hotair--2020-05-19--Chicago church draws protests for being a church

The closure of churches as part of the novel coronavirus shutdowns remains a bone of contention around the country .
Most frequently we ’ ve heard about pastors and congregants protesting the closures , but that ’ s not always the case .
One church in Chicago has continued to defy Governor Pritzker ’ s shutdown orders and held two services on Sundays for those desiring to attend who are willing to follow social distancing rules inside the building .
Rather than cheering on their neighbors for keeping the faith , some residents are now planning protests outside the church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both the Chicago Police and the Mayor into the fray .
( CBS Chicago ) Large religious gatherings are not allowed during the statewide stay-at-home order , but that ’ s not stopping some Chicago churches .
In Belmont Cragin , some residents are so fed up with one church holding illegal services , they say they ’ re planning to protest outside on Sunday .
The church is in a neighborhood with a higher than average positivity rate for COVID-19 .
And that is why the man behind the plans says if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help stop the spread , the neighborhood will .
Born and raised in Belmont Cragin , Alonso Zaragoza says this community is everything to him , and that is why he takes its safety personally… So he says if the city won ’ t step in to stop the church from hosting services , drawing more than 100 people , during the stay at home order , the neighborhood will .
The church in question is Metro Praise International , located on West Diversey Street in Chicago .
Their pastor isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this point , so he ’ s clearly not in this for attention or to prove a point .
But he has a sizable following , drawing as many as 100 congregants to his sermons , even during the pandemic lockdown .
This clearly has Alonso Zaragoza upset , so he ’ s going to rally people to protest outside of the church while services are taking place .
Not for nothing , but isn ’ t this sort of a self-defeating proposal ?
You ’ re upset that too many people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to try to get a bunch of other people to show up at the same location ?
And if the pastor is keeping all of the congregants six feet apart during the sermons and they ’ re sanitizing the whole place and encouraging the use of personal protective equipment , is this really that much of a threat to public safety ?
Apparently so , at least in the eyes of the government .
Mayor Lori Lightfoot sent a letter to all of the churches last week saying “ she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to step in and take any enforcement action , but if they have to , they will.
” That sounds a bit ominous for a letter being sent to priests , pastors , rabbis and clerics , doesn ’ t it ?
The Chicago PD is following orders on this matter .
They also issued a statement saying that people can return to religious services “ once the pandemic is over.
” “ The Chicago Police Department will continue working this weekend with all residents in the city to ensure full compliance with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will not have to take any kind of enforcement action this weekend.
” Who is going to determine when the pandemic “ is over ?
” The Mayor ?
The Governor ?
This thing may not be “ over ” until next year , assuming it ’ s ever really over .
How long must Chicago ’ s churches remain closed ?
Meanwhile , you can still see crowds of people in Chicago ’ s parks and streets , gathering together , many without bothering to wear masks .
And as we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s residents have been throwing “ pandemic parties.
” But the city government is going to invest its time in going after a church ?
Maybe it ’ s just me , but this pandemic is causing a form of insanity to spread across the country that has nothing to do with the virus itself .

The closure of churches as part of the novel coronavirus shutdowns remains a bone of contention around the country. Most frequently we’ve heard about pastors and congregants protesting the closures, but that’s not always the case. One church in Chicago has continued to defy Governor Pritzker’s shutdown orders and held two services on Sundays for those desiring to attend who are willing to follow social distancing rules inside the building. Rather than cheering on their neighbors for keeping the faith, some residents are now planning protests outside the church and they’re trying to bring both the Chicago Police and the Mayor into the fray. (CBS Chicago)
Large religious gatherings are not allowed during the statewide stay-at-home order, but that’s not stopping some Chicago churches. In Belmont Cragin, some residents are so fed up with one church holding illegal services, they say they’re planning to protest outside on Sunday. The church is in a neighborhood with a higher than average positivity rate for COVID-19. And that is why the man behind the plans says if the city won’t do anything to help stop the spread, the neighborhood will. Born and raised in Belmont Cragin, Alonso Zaragoza says this community is everything to him, and that is why he takes its safety personally… So he says if the city won’t step in to stop the church from hosting services, drawing more than 100 people, during the stay at home order, the neighborhood will.
The church in question is Metro Praise International, located on West Diversey Street in Chicago. Their pastor isn’t giving interviews to the press at this point, so he’s clearly not in this for attention or to prove a point. But he has a sizable following, drawing as many as 100 congregants to his sermons, even during the pandemic lockdown.
This clearly has Alonso Zaragoza upset, so he’s going to rally people to protest outside of the church while services are taking place.
Not for nothing, but isn’t this sort of a self-defeating proposal? You’re upset that too many people are congregating at the church, so you’re going to try to get a bunch of other people to show up at the same location? And if the pastor is keeping all of the congregants six feet apart during the sermons and they’re sanitizing the whole place and encouraging the use of personal protective equipment, is this really that much of a threat to public safety?
Apparently so, at least in the eyes of the government. Mayor Lori Lightfoot sent a letter to all of the churches last week saying “she hopes the city won’t have to step in and take any enforcement action, but if they have to, they will.” That sounds a bit ominous for a letter being sent to priests, pastors, rabbis and clerics, doesn’t it?
The Chicago PD is following orders on this matter. They also issued a statement saying that people can return to religious services “once the pandemic is over.”
“The Chicago Police Department will continue working this weekend with all residents in the city to ensure full compliance with the mandate. We remain hopeful that we will not have to take any kind of enforcement action this weekend.”
Who is going to determine when the pandemic “is over?” The Mayor? The Governor? This thing may not be “over” until next year, assuming it’s ever really over. How long must Chicago’s churches remain closed?
Meanwhile, you can still see crowds of people in Chicago’s parks and streets, gathering together, many without bothering to wear masks. And as we previously learned, some of the city’s residents have been throwing “pandemic parties.” But the city government is going to invest its time in going after a church? Maybe it’s just me, but this pandemic is causing a form of insanity to spread across the country that has nothing to do with the virus itself.


hotair--2020-05-19--Trump to WHO: Cut your China ties in 30 days ... or else

“ It is self-explanatory , ” Donald Trump declared about his letter to World Health Organization director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus , but at the least , it ’ s not subtle .
The four-page missive lists a number of WHO ’ s failings in the COVID-19 crisis , but Trump ’ s main criticism focuses on the organization ’ s prioritizing China ’ s political agenda over world health .
The US is willing to help WHO reform itself , and has already offered advice on how to do so , Trump wrote , but there ’ s a time limit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO either has to “ commit to major substantive improvements ” and “ actually demonstrate independence from China , ” or the US will leave WHO permanently — and take our cash with us : The letter , which Trump publicly revealed in a tweet Monday evening and pinned to his Twitter account , listed a number of criticisms directed at the WHO concerning its initial response to the novel coronavirus in the early days of the outbreak in China .
The letter claimed the WHO “ ignored credible reports of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an obsequious manner toward the People ’ s Republic of China , including shunting Taiwanese health assessments and caving into pressure from Chinese President Xi Jinping .
The letter , addressed to Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , went on to say that the WHO neglected to declare an emergency and acted with delayed urgency due to pressure from the Chinese government .
It continued that if the WHO “ does not commit to major substantive improvements within the next 30 days , I will make my temporary freeze of United States funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reconsider our membership in the organization.
” “ I can not allow American taxpayer dollars to continue to finance an organization that , in its present state , is so clearly not serving America ’ s interests , ” Trump ’ s letter read .
Or really the world ’ s interests , as much of the rest of the world has concluded as well .
Over 100 member states have signed onto a demand to have the UN General Assembly investigate the origins of COVID-19 and the manner in which the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even a veiled shot at Beijing and Tedros ; its animus is clear enough that China at first threatened other countries for proposing it , and then shifted to stall tactics when bullying backfired .
The frustration and anger with China and WHO has become near-universal .
If Trump ’ s letter lacks subtlety , it ’ s because the Tedros-led WHO ’ s sellout to Beijing and the Xi Jinping regime is no less obvious .
Trump points out in his letter that Tedros ’ predecessor Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland stood up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2002-3 to contrast his performance with hers .
“ She also did not hesitate to criticize China , ” Trump wrote , “ for endangering global health by attempting to cover up the outbreak through its usual playbook of arresting whistleblowers and censoring media .
Many lives could have been saved , ” Trump concludes his argument , “ had you followed Dr. Brundtland ’ s example.
” It ’ s almost certain , however , that China backed Tedros because of Dr. Bruntland ’ s example .
Tedros had proven much more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where he assisted the government ’ s campaigns of denial in cholera outbreaks .
Canada ’ s Globe and Mail took a belated look back at Tedros ’ track record late last month : For many years , health experts in Ethiopia noticed a strange phenomenon : The government was refusing to acknowledge cholera outbreaks .
Instead , the authorities labelled the outbreaks as “ acute watery diarrhea ” – a broader term that includes milder diseases .
Research by Human Rights Watch found that the Ethiopian government was pressuring its health workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which could damage the country ’ s image and deter tourists .
Throughout this period , one of the most powerful officials in Ethiopia ’ s authoritarian government was Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , first as health minister and then foreign minister .
In 2017 , he was elected to a new post : director-general of the World Health Organization .
Critics say the cholera saga in Ethiopia is a sign that Dr. Tedros is comfortable with the secrecy of autocratic states – a tendency that may have led him to accept China ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak in December and January without challenging its officials with tough questions .
If yesterday ’ s WHO conference is any guide , Tedros isn ’ t exactly cutting those ties to the regime that got him the job in the first place .
More than two dozen members demanded that Taiwan be granted an official status with WHO , but got rejected : Ahead of the meeting , the United States and 28 other countries called for Taiwan to be admitted to the meeting as an observer , given its success in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it off at home .
Beijing , though , views the island as a part of China and has spent decades trying to make its government an international pariah .
Ultimately , the WHO did not extend an invitation to Taiwan , which withdrew its bid for observer status .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used the occasion to castigate WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , who critics say has been too conciliatory to Beijing .
“ The Director-General ’ s lack of independence deprives the Assembly of Taiwan ’ s renowned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further damages the WHO ’ s credibility and effectiveness at a time when the world needs it the most , ” Pompeo said in a statement .
… .
But even if it ’ s not present in this week ’ s major meetings , Taiwan is having a global moment .
Its deft management of the crisis — with only seven reported coronavirus-related deaths — was a mark of efficient , transparent governance and a society with recent experience handling deadly outbreaks .
Like China , Taiwan launched its own soft-power initiative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world , efforts that won widespread plaudits , especially in countries where public attitudes are souring on Beijing .
This is truly the canary in the corruptocrat-China coal mine .
If WHO really had global health as its priority , Taiwan ’ s input would not just have been welcomed at this conference , it would have been sought out for best-practices instruction .
The only reason for Taiwan ’ s exclusion is appeasement of Xi and Beijing .
Tedros needs to go if WHO ever wants to recover its credibility .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first place , a decision which turned out to have massively fatal consequences .
Unless WHO reforms itself , we will have better results putting that cash into partnership with other countries who won ’ t sell out to tyrants and that put global health and science above the whims of dictatorial regimes .

“It is self-explanatory,” Donald Trump declared about his letter to World Health Organization director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus, but at the least, it’s not subtle. The four-page missive lists a number of WHO’s failings in the COVID-19 crisis, but Trump’s main criticism focuses on the organization’s prioritizing China’s political agenda over world health. The US is willing to help WHO reform itself, and has already offered advice on how to do so, Trump wrote, but there’s a time limit for action.
In 30 days, WHO either has to “commit to major substantive improvements” and “actually demonstrate independence from China,” or the US will leave WHO permanently — and take our cash with us:
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1262577580718395393
The letter, which Trump publicly revealed in a tweet Monday evening and pinned to his Twitter account, listed a number of criticisms directed at the WHO concerning its initial response to the novel coronavirus in the early days of the outbreak in China. The letter claimed the WHO “ignored credible reports of the virus” and accused the organization of acting in an obsequious manner toward the People’s Republic of China, including shunting Taiwanese health assessments and caving into pressure from Chinese President Xi Jinping. The letter, addressed to Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, went on to say that the WHO neglected to declare an emergency and acted with delayed urgency due to pressure from the Chinese government. It continued that if the WHO “does not commit to major substantive improvements within the next 30 days, I will make my temporary freeze of United States funding to the World Health Organization permanent and reconsider our membership in the organization.” “I cannot allow American taxpayer dollars to continue to finance an organization that, in its present state, is so clearly not serving America’s interests,” Trump’s letter read.
Or really the world’s interests, as much of the rest of the world has concluded as well. Over 100 member states have signed onto a demand to have the UN General Assembly investigate the origins of COVID-19 and the manner in which the outbreak first got handled. That is not even a veiled shot at Beijing and Tedros; its animus is clear enough that China at first threatened other countries for proposing it, and then shifted to stall tactics when bullying backfired. The frustration and anger with China and WHO has become near-universal.
If Trump’s letter lacks subtlety, it’s because the Tedros-led WHO’s sellout to Beijing and the Xi Jinping regime is no less obvious. Trump points out in his letter that Tedros’ predecessor Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland stood up to China in the SARS outbreak of 2002-3 to contrast his performance with hers. “She also did not hesitate to criticize China,” Trump wrote, “for endangering global health by attempting to cover up the outbreak through its usual playbook of arresting whistleblowers and censoring media. Many lives could have been saved,” Trump concludes his argument, “had you followed Dr. Brundtland’s example.”
It’s almost certain, however, that China backed Tedros because of Dr. Bruntland’s example. Tedros had proven much more malleable to political pressure in Ethiopia, where he assisted the government’s campaigns of denial in cholera outbreaks. Canada’s Globe and Mail took a belated look back at Tedros’ track record late last month:
For many years, health experts in Ethiopia noticed a strange phenomenon: The government was refusing to acknowledge cholera outbreaks. Instead, the authorities labelled the outbreaks as “acute watery diarrhea” – a broader term that includes milder diseases. Research by Human Rights Watch found that the Ethiopian government was pressuring its health workers to avoid any mention of cholera, which could damage the country’s image and deter tourists. Throughout this period, one of the most powerful officials in Ethiopia’s authoritarian government was Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, first as health minister and then foreign minister. In 2017, he was elected to a new post: director-general of the World Health Organization. Critics say the cholera saga in Ethiopia is a sign that Dr. Tedros is comfortable with the secrecy of autocratic states – a tendency that may have led him to accept China’s earliest reports on the novel coronavirus outbreak in December and January without challenging its officials with tough questions.
If yesterday’s WHO conference is any guide, Tedros isn’t exactly cutting those ties to the regime that got him the job in the first place. More than two dozen members demanded that Taiwan be granted an official status with WHO, but got rejected:
Ahead of the meeting, the United States and 28 other countries called for Taiwan to be admitted to the meeting as an observer, given its success in recognizing the coronavirus threat early and warding it off at home. Beijing, though, views the island as a part of China and has spent decades trying to make its government an international pariah. Ultimately, the WHO did not extend an invitation to Taiwan, which withdrew its bid for observer status. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used the occasion to castigate WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who critics say has been too conciliatory to Beijing. “The Director-General’s lack of independence deprives the Assembly of Taiwan’s renowned scientific expertise on pandemic disease, and further damages the WHO’s credibility and effectiveness at a time when the world needs it the most,” Pompeo said in a statement. …. But even if it’s not present in this week’s major meetings, Taiwan is having a global moment. Its deft management of the crisis — with only seven reported coronavirus-related deaths — was a mark of efficient, transparent governance and a society with recent experience handling deadly outbreaks. Like China, Taiwan launched its own soft-power initiative to send medical aid and relief around the world, efforts that won widespread plaudits, especially in countries where public attitudes are souring on Beijing.
This is truly the canary in the corruptocrat-China coal mine. If WHO really had global health as its priority, Taiwan’s input would not just have been welcomed at this conference, it would have been sought out for best-practices instruction. The only reason for Taiwan’s exclusion is appeasement of Xi and Beijing.
Tedros needs to go if WHO ever wants to recover its credibility. He never should have been appointed in the first place, a decision which turned out to have massively fatal consequences. Unless WHO reforms itself, we will have better results putting that cash into partnership with other countries who won’t sell out to tyrants and that put global health and science above the whims of dictatorial regimes.


hotair--2020-05-19--Another Ahmaud Arbery video emerges... from three years ago

Yesterday , we learned via Allahpundit that a longer version of the video of the Ahmaud Arbery shooting exists and it really doesn ’ t paint the McMichaels in a better light than the original did .
But that wasn ’ t the end of the story .
It turns out that Arbery shows up on video at least one other time .
This one is from Glynn County Police body camera footage .
The incident covered in this 2017 video takes place in a local park where Arbery is sitting in his parked vehicle when a police officer arrives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from there quickly .
( Associated Press ) A video released Monday shows police in Georgia attempting to search Ahmaud Arbery ’ s parked car in 2017 and when he refuses to let them and begins to walk back to the vehicle an officer tries to tase him .
The video , first obtained by The Guardian , shows Arbery refusing Glynn County police when they ask to search his Toyota and as he walks toward his vehicle he is told “ don ’ t reach the car ” and “ keep your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then pulls the taser and attempts to use it but it malfunctions and Arbery is told to get down on the ground , which he does .
When Arbery questions why the cops are bothering him he was told that the area is known for drugs , a suggestion that agitates Arbery who said he is not on drugs and to check his “ s—- !
” The video was released by the Guardian , where you will find a longer writeup of the events in question .
I ’ ll warn any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there is quite a bit of “ colorful ” language in this clip , both from Arbery and one of the officers .
I ’ m not sure what this video brings to the table in terms of Arbery ’ s shooting in February .
This encounter took place roughly three years ago and neither of the Glynn County Police officers who engaged with Arbery , Michael Kanago and David Haney , seem to have been involved in this year ’ s investigation .
But the behavior of both Arbery and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a look into what was clearly an uneasy relationship between Ahmaud Arbery and local law enforcement .
The first thing to note is that Arbery was supposedly sitting in his parked car when the police rolled up , but they aren ’ t on a road .
The car is parked on the grass near some railroad tracks in the park .
We learn later that Arbery ’ s license was suspended so he wound up having to leave the vehicle there and depart on foot , but that ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first officer on the scene , Kanago , starts off acting professionally , for the most part , speaking in a calm voice .
Arbery is also relatively calm in the beginning .
He explains that he ’ s just “ rapping in the park ” on his one day off per week from his job at a local truck wash. Kanago asks Arbery for his ID , which he retrieves from the car without incident .
It ’ s really tough to see any probable cause at this point for further action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a suspended license .
But that ’ s when the tension begins to rise and tempers flare .
After running Arbery ’ s plate number the video cuts back to Arbery growing agitated ( perhaps understandably ) and asking Kanago why the officer is “ f***ing with him.
” Kanago explains that he ’ s “ f***ing with him ” because “ this area is known for drug activity.
” At no point in the entire video is it suggested that he was involved in any sort of drug dealing .
But by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around and swearing while complaining about the cop hassling him .
At this point , there ’ s another cut in the film so we don ’ t know what transpired , but the next scene shows Kanago ordering Arbery to turn around and put his hands on the trunk of his vehicle so he can “ check ” him for weapons .
Arbery complies , though he complains that Kanago has no reason to search him .
Strangely , Kanago insists he ’ s not “ searching ” him , but is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s obviously a search , but we can again ask what the probable cause was to escalate the encounter at that point .
Arbery is found to not have any weapons or other problematic possessions .
At this point , Kanago announces that Arbery doesn ’ t have any warrants .
How that ’ s not the end of the encounter is something of a mystery , but Kanago informs Arbery that he ’ s “ making me kind of nervous ” by “ coming up on me.
” There ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it resumes , Kanago has obviously asked Arbery if he can search his car .
Arbery refuses .
But this is when Officer Haney shows up and things really escalate .
Haney almost immediately pulls out his taser Arbery appears ready to get back into his car but both officers tell him not to reach for the car and to keep his hands out of his pockets .
Haney is shouting the instructions while Kanago still sounds a bit calmer .
After yelling at him twice , even though Arbery is complying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire the taser at Arbery and you can hear it buzzing and clicking .
The weapon malfunctions and Haney then orders Arbery to kneel down on the ground .
There ’ s another frustrating gap in the video after that .
When it resumes , Arbery has been allowed to leave on foot .
A third officer has arrived and they discuss the fact that Haney had tried to tase Arbery .
That ’ s all we see .
But when the cops later filed a police report about the incident , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they saw a “ bag with a leafy substance ” in it inside the vehicle .
How is it that the drug angle was never mentioned during the entire encounter ?
Although I suppose it could have taken place during one of the times when Kanago shut off his body camera .
So did they really find marijuana in Arbery ’ s car or did they “ find ” marijuana in his car ?
( I think you know what I mean . )
Arbery clearly had an uncomfortable relationship with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems like a case where he wasn ’ t really doing much of anything and wound up drawing a very confrontational response from the cops when they encountered him .
Maybe the cops had some legitimate reason to believe that Arbery was up to no good .
Maybe Arbery had a very good reason to be afraid of the local law enforcement because of how he ’ d been treated by them in the past .
We ’ re left with little more than speculation because there is so much about his history @ @ @ @

Yesterday, we learned via Allahpundit that a longer version of the video of the Ahmaud Arbery shooting exists and it really doesn’t paint the McMichaels in a better light than the original did. But that wasn’t the end of the story. It turns out that Arbery shows up on video at least one other time. This one is from Glynn County Police body camera footage. The incident covered in this 2017 video takes place in a local park where Arbery is sitting in his parked vehicle when a police officer arrives to question him. Things go downhill from there quickly. (Associated Press)
A video released Monday shows police in Georgia attempting to search Ahmaud Arbery’s parked car in 2017 and when he refuses to let them and begins to walk back to the vehicle an officer tries to tase him. The video, first obtained by The Guardian, shows Arbery refusing Glynn County police when they ask to search his Toyota and as he walks toward his vehicle he is told “don’t reach the car” and “keep your hands out your pockets.” The officer then pulls the taser and attempts to use it but it malfunctions and Arbery is told to get down on the ground, which he does. When Arbery questions why the cops are bothering him he was told that the area is known for drugs, a suggestion that agitates Arbery who said he is not on drugs and to check his “s—-!”
The video was released by the Guardian, where you will find a longer writeup of the events in question. I’ll warn any of our easily offended readers in advance that there is quite a bit of “colorful” language in this clip, both from Arbery and one of the officers.
I’m not sure what this video brings to the table in terms of Arbery’s shooting in February. This encounter took place roughly three years ago and neither of the Glynn County Police officers who engaged with Arbery, Michael Kanago and David Haney, seem to have been involved in this year’s investigation. But the behavior of both Arbery and the cops at least give us a bit of a look into what was clearly an uneasy relationship between Ahmaud Arbery and local law enforcement.
The first thing to note is that Arbery was supposedly sitting in his parked car when the police rolled up, but they aren’t on a road. The car is parked on the grass near some railroad tracks in the park. We learn later that Arbery’s license was suspended so he wound up having to leave the vehicle there and depart on foot, but that’s not exactly a serious criminal offense.
The first officer on the scene, Kanago, starts off acting professionally, for the most part, speaking in a calm voice. Arbery is also relatively calm in the beginning. He explains that he’s just “rapping in the park” on his one day off per week from his job at a local truck wash. Kanago asks Arbery for his ID, which he retrieves from the car without incident. It’s really tough to see any probable cause at this point for further action aside from the fact that Arbery has a suspended license. But that’s when the tension begins to rise and tempers flare.
After running Arbery’s plate number the video cuts back to Arbery growing agitated (perhaps understandably) and asking Kanago why the officer is “f***ing with him.” Kanago explains that he’s “f***ing with him” because “this area is known for drug activity.” At no point in the entire video is it suggested that he was involved in any sort of drug dealing. But by now, Arbery is swinging his arms around and swearing while complaining about the cop hassling him.
At this point, there’s another cut in the film so we don’t know what transpired, but the next scene shows Kanago ordering Arbery to turn around and put his hands on the trunk of his vehicle so he can “check” him for weapons. Arbery complies, though he complains that Kanago has no reason to search him. Strangely, Kanago insists he’s not “searching” him, but is “checking him” for weapons. It’s obviously a search, but we can again ask what the probable cause was to escalate the encounter at that point.
Arbery is found to not have any weapons or other problematic possessions. At this point, Kanago announces that Arbery doesn’t have any warrants. How that’s not the end of the encounter is something of a mystery, but Kanago informs Arbery that he’s “making me kind of nervous” by “coming up on me.”
There’s another gap in the video and when it resumes, Kanago has obviously asked Arbery if he can search his car. Arbery refuses. But this is when Officer Haney shows up and things really escalate. Haney almost immediately pulls out his taser Arbery appears ready to get back into his car but both officers tell him not to reach for the car and to keep his hands out of his pockets. Haney is shouting the instructions while Kanago still sounds a bit calmer. After yelling at him twice, even though Arbery is complying with the instructions, Haney attempts to fire the taser at Arbery and you can hear it buzzing and clicking. The weapon malfunctions and Haney then orders Arbery to kneel down on the ground.
There’s another frustrating gap in the video after that. When it resumes, Arbery has been allowed to leave on foot. A third officer has arrived and they discuss the fact that Haney had tried to tase Arbery. That’s all we see. But when the cops later filed a police report about the incident, they claimed that the car smelled of marijuana and they saw a “bag with a leafy substance” in it inside the vehicle. How is it that the drug angle was never mentioned during the entire encounter? Although I suppose it could have taken place during one of the times when Kanago shut off his body camera. So did they really find marijuana in Arbery’s car or did they “find” marijuana in his car? (I think you know what I mean.)
Arbery clearly had an uncomfortable relationship with the local police. But this encounter definitely seems like a case where he wasn’t really doing much of anything and wound up drawing a very confrontational response from the cops when they encountered him. Maybe the cops had some legitimate reason to believe that Arbery was up to no good. Maybe Arbery had a very good reason to be afraid of the local law enforcement because of how he’d been treated by them in the past. We’re left with little more than speculation because there is so much about his history that remains unknown.


hotair--2020-05-19--REvil: Nevermind about releasing that Trump info - a buyer paid for it

Just a few days ago a story surfaced about a hacking group , REvil , who decided to double the ransom being demanded from the New York law firm Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks in exchange for the 756 gigabytes of documents allegedly stolen .
At that time , in order to jack up the ransom demand , the group claimed it would release damning information on President Trump if the ransom of $ 42M wasn ’ t delivered .
At the time I questioned if the group even had any dirt on the president because reports were that Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ targeted attorney , Allen Grubman .
Trump was reported to have never been a client of Grubman or the law firm so it was extremely unlikely that there would have been any files on Trump to be stolen by the hackers .
And , frankly , even if there were files , what could there possibly be left at this point to expose about Trump ?
It all felt like an “ Ah , ha !
Now we ’ ve got him !
” moment that was bogus from the get-go .
Turns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release of harmful information on Trump .
The information wasn ’ t much more than the word ‘ Trump ’ appearing in emails of other clients .
Someone took the bait , though , according to REvel and paid for the data about Trump .
Then on Monday , REvil revealed the Trump documents were off the market , stating , “ Interested people contacted us and agreed to buy all the data about the US president … We are pleased with the deal and keep our word.
” They added , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … The buyer has the right to do whatever he sees fit with the data.
” It is not known what was in the alleged Trump trove , but sources who viewed a sample on the hackers ’ site said it related to snarky mentions of Trump in emails from Grubman ’ s clientele .
Brett Callow , from cybersecurity firm Emsisoft , told Page Six , “ What information REvil had on Trump we may likely never know .
But they were almost certainly bluffing about it being ‘ presidency-ending material.
’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being treated as a terrorist matter , perhaps because of Trump , so the law firm was prevented from paying the ransom or negotiating .
From what is being reported , the hackers were leveraging Trump ’ s name but the only real appearance of his name in the hacking story was from his name appearing in emails of others .
There wasn ’ t anything there but references to him .
The “ most harmless ” emails released on the dark web , all 169 of them , contained absolutely nothing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For all intents and purposes , that data dump looked like someone had just searched an archive for “ trump ” and put everything returned into a file .
Including trump being used as a verb and messages referring to Trump in the third-person .
The considered opinion of most all the security intelligence experts I have spoken to is that REvil had nothing of any consequence on Trump and was , in fact , bluffing as leverage to get a ransom paid .
So , no “ dirty laundry ” about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ triggered the hackers ’ change of plans was the law firm ’ s use of the word ‘ terrorist ’ while describing the ransomware attack .
REvel posted links to emails meant to prove its claims .
After that , the hackers released a statement that they made a deal with a buyer to sell the Trump information .
However , the use of the ‘ terrorist ’ word triggered an angry , and quick , response from the REvil ransomware operators on May 17 .
In a long and ranting posting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that “ Mr .
Lawyer says that Donald has never been their client .
And he says that we are bluffing .
Oh well .
The first part , with the most harmless information , we will post here.
” That posting concluded with links to a collection of 169 emails purporting to be a small part of the ‘ dirty laundry ’ data the group had on President Trump .
Today , the REvil group has posted yet another update .
Here ’ s what it had to say as far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ Interested people contacted us and agreed to buy all the data about the U.S. President , which we have accumulated over the entire time of our activity.
” The cybercriminals said that they were “ very pleased with the deal , ” but did not disclose any further information regarding either the buyer or the amount paid .
If , that is , anything was actually sold at all .
And , just like that , the target changed from President Trump to aging pop star Madonna .
The experts at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever anything to REvil ’ s claims against Trump in the first place .
The hackers were taking advantage of Trump Derangement Syndrome , still so prevalent on the left .
Who knows who paid for the bogus Trump files ?
Looks like they got the short end of the deal if there was anything on the files at all .
Wouldn ’ t it be fun if surrogates of the Biden campaign spent money on a phony story ?

Just a few days ago a story surfaced about a hacking group, REvil, who decided to double the ransom being demanded from the New York law firm Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks in exchange for the 756 gigabytes of documents allegedly stolen. At that time, in order to jack up the ransom demand, the group claimed it would release damning information on President Trump if the ransom of $42M wasn’t delivered.
At the time I questioned if the group even had any dirt on the president because reports were that Trump wasn’t a client of the targeted attorney, Allen Grubman. Trump was reported to have never been a client of Grubman or the law firm so it was extremely unlikely that there would have been any files on Trump to be stolen by the hackers. And, frankly, even if there were files, what could there possibly be left at this point to expose about Trump? It all felt like an “Ah, ha! Now we’ve got him!” moment that was bogus from the get-go.
Turns out, REvel was bluffing about the release of harmful information on Trump. The information wasn’t much more than the word ‘Trump’ appearing in emails of other clients. Someone took the bait, though, according to REvel and paid for the data about Trump.
Then on Monday, REvil revealed the Trump documents were off the market, stating, “Interested people contacted us and agreed to buy all the data about the US president … We are pleased with the deal and keep our word.” They added, “We are preparing to auction Madonna data … The buyer has the right to do whatever he sees fit with the data.” It is not known what was in the alleged Trump trove, but sources who viewed a sample on the hackers’ site said it related to snarky mentions of Trump in emails from Grubman’s clientele. Brett Callow, from cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, told Page Six, “What information REvil had on Trump we may likely never know. But they were almost certainly bluffing about it being ‘presidency-ending material.’ But let’s assume this is being treated as a terrorist matter, perhaps because of Trump, so the law firm was prevented from paying the ransom or negotiating.
From what is being reported, the hackers were leveraging Trump’s name but the only real appearance of his name in the hacking story was from his name appearing in emails of others. There wasn’t anything there but references to him.
The “most harmless” emails released on the dark web, all 169 of them, contained absolutely nothing that could be considered as dirt on Trump. For all intents and purposes, that data dump looked like someone had just searched an archive for “trump” and put everything returned into a file. Including trump being used as a verb and messages referring to Trump in the third-person. The considered opinion of most all the security intelligence experts I have spoken to is that REvil had nothing of any consequence on Trump and was, in fact, bluffing as leverage to get a ransom paid.
So, no “dirty laundry” about President Trump. What seems to have triggered the hackers’ change of plans was the law firm’s use of the word ‘terrorist’ while describing the ransomware attack. REvel posted links to emails meant to prove its claims. After that, the hackers released a statement that they made a deal with a buyer to sell the Trump information.
However, the use of the ‘terrorist’ word triggered an angry, and quick, response from the REvil ransomware operators on May 17. In a long and ranting posting on the dark web, the threat actors said that “Mr. Lawyer says that Donald has never been their client. And he says that we are bluffing. Oh well. The first part, with the most harmless information, we will post here.” That posting concluded with links to a collection of 169 emails purporting to be a small part of the ‘dirty laundry’ data the group had on President Trump. Today, the REvil group has posted yet another update. Here’s what it had to say as far the data about President Trump was concerned: “Interested people contacted us and agreed to buy all the data about the U.S. President, which we have accumulated over the entire time of our activity.” The cybercriminals said that they were “very pleased with the deal,” but did not disclose any further information regarding either the buyer or the amount paid. If, that is, anything was actually sold at all.
And, just like that, the target changed from President Trump to aging pop star Madonna. The experts at the cybersecurity firm Emsisoft doubt there was ever anything to REvil’s claims against Trump in the first place.
“The hackers were also prevented from making any money, so they went to Plan B, removing Trump from the deal and instead auctioning off the celebs’ information separately.”
The hackers were taking advantage of Trump Derangement Syndrome, still so prevalent on the left. Who knows who paid for the bogus Trump files? Looks like they got the short end of the deal if there was anything on the files at all. Wouldn’t it be fun if surrogates of the Biden campaign spent money on a phony story?


hotair--2020-05-19--CNN: We've found some new inconsistencies in Tara Reade's stories about her life and working for Bid

CNN: We've found some new inconsistencies in Tara Reade's stories about her life and working for Biden

A rumor floating around on political Twitter a few days ago had it that people who worked on the Kavanaugh confirmation were preparing to drop their entire oppo file on Christine Blasey Ford .
Not because Ford is somehow relevant to the Reade/Biden story , but simply to capitalize on the new standard the media has created for digging into the pasts of famous accusers .
Politico went hunting for dirt on Reade ’ s trustworthiness and found it .
Now CNN ’ s gone hunting and found some too .
Which is fair game , to be clear : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to weigh the relative credibility of alleged victim and assailant , the more we know about both sides , the better .
But it would have been deemed very dirty pool indeed for reporters to impugn Ford with reports that she ’ s been a deadbeat about paying her rent .
Or , per today ’ s CNN story , to drill down on the fact that her memories of certain parts of her past aren ’ t so reliable .
If Ford had accused a Democratic SCOTUS nominee , there ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s allies to compile an oppo file on her .
The press would have done it for them .
Anyway , there are three noteworthy details in the CNN piece .
This one about Reade ’ s educational history jumps out because it suggests she is willing to invent self-serving biographical details seemingly out of thin air .
Reade told CNN that she received a bachelor of arts degree from Antioch University in Seattle under the auspices of a “ protected program , ” personally working with the former president of the school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she obtained credits for her degree .
She also said that she was a visiting professor at the school , on and off for five years .
Presented with this , Karen Hamilton , an Antioch University spokesperson , told CNN that “ Alexandra McCabe attended but did not graduate from Antioch University .
She was never a faculty member .
She did provide several hours of administrative work.
” An Antioch University official told CNN that such a “ protected program ” does not exist and never has .
People exaggerate their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that mean they ’ re necessarily lying about having been sexually assaulted ?
Of course not .
But is their willingness to lie , especially fabricating a detail like the “ protected program ” whole cloth , something we might want to factor in when weighing their credibility ?
Sure .
How could we not ?
The second detail comes from Ben Savage , a fellow former Biden staffer who worked alongside Reade in Biden ’ s office years ago .
Savage told PBS last week that Reade was “ fired for her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he witnessed.
” She didn ’ t leave due to sexual harassment or sexual assault , as far as he ’ s aware .
He elaborated on that today to CNN : Reade was overwhelmed by some of her duties at work , which included helping to sort and respond to constituent mail , Savage said .
He recalled that some of Reade ’ s tasks were taken away from her , and said his understanding at the time was that she was terminated because of performance issues .
Around the time of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blamed her termination on her health issue — that she thought she was being discriminated against for her health issue.
” Savage declined to share on the record for publication what Reade ’ s stated medical issue was at the time .
Her lawyer told CNN that the sexual harassment and assault she was suffering was the health issue .
Interestingly , Savage appears to remember the medical issue she described even though he declined to say what it was ; I ’ m guessing it wasn ’ t “ sexual assault ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a little more credulous about her accusation against Biden .
CNN also noticed that in blog posts she ’ s since deleted Reade claimed alternately that she “ resigned ” from her job in Biden ’ s office to pursue acting , because she was disillusioned with the government ’ s “ xenophobia , ” and because her boyfriend got a job managing a congressional campaign in the midwest .
When asked about that , Reade said she just wasn ’ t ready yet to talk about Biden ’ s assault when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has to do with where Reade worked , specifically .
According to multiple former Biden aides , there was a “ front office ” where the interns and lower-level staffers did grunt work like processing mail and then a separate office where Biden himself and his more powerful aides worked .
The two rooms were separated by Strom Thurmond ’ s office ; they weren ’ t connected .
Reade and a friend claimed to CNN that he once massaged her neck at a meeting in front of interns — which , Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Except that one staffer says he almost never came into the front office .
Savage says he can ’ t remember a single meeting between Biden and interns/junior staffers during his time there .
“ He didn ’ t deal with junior staff , ever , ” claims another former aide .
So , who knows .
As the media pokes holes in Reade ’ s credibility , I wonder if Trump will end up trying to use this episode to discredit his own accusers .
He ’ s been uncharacteristically restrained about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 as to hold a press conference with some of Bill Clinton ’ s accusers .
This time , when he ’ s been asked about Reade , Trump has sounded almost like a Biden surrogate , sympathizing with the Democrat by assuring listeners that he knows what it ’ s like to be on the wrong end of a bogus # MeToo claim .
If public skepticism about Reade grows , I can see him trying to steer the conversation around to why his accusers — or at least Brett Kavanaugh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put through the same wringer by the media .
What will they say ?

A rumor floating around on political Twitter a few days ago had it that people who worked on the Kavanaugh confirmation were preparing to drop their entire oppo file on Christine Blasey Ford. Not because Ford is somehow relevant to the Reade/Biden story, but simply to capitalize on the new standard the media has created for digging into the pasts of famous accusers.
Politico went hunting for dirt on Reade’s trustworthiness and found it. Now CNN’s gone hunting and found some too. Which is fair game, to be clear: Since we’re now being asked to weigh the relative credibility of alleged victim and assailant, the more we know about both sides, the better.
But it would have been deemed very dirty pool indeed for reporters to impugn Ford with reports that she’s been a deadbeat about paying her rent. Or, per today’s CNN story, to drill down on the fact that her memories of certain parts of her past aren’t so reliable.
If Ford had accused a Democratic SCOTUS nominee, there’d be no need for the nominee’s allies to compile an oppo file on her. The press would have done it for them.
Anyway, there are three noteworthy details in the CNN piece. This one about Reade’s educational history jumps out because it suggests she is willing to invent self-serving biographical details seemingly out of thin air.
Reade told CNN that she received a bachelor of arts degree from Antioch University in Seattle under the auspices of a “protected program,” personally working with the former president of the school to ensure her identity was protected while she obtained credits for her degree. She also said that she was a visiting professor at the school, on and off for five years. Presented with this, Karen Hamilton, an Antioch University spokesperson, told CNN that “Alexandra McCabe attended but did not graduate from Antioch University. She was never a faculty member. She did provide several hours of administrative work.” An Antioch University official told CNN that such a “protected program” does not exist and never has.
People exaggerate their educational credentials all the time. Does that mean they’re necessarily lying about having been sexually assaulted? Of course not. But is their willingness to lie, especially fabricating a detail like the “protected program” whole cloth, something we might want to factor in when weighing their credibility? Sure. How could we not?
The second detail comes from Ben Savage, a fellow former Biden staffer who worked alongside Reade in Biden’s office years ago. Savage told PBS last week that Reade was “fired for her poor performance on the job, which he witnessed.” She didn’t leave due to sexual harassment or sexual assault, as far as he’s aware. He elaborated on that today to CNN:
Reade was overwhelmed by some of her duties at work, which included helping to sort and respond to constituent mail, Savage said. He recalled that some of Reade’s tasks were taken away from her, and said his understanding at the time was that she was terminated because of performance issues. Around the time of her departure, Savage said Reade “blamed her termination on her health issue — that she thought she was being discriminated against for her health issue.” Savage declined to share on the record for publication what Reade’s stated medical issue was at the time.
Her lawyer told CNN that the sexual harassment and assault she was suffering was the health issue. Interestingly, Savage appears to remember the medical issue she described even though he declined to say what it was; I’m guessing it wasn’t “sexual assault” or he’d sound, ah, a little more credulous about her accusation against Biden. CNN also noticed that in blog posts she’s since deleted Reade claimed alternately that she “resigned” from her job in Biden’s office to pursue acting, because she was disillusioned with the government’s “xenophobia,” and because her boyfriend got a job managing a congressional campaign in the midwest. When asked about that, Reade said she just wasn’t ready yet to talk about Biden’s assault when she wrote that.
The third detail has to do with where Reade worked, specifically. According to multiple former Biden aides, there was a “front office” where the interns and lower-level staffers did grunt work like processing mail and then a separate office where Biden himself and his more powerful aides worked. The two rooms were separated by Strom Thurmond’s office; they weren’t connected. Reade and a friend claimed to CNN that he once massaged her neck at a meeting in front of interns — which, Biden being Biden, seems perfectly plausible. Except that one staffer says he almost never came into the front office. Savage says he can’t remember a single meeting between Biden and interns/junior staffers during his time there. “He didn’t deal with junior staff, ever,” claims another former aide.
So, who knows.
As the media pokes holes in Reade’s credibility, I wonder if Trump will end up trying to use this episode to discredit his own accusers. He’s been uncharacteristically restrained about the Reade matter after going so far in 2016 as to hold a press conference with some of Bill Clinton’s accusers. This time, when he’s been asked about Reade, Trump has sounded almost like a Biden surrogate, sympathizing with the Democrat by assuring listeners that he knows what it’s like to be on the wrong end of a bogus #MeToo claim. If public skepticism about Reade grows, I can see him trying to steer the conversation around to why his accusers — or at least Brett Kavanaugh’s — haven’t been put through the same wringer by the media. What will they say?


hotair--2020-05-20--Wisconsin woman who's been taking hydroxychloroquine for 19 years diagnosed with COVID-19

I ’ m surprised we haven ’ t seen data on people like this .
There are a ton of Americans taking HCQ right now for valid reasons , because they have a rheumatological condition .
How many of them have gotten sick from coronavirus ?
That ’ ll give us some basic sense of whether the drug works as a prophylaxis against the disease .
We might not even need a scientific test to find out .
Just hire a pollster to call people randomly and ask them ( a ) are you on hydroxychloroquine and ( b ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ d be interesting to see how many answer yes to both questions and how the share that got infected while using HCQ compares to the share of the overall population that got infected .
Anyway , I think I know what MAGA true believers will say to this clip : Zinc .
It doesn ’ t work unless you take it with zinc .
National Review has an editorial today lamenting the “ idiotic fight over hydroxychloroquine ” , specifically how Trump ’ s insistence on taking the drug off-label “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican Party in defending hydroxychloroquine for the same reason his critics loathe a drug they hadn ’ t heard of before a few months ago — simply because it is a thing Trump favors.
” How did culture-war politics reach the point of such complete nihilism that the efficacy of a medication is now a sticking point between Team Blue and Team Red ?
Worse , there ’ s evidence that the politics surrounding the issue are actually getting stupider .
Here ’ s Biden last night missing an easy lay-up by comparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to poison : That reminds me of Joe Scarborough telling his viewers earlier this week not to take hydroxychloroquine because “ it will kill you , ” which , ah , it almost certainly will not .
( Although it could cause concerning side effects . )
If Democrats want to bust Trump for spreading medical misinformation , job one is to not spread medical misinformation themselves that might dissuade people who need the drug to treat other health problems from taking it .
On the other hand , we have the fringier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up about hydroxychloroquine that they ’ re attempting to formulate their own — hamhandedly , of course : Last week , promoters of the pro-Trump QAnon conspiracy theory—which posits that top Democrats run pedophile sex dungeons and eat children—boosted a “ home recipe ” for hydroxychloroquine that consisted of steeping various fruit rinds .
While the recipe ’ s proponents claimed that it would help people avoid “ big pharmas fillers , ” the fruits suggested in the recipe , like grapefruit , could react dangerously with other medications .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hydroxychloroquine ’ s still-unproven effects .
In April , a video from Missouri chiropractor Eric Nepute raging against “ fake news ” went viral , racking up more than 1 million views .
In his video , Nepute claimed that people with COVID-19 symptoms should just drink Schweppes Tonic Water for the quinine , wrongly claiming that its effects were “ similar-ish ” to hydroxychloroquine .
Eventually the partisanship around this will get so moronic that doctors won ’ t be able to conduct trials to see whether the drug works because politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won ’ t want to participate .
Oh , wait .
According to NPR , we ’ ve reached that point already .
I ’ ll leave you with the Speaker of the House explaining why she called the president of the United States “ morbidly obese ” in condemning his use of an unproven drug to prevent infection by a killer virus .
I can ’ t believe I just wrote that sentence either .

I’m surprised we haven’t seen data on people like this. There are a ton of Americans taking HCQ right now for valid reasons, because they have a rheumatological condition. How many of them have gotten sick from coronavirus? That’ll give us some basic sense of whether the drug works as a prophylaxis against the disease.
We might not even need a scientific test to find out. Just hire a pollster to call people randomly and ask them (a) are you on hydroxychloroquine and (b) have you been diagnosed with COVID-19? It’d be interesting to see how many answer yes to both questions and how the share that got infected while using HCQ compares to the share of the overall population that got infected.
Anyway, I think I know what MAGA true believers will say to this clip: Zinc. It doesn’t work unless you take it with zinc.
National Review has an editorial today lamenting the “idiotic fight over hydroxychloroquine”, specifically how Trump’s insistence on taking the drug off-label “will embroil the White House and the Republican Party in defending hydroxychloroquine for the same reason his critics loathe a drug they hadn’t heard of before a few months ago — simply because it is a thing Trump favors.” How did culture-war politics reach the point of such complete nihilism that the efficacy of a medication is now a sticking point between Team Blue and Team Red? Worse, there’s evidence that the politics surrounding the issue are actually getting stupider. Here’s Biden last night missing an easy lay-up by comparing taking HCQ, an FDA-approved drug, to poison:
Joe Biden just compared President Trump taking Hydroxychloroquine, a drug that has been prescribed to people for 65 years by doctors, to injecting himself with Clorox. pic.twitter.com/EaLbQwlZP5 — Benny (@bennyjohnson) May 20, 2020
That reminds me of Joe Scarborough telling his viewers earlier this week not to take hydroxychloroquine because “it will kill you,” which, ah, it almost certainly will not. (Although it could cause concerning side effects.) If Democrats want to bust Trump for spreading medical misinformation, job one is to not spread medical misinformation themselves that might dissuade people who need the drug to treat other health problems from taking it.
On the other hand, we have the fringier edges of MAGA Nation reportedly so hyped up about hydroxychloroquine that they’re attempting to formulate their own — hamhandedly, of course:
Last week, promoters of the pro-Trump QAnon conspiracy theory—which posits that top Democrats run pedophile sex dungeons and eat children—boosted a “home recipe” for hydroxychloroquine that consisted of steeping various fruit rinds. While the recipe’s proponents claimed that it would help people avoid “big pharmas fillers,” the fruits suggested in the recipe, like grapefruit, could react dangerously with other medications. That’s not the only dubious recipe for replicating hydroxychloroquine’s still-unproven effects. In April, a video from Missouri chiropractor Eric Nepute raging against “fake news” went viral, racking up more than 1 million views. In his video, Nepute claimed that people with COVID-19 symptoms should just drink Schweppes Tonic Water for the quinine, wrongly claiming that its effects were “similar-ish” to hydroxychloroquine.
Eventually the partisanship around this will get so moronic that doctors won’t be able to conduct trials to see whether the drug works because politics will get in the way. People won’t want to participate.
Oh, wait. According to NPR, we’ve reached that point already.
I’ll leave you with the Speaker of the House explaining why she called the president of the United States “morbidly obese” in condemning his use of an unproven drug to prevent infection by a killer virus. I can’t believe I just wrote that sentence either.


hotair--2020-05-20--Washington Post: Flynn's name wasn't masked in FBI document about his call with Amb. Kislyak

The Washington Post reported this afternoon that Gen. Michael Flynn ’ s name was never “ unmasked ” by outgoing Obama administration officials because it was never masked in the first place : A Republican effort to determine who may have leaked the name of Michael Flynn in connection to his 2016 contact with the Russian ambassador has centered on the question of which Obama administration officials requested his identity be “ unmasked ” in intelligence documents .
But in the FBI report about the communications between the two men , Flynn ’ s name was never redacted , former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not the NSA , that wiretapped Kislyak ’ s calls and created the summary and transcript , the former officials said .
“ When the FBI circulated [ the report ] , they included Flynn ’ s name from the beginning ” because it was essential to understanding its significance , said a former senior U.S. official , who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive intelligence .
“ There were therefore no requests for the unmasking of that information.
” I obviously don ’ t know who the senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Flynn ’ s name being essential to understanding the significance of the report , but I have a guess .
Maybe it ’ s former acting Attorney General Sally Yates who told Ryan Lizza nearly the same thing back in May 2017 : Yates declined to talk about any classified information , including underlying evidence in the Flynn case , but it seems clear that Flynn ’ s name was not masked in the reports on the phone call that she saw .
She said , “ I oftentimes would get intel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. person .
Not because I or anybody else had asked for it to be unmasked , but because that intelligence only made sense if you knew who the identity of the U.S. person was , and that ’ s an exception to the minimization requirements.
” In other words , the authors of these intelligence reports included the names , because the reports could not be understood without them .
She noted that there was one other common instance in which an American ’ s name would be included : “ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Yates said that she never made an unmasking request , adding , “ This idea that there ’ s this dramatic unmasking of a name—in my experience , that never happened.
” So this new report from the Post isn ’ t news because people have already said this on the record years ago .
Writing at National Review last weekend , Andrew McCarthy suggested it was likely Flynn ’ s name was never masked in the FBI report because for a couple of reasons .
First , there was no indication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points to a text from Peter Strzok which indicated James Clapper gave a misleading answer about this in congressional testimony : “ F*CK !
Clapper and Yates through Graham questions are all playing into the “ there should be an unmasking request/record ” for incidental collection incorrect narrative.
” In other words , Strzok knew that , contrary to what Clapper said to Congress , there would be no record of unmasking Flynn ’ s name .
McCarthy points out that Flynn was actually in the Dominican Republic when he took the call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely got the intercept from some other agency that wasn ’ t subject to the rules of masking and unmasking : I hypothesize , then , that Flynn was not unmasked in connection with the December 29 Kislyak call .
Either the CIA monitored the call directly or a friendly foreign intelligence service — whether subtly tasked by U.S. intelligence or knowing that U.S. intelligence would be very interested — intercepted the call and passed it along , probably to the CIA .
At the time , Kislyak was likely outside the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have needed FISA authorization to monitor him .
And while Flynn is an American citizen , he was not only outside the country , he was already regarded by the Obama-era intelligence community as a clandestine agent of Russia — i.e.
, not an innocent American citizen whose surveillance was merely incidental .
So while the unmasking report about Flynn ’ s name is interesting , it ’ s probably not directly related to the report of his call with Amb .
Kislyak .

The Washington Post reported this afternoon that Gen. Michael Flynn’s name was never “unmasked” by outgoing Obama administration officials because it was never masked in the first place:
A Republican effort to determine who may have leaked the name of Michael Flynn in connection to his 2016 contact with the Russian ambassador has centered on the question of which Obama administration officials requested his identity be “unmasked” in intelligence documents. But in the FBI report about the communications between the two men, Flynn’s name was never redacted, former U.S. officials said… It was the FBI, not the NSA, that wiretapped Kislyak’s calls and created the summary and transcript, the former officials said. “When the FBI circulated [the report], they included Flynn’s name from the beginning” because it was essential to understanding its significance, said a former senior U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive intelligence. “There were therefore no requests for the unmasking of that information.”
I obviously don’t know who the senior U.S. official is who made the argument about Flynn’s name being essential to understanding the significance of the report, but I have a guess. Maybe it’s former acting Attorney General Sally Yates who told Ryan Lizza nearly the same thing back in May 2017:
Yates declined to talk about any classified information, including underlying evidence in the Flynn case, but it seems clear that Flynn’s name was not masked in the reports on the phone call that she saw. She said, “I oftentimes would get intel reports that included the name of the U.S. person. Not because I or anybody else had asked for it to be unmasked, but because that intelligence only made sense if you knew who the identity of the U.S. person was, and that’s an exception to the minimization requirements.” In other words, the authors of these intelligence reports included the names, because the reports could not be understood without them. She noted that there was one other common instance in which an American’s name would be included: “If it’s evidence of a crime.” Yates said that she never made an unmasking request, adding, “This idea that there’s this dramatic unmasking of a name—in my experience, that never happened.”
So this new report from the Post isn’t news because people have already said this on the record years ago.
Writing at National Review last weekend, Andrew McCarthy suggested it was likely Flynn’s name was never masked in the FBI report because for a couple of reasons. First, there was no indication it was unmasked. Second, he points to a text from Peter Strzok which indicated James Clapper gave a misleading answer about this in congressional testimony: “F*CK! Clapper and Yates through Graham questions are all playing into the “there should be an unmasking request/record” for incidental collection incorrect narrative.” In other words, Strzok knew that, contrary to what Clapper said to Congress, there would be no record of unmasking Flynn’s name.
McCarthy points out that Flynn was actually in the Dominican Republic when he took the call from Kislyak. He suggests the FBI likely got the intercept from some other agency that wasn’t subject to the rules of masking and unmasking:
I hypothesize, then, that Flynn was not unmasked in connection with the December 29 Kislyak call. Either the CIA monitored the call directly or a friendly foreign intelligence service — whether subtly tasked by U.S. intelligence or knowing that U.S. intelligence would be very interested — intercepted the call and passed it along, probably to the CIA. At the time, Kislyak was likely outside the United States, where the CIA would not have needed FISA authorization to monitor him. And while Flynn is an American citizen, he was not only outside the country, he was already regarded by the Obama-era intelligence community as a clandestine agent of Russia — i.e., not an innocent American citizen whose surveillance was merely incidental.
So while the unmasking report about Flynn’s name is interesting, it’s probably not directly related to the report of his call with Amb. Kislyak.


hotair--2020-05-20--Hmmmm: University of Minnesota researcher says hydroxychloroquine could work -- and we'll know soon

About the best information in this report from the Twin Cities ’ local NBC affiliate on Donald Trump ’ s use of hydroxychloroquine is this comment from Dr. David Boulware : “ The hype is probably overblown on both sides.
” Before Trump began taking the malaria drug as prophylaxis against potential exposure to COVID-19 , the White House reached out to the University of Minnesota researcher , who is overseeing a study of the drug among 2800 health-care workers taking the drug .
Boulware briefed the president ’ s team on potential issues , but noted that none of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side effects .
Comments suggesting that Trump is risking death are therefore absurdly overblown , but so too are claims that its effectiveness has been established .
Boulware notes that the chemical does appear to attack the virus , but that ’ s no guarantee that it will work similarly in the human body .
“ Whether what works in a Petri dish , does that actually translate to humans ?
” he poses , and says we may know within a month : Dr. Boulware is overseeing a clinical trial at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in preventing the coronavirus .
They currently have about 1500 front line medical workers and first responders nationwide taking part .
The participants take a safe dose once or twice a week , and researchers are checking whether those people contract COVID-19 .
The U will be the first to publish results of such a study , Boulware said .
They expect to see preliminary data in about a month .
But he adds they still want to get about 3000 participants and will finish the study sooner with more participants .
… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug can prevent the coronavirus from infecting cells .
But they need to find out if the same is true for people who take the pill .
“ Whether what works in a Petri dish , does that actually translate to humans ?
It is really unknown .
But that ’ s what we ’ re looking for , ” Boulware said .
As for dangers , all drugs have them , Boulware points out .
So far , though , he has seen no seriously adverse reactions in his study , although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by preexisting heart disease : Boulware said they do not select anyone for hydroxychloroquine clinical studies who have pre-existing heart issues .
And he said of the 2800 participants in three separate trials , none has experienced serious or life-threatening side effects .
“ If you give it to everyone on earth , some people are going to have severe side effects and may have problems .
For the vast majority of people , they ’ ll tolerate quite well , ” Boulware said .
“ There ’ s been a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous ?
Does it work ?
The hype is probably overblown on both sides.
” In other words , at the very least it can ’ t hurt , as long as it doesn ’ t replace more effective therapeutic strategies .
Does it help ?
There is scientific data to suggest that it might , as Boulware says , but whether it does and how much it helps won ’ t be known for sure until his study and others are complete .
What seems lost in all of this hyperpartisan strum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should all hope it works .
It ’ s cheap , readily available , in the public domain , and the potential for mass production is therefore high ( even if the profit margin would be lower than for new meds ) .
We already know the side effects and contraindications .
Rooting one way or the other won ’ t impact the determination of the drug ’ s effectiveness , but rooting against it is quite perverse , especially if it ’ s all about Trump .
Even if people don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we hope that the US president is at least potentially getting some extra protection in this crisis ?
And shouldn ’ t we all hope that such a handy drug could make a dent in the pandemic ?
Except for the researchers , of course , who need to have emotional distance from their subject matter in order to be effective .
Boulware ’ s study won ’ t be the last word on this approach , but it could be one of the most substantial to date once the study is complete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way or the other , which is precisely what we ’ d expect and hope to see .
“ If this is effective , ” Boulware tells KARE11 , “ we should use it.
” If not , then Trump and everyone else should stop using it for COVID-19 prevention or treatment .
The rest of us should take this same wait-and-see attitude , and stop freaking out over a drug that has been in wide use for decades .

About the best information in this report from the Twin Cities’ local NBC affiliate on Donald Trump’s use of hydroxychloroquine is this comment from Dr. David Boulware: “The hype is probably overblown on both sides.” Before Trump began taking the malaria drug as prophylaxis against potential exposure to COVID-19, the White House reached out to the University of Minnesota researcher, who is overseeing a study of the drug among 2800 health-care workers taking the drug. Boulware briefed the president’s team on potential issues, but noted that none of his study subjects have seen any serious side effects.
Comments suggesting that Trump is risking death are therefore absurdly overblown, but so too are claims that its effectiveness has been established. Boulware notes that the chemical does appear to attack the virus, but that’s no guarantee that it will work similarly in the human body. “Whether what works in a Petri dish, does that actually translate to humans?” he poses, and says we may know within a month:
Dr. Boulware is overseeing a clinical trial at the U to determine whether hydroxychloroquine is effective in preventing the coronavirus. They currently have about 1500 front line medical workers and first responders nationwide taking part. The participants take a safe dose once or twice a week, and researchers are checking whether those people contract COVID-19. The U will be the first to publish results of such a study, Boulware said. They expect to see preliminary data in about a month. But he adds they still want to get about 3000 participants and will finish the study sooner with more participants. … Boulware says lab experiments have found the drug can prevent the coronavirus from infecting cells. But they need to find out if the same is true for people who take the pill. “Whether what works in a Petri dish, does that actually translate to humans? It is really unknown. But that’s what we’re looking for,” Boulware said.
As for dangers, all drugs have them, Boulware points out. So far, though, he has seen no seriously adverse reactions in his study, although they already know that it is contraindicated by preexisting heart disease:
Boulware said they do not select anyone for hydroxychloroquine clinical studies who have pre-existing heart issues. And he said of the 2800 participants in three separate trials, none has experienced serious or life-threatening side effects. “If you give it to everyone on earth, some people are going to have severe side effects and may have problems. For the vast majority of people, they’ll tolerate quite well,” Boulware said. “There’s been a lot of information in the press. Is it dangerous? Does it work? The hype is probably overblown on both sides.”
In other words, at the very least it can’t hurt, as long as it doesn’t replace more effective therapeutic strategies. Does it help? There is scientific data to suggest that it might, as Boulware says, but whether it does and how much it helps won’t be known for sure until his study and others are complete.
What seems lost in all of this hyperpartisan strum und drang over hydroxychloroquine is that we should all hope it works. It’s cheap, readily available, in the public domain, and the potential for mass production is therefore high (even if the profit margin would be lower than for new meds). We already know the side effects and contraindications. Rooting one way or the other won’t impact the determination of the drug’s effectiveness, but rooting against it is quite perverse, especially if it’s all about Trump. Even if people don’t like Trump, shouldn’t we hope that the US president is at least potentially getting some extra protection in this crisis? And shouldn’t we all hope that such a handy drug could make a dent in the pandemic?
Except for the researchers, of course, who need to have emotional distance from their subject matter in order to be effective. Boulware’s study won’t be the last word on this approach, but it could be one of the most substantial to date once the study is complete. Boulware isn’t rooting one way or the other, which is precisely what we’d expect and hope to see. “If this is effective,” Boulware tells KARE11, “we should use it.” If not, then Trump and everyone else should stop using it for COVID-19 prevention or treatment. The rest of us should take this same wait-and-see attitude, and stop freaking out over a drug that has been in wide use for decades.


hotair--2020-05-20--Evidence that Russia's coronavirus numbers are almost certainly bogus

Russia announced an additional 8,764 new coronavirus cases Wednesday along with 135 additional deaths .
That puts the total number of cases in the country just over 300,000 while the death toll is just shy of 3,000 .
But are those numbers accurate ?
A Russian media outlet reported 186 healthcare workers have died from the disease .
That represents about 7 percent of the total number of reported deaths .
No other country in the world has a death rate of health professionals that is anywhere close to that .
The report was posted on May 19 by Mediazona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human rights , legal news , and prison affairs in Russia .
It found the medical profession ’ s share of total deaths from COVID-19 was nearly 7 % , or about one in every 15 fatalities .
This was 16 times worse than a half-dozen countries with comparable numbers of COVID-19 cases , according to Mediazona… The country with the next highest rate was Iran , with about 1.59 % of healthcare workers dying from COVID-19 , according to The Moscow Times .
The analysis compared the situation to doctors dying the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Spain , all of which were below 1 % .
The report concludes one of two things must be true .
Either Russian doctors aren ’ t using PPE or Russia is lying about the numbers .
Here ’ s a graph showing the difference , via Radio Free Europe .
Russia has been extremely sensitive about it ’ s official numbers .
When the Financial Times reported that the actual death toll , estimated using excess deaths , could be 70 % higher than the official tally , a Russia official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Russia ’ s media regulator also asked Google to take down a Russian-language story based on the Financial Times story .
MBKh Media said it had received a message from Google a day earlier , saying that the request to block the article was based on the decision of the Prosecutor-General ’ s Office that claimed the article contained “ calls for riots , extremist activities , [ and ] participation in mass public events held in violation of the established order.
” According to MBKh Media , which is hosted on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to remove the article from its website or make it inaccessible in Russia .
And according to a report earlier this week there is reason to believe some regions of Russia are hiding a much higher percentage of deaths : In a Sunday interview with local journalist Ruslan Kurbanov , Dagestan health minister Jamaludin Hajiyibragimov said at least 13,000 people have been infected and 657 have died from COVID-19 in his region so far .
These figures are more than 20 times higher than Russia ’ s official figures for the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths , according to Hajiyibragimov .
So there is lots of indirect evidence and some direct testimony to suggest Russia is doing what it always does in a crisis : Lying .

Russia announced an additional 8,764 new coronavirus cases Wednesday along with 135 additional deaths. That puts the total number of cases in the country just over 300,000 while the death toll is just shy of 3,000. But are those numbers accurate?
A Russian media outlet reported 186 healthcare workers have died from the disease. That represents about 7 percent of the total number of reported deaths. No other country in the world has a death rate of health professionals that is anywhere close to that.
The report was posted on May 19 by Mediazona, an online news outlet that covers human rights, legal news, and prison affairs in Russia. It found the medical profession’s share of total deaths from COVID-19 was nearly 7%, or about one in every 15 fatalities. This was 16 times worse than a half-dozen countries with comparable numbers of COVID-19 cases, according to Mediazona… The country with the next highest rate was Iran, with about 1.59% of healthcare workers dying from COVID-19, according to The Moscow Times. The analysis compared the situation to doctors dying the UK, the US, Italy, and Spain, all of which were below 1%.
The report concludes one of two things must be true. Either Russian doctors aren’t using PPE or Russia is lying about the numbers. Here’s a graph showing the difference, via Radio Free Europe.
Russia has been extremely sensitive about it’s official numbers. When the Financial Times reported that the actual death toll, estimated using excess deaths, could be 70% higher than the official tally, a Russia official suggested their press credentials should be revoked. Russia’s media regulator also asked Google to take down a Russian-language story based on the Financial Times story.
MBKh Media said it had received a message from Google a day earlier, saying that the request to block the article was based on the decision of the Prosecutor-General’s Office that claimed the article contained “calls for riots, extremist activities, [and] participation in mass public events held in violation of the established order.” According to MBKh Media, which is hosted on the Google Cloud Platform, Google asked it to remove the article from its website or make it inaccessible in Russia.
And according to a report earlier this week there is reason to believe some regions of Russia are hiding a much higher percentage of deaths:
In a Sunday interview with local journalist Ruslan Kurbanov, Dagestan health minister Jamaludin Hajiyibragimov said at least 13,000 people have been infected and 657 have died from COVID-19 in his region so far. These figures are more than 20 times higher than Russia’s official figures for the region, which are 3,371 infections and 29 deaths, according to Hajiyibragimov.
So there is lots of indirect evidence and some direct testimony to suggest Russia is doing what it always does in a crisis: Lying.


hotair--2020-05-20--What the heck has been going on in Glynn County, Georgia?

As several of us here have been covering the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery , I ’ ve developed a growing sense of unease about the entire situation in Glynn County , Georgia .
Regular readers know that I ’ ve long been a serious supporter of law enforcement and when problems arise , if anything , I tend to extend our first responders the benefit of the doubt .
Every once in a while you come across a bad apple , but in my experience , that ’ s the very rare exception rather than the rule .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been going on in that rural region of Georgia , however , the more it appears that there are justifiable concerns that need to be addressed .
This was brought into focus when I was contacted by a reader with some direct experience in these matters .
They are a resident of Glynn County and offered a statement on conditions of anonymity out of concerns over possible reprisal .
The following is their statement regarding not just the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery , but a lot more that ’ s been going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This murder , in my opinion , could have been avoided if the local police enforced the law on themselves .
Our cops kill innocent people all the time here .
Caroline Small was murdered by a cop who in turn brutally murdered his estranged wife and her boyfriend before committing suicide .
After assaulting her in front of uniformed officers .
They did nothing .
Ahmaud deserves justice .
Caroline deserves justice .
Katie Kettles and John Hall deserve justice .
Our DA is crooked .
Our cops are crooked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one point for running the drug court program while getting off scot-free for several DUIs .
I don ’ t have the means or platform to make noise , but I advocate for what ’ s right and I believe that maybe in some small way I can help by getting the word out.
” That sounds like something out of a movie until you dig a little deeper and find out that their tale concerns very real events that have been covered in the local press over the years .
Some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Others may be less well known .
Let ’ s start with the aforementioned Caroline Small .
In June of 2010 , the 35-year-old mother of two was observed driving erratically in her car by Glynn County police officers .
She had a history of drug and alcohol problems as well as struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Dissociative Disorder , but no real criminal record .
She led the officers on a low-speed chase until her tires were flattened and her car was pinned down between a utility pole , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For reasons that will never be known , rather than getting out of the car as instructed she attempted to put it into reverse and then drive a couple of times .
There wasn ’ t enough room for her to get the car up to any speed at all .
The police opened fire through her windshield , striking her eight times in the head and face .
There ’ s a video of the actual shooting at the top of the linked page .
I considered embedding it here , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been warned .
A grand jury was impaneled to hear the case against the two police officers , Sgt .
Robert C. Sasser and Officer Michael T. Simpson .
The grand jury found the officers ’ actions to be justified .
An Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation later found that the police had allegedly tampered with evidence at the scene and leaked information from the grand jury to the officers months in advance .
Both officers remained on the force .
A later investigation would reveal that in the case of Sasser , this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” but no other details are provided .
That brings us to the sad story of Katie Kettles and John Hall .
In 2018 , one of the two officers from the Caroline Small shooting , Robert Sasser , shot his ex-wife ( Kettles ) and her boyfriend ( Hall ) to death before taking his own life .
Kettles had faced years of harassment from her former husband and once predicted to her mother that “ the Glynn County Police Department will do nothing until someone leaves here out of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Amanda Williams .
Roughly a decade ago her reputation for “ tough love ” in the courtroom saw her being slapped with a dozen ethics charges and a criminal complaint .
But she somehow managed to have the charges dropped .
She was , however , later forced to resign but she ’ s still a practicing attorney in the region today .
Earlier this year , the Glynn County Police Chief and two of his officers were removed from duty after allegations of officers consorting with a drug dealer , having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s a pretty long list .
You can click all of the links and get the full picture for yourself .
There are more stories involving the Glynn County drug task force being caught trading sex with informants in exchange for not throwing them in jail .
There are more of these cases , but this article is already growing too long .
The point is , the more we learn about the comings and goings of the Glynn County Police Department , the worse it looks .
And these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery and they continue to this day .
Something seems to be very wrong in that law enforcement office and some of the citizens they are pledged to protect and serve are more afraid of their own police officers than they are of the criminals .

As several of us here have been covering the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery, I’ve developed a growing sense of unease about the entire situation in Glynn County, Georgia. Regular readers know that I’ve long been a serious supporter of law enforcement and when problems arise, if anything, I tend to extend our first responders the benefit of the doubt. Every once in a while you come across a bad apple, but in my experience, that’s the very rare exception rather than the rule.
The more we learn about what’s been going on in that rural region of Georgia, however, the more it appears that there are justifiable concerns that need to be addressed. This was brought into focus when I was contacted by a reader with some direct experience in these matters. They are a resident of Glynn County and offered a statement on conditions of anonymity out of concerns over possible reprisal. The following is their statement regarding not just the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, but a lot more that’s been going on in that region for many years now.
“This murder, in my opinion, could have been avoided if the local police enforced the law on themselves. Our cops kill innocent people all the time here. Caroline Small was murdered by a cop who in turn brutally murdered his estranged wife and her boyfriend before committing suicide. After assaulting her in front of uniformed officers. They did nothing. Ahmaud deserves justice. Caroline deserves justice. Katie Kettles and John Hall deserve justice. Our DA is crooked. Our cops are crooked. Our judge was national news at one point for running the drug court program while getting off scot-free for several DUIs. I don’t have the means or platform to make noise, but I advocate for what’s right and I believe that maybe in some small way I can help by getting the word out.”
That sounds like something out of a movie until you dig a little deeper and find out that their tale concerns very real events that have been covered in the local press over the years. Some of these you may have already heard of. Others may be less well known.
Let’s start with the aforementioned Caroline Small. In June of 2010, the 35-year-old mother of two was observed driving erratically in her car by Glynn County police officers. She had a history of drug and alcohol problems as well as struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Dissociative Disorder, but no real criminal record. She led the officers on a low-speed chase until her tires were flattened and her car was pinned down between a utility pole, two police cars and a ditch. For reasons that will never be known, rather than getting out of the car as instructed she attempted to put it into reverse and then drive a couple of times. There wasn’t enough room for her to get the car up to any speed at all. The police opened fire through her windshield, striking her eight times in the head and face. There’s a video of the actual shooting at the top of the linked page. I considered embedding it here, but it’s too horrible. You have been warned.
A grand jury was impaneled to hear the case against the two police officers, Sgt. Robert C. Sasser and Officer Michael T. Simpson. The grand jury found the officers’ actions to be justified. An Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation later found that the police had allegedly tampered with evidence at the scene and leaked information from the grand jury to the officers months in advance. Both officers remained on the force. A later investigation would reveal that in the case of Sasser, this “wasn’t his first shooting,” but no other details are provided.
That brings us to the sad story of Katie Kettles and John Hall. In 2018, one of the two officers from the Caroline Small shooting, Robert Sasser, shot his ex-wife (Kettles) and her boyfriend (Hall) to death before taking his own life. Kettles had faced years of harassment from her former husband and once predicted to her mother that “the Glynn County Police Department will do nothing until someone leaves here out of a body bag.”
The judge mentioned above is Amanda Williams. Roughly a decade ago her reputation for “tough love” in the courtroom saw her being slapped with a dozen ethics charges and a criminal complaint. But she somehow managed to have the charges dropped. She was, however, later forced to resign but she’s still a practicing attorney in the region today.
Earlier this year, the Glynn County Police Chief and two of his officers were removed from duty after allegations of officers consorting with a drug dealer, having sex with confidential informants, and… nevermind. It’s a pretty long list. You can click all of the links and get the full picture for yourself. There are more stories involving the Glynn County drug task force being caught trading sex with informants in exchange for not throwing them in jail. There are more of these cases, but this article is already growing too long.
The point is, the more we learn about the comings and goings of the Glynn County Police Department, the worse it looks. And these stories do indeed date back much further than the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery and they continue to this day. Something seems to be very wrong in that law enforcement office and some of the citizens they are pledged to protect and serve are more afraid of their own police officers than they are of the criminals.