’ t do that to me , ” Diaz responded .
“ We ’ re not gon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not politicizing .
Everybody ’ s got a primary , you know ?
I ’ m sorry.
” The exchange was caught on a nearby microphone from New York ’ s News 12 The Bronx and went viral online .
Engel , of course , has offered an explanation and an apology for the comment .
He told NY1 reporter Emily Ngo he showed up to his district because he “ cares deeply ” about the struggles of New Yorkers .
But despite Engel ’ s apology , his comments appear to show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation for his constituents in order to bolster his standing with them .
Edward-Isaac Dovere , a reporter for The Atlantic , posted on Twitter that Tuesday was the first time Engel had checked in on his community since the coronavirus began to devastate its residents in March .
While Republicans are often portrayed as callous , cold and calculated politicians , Engel is the latest to expose what truly motivates Democrats , and that is obtaining power .
The Democrat joined an event in which his community was expressing concern over events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the first thing he thought to speak about when he thought no one was listening was an election .
While New Yorkers are concerned about cleaning up after looting and rioting in their communities after the events of this week , Engel apparently cares only about the continuity of his political career .
Democrats show again and again that their primary concern is serving their own interests and winning elections .
After his viral comments , it appears voters might be poised to oust Engel .
Politico reported Engel ’ s primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
Jamaal Bowman , who is Engel ’ s biggest threat in the June 23 primary , told Politico that Engel ’ s comment was “ disgusting , ” among using other adjectives .
“ It just exemplifies and shows everything we already knew , ” Bowman said .
“ To say if I didn ’ t have a primary I wouldn ’ t care , it captures everything not just wrong with him but the political system.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
@ @ @ @ @

Democrats are opportunists, and they will seize upon any emergent topic or event, apolitical or otherwise, to reach potential voters.
We saw it happen early with the coronavirus pandemic, which they downplayed until it became apparent the rampant spread of the disease was ripe to use as political ammunition against President Donald Trump and Republicans.
They have gleefully pounced on Trump at every turn, shamelessly using dead Americans and the resulting downturn of a robust economy to posture for votes.
We’ve seen their opportunism on display with all matters of race, color and religion over the years, and now they have even dug in amid the nation’s current civil unrest.
Democrat Eliot Engel, who represents New York’s 16th Congressional District, on Tuesday paid a visit to his district, where people had gathered to express concerns about their neighborhood and the death of George Floyd while in police custody last week in Minneapolis.
There was just one small problem with Engel’s appearance at the event, where people were cleaning up after a riot: A microphone caught him explaining why he was really there, and it wasn’t for solidarity with his fellow citizens.
Engel apparently hoped to use the event for his campaign and became frustrated that he had to wait in line for his turn to speak.
“If I didn’t have a primary, I wouldn’t care,” the Democrat said as he spoke to Ruben Diaz Jr., who is the Bronx borough president.
“Don’t do that to me,” Diaz responded. “We’re not gonna do this. We’re not politicizing. Everybody’s got a primary, you know? I’m sorry.”
Our cameras were rolling as @RepEliotEngel asked BP @rubendiazjr if he could speak at a press event this afternoon and was heard saying “if I didn’t have a primary I wouldn’t care.” (Cont…) @News12BX pic.twitter.com/7IeK5PgeNg — Kurt Semder (@KurtSemder) June 2, 2020
The exchange was caught on a nearby microphone from New York’s News 12 The Bronx and went viral online.
Engel, of course, has offered an explanation and an apology for the comment.
He told NY1 reporter Emily Ngo he showed up to his district because he “cares deeply” about the struggles of New Yorkers.
.@RepEliotEngel responds after he’s heard seeking a turn to speak at a presser and saying if he didn’t have a primary, he wouldn’t care 1/3: “In the context of running for re-election, I thought it was important for people to know where I stand, that’s why I asked to speak. … — Emily Ngo (@emilyngo) June 2, 2020
“… Of course I care deeply about what’s happening in this country, that’s what I wanted to convey. I love the Bronx, grew up in the Bronx and lived here all my life,” @RepEliotEngel continues in his statement. 2/3 — Emily Ngo (@emilyngo) June 2, 2020
“I would not have tried to impose on the Borough President if I didn’t think it was important,” @RepEliotEngel concludes in his statement. 3/3 — Emily Ngo (@emilyngo) June 2, 2020
But despite Engel’s apology, his comments appear to show a Democrat attempting to use an unfortunate situation for his constituents in order to bolster his standing with them.
Edward-Isaac Dovere, a reporter for The Atlantic, posted on Twitter that Tuesday was the first time Engel had checked in on his community since the coronavirus began to devastate its residents in March.
Eliot Engel made it back to his district today for the first time in months. Here’s what he said about speaking at an event about the unrest in the Bronx: “If I didn’t have a primary, I wouldn’t care.”https://t.co/nAwJklMesQ — Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) June 2, 2020
While Republicans are often portrayed as callous, cold and calculated politicians, Engel is the latest to expose what truly motivates Democrats, and that is obtaining power.
The Democrat joined an event in which his community was expressing concern over events much larger than a congressional campaign, and the first thing he thought to speak about when he thought no one was listening was an election.
Do you think Democrats will pay a price for their handling of the country's current turmoil in November? 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% (2063 Votes) No: 7% (148 Votes)
While New Yorkers are concerned about cleaning up after looting and rioting in their communities after the events of this week, Engel apparently cares only about the continuity of his political career.
Democrats show again and again that their primary concern is serving their own interests and winning elections.
After his viral comments, it appears voters might be poised to oust Engel.
Politico reported Engel’s primary opponents are consolidating in order to defeat him.
Jamaal Bowman, who is Engel’s biggest threat in the June 23 primary, told Politico that Engel’s comment was “disgusting,” among using other adjectives.
“It just exemplifies and shows everything we already knew,” Bowman said. “To say if I didn’t have a primary I wouldn’t care, it captures everything not just wrong with him but the political system.”
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westernjournal--2020-06-04--AMC Theatres Has ‘Substantial Doubt’ It Will Survive Lockdown

AMC Theatres has warned that it might never come back to life after the government response to the coronavirus pandemic forced it to shutter thousands of locations in the U.S. and abroad .
The company , which is the largest movie theater chain in the world , is projecting a first-quarter net loss of as much $ 2.4 billion , according to a regulatory filing released Wednesday .
That does not include the months of April , May and now June in which AMC locations have collected dust .
AMC stated in its filing that its first-quarter revenue of $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year , when the company generated $ 1.2 billion in the first quarter .
“ We are generating effectively no revenue , ” the company said in the filing .
AMC further warned that even if lockdown restrictions are lifted nationwide and internationally , allowing people to return to its seats and concessions counters , it might not be enough for its survival .
The company cited the effects of lockdowns on the broader motion picture industry when explaining its dire financial situation .
“ Even if governmental operating restrictions are lifted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the release of new films until such time that operating restrictions are eased more broadly domestically and internationally , which may further limit our operations , ” AMC said .
Essentially , theaters now are platforms for films that have either been delayed or are currently not being made , which could compound the issue .
AMC announced its first-quarter revenue was generated from 996 locations and 10,973 screens in 15 countries .
That included 630 locations in the U.S. and 366 locations in Europe and Saudi Arabia .
AMC will officially release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a news release to investors .
The news of AMC ’ s potential coming troubles comes as the film industry has essentially paused production on projects amid shutdowns .
USA Today reported that filmmakers have submitted a plan to lawmakers in California , New York and other locations to begin work on projects , as the broader entertainment industry has also been closed since mid-March .
The proposed measures include smaller film crews , auditions behind glass and a COVID-19 compliance officer on every TV and film set .
Still , traditional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably count out any assistance from Hollywood ’ s major filmmakers .
Vanity Fair reported that some of Hollywood ’ s biggest stars might choose to refrain from returning to work quickly when the film industry does resume operating .
Actress Charlize Theron told the outlet she will not be in a rush to accept new film roles anytime soon .
“ I have two small kids .
I ’ ve had these recurring dreams — or terrors , I should say — that I somehow stupidly got [ coronavirus ] and brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she told Vanity Fair .
“ I don ’ t want to mess with this stuff .
I feel like there ’ s a sense of responsibility on everybody ’ s part to just realize that , ” she said .
Liberal activist and film director Spike Lee said he does not think traditional film production and viewing will return in the foreseeable future .
“ They ain ’ t doing a thing until the vaccine , ” he told Vanity Fair .
“ I know I ’ m not going to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m not going to a Broadway show .
I know I ’ m not going to Yankee Stadium.
” Lee also urged his colleagues in Hollywood to be cautious about resuming operations .
“ Corona is a b—- .
Corona is not playing .
You f— around , you ’ re going to get killed , you ’ re going to die .
I ’ m not ready to go , ” he said .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

AMC Theatres has warned that it might never come back to life after the government response to the coronavirus pandemic forced it to shutter thousands of locations in the U.S. and abroad.
The company, which is the largest movie theater chain in the world, is projecting a first-quarter net loss of as much $2.4 billion, according to a regulatory filing released Wednesday.
That does not include the months of April, May and now June in which AMC locations have collected dust.
AMC stated in its filing that its first-quarter revenue of $941 million had fallen 22 percent from last year, when the company generated $1.2 billion in the first quarter.
“We are generating effectively no revenue,” the company said in the filing.
AMC further warned that even if lockdown restrictions are lifted nationwide and internationally, allowing people to return to its seats and concessions counters, it might not be enough for its survival.
The company cited the effects of lockdowns on the broader motion picture industry when explaining its dire financial situation.
“Even if governmental operating restrictions are lifted in certain jurisdictions, distributors may delay the release of new films until such time that operating restrictions are eased more broadly domestically and internationally, which may further limit our operations,” AMC said.
Essentially, theaters now are platforms for films that have either been delayed or are currently not being made, which could compound the issue.
Do you think traditional movie theaters will survive the coronavirus lockdowns? 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: 28% (48 Votes) No: 72% (122 Votes)
AMC announced its first-quarter revenue was generated from 996 locations and 10,973 screens in 15 countries.
That included 630 locations in the U.S. and 366 locations in Europe and Saudi Arabia.
AMC will officially release its first-quarter earnings on Tuesday, according to a news release to investors.
The news of AMC’s potential coming troubles comes as the film industry has essentially paused production on projects amid shutdowns.
USA Today reported that filmmakers have submitted a plan to lawmakers in California, New York and other locations to begin work on projects, as the broader entertainment industry has also been closed since mid-March.
The proposed measures include smaller film crews, auditions behind glass and a COVID-19 compliance officer on every TV and film set.
Still, traditional movie chains seeking to stay afloat can probably count out any assistance from Hollywood’s major filmmakers.
Vanity Fair reported that some of Hollywood’s biggest stars might choose to refrain from returning to work quickly when the film industry does resume operating.
Actress Charlize Theron told the outlet she will not be in a rush to accept new film roles anytime soon.
“I have two small kids. I’ve had these recurring dreams — or terrors, I should say — that I somehow stupidly got [coronavirus] and brought it back to my kids,” she told Vanity Fair.
Hollywood’s new proposal to restart TV and film production in the coronavirus era comes with a few surprises https://t.co/azsqSqz7hz — VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) June 1, 2020
“I don’t want to mess with this stuff. I feel like there’s a sense of responsibility on everybody’s part to just realize that,” she said.
Liberal activist and film director Spike Lee said he does not think traditional film production and viewing will return in the foreseeable future.
“They ain’t doing a thing until the vaccine,” he told Vanity Fair. “I know I’m not going to a movie theater. I know I’m not going to a Broadway show. I know I’m not going to Yankee Stadium.”
Lee also urged his colleagues in Hollywood to be cautious about resuming operations.
“Corona is a b—-. Corona is not playing. You f— around, you’re going to get killed, you’re going to die. I’m not ready to go,” he said.
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--2020-06-04--Disgraced Sheriff from Parkland School Shooting Received $50,000 from Strip Club Owner’s Wife

I ’ d hoped that the last time I ’ d have to talk about Scott Israel was last year .
I ’ d hoped that not because I harbor any sort of especial antipathy toward the former Broward County , Florida , sheriff on my own behalf ( I do , but this is beside the point ) , but because I don ’ t think the students of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland , Florida , need to hear anyone talk about him anymore .
Israel was the sheriff during the Parkland shooting , and an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trained , overwhelmed and ineffective force that could have saved lives that day and didn ’ t .
He talked up his performance in a bizarre appearance on CNN and gave testimony before the commission investigating the shooting that was damning — and that ’ s not even counting the parts where he was evasive or flat-out wrong .
When Ron DeSantis was sworn in as Florida ’ s governor in January 2019 , one of the first things he did was fire Israel and replace him with Gregory Tony .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a background in active shooter training and , somewhat more important , wasn ’ t Scott Israel .
Alas , Israel ’ s name and visage aren ’ t just going to be revisited when cable news airs retrospectives to remember those lives lost in Parkland .
Rather , Israel is running for his old job , trying to displace Tony .
And , it turns out , he ’ s getting some financial help from an , um , unusual place .
As reported by The Floridian and confirmed by the Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s PAC , the Committee for a Stronger Broward , was the recipient of a $ 50,000 donation from the wife of the owner of a chain of strip clubs — a chain that has a curious history with the law .
Julie Rodriguez is the wife of Joe Rodriguez .
He ’ s the owner of Cheetah Gentlemen ’ s Clubs , a chain of establishments with locations in Hallandale Beach , Pompano Beach and West Palm Beach .
At their Hallandale Beach location , they have a “ Fine Cigar Selection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during happy hour ” and are clearly your location to watch live sports , since they have a young woman with a football helmet , pads and very little else on their front page .
In the Monday report , The Floridian noted that Cheetah “ is a full-nude and friction/lap dancing adult nightclub chain.
” Having better places to watch my football , I ’ ll take their word for it .
There are several problems with this that don ’ t just have to do with the appearance of a $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strip club mogul — which , let ’ s face it , was very likely either prompted or paid for by him .
“ The Pompano Beach location is within Broward Sheriff ’ s Office ’ s jurisdiction and happens to also be situated in one of the most crime-ridden neighborhoods of the county , ” The Floridian reported .
“ A simple internet search reveals the club has been associated with criminal activity and multiple arrests from the location .
NBC reported back in 2009 , Cheetah ’ s temporary closure due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s licensure including multiple arrests after dancers attempted to sell drugs and sex to undercover officers with management ’ s knowledge .
In confiscated surveillance videos , multiple sex acts were captured on film showing dancers acting as prostitutes in the club .
“ There were also less-concerning incidents involving Broward Sheriff ’ s Office deputies .
RELATED : Nancy Pelosi Guest Ejected from State of the Union After Outburst In 2012 , Deputy Erik Knutsen ended up losing his job when it turned out he had abandoned his post to spend time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would spend five to 10 hours there .
Also in 2012 , a suspended Broward deputy who was on house arrest cut off his ankle bracelet to visit the club .
While both of these were before Israel ’ s tenure , this might be $ 50,000 he doesn ’ t need , particularly given the appearance of the thing .
The sad thing is , Scott Israel has a decent chance of regaining his post .
As the Miami Herald noted , Tony isn ’ t universally popular with the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest of a teenager in a McDonald ’ s parking lot last year .
Five other Democrats are in the primary , scheduled for Aug. 18 .
Israel , once a rising star within the ranks of the Democratic Party , could be the comeback kid .
The question is how much the strip club money hurts him .
South Florida , unfortunately , has a thriving strip club industry with many of the local impresarios having achieved quasi-celebrity status .
This might not bury him .
It ’ s a good hook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who Scott Israel is .
He oversaw a Broward County with no unified 911 dispatch system , leading to chaos during the response to the Parkland shooting .
He changed the active shooter policy in the Broward Sheriff ’ s Office to say a deputy “ may , ” not “ shall , ” pursue a shooter .
When asked by the commission investigating the shooting what kind of active shooter training his deputies received , he said , “ We put them through active killer training every three years .
That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well.
” The report said some deputies couldn ’ t recall having gone through training in a decade or two .
And yet , this was the man talking himself up on every cable news network as if he ought to be celebrated — as if his leadership had prevented this from being worse .
Seventeen people were killed that day .
If you think he ’ s changed , consider that Julie Rodriguez ’ s money remains in his coffers , even given the problematic nature of the Cheetah Gentlemen ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

I’d hoped that the last time I’d have to talk about Scott Israel was last year.
I’d hoped that not because I harbor any sort of especial antipathy toward the former Broward County, Florida, sheriff on my own behalf (I do, but this is beside the point), but because I don’t think the students of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, need to hear anyone talk about him anymore.
Israel was the sheriff during the Parkland shooting, and an investigation showed he presided over a poorly trained, overwhelmed and ineffective force that could have saved lives that day and didn’t.
He talked up his performance in a bizarre appearance on CNN and gave testimony before the commission investigating the shooting that was damning — and that’s not even counting the parts where he was evasive or flat-out wrong.
When Ron DeSantis was sworn in as Florida’s governor in January 2019, one of the first things he did was fire Israel and replace him with Gregory Tony. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Tony had a background in active shooter training and, somewhat more important, wasn’t Scott Israel.
Alas, Israel’s name and visage aren’t just going to be revisited when cable news airs retrospectives to remember those lives lost in Parkland. Rather, Israel is running for his old job, trying to displace Tony.
And, it turns out, he’s getting some financial help from an, um, unusual place.
As reported by The Floridian and confirmed by the Florida Division of Elections website, Israel’s PAC, the Committee for a Stronger Broward, was the recipient of a $50,000 donation from the wife of the owner of a chain of strip clubs — a chain that has a curious history with the law.
Julie Rodriguez is the wife of Joe Rodriguez. He’s the owner of Cheetah Gentlemen’s Clubs, a chain of establishments with locations in Hallandale Beach, Pompano Beach and West Palm Beach. At their Hallandale Beach location, they have a “Fine Cigar Selection,” “$100 Svedka Bottles during happy hour” and are clearly your location to watch live sports, since they have a young woman with a football helmet, pads and very little else on their front page.
Should Scott Israel have accepted the donation from the strip club owner's wife? 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: 10% (129 Votes) No: 90% (1122 Votes)
In the Monday report, The Floridian noted that Cheetah “is a full-nude and friction/lap dancing adult nightclub chain.” Having better places to watch my football, I’ll take their word for it.
There are several problems with this that don’t just have to do with the appearance of a $50,000 donation from the wife of a strip club mogul — which, let’s face it, was very likely either prompted or paid for by him.
“The Pompano Beach location is within Broward Sheriff’s Office’s jurisdiction and happens to also be situated in one of the most crime-ridden neighborhoods of the county,” The Floridian reported.
“A simple internet search reveals the club has been associated with criminal activity and multiple arrests from the location. NBC reported back in 2009, Cheetah’s temporary closure due to several violations of the club’s licensure including multiple arrests after dancers attempted to sell drugs and sex to undercover officers with management’s knowledge. In confiscated surveillance videos, multiple sex acts were captured on film showing dancers acting as prostitutes in the club. “
There were also less-concerning incidents involving Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies.
In 2012, Deputy Erik Knutsen ended up losing his job when it turned out he had abandoned his post to spend time at a Cheetah location. WFOR-TV reported he would spend five to 10 hours there. Also in 2012, a suspended Broward deputy who was on house arrest cut off his ankle bracelet to visit the club.
While both of these were before Israel’s tenure, this might be $50,000 he doesn’t need, particularly given the appearance of the thing.
The sad thing is, Scott Israel has a decent chance of regaining his post.
As the Miami Herald noted, Tony isn’t universally popular with the police union and faces criticism over the rough arrest of a teenager in a McDonald’s parking lot last year.
Five other Democrats are in the primary, scheduled for Aug. 18. Israel, once a rising star within the ranks of the Democratic Party, could be the comeback kid.
The question is how much the strip club money hurts him. South Florida, unfortunately, has a thriving strip club industry with many of the local impresarios having achieved quasi-celebrity status. This might not bury him.
It’s a good hook, however, to remind us of who Scott Israel is.
He oversaw a Broward County with no unified 911 dispatch system, leading to chaos during the response to the Parkland shooting.
He changed the active shooter policy in the Broward Sheriff’s Office to say a deputy “may,” not “shall,” pursue a shooter.
When asked by the commission investigating the shooting what kind of active shooter training his deputies received, he said, “We put them through active killer training every three years. That’s totally sufficient. … We train well.” The report said some deputies couldn’t recall having gone through training in a decade or two.
And yet, this was the man talking himself up on every cable news network as if he ought to be celebrated — as if his leadership had prevented this from being worse.
Seventeen people were killed that day. If you think he’s changed, consider that Julie Rodriguez’s money remains in his coffers, even given the problematic nature of the Cheetah Gentlemen’s Club franchise.
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westernjournal--2020-06-04--First Four Facts You Need To Know About Stacey Abrams

Stacey Abrams , a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives , is a potential candidate for Joe Biden ’ s running mate in the 2020 presidential election .
While several news outlets have counted her as a top contender , Abrams herself is the main person tooting her horn .
Aside from a link to Biden , Abrams has mainly gained national attention for two things : her failed gubernatorial campaign and her strong opinions concerning President Donald Trump .
Here are the first four things you need to know about Stacey Abrams : Abrams began her term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2007 before becoming the minority leader in 2011 , according to Ballotpedia .
She was the first woman and the first African American to be a caucus leader in the state legislature , according to the Associated Press .
She has commended herself on her personal website for her efforts to stop pro-life legislation and to “ strategically to recruit , train , elect , and defend Democrats to prevent a Republican supermajority in the House.
” She remained in the Georgia House of Representatives until 2017 .
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts on her subsequent campaign for governor .
2 .
Stacey Abrams ran for governor of Georgia in 2018 — and lost Nearly one year after Abrams left her Georgia House position to focus on her gubernatorial campaign , Abrams won the Democratic primary and became the first African American woman in the U.S. to be nominated for governor by a major party , according to her Fair Fight profile .
Her website brags about endorsements and support from big-name Democrats such as Kamala Harris , Bernie Sanders , Hillary Clinton , Barack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gubernatorial race , Abrams competed against Trump-backed Republican candidate Brian Kemp .
In October 2018 , Abrams and Kemp debated on issues including health care , student financial aid and immigrant voting rights .
Kemp ended up winning the election in November 2018 by about 55,000 votes , avoiding a run-off election by 17,000 votes , according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution .
Abrams claimed that not all ballots were counted and accused Kemp of voter suppression .
In 2019 , she told The New York Times that she still thought she won the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence ” to back up her claims .
Abrams said her argument was based on “ legally sufficient doubt about the process ” and claimed it was not a fair election .
3 .
Stacey Abrams is now an advocate of “ voter protection ” RELATED : Abrams ' Staffer Complains of Voter Suppression Immediately After Bragging About Minority Turnout Just a few days after the Georgia gubernatorial election concluded , Abrams announced the launch of Fair Fight Georgia , which she described as “ an operation that will pursue accountability in Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process of maintaining our voting rolls.
” The organization filed a federal lawsuit against interim Secretary of State Robyn Crittenden and state election board members shortly after , according to PBS .
In 2019 , Abrams announced that she would not be running for the U.S. Senate , according to the Associated Press , or for president , WXIA-TV reported , and instead would use her time to fight voter suppression .
She launched Fair Fight 2020 and became the chair of the organization to take her mission to protect voters nationwide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ my energies and my very , very loud voice to raise the money we need to train those across the country in our 20 battleground states to make sure Donald Trump and the Senate take a hike , and we put people in place who know what we need to have in the United States of America , ” Abrams stated .
4 .
Stacey Abrams is very vocal about her desire to be Biden ’ s VP Since turning down several opportunities to run for state and federal offices in order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made it more than clear that she wants to be vice president — even though she denounced the idea last year .
However , Abrams changed her mind about being vice president only a few weeks later , telling MSNBC that she would be “ open to the conversation ” of running alongside the Democratic nominee if she was not the nominee herself .
She admitted that it seems “ obnoxious ” for her to advertise herself for the position since no one has offered it to her , but it hasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I would be an excellent running mate , ” Abrams told Elle in April .
“ I have the capacity to attract voters by motivating typically ignored communities .
I have a strong history of executive and management experience in the private , public , and nonprofit sectors .
… If I am selected , I am prepared and excited to serve.
” While Abrams had been doing everything she can to appear as an attractive contender to Biden , including saying Tara Reade ’ s allegation of sexual assault against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his vice presidential search committee have yet to announce their choice .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Stacey Abrams, a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives, is a potential candidate for Joe Biden’s running mate in the 2020 presidential election. While several news outlets have counted her as a top contender, Abrams herself is the main person tooting her horn.
Aside from a link to Biden, Abrams has mainly gained national attention for two things: her failed gubernatorial campaign and her strong opinions concerning President Donald Trump.
Here are the first four things you need to know about Stacey Abrams:
1. Abrams was a Georgia State Representative
Abrams began her term in the Georgia House of Representatives in 2007 before becoming the minority leader in 2011, according to Ballotpedia. She was the first woman and the first African American to be a caucus leader in the state legislature, according to the Associated Press.
She has commended herself on her personal website for her efforts to stop pro-life legislation and to “strategically to recruit, train, elect, and defend Democrats to prevent a Republican supermajority in the House.”
She remained in the Georgia House of Representatives until 2017. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, she ultimately left to focus her efforts on her subsequent campaign for governor.
2. Stacey Abrams ran for governor of Georgia in 2018 — and lost
Nearly one year after Abrams left her Georgia House position to focus on her gubernatorial campaign, Abrams won the Democratic primary and became the first African American woman in the U.S. to be nominated for governor by a major party, according to her Fair Fight profile.
Her website brags about endorsements and support from big-name Democrats such as Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
In the gubernatorial race, Abrams competed against Trump-backed Republican candidate Brian Kemp. In October 2018, Abrams and Kemp debated on issues including health care, student financial aid and immigrant voting rights.
Kemp ended up winning the election in November 2018 by about 55,000 votes, avoiding a run-off election by 17,000 votes, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Abrams claimed that not all ballots were counted and accused Kemp of voter suppression.
In 2019, she told The New York Times that she still thought she won the election though she had “no empirical evidence” to back up her claims. Abrams said her argument was based on “legally sufficient doubt about the process” and claimed it was not a fair election.
3. Stacey Abrams is now an advocate of “voter protection”
Just a few days after the Georgia gubernatorial election concluded, Abrams announced the launch of Fair Fight Georgia, which she described as “an operation that will pursue accountability in Georgia’s elections and integrity in the process of maintaining our voting rolls.”
The organization filed a federal lawsuit against interim Secretary of State Robyn Crittenden and state election board members shortly after, according to PBS.
In 2019, Abrams announced that she would not be running for the U.S. Senate, according to the Associated Press, or for president, WXIA-TV reported, and instead would use her time to fight voter suppression. She launched Fair Fight 2020 and became the chair of the organization to take her mission to protect voters nationwide.
I am excited to announce the launch of #FairFight2020, a comprehensive initiative to staff, fund, and train voter protection teams on-the-ground in battleground states across the country. Join our fight to protect the vote at https://t.co/kwO6JZ0kHE. pic.twitter.com/ymf3rSf5GD — Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) August 13, 2019
“I’m going to use my energies and my very, very loud voice to raise the money we need to train those across the country in our 20 battleground states to make sure Donald Trump and the Senate take a hike, and we put people in place who know what we need to have in the United States of America,” Abrams stated.
4. Stacey Abrams is very vocal about her desire to be Biden’s VP
Since turning down several opportunities to run for state and federal offices in order to fight alleged voter suppression, Abrams has made it more than clear that she wants to be vice president — even though she denounced the idea last year.
However, Abrams changed her mind about being vice president only a few weeks later, telling MSNBC that she would be “open to the conversation” of running alongside the Democratic nominee if she was not the nominee herself.
Do you think Stacey Abrams will be chosen as Biden's running mate? 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: 7% (100 Votes) No: 93% (1285 Votes)
She admitted that it seems “obnoxious” for her to advertise herself for the position since no one has offered it to her, but it hasn’t stopped her from doing it anyway.
“I would be an excellent running mate,” Abrams told Elle in April. “I have the capacity to attract voters by motivating typically ignored communities. I have a strong history of executive and management experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. … If I am selected, I am prepared and excited to serve.”
While Abrams had been doing everything she can to appear as an attractive contender to Biden, including saying Tara Reade’s allegation of sexual assault against him is not credible, Biden and his vice presidential search committee have yet to announce their choice.
[jwplayer wRaIJ2VS]
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westernjournal--2020-06-04--Writer for ‘Progressive Newspaper’ Learns About Riots the Hard Way When Office Gets Destroyed

Leigh Tauss , a writer for the progressive Durham , North Carolina-based alternative newspaper Indy Week , finally knows how it feels to be one of the innocent victims of recent riots after her publication ’ s Raleigh office was trashed Saturday night .
Violent demonstrations in Raleigh over the weekend left businesses looted and buildings damaged , according to WRAL .
Many in the establishment media tacitly supported the nationwide mayhem as an appropriate response to the death of George Floyd , who died May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viral .
WARNING : The following post contains vulgar language that some readers may find offensive .
Tauss , who serves as Raleigh news editor for Indy Weekly , tweeted photos of the publication ’ s damaged office on Sunday morning .
The office ’ s large plate glass windows had been broken , shattered glass was everywhere and an obscenity had been spray-painted outside for good measure .
“ I ’ m devastated , ” she captioned photos of the aftermath .
“ We are a progressive newspaper .
Last night I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thrown.
” At least now , maybe Tauss can sympathize with the business owners and police offers who , as the targets of violent outbursts throughout the nation , have been blamed and punished for a death they had nothing to do with .
Her lament is very telling , as she incorrectly assumed that Indy Week ’ s liberal bonafides should protect it from the vandals , as if the people smashing windows and stealing merchandise have more than a tenuous connection to the issue they ’ re supposedly protesting .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainly be passed over , as even in the immediate aftermath of the attack on their office , an article Tauss co-wrote insinuated that police inappropriately used tear gas on protesters .
In an article published Wednesday , the publication went on to explicitly blame Raleigh police for the violence in the city .
Tauss needs to realize there is no appeasing or making friends with marauders who are fueled by anger and emboldened by a mob mentality .
What ’ s more troubling about her Twitter statement , however , is her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spared for its viewpoint , which hints at her belief that maybe right-leaning businesses are getting what they deserve .
Her ideas are not only wrong , but infuriating to anyone who is watching as American cities senselessly become smoldering war zones .
At least Twitter users would not let her get away with her flawed assumptions , as many replied to her tweet with sarcasm and even sage advice for the misguided journalist : When other people ’ s livelihoods and homes literally go up in smoke , progressives such as Tauss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unrest as an outlet for righteous anger — that is , until the destruction finally is turned on them .
It ’ s funny how rioting , vandalizing and looting are all fun and games when it happens in someone else ’ s neighborhood .
What Tauss and her progressive comrades in the establishment media need to realize is that out-of-control anger and destruction that erupts amid civil unrest aims to consume anything in its path .
Senseless violence can not be reasoned with , and needs to be controlled with law and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to overrun and destroy indiscriminately .
The time has come to stop the madness and mayhem — not only for the sake of life and property in the targeted cities , but also for the very cause the “ protests ” ostensibly support .
Actual protesters and their allies in the media need to denounce the violence , because right now , their message is being drowned out by the roar of cities being destroyed .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards @

Leigh Tauss, a writer for the progressive Durham, North Carolina-based alternative newspaper Indy Week, finally knows how it feels to be one of the innocent victims of recent riots after her publication’s Raleigh office was trashed Saturday night.
Violent demonstrations in Raleigh over the weekend left businesses looted and buildings damaged, according to WRAL.
Many in the establishment media tacitly supported the nationwide mayhem as an appropriate response to the death of George Floyd, who died May 25 in Minneapolis after a police officer knelt on his neck for roughly nine minutes during an arrest which quickly went viral.
WARNING: The following post contains vulgar language that some readers may find offensive.
Tauss, who serves as Raleigh news editor for Indy Weekly, tweeted photos of the publication’s damaged office on Sunday morning. The office’s large plate glass windows had been broken, shattered glass was everywhere and an obscenity had been spray-painted outside for good measure.
“I’m devastated,” she captioned photos of the aftermath. “We are a progressive newspaper. Last night I was inside when the first brick was thrown.”
I’m devastated. We are a progressive newspaper. Last night I was inside when the first brick was thrown #Raleigh pic.twitter.com/MJvPdscyqf — Leigh of House (@LeighTauss) May 31, 2020
At least now, maybe Tauss can sympathize with the business owners and police offers who, as the targets of violent outbursts throughout the nation, have been blamed and punished for a death they had nothing to do with.
Do you think progressives in the media encourage riots because they believe they will be spared? 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% (1384 Votes) No: 1% (15 Votes)
Her lament is very telling, as she incorrectly assumed that Indy Week’s liberal bonafides should protect it from the vandals, as if the people smashing windows and stealing merchandise have more than a tenuous connection to the issue they’re supposedly protesting.
If that were true, Indy Week would certainly be passed over, as even in the immediate aftermath of the attack on their office, an article Tauss co-wrote insinuated that police inappropriately used tear gas on protesters.
In an article published Wednesday, the publication went on to explicitly blame Raleigh police for the violence in the city.
Tauss needs to realize there is no appeasing or making friends with marauders who are fueled by anger and emboldened by a mob mentality.
What’s more troubling about her Twitter statement, however, is her implication that the publication deserved to be spared for its viewpoint, which hints at her belief that maybe right-leaning businesses are getting what they deserve. Her ideas are not only wrong, but infuriating to anyone who is watching as American cities senselessly become smoldering war zones.
At least Twitter users would not let her get away with her flawed assumptions, as many replied to her tweet with sarcasm and even sage advice for the misguided journalist:
Hate only begets hate and calls to violence only incite violence. Evil has no friends. It consumes everything in it’s path. It always has throughout history.
May your eyes may be opened and your heart softened to the belief that progressivism doesn’t actually lead to progress. — Xaviere (@Xaviere29370219) May 31, 2020
It was a brick of peace. — Johnny Wu ? (@BaizuosBTFO) May 31, 2020
“Why is this lion eating me? I work for the World Wildlife Fund!” — MuzzleforMaxine (@Hunter572Randy) June 1, 2020
Are you saying veiledly that it could be ok if the newspaper were conservative? Try your medicine, honey. — Sofía Rincón ??? (@Sophistidomme) June 1, 2020
I’m sorry that you had to learn this way that Antifa doesn’t care. You didn’t deserve this any more than that Mystery/ SciFi bookstore in Minneapolis did. Unfortunately the Revolution eats its own, as Robespierre and Trotsky both learned. — furious_Stay Six Feet Away_a (@furious_a) May 31, 2020
When other people’s livelihoods and homes literally go up in smoke, progressives such as Tauss are more than happy to defend civil unrest as an outlet for righteous anger — that is, until the destruction finally is turned on them.
It’s funny how rioting, vandalizing and looting are all fun and games when it happens in someone else’s neighborhood.
What Tauss and her progressive comrades in the establishment media need to realize is that out-of-control anger and destruction that erupts amid civil unrest aims to consume anything in its path.
Senseless violence cannot be reasoned with, and needs to be controlled with law and order. Otherwise, miscreants will continue to overrun and destroy indiscriminately.
The time has come to stop the madness and mayhem — not only for the sake of life and property in the targeted cities, but also for the very cause the “protests” ostensibly support.
Actual protesters and their allies in the media need to denounce the violence, because right now, their message is being drowned out by the roar of cities being destroyed.
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westernjournal--2020-06-04--Watch: Rioters Turn on Virtue-Signaling White Guys as They Yell ‘We’re on Your Side’

When a rioter breaks your window and you tell them that you ’ re on their side , what side are you really on ?
I don ’ t necessarily ask that rhetorically , because I ’ m genuinely curious what a group of viral partiers thought they were endorsing when members of a passing demonstration threw rocks through their window .
Neither the place nor the people are identified in the clip , which gained widespread notoriety when it was tweeted by conservative filmmaker Ami Horowitz .
While it ’ s difficult , therefore , to fully vouch for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be difficult to fake for reasons that ’ ll quickly become clear .
The setup : Several individuals , all apparently male , all apparently white , are having some kind of party .
A few floors below , a steady stream of protesters pass on the road .
The person recording can be seen giving the thumbs-up sign to the protesters .
Less than a second later , a projectile comes crashing through the adjacent window .
The thumb goes down .
“ We ’ re on your side !
” one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projectile crashes through the other window .
WARNING : The following video contains graphic language that some viewers will find offensive .
“ Holy s— !
We ’ re on your side !
” our bro friend shouts , apparently now sufficiently distracted from what appears to be a game of beer pong in progress .
“ We ’ re on your f—ing side !
What the f— ?
” There ’ s a certain subset of viral clips to have emerged from the riots that have an aspect of gallows humor to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a grim laugh to be had when the tenuous inanities we ’ ve been sold about the nature of the protests and how one can be an effective activist or ally go poof .
The incredulity of our virtue-signaling Chads that their windows got broken by protesters with whom they felt themselves aligned certainly qualifies for a bad laugh , yes .
But it goes deeper .
“ Holy s— !
We ’ re on your side !
” Whose side ?
And for what purposes ?
People have the right to peaceably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their concerns .
RELATED : Stunning Announcement : All St. Louis Rioters Have Been Released from Jail This is another grim irony of the matter : Conservatives were saying this several weeks ago while exercising those rights and , because we exercised those rights , we were branded as retrograde bigots who were killing grandma .
( It ’ s worth pointing out yet again that the nature of the novel coronavirus hasn ’ t changed in the interim , just the motivating factor behind the respective protests .
But I digress .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had , under the First Amendment , the right to be out on the streets provided there was no imminent danger to life , limb or property being caused by any element of the protest .
Was this what these woke young men were cheering on ?
Not really .
Notice whose “ side ” they were on : that of the individual or individuals who threw projectiles through their windows .
The cri de coeur from our party bro wasn ’ t : “ Why are you destroying property ?
” Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you destroying our property ?
” Yes , this happened quickly enough that it almost could have been a TikTok video .
I suppose the person doing the virtue signaling here didn ’ t have the time to think about the words coming out of his mouth .
That said , the first thing that came to his mind says a great deal about his mindset .
It ’ s fair to say that , at least on the part of whoever destroyed these windows , this demonstration wasn ’ t about keeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding those responsible for his death accountable and calling for policy changes that reduce the chances of police brutality .
Bricks and rocks don ’ t accomplish that .
Some individuals , however , have come to conflate the two .
Others seem to pooh-pooh the property damage because it ’ s a minority of protesters .
This may indeed be true , but what do you think a shiny-object news media is going to give more play to ?
Time after time , we see an anchor assuring us just how peaceful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front of a burnt-out family business or the charred shell of a police cruiser .
We know what they ’ re there for , and it ’ s not to soak in the peacefulness .
At this point , it ’ s rather moot to argue over whether cities could or should have taken control of the situation .
To recycle a metaphor , it seems we ’ ve bent the curve on violent protests ; while some still remain , the damage has been done and the moment for civic authorities to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , unfortunately , that ’ s the best we can hope for at this point .
Arguing over what should have been done to effectively maintain control is sadly academic .
The only thing we should be talking about is how , in all of this , we ’ ve lost sight of the reason for the protests in the first place .
However , let this video be a reminder of the kind of woke mindset that excused so much lawlessness .
As long as the property-destroying type of protester remained in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was just fine with it .
Once it became more concrete , he wasn ’ t quite as cool with it .
As for getting justice for George Floyd — well , who ’ s he again ?
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

When a rioter breaks your window and you tell them that you’re on their side, what side are you really on?
I don’t necessarily ask that rhetorically, because I’m genuinely curious what a group of viral partiers thought they were endorsing when members of a passing demonstration threw rocks through their window.
Neither the place nor the people are identified in the clip, which gained widespread notoriety when it was tweeted by conservative filmmaker Ami Horowitz. While it’s difficult, therefore, to fully vouch for its provenance, it’d likely be difficult to fake for reasons that’ll quickly become clear.
The setup: Several individuals, all apparently male, all apparently white, are having some kind of party. A few floors below, a steady stream of protesters pass on the road.
The person recording can be seen giving the thumbs-up sign to the protesters. Less than a second later, a projectile comes crashing through the adjacent window. The thumb goes down.
“We’re on your side!” one of our woke protagonists yells.
Another projectile crashes through the other window.
WARNING: The following video contains graphic language that some viewers will find offensive.
This is so nuts. Sad, but kind of hilarious pic.twitter.com/9fHBDX8FP9 — Ami Horowitz (@AmiHorowitz) June 2, 2020
“Holy s—! We’re on your side!” our bro friend shouts, apparently now sufficiently distracted from what appears to be a game of beer pong in progress. “We’re on your f—ing side! What the f—?”
There’s a certain subset of viral clips to have emerged from the riots that have an aspect of gallows humor to them. Yes, there’s a grim laugh to be had when the tenuous inanities we’ve been sold about the nature of the protests and how one can be an effective activist or ally go poof.
The incredulity of our virtue-signaling Chads that their windows got broken by protesters with whom they felt themselves aligned certainly qualifies for a bad laugh, yes. But it goes deeper.
“Holy s—! We’re on your side!” Whose side? And for what purposes?
People have the right to peaceably assemble and demonstrate for a redress of their concerns.
This is another grim irony of the matter: Conservatives were saying this several weeks ago while exercising those rights and, because we exercised those rights, we were branded as retrograde bigots who were killing grandma. (It’s worth pointing out yet again that the nature of the novel coronavirus hasn’t changed in the interim, just the motivating factor behind the respective protests. But I digress.)
Every single one of those protesters had, under the First Amendment, the right to be out on the streets provided there was no imminent danger to life, limb or property being caused by any element of the protest. Was this what these woke young men were cheering on?
Not really. Notice whose “side” they were on: that of the individual or individuals who threw projectiles through their windows.
The cri de coeur from our party bro wasn’t: “Why are you destroying property?”
Instead, it was: “Why are you destroying our property?”
Yes, this happened quickly enough that it almost could have been a TikTok video. I suppose the person doing the virtue signaling here didn’t have the time to think about the words coming out of his mouth. That said, the first thing that came to his mind says a great deal about his mindset.
It’s fair to say that, at least on the part of whoever destroyed these windows, this demonstration wasn’t about keeping the memory of George Floyd alive, holding those responsible for his death accountable and calling for policy changes that reduce the chances of police brutality. Bricks and rocks don’t accomplish that.
Should police do more to stop violent protests? 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: 96% (187 Votes) No: 4% (7 Votes)
Some individuals, however, have come to conflate the two.
Others seem to pooh-pooh the property damage because it’s a minority of protesters. This may indeed be true, but what do you think a shiny-object news media is going to give more play to?
Time after time, we see an anchor assuring us just how peaceful these protests are — quite often in front of a burnt-out family business or the charred shell of a police cruiser. We know what they’re there for, and it’s not to soak in the peacefulness.
At this point, it’s rather moot to argue over whether cities could or should have taken control of the situation. To recycle a metaphor, it seems we’ve bent the curve on violent protests; while some still remain, the damage has been done and the moment for civic authorities to take control has passed. At least, unfortunately, that’s the best we can hope for at this point.
Arguing over what should have been done to effectively maintain control is sadly academic. The only thing we should be talking about is how, in all of this, we’ve lost sight of the reason for the protests in the first place.
However, let this video be a reminder of the kind of woke mindset that excused so much lawlessness.
As long as the property-destroying type of protester remained in the abstract for this gentleman, he was just fine with it. Once it became more concrete, he wasn’t quite as cool with it.
As for getting justice for George Floyd — well, who’s he again?
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westernjournal--2020-06-04--Trump Hammers Back After Mattis’ Appalling Statement on Protests, Rioters

When former Defense Secretary James Mattis declared a war of words Wednesday on the president he once served , he had to know he was in for a fight .
But he might not have realized how hot it was going to get .
In a Twitter post late Wednesday , President Donald Trump showed how big a fight it was going to be .
“ Probably the only thing Barack Obama & I have in common is that we both had the honor of firing Jim Mattis , the world ’ s most overrated General .
I asked for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great about it , ” Trump wrote .
“ I didn ’ t like his ‘ leadership ’ style or much else about him , and many others agree .
Glad he is gone !
” Trump was reacting to a lengthy statement from Mattis published by the liberal magazine The Atlantic on Wednesday , in which the retired secretary of defense and former Marine general attacked Trump ’ s visit Monday to St. John ’ s Episcopal Church in Washington — a historic site that had been damaged by fires apparently set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House on Sunday night .
In the statement , Mattis , who has publicly feuded with Trump since the president pushed him out of the White House earlier than expected , savaged Trump ’ s performance in the face of nationwide chaos ostensibly ignited by outrage over the May 25 death of a Minneapolis whose neck was knelt on for nine minutes by a police officer during an arrest .
( What looting businesses in Los Angeles has to do with the death of George Floyd in Minnesota is apparently something only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have watched this week ’ s unfolding events , angry and appalled , ” Mattis wrote .
Mattis claimed Trump is “ militarizing ” the government ’ s response to the protests — as though hordes of rioters destroying once-prosperous shopping districts , untold millions worth of property , and individual American dreams did not constitute a danger to the country deserving of a strong response .
Quoting James Madison , he implicitly accused Trump of violating the Constitution , and drew a tacit comparison between the Trump administration and the Nazi regime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany spoke for the rest of the administration — and countless millions of Americans sickened by the events of the past week — when she branded Mattis ’ statement the nonsense it was : RELATED : Mattis Identifies America 's Biggest Internal National Security Threat : 'It 's the Lack of Friendliness' Mattis might claim to be “ appalled , ” but his statement was appalling — in its reasoning and its conclusions .
“ Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even pretend to try .
Instead he tries to divide us .
We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort , ” Mattis said .
“ We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership .
We can unite without him , drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society .
This will not be easy , as the past few days have shown , but we owe it to our fellow citizens ; to past generations that bled to defend our promise ; and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday , author and talk show host Mark Levin weighed in , and took Mattis ’ statement apart .
“ General Mattis in his statement doesn ’ t say as damn thing about the people who are being harmed by these mobs .
Not the police , not the minorities , not all human beings … Not a damn thing , ” Levin said .
“ You might want to educate yourself a little bit before you try and undermine the commander in chief in the middle of an insurrection , ” Levin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defense .
“ What a disgrace.
” Check out Levin ’ s full take on Mattis here : As Levin noted , Mattis ’ statement will be “ celebrated ” in The New York Times and on CNN , two news outlets that despised Mattis ’ success against the savages of the Islamic State group .
But as arguments go , it ’ s hard to get much weaker .
Trump is the first president in his memory who doesn ’ t “ unite ” Americans ?
Maybe Mattis has forgotten the presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , since Obama fired him ( and Mattis strongly criticized Obama in a book published last year ) .
Maybe he doesn ’ t remember that the county was not exactly united behind the socialist transformation Obama and his increasingly dangerous political party tried to foist on the country .
( And Obama may have succeeded if not for the Republican victory in the House in the 2010 midterms . )
Maybe he doesn ’ t remember the presidency of George W. Bush — the president who spent eight years being attacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this country .
It would be just as easy to make the argument that neither of those men “ tried ” to unite the country but instead tried to “ divide ” it as the argument could be made about Trump today .
It would be easier , actually , because neither of them faced anything like the relentless hostility of the mainstream media and popular culture that Trump has .
And Mattis , who is clearly not stupid , knows it .
The statement an act of intellectual dishonesty that puts a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States — especially as the secretary of defense to the president he now maligns .
The country deserved better from Mattis than this .
Trump deserved better from Mattis than this .
And Mattis ’ own career of honorable service deserved better .
In one of the biggest fights of his life , he picked the wrong side .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

When former Defense Secretary James Mattis declared a war of words Wednesday on the president he once served, he had to know he was in for a fight.
But he might not have realized how hot it was going to get.
In a Twitter post late Wednesday, President Donald Trump showed how big a fight it was going to be.
“Probably the only thing Barack Obama & I have in common is that we both had the honor of firing Jim Mattis, the world’s most overrated General. I asked for his letter of resignation, & felt great about it,” Trump wrote.
…His primary strength was not military, but rather personal public relations. I gave him a new life, things to do, and battles to win, but he seldom “brought home the bacon”. I didn’t like his “leadership” style or much else about him, and many others agree. Glad he is gone! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 4, 2020
“I didn’t like his ‘leadership’ style or much else about him, and many others agree. Glad he is gone!”
Trump was reacting to a lengthy statement from Mattis published by the liberal magazine The Atlantic on Wednesday, in which the retired secretary of defense and former Marine general attacked Trump’s visit Monday to St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington — a historic site that had been damaged by fires apparently set by rioters across the street from the White House on Sunday night.
In the statement, Mattis, who has publicly feuded with Trump since the president pushed him out of the White House earlier than expected, savaged Trump’s performance in the face of nationwide chaos ostensibly ignited by outrage over the May 25 death of a Minneapolis whose neck was knelt on for nine minutes by a police officer during an arrest. (What looting businesses in Los Angeles has to do with the death of George Floyd in Minnesota is apparently something only liberals can understand.)
Did this statement reduce your respect for James Mattis? Yes No
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“I have watched this week’s unfolding events, angry and appalled,” Mattis wrote.
Mattis claimed Trump is “militarizing” the government’s response to the protests — as though hordes of rioters destroying once-prosperous shopping districts, untold millions worth of property, and individual American dreams did not constitute a danger to the country deserving of a strong response.
Quoting James Madison, he implicitly accused Trump of violating the Constitution, and drew a tacit comparison between the Trump administration and the Nazi regime of World War II-era Germany.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany spoke for the rest of the administration — and countless millions of Americans sickened by the events of the past week — when she branded Mattis’ statement the nonsense it was:
Under President @realDonaldTrump’s leadership, there will be NO burning of churches, looting of businesses, destruction of property, and assaults on civilians and police. America will unite in LAW AND ORDER! — Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) June 4, 2020
Mattis might claim to be “appalled,” but his statement was appalling — in its reasoning and its conclusions.
“Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people — does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort,” Mattis said.
“We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children.”
On his radio show Wednesday, author and talk show host Mark Levin weighed in, and took Mattis’ statement apart.
“General Mattis in his statement doesn’t say as damn thing about the people who are being harmed by these mobs. Not the police, not the minorities, not all human beings … Not a damn thing,” Levin said.
“He pretends these are peaceable protesters.”
Levin branded Mattis’ words “a disgrace.”
“You might want to educate yourself a little bit before you try and undermine the commander in chief in the middle of an insurrection,” Levin said, addressing the former secretary of defense. “What a disgrace.”
Check out Levin’s full take on Mattis here:
As Levin noted, Mattis’ statement will be “celebrated” in The New York Times and on CNN, two news outlets that despised Mattis’ success against the savages of the Islamic State group. But as arguments go, it’s hard to get much weaker.
Trump is the first president in his memory who doesn’t “unite” Americans?
Maybe Mattis has forgotten the presidency of Barack Obama — he should remember it, since Obama fired him (and Mattis strongly criticized Obama in a book published last year). Maybe he doesn’t remember that the county was not exactly united behind the socialist transformation Obama and his increasingly dangerous political party tried to foist on the country. (And Obama may have succeeded if not for the Republican victory in the House in the 2010 midterms.)
Maybe he doesn’t remember the presidency of George W. Bush — the president who spent eight years being attacked as a wannabe dictator by liberals in this country.
It would be just as easy to make the argument that neither of those men “tried” to unite the country but instead tried to “divide” it as the argument could be made about Trump today. It would be easier, actually, because neither of them faced anything like the relentless hostility of the mainstream media and popular culture that Trump has.
And Mattis, who is clearly not stupid, knows it.
The statement an act of intellectual dishonesty that puts a stain on Mattis’ undeniable service to the United States — especially as the secretary of defense to the president he now maligns.
The country deserved better from Mattis than this. Trump deserved better from Mattis than this.
And Mattis’ own career of honorable service deserved better.
In one of the biggest fights of his life, he picked the wrong side.
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westernjournal--2020-06-04--Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Shuts Down Tlaib’s #DefundPolice Push

The chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus shut down calls from activists and their supporters — including her colleague , Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib — for a national defunding of police departments .
However , the chairwoman , Democratic Rep. Karen Bass of California , said the House of Representatives plans to pass police reforms this month .
Black Lives Matter activists and protesters have been circulating a petition to # DefundThePolice in the wake of George Floyd ’ s death while in police custody in Minneapolis .
The movement wants governments to stop funding police departments and instead give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other social services .
Bass said she doesn ’ t think defunding the police is the answer to the issue , Fox News reported .
“ No , I don ’ t believe that we should defund police departments , ” she said during a Wednesday news conference .
Bass met with leaders of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus , the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the Congressional Native American Caucus to call for a package of police reform bills that could be passed later this month .
The movement to defund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and celebrities such as singer John Legend , was endorsed by Tlaib in a tweet Sunday .
“ Instead of *who* killed # GeorgeFloyd , we should focus on *what* killed George .
Until then , we won ’ t have justice , ” said Tlaib , a member of “ the squad ” of progressive freshmen congresswomen .
“ Know that it ’ s still both , but don ’ t let the ‘ who ’ overshadow the decades of structural racism that has created the system that allows police officer after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
“ I just want us to dig deeper so that the # DefundPolice movement isn ’ t brushed aside.
” RELATED : St. Louis Police Chief Breaks Down Over Violence of Riots : 'Can We Make Some Sense Out of This ? '
Bass said the proposals the House is working on aim to hold law enforcement officers accountable for their actions .
“ The most important is holding police accountable because right now it is difficult to sue , you can very rarely fire and you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ So we need to deal with the laws that make is so difficult to hold police accountable.
” A package of bills is also being developed in the Senate by the Congressional Black Caucus and Democratic Sens .
Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kamala Harris of California .
“ Persistent , unchecked bias in policing and a history of lack of accountability is wreaking havoc on the Black community , ” Booker said in a statement .
“ Cities are literally on fire with the pain and anguish wrought by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bodies , ” he said .
“ There ’ s no one singular policy change that will fix this issue tomorrow — we need an entire set of holistic reforms to improve police training and practices , and ensure greater accountability and transparency.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

The chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus shut down calls from activists and their supporters — including her colleague, Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib — for a national defunding of police departments.
However, the chairwoman, Democratic Rep. Karen Bass of California, said the House of Representatives plans to pass police reforms this month.
Black Lives Matter activists and protesters have been circulating a petition to #DefundThePolice in the wake of George Floyd’s death while in police custody in Minneapolis.
We call for an END to the systemic racism that allows this culture of corruption to go unchecked and our lives to be taken. See the Demands. Sign the Petition. #DefundThePolice #blacklivesmatter https://t.co/xGULtImAOY — Black Lives Matter (@Blklivesmatter) May 31, 2020
The movement wants governments to stop funding police departments and instead give the money to education, health care and other social services.
Bass said she doesn’t think defunding the police is the answer to the issue, Fox News reported.
“No, I don’t believe that we should defund police departments,” she said during a Wednesday news conference.
Bass met with leaders of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the Congressional Native American Caucus to call for a package of police reform bills that could be passed later this month.
Do you think it is a good idea to defund the police? 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: 1% (15 Votes) No: 99% (1308 Votes)
The movement to defund the police, supported by leftist activists and celebrities such as singer John Legend, was endorsed by Tlaib in a tweet Sunday.
“Instead of *who* killed #GeorgeFloyd, we should focus on *what* killed George. Until then, we won’t have justice,” said Tlaib, a member of “the squad” of progressive freshmen congresswomen.
“Know that it’s still both, but don’t let the ‘who’ overshadow the decades of structural racism that has created the system that allows police officer after police officer off the hook for murder,” she said. “I just want us to dig deeper so that the #DefundPolice movement isn’t brushed aside.”
Too many folks are confused when they hear we need to #DefundPolice. I ask you to engage in this debate with an openness. There is real validity in dismantling the current racist system that has led to this pain. — Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) May 31, 2020
Bass said the proposals the House is working on aim to hold law enforcement officers accountable for their actions.
“The most important is holding police accountable because right now it is difficult to sue, you can very rarely fire and you can almost never prosecute,” she said.
“So we need to deal with the laws that make is so difficult to hold police accountable.”
A package of bills is also being developed in the Senate by the Congressional Black Caucus and Democratic Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kamala Harris of California.
“Persistent, unchecked bias in policing and a history of lack of accountability is wreaking havoc on the Black community,” Booker said in a statement.
“Cities are literally on fire with the pain and anguish wrought by the violence visited upon black and brown bodies,” he said. “There’s no one singular policy change that will fix this issue tomorrow — we need an entire set of holistic reforms to improve police training and practices, and ensure greater accountability and transparency.”
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