theblaze--2020-05-07--White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany slaps down the media over tough question on coronavirus

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany slaps down the media over tough question on coronavirus response McEnany threw back the @ @ @ @ @ them

White House press secretary Kayleign McEnany was praised by many for her response to a tough question about her claim that President Donald Trump would not allow coronavirus to reach the United States.
McEnany used the question to close out the media briefing on Wednesday.
"Um, Kayleigh, in a previous life, before you were press secretary, you worked for the campaign, and you made a comment, I believe on Fox, in which you said President Trump will not allow the coronavirus to come to this country," said Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason.
"Given what has happened since then, obviously, would you like to take that back?" he asked.
"Well, first let me note I was asked a question on Fox Business about the president's travel restrictions. I noted what was the intent behind those travel restrictions, which is, we will not see the coronavirus come here, we will not see terrorism come here, referring to an earlier set of travel restrictions," answered McEnany.
"I guess I would turn the question back on the media and ask similar questions," she continued.
"Does Vox want to take back that they proclaimed that the coronavirus would not be a deadly pandemic? Does the Washington Post want to take back that they told Americans to get a grip, the flu is bigger than the coronavirus?" she asked.
"Does the Washington Post likewise want to take back that our brains are causing us to exaggerate the threat of the coronavirus? Does the New York Times want to take back that fear of the virus may be spreading faster than the virus itself?" McEnany continued.
"Does NPR want to take back that the flu was a much bigger threat than the coronavirus? And finally, once again the Washington Post, would they like to take back that the government should not respond aggressively to the coronavirus?" she added.
"I'll leave you with those questions, and maybe you'll have some answers in a few days!" McEnany concluded cheerfully.
Critics of the administration accused McEnany of employing "whataboutism" to duck the difficult question, while critics of the media praised her for being prepared to use headlines of the mainstream media against them.
Here's the video of McEnany's answer:


theblaze--2020-05-07--Axl Rose insults Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Twitter — and he just responded

Axl Rose insults Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Twitter — and he just responded Another first for the Trump administration

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin fired back at rock star Axl Rose after he insulted him in a tweet on Thursday.
"It's official! Whatever anyone may have previously thought of Steve Mnuchin he's officially an a**hole," tweeted the iconic rock frontman of "Guns'N'Roses."
Mnuchin fired back from his official Twitter account.
What have you done for the country lately? 🇺🇸
— Steven Mnuchin (@stevenmnuchin1) May 7, 2020
"What have you done for the country lately?" he asked simply.
It was unclear to what actions by Mnuchin that Rose was objecting.
Rose has previously made his political leanings very clear. In 2018, he tweeted to encourage Americans to vote against Republicans and voiced his opposition to President Donald Trump and his political agenda.
"Most of us in America have never experienced anything this obscene at this level in r lifetimes n' if we as a country don't wake up n' put an end 2 this nonsense now it's something we definitely will all pay hard 4 as time goes on." he tweeted.
Before that he indicated that he had requested that the Trump campaign not use his music at Trump rallies.
"GNR like a lot of artists opposed to the unauthorized use of their music at political events has formally requested r music not b used at Trump rallies or Trump associated events," he said.
He went on to claim that the campaign had used loopholes in the law to use the music despite his objections, and called them "s**tbags."
Here's more about Mnuchin on the pandemic:
Steve Mnuchin: 'It's a great time for people to explore America' www.youtube.com
This story has been updated.


theblaze--2020-05-08--Tara Reade calls out Biden for denying her sexual assault claim against him

Tara Reade calls out Biden for denying her sexual assault claim against him 'You and I were there , Joe @ @ @ @ @ and be held accountable . '

Tara Reade, the former Senate aide who says presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993, sat down for an exclusive interview with Megyn Kelly to react to the former vice president's denial of her claim against him.
At one point, Reade addressed Biden directly, saying, "You and I were there, Joe Biden. Please step forward and be held accountable."
What are the details?
Reade, a lifelong Democrat, described to Kelly the backlash she has received since coming forward with her claim against Biden— including a death threat — despite Democrats previously pushing to "believe all women" during the #MeToo movement.
"It's been stunning, actually, how some of [Biden's] surrogates, with the blue checks, you know...have been saying really horrible things about me and to me on social media," Reade said. "There's a measure of hypocrisy with the campaign saying it's safe [to come forward]. It's not been safe."
Reade continued, "All my social media has been hacked. All my personal information has been dragged through. Every person that maybe has a, you know, a gripe against me —an ex-boyfriend or an ex-landlord, whatever it is — has been able to have a platform rather than me."
Kelly asked Reade what she would like to say to Biden, if he was watching the interview. She replied, "I want to say, 'You and I were there, Joe Biden. Please step forward and be held accountable. You should not be running on character for the president of the United States."
When asked if she wants Biden to step out of the race for the White House, Reade said, "I wish he would. I know he won't, but I wish he would."
The MK Interview: Tara Reade responds to Joe Biden; calls for him to drop out www.youtube.com
In a second clip of the interview released by Kelly, she asks Reade about the Democrats who supported Christine Blasey Ford — who accused Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct from an alleged incident dating back decades — but not her.
Reade said that she would be willing to testify under oath and to undergo cross examination over her claims, just as Blasey Ford did.
When asked if she would undergo a polygraph test, Reade replied, "I'm not a criminal. Joe Biden should take the polygraph. What kind of precedent does that set for survivors of violence? Does that mean we're presumed guilty, and we all have to take polygraphs? So, I will take one if Joe Biden takes one. But I'm not a criminal."


theblaze--2020-05-08--Democrat DEBUNKS fake news about Michigan's armed lockdown protests

Organizational psychologist , author , and speaker Dr. Karlyn Borysenko joined Glenn Beck on the radio show Thursday to set the record straight about what really happened at the anti-shutdown protests at the Michigan State Capitol recently , which have been spun by many in the media to look like a dangerous right-wing uprising of armed white supremacists .
Borysenko , a Democrat , attended a Trump rally in February and came away with the realization that much of the information circulating in the media is misleading at best -- at worst , blatantly false .
Since then , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out first-hand what else the media is n't telling us .
`` So there 's this perception that the police were put in danger , '' Borysenko told Glenn .
`` That 's absolutely untrue .
The organizers of the rally coordinated with law enforcement literally every step of the way leading up to the rally .
The day before the rally , during the rally , they coordinated with law enforcement to make sure there was a specific path kept open for the hospital , in case people needed to get there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went into the capitol building , their temperatures were taken .
It was all very orderly ... there was n't an adversarial relationship .
Everybody was working together . ''
She also explained that the viral image of a protester yelling at police actually shows the man yelling at somebody behind the police line , and noted that , though Michigan politicians say they were afraid of what was occurring at the rally , only one person was arrested : a Democrat .
Watch the video below for the details : In response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offering our BIGGEST discount ever !
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Organizational psychologist, author, and speaker Dr. Karlyn Borysenko joined Glenn Beck on the radio show Thursday to set the record straight about what really happened at the anti-shutdown protests at the Michigan State Capitol recently, which have been spun by many in the media to look like a dangerous right-wing uprising of armed white supremacists.
Borysenko, a Democrat, attended a Trump rally in February and came away with the realization that much of the information circulating in the media is misleading at best -- at worst, blatantly false. Since then, she's been on a mission to find out first-hand what else the media isn't telling us.
"So there's this perception that the police were put in danger," Borysenko told Glenn. "That's absolutely untrue. The organizers of the rally coordinated with law enforcement literally every step of the way leading up to the rally. The day before the rally, during the rally, they coordinated with law enforcement to make sure there was a specific path kept open for the hospital, in case people needed to get there. Permits were issued. When they went into the capitol building, their temperatures were taken. It was all very orderly ... there wasn't an adversarial relationship. Everybody was working together."
She also explained that the viral image of a protester yelling at police actually shows the man yelling at somebody behind the police line, and noted that, though Michigan politicians say they were afraid of what was occurring at the rally, only one person was arrested: a Democrat.
Watch the video below for the details:
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theblaze--2020-05-08--Newly unearthed court document from 1996 corroborates sexual assault claims against Joe Biden

The evidence is piling up against Biden

A court filing from 1996 has been unearthed that helps corroborate the claims made by Tara Reade of sexual assault allegedly committed by Joe Biden three years prior.
The document was first reported by the Tribune in San Luis Obispo, California, on Thursday.
Reade accuses Biden of sexually assaulting her in 1993 when she worked for his office as a congressional aide, a claim he completely denies.
The court filing was made by Reade's then-husband Theodore Dronen, who said she had told him about "a problem she was having at work regarding sexual harassment, in U.S. Senator Joe Biden's office."
The document does not say that Biden was the aggressor of the sexual assault, but it provides more evidence of her claims.
"It was obvious that this event had a very traumatic effect on (Reade), and that she is still sensitive and effected (sic) by it today," Dronen said in the statement.
Other sources have surfaced to corroborate her claims, including a former neighbor of Reade's who said that she had told her about the sexual harassment in the 1990s.
After 19 interviews in the mainstream media without one question put forth to him about the accusations, Biden eventually appeared on MSNBC to address the claims.
"I'm saying unequivocally, it didn't happen. It never happened," he said.
"I don't remember any type of complaint she might have made. It's been 27 years," Biden added.
Here's more about the damaging claims against Biden:


theblaze--2020-05-07--'Come at me, bro' — Steven Crowder's challenge to Chris Cuomo!

'Come at me , bro ' — Steven Crowder 's challenge to Chris Cuomo !

Do you know the full-of-pride feeling you get while watching the training scene from the "Rocky" movie? Here is a rant delivered by Steven Crowder that has a similar effect.
Let's set the stage: During Crowder's CNN Livestream last week, he questioned why CNN host Chris "Chrissy" Cuomo refuses to hold the Communist Chinese government as accountable as he does President Trump.
Crowder challenged Cuomo by saying: "Come at me, bro. You threaten everyone's ass. Me first. I'm first in line," Crowder asserted.
The rant that followed was glorious!
Steven Crowder's Challenge to Chris Cuomo! | Louder with Crowder youtu.be
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theblaze--2020-05-07--Ilhan Omar blames 'white privilege' for charges being dropped against Mike Flynn

Ilhan Omar blames 'white privilege ' for charges being dropped against Mike Flynn She did not explain what racism had @ @ @ @ @

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) had a curt but controversial response to the news that the Department of Justice dropped its charges against former Trump national security adviser Mike Flynn.
Omar tweeted on Thursday that the charges were dropped because of "white privilege."
"White privilege at work," she tweeted.
The phrase "white privilege" refers to a social justice contention that white people enjoy advantages because of systemic and institutionalized discrimination against minorities.
Flynn had pleaded guilty to charges including lying to the FBI in relation to the investigation into Russian election interference and alleged collusion. He had worked as the national security adviser for President Donald Trump before he was fired for lying to Vice President Mike Pence.
After the release of documents that corroborated claims of political motivation and bias by the FBI agents, his allies demanded a review of the case and some encouraged the president to pardon him.
On Thursday, the Department of Justice announced that they would drop the prosecution of Flynn altogether.
Democrats strenuously objected to the decision and called for further investigations into the rationale for the unraveling of the charges against Flynn.
Here's more about the charges dropped:


theblaze--2020-05-07--WATCH: NYC death toll soars, and somehow, so does Governor Andrew Cuomo's job approval rating

WATCH : NYC death toll soars , and somehow , so does Governor Andrew Cuomo 's job approval rating

On Wednesday's episode of "Stu Does America," Stu discussed New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's shockingly high approval rating despite being forced to report 1,700 COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes (in addition to daily COVID-19 deaths).
To be clear, those additional 1,700 nursing home deaths that were reported by the state of New York yesterday accounted for more deaths than all of the following states (since the COVID-19 pandemic began) combined:
Wyoming
Montana
Alaska
Hawaii
Idaho
Arkansas
North Dakota
South Dakota
West Virginia
Utah
Maine
Vermont
Nebraska
New Hampshire
Oregon
Kansas
New Mexico
Delaware
Iowa
Tennessee
Stu has the rest of the story in the video below.
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theblaze--2020-05-07--Unanimous Supreme Court tosses out convictions in 'Bridgegate' scandal

'Not every corrupt act by state or local officials is a federal crime '

The United States Supreme Court on Thursday threw out the federal convictions of two former New Jersey officials who played key roles in the 2013 "Bridgegate" scandal that occurred under then-Gov. Chris Christie (R).
In a unanimous decision, the court declared that "not every corrupt act by state or local officials is a federal crime."
What are the details?
Bridget Anne Kelly, Christie's former deputy chief of staff, and Bill Baroni, a former official in the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey who was appointed by Christie, were found guilty in 2016 of fraud and conspiracy for ordering lanes of the George Washington Bridge closed and causing a major traffic jam in retaliation for a mayor refusing to endorse Christie for re-election.
Both were sentenced to prison. NBC News reported that "Kelly was to report in the summer but has been allowed to remain free while the case was on appeal. Baroni began serving his sentence in April but was released on bond when the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case."
But the Supreme Court issued what NJ.com called "a sharp rebuke to prosecutors" in their decision to toss out the convictions of Kelly and Baroni.
Justice Elena Kagan wrote in the court's 15-page ruling:
Baroni and Kelly used deception to reduce Fort Lee's access lanes to the George Washington Bridge—and thereby jeopardized the safety of the town's residents. But not every corrupt act by state or local officials is a federal crime.
Because the scheme here did not aim to obtain money or property, Baroni and Kelly could not have violated the federal-program fraud or wire fraud laws.
U.S. Supremer Court overturns NJ 'Bridgegate' convictions www.youtube.com
Christie himself has adamantly denied having any involvement in the Bridgegate plot, but the scandal has been blamed for contributing to his failed 2016 presidential run. He called Kelly's actions in the scheme "one of the most abjectly stupid things I've ever seen."
The former GOP governor celebrated the high court's decision in a statement, saying, "As many contended from the beginning, and as the Court confirmed today, no federal crimes were ever committed in this matter by anyone in my Administration. It is good for all involved that today justice has finally been done."
President Donald Trump reacted to the news on Twitter, writing, "Congratulations to former Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, and all others involved, on a complete and total exoneration (with a 9-0 vote by the U.S. Supreme Court) on the Obama DOJ Scam referred to as 'Bridgegate.' The Democrats are getting caught doing very evil things, and Republicans should take note. This was grave misconduct by the Obama Justice Department!"


theblaze--2020-05-07--Mark Levin: Trump was right, the press HAVE treated him worse than Lincoln

Mark Levin : Trump was right , the press HAVE treated him worse than Lincoln And they proved exactly what @ @ @

The media melted down this week after President Donald Trump said he's been treated worse by the press than any previous president, including Abraham Lincoln, during a Fox News town hall event in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
"I am greeted with a hostile press the likes of which no president has ever seen," Trump said. "The closest would be that gentleman right up there," he added, pointing to Lincoln's statue. "They always said Lincoln, nobody got treated worse than Lincoln. I believe I am treated worse."
Predictably, the mainstream media took President Trump's comments out of context and made it sound as though he was saying he's been treated worse, by the public in general, than a man who was assassinated for emancipating the slaves.
But as BlazeTV host Mark Levin pointed out, the president specifically said that the press have treated him worse than Abraham Lincoln, and he's absolutely right.
"There was nothing wrong with what the president said about how he's being treated press ... he's right about that," Levin said.
"So what did the press do? They proved exactly what he was saying," he added.
In this clip, Levin takes a look back at past presidential press coverage compared to how President Trump is treated by the press.
Watch the video below to hear more from "the Great One":
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theblaze--2020-05-07--VIDEO: 'Murder hornet' meets ghastly end as praying mantis clamps down, takes bites from its head un

VIDEO: 'Murder hornet' meets ghastly end as praying mantis clamps down, takes bites from its head until it's gone

VIDEO : 'Murder hornet ' meets ghastly end as praying mantis clamps down , takes bites from its head until @ @ @ @ @ with its head devoured , the hornet still tried stinging the mantis — points for @ @ @ @

With all the bad news about a potentially deadly Asian giant hornet found in the United States for the first time — and how painful its sting is — we thought you'd enjoy some good news.
A praying mantis can take it down.
What are the details?
Video of the incident isn't exactly new — it was posted to YouTube last October — but with heightened interest in the giant Asian hornet this week, folks reacted on Twitter with glee and disgust to a shortened version of the video that has been viewed nearly 340,000 times in less than a day.
The mantis had a distinct advantage from the get go: The hornet was facing away and apparently had no idea a mantis was there.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
The hornet had no prayer when the mantis struck with blinding speed.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
The mantis used its arms like vice grips on the hornet's body and front legs — and then immediately began dining on the hornet's head.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
While the mantis took bite after bite from its opponent's noggin, the hornet still put up a valiant effort and tried to use its venomous stinger on the mantis — but to no avail.
Soon the hornet's head was gone, but that wasn't enough for the ravenous mantis, which proceeded to devour the rest of insect except for its legs and wings.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Dinner, anyone?
Japanese Hornet Fights Green Mantis. Fight #12 youtu.be
Oh, and in case you're under the impression that the latter result is a lock every time, another video shows a hornet getting the best of a praying mantis, dislodging its head, and then flying away with it.
Ah, the circle of life:


theblaze--2020-05-07--Mark Cuban hired secret shoppers to evaluate reopened Dallas businesses, found 'dramatic' noncomplia

Mark Cuban hired secret shoppers to evaluate reopened Dallas businesses, found 'dramatic' noncompliance

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban hired a team of secret shoppers to evaluate the coronavirus mitigation practices implemented by Dallas businesses that have reopened , and he found that many businesses were not complying with guidelines .
Cuban detailed the findings Thursday on his blog , and explained the reason for the study .
`` I wanted to get an understanding of what opening meant to businesses around Dallas , '' Cuban wrote .
`` Were they opening ?
What precautions were they taking ?
Were employees in safe environments ?
And bigger picture , I wanted to know if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe taking my family to . ''
To determine about what percentage of businesses reopened , the researchers called roughly 1,000 businesses , selected based on popularity .
They found that only about 36 % of businesses chose to reopen during the first weekend .
`` Media coverage , showcasing owner sentiment and infection statistics , paint a picture of a large degree of latent fear in the marketplace , '' Cuban wrote .
The secret shoppers also conducted in-person audits at about 300 businesses to evaluate the way they operated and implemented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the audit found that businesses were not complying with mandated protocols .
`` Overall – 96 % of businesses were non-compliant across all mandatory protocols and all locations .
The extent of non-compliance is dramatic with ~1/3 of all locations being < 50 % compliant across protocols as established by the Governor 's office , '' Cuban wrote .
Cuban also found inconsistency between various locations of the same companies , which he said was `` interesting . ''
`` We 've done very preliminary levels of comparative analysis , but early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of highly variable compliance a parent franchise , '' Cuban wrote .
`` This is really interesting because a larger parent corporation would be highly concerned with variable degrees of compliance amongst their corporate-owned restaurants and would push for standardization and measurement , not dissimilar from regular mystery shopping and performance auditing workflows . ''
Cuban said he plans to research this further to track improvement over time .
More businesses , such as barbershops and salons , will be allowed to open in Texas on Friday , although capacity will be limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban hired a team of secret shoppers to evaluate the coronavirus mitigation practices implemented by Dallas businesses that have reopened, and he found that many businesses were not complying with guidelines.
Cuban detailed the findings Thursday on his blog, and explained the reason for the study.
"I wanted to get an understanding of what opening meant to businesses around Dallas," Cuban wrote. "Were they opening? What precautions were they taking? Were employees in safe environments? And bigger picture, I wanted to know if these are places that I would feel safe taking my family to."
To determine about what percentage of businesses reopened, the researchers called roughly 1,000 businesses, selected based on popularity. They found that only about 36% of businesses chose to reopen during the first weekend.
"Media coverage, showcasing owner sentiment and infection statistics, paint a picture of a large degree of latent fear in the marketplace," Cuban wrote.
The secret shoppers also conducted in-person audits at about 300 businesses to evaluate the way they operated and implemented recommended or required coronavirus precautions. Overwhelmingly, the audit found that businesses were not complying with mandated protocols.
"Overall – 96% of businesses were non-compliant across all mandatory protocols and all locations. The extent of non-compliance is dramatic with ~1/3 of all locations being <50% compliant across mandatory protocols as established by the Governor's office," Cuban wrote.
Cuban also found inconsistency between various locations of the same companies, which he said was "interesting."
"We've done very preliminary levels of comparative analysis, but early assessments show a pattern in the data of highly variable compliance within a parent franchise," Cuban wrote. "This is really interesting because a larger parent corporation would be highly concerned with variable degrees of compliance amongst their corporate-owned restaurants and would push for standardization and measurement, not dissimilar from regular mystery shopping and performance auditing workflows."
Cuban said he plans to research this further to track improvement over time. More businesses, such as barbershops and salons, will be allowed to open in Texas on Friday, although capacity will be limited and social distancing protocols put in place.


theblaze--2020-05-07--Biden accuser Tara Reade retains attorney who represents Weinstein victims

Tara Reade , a former Senate staffer who has accused former vice president and presidential candidate Joe Biden of sexual assault , has retained a prominent attorney .
Reade says that Biden sexually assaulted her while she was working in his Senate office in 1993 .
Biden has denied the allegations of sexual assault , insisting that it `` never happened . ''
What are the details ?
In a Thursday news release , attorney Douglas Wigdor — who has represented at least six Harvey Weinstein accusers — said that it is imperative for sexual assault survivors to be heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe that every survivor of sexual assault has the right to competent legal counsel , '' Wigdor said , `` and we will all represent Ms. Reade zealously , just as we would any other victim of sexual violence . ''
Reade , 56 , recently consented to sitting down with journalist Megyn Kelly for a video interview about the allegations .
The statement continued , `` Ms. Reade will be heard shortly in an interview conducted by Megyn Kelly and produced by Richard McHugh , and she will describe to the American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harrowing account is credible , and supported by numerous 'outcry ' witnesses from decades ago . ''
Reade said that Biden penetrated her with his fingers against her will during an exchange in a hallway .
`` As Mr. Biden himself has acknowledged , 'Believing women means taking the women 's claims seriously when she steps forward , and then vet [ ting ] it and look [ ing ] into it ... women have a right to be heard , ' '' Wigdor 's statement continued .
`` We will help Ms. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lengthy statement on the allegations , Biden said , `` While the details of these allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault are complicated , two things are not complicated .
One is that women deserve to be treated with dignity and respect , and when they step forward they should be heard , not silenced .
The second is that their stories should be subject to appropriate inquiry and scrutiny .
Responsible news organizations should examine and evaluate the full and growing record of inconsistencies in her story , which has changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` [ I ] t never happened , and it 's as simple as that , '' he insisted .
Opinion | The media should not let Joe Biden off the hook on Tara Reade the way Democrats have

Tara Reade, a former Senate staffer who has accused former vice president and presidential candidate Joe Biden of sexual assault, has retained a prominent attorney.
Reade says that Biden sexually assaulted her while she was working in his Senate office in 1993.
Biden has denied the allegations of sexual assault, insisting that it "never happened."
What are the details?
In a Thursday news release, attorney Douglas Wigdor — who has represented at least six Harvey Weinstein accusers — said that it is imperative for sexual assault survivors to be heard.
"We at Wigdor LLP firmly believe that every survivor of sexual assault has the right to competent legal counsel," Wigdor said, "and we will all represent Ms. Reade zealously, just as we would any other victim of sexual violence."
Reade, 56, recently consented to sitting down with journalist Megyn Kelly for a video interview about the allegations.
The statement continued, "Ms. Reade will be heard shortly in an interview conducted by Megyn Kelly and produced by Richard McHugh, and she will describe to the American public what happened to her. Her harrowing account is credible, and supported by numerous 'outcry' witnesses from decades ago."
Reade said that Biden penetrated her with his fingers against her will during an exchange in a hallway.
"As Mr. Biden himself has acknowledged, 'Believing women means taking the women's claims seriously when she steps forward, and then vet[ting] it and look[ing] into it ... women have a right to be heard,'" Wigdor's statement continued. "We will help Ms. Reade be heard."
Anything else?
In a lengthy statement on the allegations, Biden said, "While the details of these allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault are complicated, two things are not complicated. One is that women deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, and when they step forward they should be heard, not silenced. The second is that their stories should be subject to appropriate inquiry and scrutiny. Responsible news organizations should examine and evaluate the full and growing record of inconsistencies in her story, which has changed repeatedly in both small and big ways."
"[I]t never happened, and it's as simple as that," he insisted.


theblaze--2020-05-07--Emotional salon owner Shelley Luther breaks down in tears while thanking supporters after being rele

Emotional salon owner Shelley Luther breaks down in tears while thanking supporters after being released from jail '' You mean @ @ @ @ @ and this would have been nothing without you . ''

Shelley Luther, who has become somewhat of a folk hero after refusing to close down her beauty salon despite state-mandated lockdown orders, was released from jail Thursday. Luther got emotional as she thanked her supporters after her release.
As Luther exited the Dallas County Jail on Thursday afternoon, the Dallas salon owner was greeted by people chanting: "Shelley's free!"
"Thank you guys so much," Luther told the crowd. "I just want to thank all of you who I just barely met, and now you're all my friends."
"You mean so much to me, and this would have been nothing without you," the salon owner said as she fought off tears. "I'll have more to say when I can gather myself, but I'm a little overwhelmed."
The Texas Supreme Court ordered the release of Luther, who was arrested on Tuesday after she defied stay-at-home orders and refused to close her Dallas salon. Dallas Civil District Judge Eric Moyé sentenced Luther to seven days in jail for contempt of court and also levied a $7,000 fine against her for keeping the salon open in defiance of the coronavirus shutdown.
The judge told Luther that he would consider not giving her jail time if she agreed to close her salon and if she admitted that she was "wrong" and "selfish," and apologized to the "elected officials whose orders she violated."
"I have much respect for this court and laws," Luther told the judge. "I have never been in this position before, and it's not someplace that I want to be."
"But I have to disagree with you, sir, when you say that I'm selfish — because feeding my kids is not selfish," Luther continued. "I have hair stylists that are going hungry because they'd rather feed their kids. So sir, if you think the law is more important than kids getting fed, then please go ahead with your decision, but I am not going to shut the salon."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) came to the defense of Luther on Wednesday.
"I join the Attorney General in disagreeing with the excessive action by the Dallas Judge, putting Shelley Luther in jail for seven days," Abbott said. "As I have made clear through prior pronouncements, jailing Texans for non-compliance with executive orders should always be the last available option. Compliance with executive orders during this pandemic is important to ensure public safety; however, surely there are less restrictive means to achieving that goal than jailing a Texas mother."
On Thursday, Abbott amended his coronavirus lockdown executive order and eliminated confinement as a punishment for violating business closures and not obeying social distancing guidelines.
"Throwing Texans in jail whose biz's shut down through no fault of their own is wrong," Abbott wrote on Twitter. "I am eliminating jail for violating an order, retroactive to April 2, superseding local orders. Criminals shouldn't be released to prevent COVID-19 just to put business owners in their place."
Abbott will allow barbershops, beauty salons, and tanning bed services to reopen on Friday, 10 days earlier than the governor's original mid-May date.


theblaze--2020-05-07--Video emerges of massive street brawl in Jersey City where police used batons and pepper spray

Video has surfaced of a massive street fight that broke out in Jersey City Tuesday evening in which five people were arrested and police used batons and pepper spray to disperse the crowd.
The fight started with roughly 20 people but quickly grew to approximately 100, Jersey City Public Safety Director Jim Shea reported, according to NJ.com. He added that officers who initially responded called for backup after a civilian allegedly pulled at one officer's belt where his firearm was holstered.
The video initially shows a large crowd gathering and fighting in the streets before the officers arrived. Officers then pulled onto the packed street, exited their vehicles, and began dispersing the crowd.
Then at the 1:25-minute mark, the video shows officers intermixed with a group of roughly 20 people with shoves and punches being exchanged. Officers can be seen using batons and pepper spray in attempt to end the melee and arrest the responsible individuals.
(Warning: This video contains graphic content and vulgar language.)
Extreme Jersey City Brawl Complete Version youtu.be
Two individuals were eventually arrested on charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, disorderly conduct, obstruction, and resisting arrest, NJ.com noted. Another individual was arrested on an obstruction charge and two juveniles were also arrested.
According to the New York Daily News, the Jersey City Police Department Internal Affairs Unit is investigating claims of excessive force by police officers.
"This situation is very unfortunate," said Chris Gadsden, a civic activist and former city councilman. "Right now folks feel as though they've been violated and that's not a good position."
Jersey City Police Chief Michael Kelly said it appears officers acted appropriately and with restraint.
"Of all of the video that I've seen on social media, police video bodycam, our police officers acted with great restraint and used exactly the force necessary to bring this situation to a close," Kelly said.
Shea added that following the incident two officers were treated for pepper spray exposure while two others were treated for bruises, lacerations, and bloody noses.
The arrested individuals were released with scheduled court dates and reportedly refused any medical assistance.


theblaze--2020-05-07--Sheriff won't enforce lockdown order: 'I refuse to make criminals out of business owners' for exerci

Sheriff won't enforce lockdown order: 'I refuse to make criminals out of business owners' for exercising rights

Sheriff wo n't enforce lockdown order : ' I refuse to make criminals out of business owners ' for exercising @ @ @ @ @ the sheriff was applauded at the board of supervisors meeting

A Southern California sheriff delivered a rousing speech where he proclaimed that he refuses to enforce the state-mandated stay-at-home order because he won't "make criminals out of business owners, single moms, and otherwise healthy individuals for exercising their constitutional rights."
During a board of supervisors meeting Wednesday, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco made it clear that he will not enforce lockdown orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"From the beginning, I told you that I would not be enforcing this stay-at-home order, partly because I trusted our residents' ability to do the right thing without the fear of being arrested," Bianco said. "I knew that they could be trusted to act as responsible adults, and I was correct.
"Not only do we not have the resources to enforce unreasonable orders, I refuse to make criminals out of business owners, single moms, and otherwise healthy individuals for exercising their constitutional rights," Bianco continued. "I believe Riverside County residents are responsible enough to proceed cautiously."
Bianco said the lockdown orders"eliminated constitutional freedoms put in place over 200 years ago."
"In the name of a public health crisis, our civil liberties and constitutional protections were placed on hold," Bianco said.
Bianco pointed out that 2,000 of the county's 4,300 people who tested positive for the coronavirus have recovered and returned to work in the county that has a population of 2.5 million and is located between Los Angeles and San Diego counties.
"Unfortunately, we have lost 181 of our residents to this virus, but keep in mind that that is only seven-thousandths of 1 percent," Bianco noted. "While the loss of any life is tragic, we must also be cognizant of the future and well-being of our county's fiscal health and the ability to perform necessary functions.
"The original projections and fears that caused these orders to be put into place have been proven wrong," the sheriff said. "As leaders, we must adjust our decisions to better serve the county as a whole."
After Bianco delivered his speech, many of the people at the board of supervisors meeting clapped and cheered in agreement.


theblaze--2020-05-07--Federal judge shoots down Massachusetts gun store closure

A federal judge has ordered Massachusetts state and local officials to allow gun stores to reopen by noon Saturday , handing a win to Second Amendment supporters in the state .
In a ruling Thursday , U.S. District Judge Douglas Woodlock in Boston ruled that Republican Gov .
Charlie Baker 's order forcing gun stores to close during the coronavirus pandemic placed an `` improper burden '' on the constitutional rights of citizens in the state , Reuters reported .
The decision came after gun-rights advocates filed a lawsuit against the Baker administration early last month after the governor ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state without an exemption of gun stores .
An updated executive order issued April 10 exempted gun retailers and shooting ranges from the list of nonessential businesses , but after the move was criticized by gun control advocates , their exemption was removed hours later , according to MassLive .
Woodlock , during the video-conference hearing , said that the matter was likely `` a small corner of a large issue that the governor is grappling with and undoubtedly has not been at focus of his attention . ''
But he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Constitution find those rights burdened and without explanation means that they have a day in court . ''
A lawyer for the state indicated that the Baker administration may seek an appeal , Reuters noted .
The state 's lawyers argued the crisis justified temporarily closing gun retailers and that residents could still buy guns through other means , like private sales .

A federal judge has ordered Massachusetts state and local officials to allow gun stores to reopen by noon Saturday, handing a win to Second Amendment supporters in the state.
In a ruling Thursday, U.S. District Judge Douglas Woodlock in Boston ruled that Republican Gov. Charlie Baker's order forcing gun stores to close during the coronavirus pandemic placed an "improper burden" on the constitutional rights of citizens in the state, Reuters reported.
The decision came after gun-rights advocates filed a lawsuit against the Baker administration early last month after the governor ordered the closure of all nonessential businesses in the state without an exemption of gun stores.
An updated executive order issued April 10 exempted gun retailers and shooting ranges from the list of nonessential businesses, but after the move was criticized by gun control advocates, their exemption was removed hours later, according to MassLive.
Woodlock, during the video-conference hearing, said that the matter was likely "a small corner of a large issue that the governor is grappling with and undoubtedly has not been at focus of his attention."
But he added that "individuals who have rights under the Constitution find those rights burdened and without explanation means that they have a day in court."
A lawyer for the state indicated that the Baker administration may seek an appeal, Reuters noted. The state's lawyers argued the crisis justified temporarily closing gun retailers and that residents could still buy guns through other means, like private sales.


theblaze--2020-05-07--Woman allegedly opens fire in McDonald's after employees forced her out for refusing to leave dining

Woman allegedly opens fire in McDonald's after employees forced her out for refusing to leave dining area closed due to coronavirus

Woman allegedly opens fire in McDonald 's after employees forced her out for refusing to leave dining area closed due @ @

A woman allegedly opened fire inside an Oklahoma City McDonald's restaurant Wednesday evening after employees forced her out for refusing to leave the dining area that was closed due to the coronavirus.
What happened?
Police told TheBlaze that after the suspect entered the restaurant around 6:30 p.m., employees said the dining area was closed and asked the suspect to leave — but the suspect refused.
With that, the suspect and an employee began fighting, police said, and soon a group of employees forced the suspect out of the McDonald's.
However, the suspect re-entered the restaurant with a handgun and opened fire with approximately three rounds, police said.
One employee was hit in the arm, a second was hit with shrapnel in the neck and shoulder, and a third employee was hit with shrapnel in the side, police said. All three were taken to a hospital, but their injuries are not life-threatening, police said.
According to KFOR-TV, two of the wounded employees are 16-year-old males.
In addition, the employee involved in the initial physical confrontation with the suspect injured his head, police said, but the cause of the injury — which also isn't life-threatening — is unclear.
What happened to the suspect?
The suspect — identified as 32-year-old Gloricia Woody — was found a few blocks away from the McDonald's and taken into custody without incident, police said. She was booked into jail on four counts of assault and battery with a deadly weapon, police added.
Police told KOCO-TV that Woody matches the appearance of an individual seen on surveillance video of the incident.
Anything else?
About eight employees were inside the McDonald's at the time of the shooting, KFOR said, all of whom ran for the back door when the gunfire erupted. Some of them told the station off camera that they were shaken up and worried about their friends.
"The safety and security of our employees and customers is our top priority," a McDonald's spokesperson told KOCO in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all those involved, and the good news is that we can report the employees who sustained injuries are expected to make a full recovery. This is a heinous crime on our restaurant employees who were trying to support public health efforts. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement as they continue to investigate this matter."


theblaze--2020-05-07--Hawaiian authorities now arresting tourists who refuse to self-quarantine

Hawaiian authorities are arresting tourists who refuse to adhere to self-quarantine mandates amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
What are the details?
On Monday, authorities arrested a Northern California couple visiting the state for their honeymoon.
The couple reportedly refused to self-quarantine at the hotel and allegedly would not engage in social distancing.
The couple, 20-year-old Borice Leouskiy and 26-year-old Yuliia Andreichenko of Citrus Heights, arrived at a Waikiki hotel last week. When a hotel manager read them requirements about the state's self-quarantine order, the couple reportedly refused to comply with the mandate and insisted on leaving the hotel to travel around the island. The couple continued to flout the order over the following days.
According to KITV-TV, special investigators arrested the couple and charged them under the state's statutes for unsworn falsification and violation of the 14-day quarantine order.
In a statement, Attorney General Clare Connors said, "We appreciate the vigilance and cooperation of the hotel staff, and staff at other hotels, in helping maintain the health and safety of visitors and residents. It is important that everyone flying into Hawaii at this time, abide by our mandatory rules. Law enforcement, in partnership with other state and county agencies and the travel industry are continuing to monitor compliance with the mandatory self-quarantine rule."
WKBN-TV reported that Hawaii's quarantine mandates are the strictest in the country, and at least 20 people have been arrested for breaking the rules.
"Officials have even considered having travelers wear an ankle bracelet during their quarantine period, or setting up a designated site where tourists would be required to stay at for the 14 days," the station reports.
What else?
In April, Hawaii Gov. David Ige (D) announced that any visitors or residents would be subject to a $5,000 fine and one year in prison if they refused to quarantine for 14 days after arriving in the state.
At the time of this writing, Johns Hopkins researchers estimate that at least 626 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Hawaii, with at least 17 deaths attributed to the virus.


theblaze--2020-05-07--Some college football programs eye June practices while others question whether there will be a seas

Some college football programs eye June practices while others question whether there will be a season at all

Why should states like Iowa or Michigan be subject to the same coronavirus restrictions as New York? That policy question has sparked political debate and protest, and is also a key question to determine what an upcoming college football season might look like, USA Today's Dan Wolken writes.
Under normal circumstances, college football players would begin arriving back on campus in late May and early June for summer classes and workouts. But with many states banning nonessential gatherings of more than 10 people, there is disagreement among major college football programs about how to proceed.
Unlike major professional sports leagues, major college football is governed more by conferences than by a single governing body like the NCAA — and what's viable for the mostly midwestern Big Ten right now might not work as well in the West Coast-based PAC-12.
Wolken reports that the Southeastern Conference wants to have a normal fall season, regardless of what other conferences can or cannot do. The PAC-12 would prefer the major conferences come to a uniform decision. The Big 12 anticipates a scenario in which the season starts on time but is potentially suspended in the late fall or early winter due to a second wave of the virus. At least one Big Ten school, the University of Iowa, is aiming for June 1 to start practicing.
The decision made by publicly funded universities could vary widely depending on which governor is in charge. Some governors are pushing reopening more aggressively, while others seem intent on keeping lockdowns in place until there is a coronavirus vaccine or until the virus disappears.
"I don't think you're going to like it and I don't think people are going to be happy about it, but in reality, I don't see how you'll be able to hold up 10 or 12 schools in one conference (because of) two states that are opening up a month later," Penn State head football coach James Franklin said in a conference call with reporters Wednesday. "And that's the same thing by conference. I don't think you can penalize one conference from opening because another conference is opening way ahead."
There are serious concerns involved with bringing college football back too soon. A locker room environment that keeps 100 or more players and coaches in close proximity with one another would be a high risk environment for rapid spreading of the virus. Additionally, it's unclear whether programs could have enough available tests to ensure that infected players aren't participating and infecting others.
While the players themselves would largely be in a demographic in which there is a low risk of serious illness or death from the coronavirus, there are some coaches and staff members who might be at higher risk and therefore may have to find ways to keep social distance while performing their duties.


theblaze--2020-05-07--Justice Department drops criminal case against Michael Flynn

The U.S. Justice Department is dropping its criminal case against Michael Flynn , according to the Associated Press .
This comes a week after the public release of documents that were unsealed in the case , which raised questions as to the motivation of the investigation into President Donald Trump 's first national security adviser .
The DOJ concluded that Flynn 's interview by the FBI was `` untethered to , and unjustified by , the FBI 's counterintelligence investigation into Mr. Flynn '' and that the interview on Jan. 24 , 2017 , was `` conducted without any legitimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days after Trump 's inauguration led to Flynn pleading guilty of lying to the FBI about contact with the then-Russian ambassador before Trump took office .
The retired Army lieutenant general pleaded guilty to one count of lying to federal agents in December 2017 .
In court documents filed Thursday , the Justice Department said it was dropping the case `` after a considered review of all the facts and circumstances of this case , including newly discovered and disclosed information . ''
`` Through the course of my review of General Flynn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and just course was to dismiss the case , '' U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen , who was reviewing the Flynn case , said in a statement .
`` I briefed Attorney General [ William ] Barr on my findings , advised him on these conclusions , and he agreed . ''
Flynn had been attempting to withdraw his guilty plea since January , arguing that he is a victim of misconduct by prosecutors .
Unsealed documents showed that the FBI had closed its criminal counterintelligence investigation into Flynn , but top bureau official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The FBI was going to close the case against Flynn because there was an `` absence of any derogatory information . ''
The investigation into Flynn , codenamed `` Crossfire Razor , '' was set to conclude Jan. 4 , 2017 , but Strzok had it reopened .
`` Hey , if you have n't closed RAZOR , do n't do so yet , '' Strzok wrote in a text message to the investigating agent on Jan. 4 , 2017 .
`` Pls keep it open for now . ''

The U.S. Justice Department is dropping its criminal case against Michael Flynn, according to the Associated Press. This comes a week after the public release of documents that were unsealed in the case, which raised questions as to the motivation of the investigation into President Donald Trump's first national security adviser.
The DOJ concluded that Flynn's interview by the FBI was "untethered to, and unjustified by, the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into Mr. Flynn" and that the interview on Jan. 24, 2017, was "conducted without any legitimate investigative basis."
The 2017 interview days after Trump's inauguration led to Flynn pleading guilty of lying to the FBI about contact with the then-Russian ambassador before Trump took office. The retired Army lieutenant general pleaded guilty to one count of lying to federal agents in December 2017.
In court documents filed Thursday, the Justice Department said it was dropping the case "after a considered review of all the facts and circumstances of this case, including newly discovered and disclosed information."
"Through the course of my review of General Flynn's case, I concluded the proper and just course was to dismiss the case," U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen, who was reviewing the Flynn case, said in a statement. "I briefed Attorney General [William] Barr on my findings, advised him on these conclusions, and he agreed."
Flynn had been attempting to withdraw his guilty plea since January, arguing that he is a victim of misconduct by prosecutors.
Unsealed documents showed that the FBI had closed its criminal counterintelligence investigation into Flynn, but top bureau official Peter Strzok ordered it to be reopened. The FBI was going to close the case against Flynn because there was an "absence of any derogatory information."
The investigation into Flynn, codenamed "Crossfire Razor," was set to conclude Jan. 4, 2017, but Strzok had it reopened.
"Hey, if you haven't closed RAZOR, don't do so yet," Strzok wrote in a text message to the investigating agent on Jan. 4, 2017. "Pls keep it open for now."


theblaze--2020-05-07--Forget 'murder hornets' and coronavirus: Washington state declares emergency over yet another devast

Forget 'murder hornets' and coronavirus: Washington state declares emergency over yet another devastating bug

Forget 'murder hornets ' and coronavirus : Washington state declares emergency over yet another devastating bug So far , 2020 @ @ @ @

The Evergreen State has had quite a 2020 so far.
First, it had the early cases of the coronavirus.
Then, it was the "murder hornet."
Now, Washington is facing a new enemy: the Asian gypsy moth.
The issue of the new flying bug is so worrisome that the governor issued an emergency proclamation this week, saying there is an "imminent danger of an infestation."
What's the problem?
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) declared a state of emergency Tuesday over the "imminent danger of an infestation" of the Asian gypsy moth.
The plant-eating pests threaten crops statewide and could have a major impact on the agriculture-heavy state.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture stated that the bugs can cause massive damage.
"If they would become established here, they could cause serious, widespread damage to our country's landscape and natural resources," the USDA said. "Each female moth can lay hundreds of eggs that, in turn, yield hundreds of voracious caterpillars that may feed on more than 500 tree and shrub species."
"Large (Asian gypsy moth) infestations can completely defoliate trees," the agency said. "This defoliation can severely weaken trees and shrubs, making them more susceptible to disease. Repeated defoliation can lead to the death of large sections of forests, orchards and landscaping."
Photo by Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Inslee ordered the state to apply aerial insecticide spray to stop any potential infestation.
It's vital to stop the gypsy moths now, since, as the USDA noted, the moths have the ability to fly long distances — meaning they could spread across the nation in no time.
(H/T: CNN)


theblaze--2020-05-07--After getting blasted for 'Nazi-like' order that churches keep lists of attendees, KC mayor backs do

After getting blasted for 'Nazi-like' order that churches keep lists of attendees, KC mayor backs down

After getting blasted for 'Nazi-like ' order that churches keep lists of attendees , KC mayor backs down

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas drew notable criticism over his recent order that churches and other places of worship keep lists of names of service attendees so the city's health department can track those potentially exposed to the coronavirus — but now he's backing down.
What's the background?
The requirement to keep lists of worship service attendees was part of the reopening plan for nonessential businesses. The city's website noted the "10/10/10 rule," which "specifies that these businesses must limit the number of individuals on-site (inclusive of employees and customers) to no more than 10 percent of building occupancy or 10 people (whichever is larger), and record the names, contact information, and approximate entry/exit time of all customers who are on premises for more than 10 minutes."
The website added: "In-person religious gatherings (including weddings and funerals) may resume, subject to the 10/10/10 rule (if held inside), or limited to 50 people outside, provided social distancing precautions are followed and event organizers maintain records of all attendees."
Pushback
Last Friday, Matt Staver — founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel — raised a stink over the list-of-names mandate:
I am running out of adjectives to describe how completely insane the tyrannical abuses launched by state governors and local officials against pastors and churches are becoming. It is as if these leaders never bothered to so much as glance at the Constitution they swore to uphold and defend. They seem to be governing from some make-believe, dystopian viewpoint. ...
The Germans did this very thing to Jews – collecting the names and locations of all known synagogue attendees - in the early days of the Nazi regime.
Never in our wildest dreams could we have imagined Nazi-like measures designed to surveil, track and spy upon what was once a FREE American people. Yet that is exactly what Kansas City's misguided government officials are now demanding.
Change of heart
However, Lucas appears to have experienced a change of heart — and the Kansas City Star reported that he signed new guidance Monday making record-keeping optional, saying merely that businesses and religious groups "should consider" the data.
Lucas' spokeswoman, Morgan Said, told the paper that the mayor "late last week and over the weekend ... felt clearer guidance expressing the voluntary nature of the requirement would be helpful, so the city could discuss the core public health needs addressed by allowing for contact tracing, rather than engaging in ad nauseum political debate."
Here's a clip of Lucas explaining the path forward for Kansas City's reopening. "Must gather contact info of all attendees" can be seen on the bottom right-hand corner of the large 10/10/10 sign.
(H/T: The Christian Post)


theblaze--2020-05-07--Democratic congressman said opening California beaches was 'reckless.' Then he was seen at a private

Democratic congressman said opening California beaches was 'reckless.' Then he was seen at a private beach.

Democratic congressman said opening California beaches was 'reckless . '
Then he was seen at a private beach .
Do @ @ @ @ @ as I do .

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) ordered all California beaches and state parks to close last week. However, photos of Democratic Congressman Harley Rouda reportedly show he was at a private beach last weekend despite saying that opening the beaches was "reckless."
"Keeping Orange County beaches open during a heat wave is reckless," Rouda tweeted April 21. "We need leaders who will prioritize public health and make the tough calls to keep our families safe."
After 40,000 people visited Newport Beach and there were crowds at Huntington Beach on the last weekend in April, Newsom said, "We're going to do a hard close" of the California beaches.
"Opening beaches to thousands of Southern Californians during a weekend heat-wave without adequate social-distancing protocols was a reckless action that put the families of California's 48th district in harm's way," Rouda said last Thursday.
CBS News found photos of Rouda "spending time at a private beach in Southern California" last weekend.
Rouda's campaign manager released a statement that said the congressman and his family "were actively moving and adequately socially distancing on a residential beach, which has explicitly outlined beach access requirements in accordance with Governor Newsom's beach order."
The CBS News report does not indicate which private beach, but a 2017 Patch article calls Rouda an "Emerald Bay businessman." Photos on social media show the Rouda family at Emerald Bay Beach in recent months. Emerald Bay is a gated community in North Laguna Beach that features a beach that is not accessible to the public.
The website California Beaches, calls Emerald Bay Beach "one of the nicest beaches in Laguna Beach."
Emerald Bay Beach is a private beach that is only open to residents of the gated community of Emerald Bay in North Laguna Beach. The homes on both sides of Pacific Coast Highway have access to this half-mile-wide sandy beach. There is a park centrally located in the cove with grass areas, a tennis court, a wide flat sandy area with volleyball courts, and picnic tables and fire pits. If you get an invitation to visit Emerald Bay Beach from a resident, consider yourself lucky. This is one of the nicest beaches in Laguna Beach, California.
Current real estate listings at the "premier gated community" range between $4 million and $12 million, and are said to feature "some of the most exclusive real estate in all of Southern California."


theblaze--2020-05-07--USPS has lost $78 billion since 2007 despite receiving billions from taxpayers every year. Democrats

USPS has lost $78 billion since 2007 despite receiving billions from taxpayers every year. Democrats still want a bailout.

USPS has lost $ 78 billion since 2007 despite receiving billions from taxpayers every year .
Democrats still want a @ @

A new government report shows the severity of the United States Postal Service's poor financial conditions and demonstrates the need for a long-term fix for the agency — not a bailout, as Democrats have suggested.
The report, released Thursday by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, found that the Postal Service's financial problems existed long before the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted the need for Congress to step in and institute major reforms.
The key data point: Between fiscal years 2007 and 2019, the Postal Service netted losses of approximately $78 billion — and that's despite receiving roughly $18 billion each year from American taxpayers.
GAO said that the agency has been on its "High Risk" list since 2009 but that financial viability has only worsened since then "due to declining mail volume, increased employee compensation and benefit costs, and increased unfunded liabilities and debt."
What lawmakers are saying
"This report reiterates what many of us have known for a long time: The Postal Service's business model is failing and simply throwing more of taxpayer's hard-earned money at them won't fix their problems," House Oversight Committee ranking member Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said in a statement.
"If Congress is going to be asked to get the Postal Service out of yet another fiscal jam, we owe it to the American people to make sure we aren't just setting them up for yet another bailout the next time there's an emergency," he continued, citing reform initiatives.
"While Democrats continue to push for a complete bailout of the Postal Service in COVID-19-related legislation, the report released today makes clear that the systemic issues within the Postal Service far pre-date this pandemic," Oversight Committee member Fred Keller (R-Pa.) said.
Earlier this year, during coronavirus stimulus negotiations, the USPS requested a whopping $75 billion bailout from taxpayers citing the economic fallout caused by the virus. Democrats lobbied to get the money into the CARES Act, but Republicans and President Donald Trump pushed back. In the end, the USPS was provided with a $10 billion loan.
In response, House Democrats have continued to push for more funding.
"The Postal Service was technically insolvent to begin with, but the pandemic has completely changed the environment here ... the mail volume drop has been catastrophic," said Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who chairs the oversight subcommittee that oversees USPS.
The report recommends an overhaul
The GAO report concluded that "comprehensive, effective, and successful reform" cannot occur until there is clarity around what services the USPS should provide, whether the agency should be financially self-sustaining, and what institutional structure would support these changes.
The office then submitted three recommendations to congressional consideration:
Congress should consider reassessing and determining the level of universal postal service the nation requires. (Matter for Consideration 1)
Congress should consider determining the extent to which USPS should be financially self-sustaining and what changes to law would be appropriate to enable USPS to meet this goal. (Matter for Consideration 2)
Congress should consider determining the most appropriate institutional structure for USPS. (Matter for Consideration 3)
"Absent congressional action on critical foundational elements of the USPS business model, USPS's mission and financial solvency are increasingly in peril," the report concluded.


theblaze--2020-05-07--Rand Paul blasts nationwide lockdowns, says they’re ironically making US even more dependent on Chin

Rand Paul blasts nationwide lockdowns, says they’re ironically making US even more dependent on China

Rand Paul blasts nationwide lockdowns , says they ’ re ironically making US even more dependent on China

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) says the nationwide stay-at-home orders must cease if America is ever to get back on its feet.
What are the details?
Speaking on Fox News' "America's Newsroom," the Republican senator said that states continuing to enforce lockdown measures are sabotaging themselves as well as the United States and its economy in the long run.
"We have no money, we have no rainy day account, we have no savings account," he said on Wednesday. "The $3 trillion that we've already passed out is imaginary money. It's being borrowed, basically, from China. So the irony is we got the virus from China, and now we're going to be more dependent by borrowing more money from China."
Paul explained that the only way to avoid such a pitfall is to reopen the U.S. economy.
"The only thing that recovers our economy is opening the economy," he reasoned. "It's not a lack of money. It's a lack of commerce. If you let people have commerce, if you let them trade, if you take them out from forcible home arrest, our economy will recover."
"But," he continued, "if you keep everybody under home arrest, and you say you cannot practice your business, you cannot sell your goods, there will continue to be economic calamity."
The Republican lawmaker said that Democratic governors are also contributing to the overall problem by refusing to open their states, and thus, their state economies.
“All these blue state governors who don't want to open their state, now they're clamoring for federal money to bail them out because no state revenue is coming in. We don't have any money," Paul insisted.


theblaze--2020-05-07--New York City was the primary source of coronavirus infections in the US, experts find

New York City was the primary source of coronavirus infections in the US , experts find

New York City became the primary source of COVID-19 outbreaks across the country before lockdown and travel restrictions were put in place, the New York Times reported.
Although the earliest known cases of the coronavirus were in Washington state, and the earliest known deaths in California's Bay Area, genetic samples show that most coronavirus cases in almost every region, including nearly half in major West Coast locations, could be traced back to New York City.
"We now have enough data to feel pretty confident that New York was the primary gateway for the rest of the country," Nathan Grubaugh, an epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health, said, according to the Times.
The findings bring more scrutiny to the city and state government responses, which waited until well into March to take aggressive action to slow the spread of the virus. Here's what New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said about the coronavirus on March 2:
Excuse our arrogance as New Yorkers — I speak for the mayor also on this one — we think we have the best health care system on the planet right here in New York. So, when you're saying, what happened in other countries versus what happened here, we don't even think it's going to be as bad as it was in other countries.
That prediction turned out to be quite wrong. New York City, as of Wednesday, had more than 13,000 confirmed coronavirus deaths, and more than 5,300 presumed coronavirus deaths.
Researchers have previously traced a majority of New York's coronavirus cases back to Europe, rather than China, where the virus originated. That information validates the Trump administration's decision to block travel from Europe on March 13, although that decision was highly controversial and heavily criticized by the president's opponents at the time. Travel had been restricted from China on Jan. 31.
"It means that we missed the boat early on, and the vast majority in this country is coming from domestic spread," said Kristian Andersen, a professor in the department of immunology and microbiology at Scripps Research, according to the Times. "I keep hearing that it's somebody else's fault. That's not true. It's not somebody else's fault, it's our own fault."


theblaze--2020-05-07--Breaking: Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther ordered released from jail

The Supreme Court of Texas has ordered Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther to be released from jail .
Luther was charged with contempt of court for violating a restraining order that directed her to stay at home when she refused to close down her salon during the coronavirus pandemic .
According to the order , Luther is being released pending a hearing before the Texas Supreme Court on Monday .
Luther grabbed national headlines after she defied the state-mandated stay-at-home orders to continue her business , Salon A La Mode .
On Tuesday , Luther was sentenced to seven days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to close her business and was fined $ 500 each day that the salon remained open , which totaled $ 7,000 .
Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott modified his executive orders on Thursday to remove confinement as a punishment for violations .
`` Throwing Texans in jail who have had their businesses shut down through no fault of their own is nonsensical , and I will not allow it to happen , '' Abbott said on Thursday .
`` That is why I am modifying my executive orders to ensure confinement is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` I am eliminating jail for violating an order , retroactive to April 2 , superseding local orders , '' Abbot said .
`` Criminals should n't be released to prevent COVID-19 just to put business owners in their place . ''
It is not clear , however , whether this will help Luther ultimately avoid the remainder of her sentence , since she was sentenced for violating a judicially-issued restraining order rather than directly for violation of Gov .
Abbott 's executive order .
Dallas Judge Eric Moyé stated that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if she apologized , admitted she had been `` selfish , '' and promised not to reopen her salon until permitted by executive order , but Luther refused these conditions .
`` I have much respect for this court and laws , '' Luther told the judge on Tuesday .
`` I have never been in this position before and it 's not some place that I want to be .
But I have to disagree with you , sir , when you say that I 'm selfish — because feeding my kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign was started for the salon owner and has raised over $ 500,000 .

The Supreme Court of Texas has ordered Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther to be released from jail. Luther was charged with contempt of court for violating a restraining order that directed her to stay at home when she refused to close down her salon during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the order, Luther is being released pending a hearing before the Texas Supreme Court on Monday.
Luther grabbed national headlines after she defied the state-mandated stay-at-home orders to continue her business, Salon A La Mode.
On Tuesday, Luther was sentenced to seven days in jail for violating a temporary restraining order to close her business and was fined $500 each day that the salon remained open, which totaled $7,000.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott modified his executive orders on Thursday to remove confinement as a punishment for violations.
"Throwing Texans in jail who have had their businesses shut down through no fault of their own is nonsensical, and I will not allow it to happen," Abbott said on Thursday. "That is why I am modifying my executive orders to ensure confinement is not a punishment for violating an order."
"I am eliminating jail for violating an order, retroactive to April 2, superseding local orders," Abbot said. "Criminals shouldn't be released to prevent COVID-19 just to put business owners in their place."
It is not clear, however, whether this will help Luther ultimately avoid the remainder of her sentence, since she was sentenced for violating a judicially-issued restraining order rather than directly for violation of Gov. Abbott's executive order.
Dallas Judge Eric Moyé stated that he would not sentence Luther to jail if she apologized, admitted she had been "selfish," and promised not to reopen her salon until permitted by executive order, but Luther refused these conditions.
"I have much respect for this court and laws," Luther told the judge on Tuesday. "I have never been in this position before and it's not some place that I want to be. But I have to disagree with you, sir, when you say that I'm selfish — because feeding my kids is not selfish."
A GoFundMe campaign was started for the salon owner and has raised over $500,000.


theblaze--2020-05-07--One of Trump's personal valets has tested positive for COVID-19

One of Trump 's personal valets has tested positive for COVID-19

A member of the United States Navy that serves as a personal valet for President Trump has tested positive for the coronavirus, CNN reported Thursday.
Shortly after the report broke, the White House confirmed the news, raising concerns over the possibility that the president has been exposed to the virus.
"We were recently notified by the White House Medical Unit that a member of the United States Military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for Coronavirus," said Hogan Gidley, the deputy White House press secretary, in a statement. "The President and the Vice President have since tested negative for the virus and they remain in great health."
A White House source reportedly told CNN that news of the individual's diagnosis was "hitting the fan" in the West Wing Wednesday morning after he began exhibiting "symptoms."
The New York Times reported last week that Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are frequently tested for the virus, while others in the administration are tested weekly. Administration officials are "given the a rapid-testing kit developed by Abbott, which yields results in about five minutes."
This is developing story. Refresh for updates.


theblaze--2020-05-07--Leftists giddy over photo of 'white supremacist' yelling at Michigan shutdown rally. But it's fake n

Leftists giddy over photo of 'white supremacist' yelling at Michigan shutdown rally. But it's fake news once again.

Leftists giddy over photo of 'white supremacist ' yelling at Michigan shutdown rally .
But it 's fake news once @ @ @ @ @ fits , wear it , right ?

A photograph from the April 30 shutdown protest at the Michigan State Capitol has received added social media attention from leftists who managed to create fake news over it.
The photo depicts a bearded man yelling close to a line of police outside the chamber of the state's House of Representatives. The protesters were angry at Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for ordering businesses closed in the wake of the coronavirus.
All it takes is one tweet, it seems
With that, the image was featured on a Twitter post, which named the yelling man and called him a "white supremacist" from Los Angeles and the "face of the Republican Party."
"Meet Rob Cantrell who lives in Los Angeles. Rob is a white supremacist who is being paid to attend protests in blue states all over the country. This #Deplorable is the face of the Republican Party," the tweet stated. The post has been retweeted nearly 7,000 times since it went live Sunday, and another tweet identified the man in the photo as Cantrell and said he's a Proud Boys member.
With that, comments from the left bordered on gleeful, as apparently the mask came off — literally — and Republicans and supporters of President Donald Trump and those who want to go back to work have finally proven themselves as racists and supporters of racists:
"Hello Bob Cantrell. Wondering why you think Michigan should reopen when YOU live in Los Angeles? Who paid for your travel? Who paid for your lodging? WHO WANTS MICHIGAN OPEN AND IS WILLING TO PAY YOUR White Supremesist [sic] WAY?"
"At least I'm relieved to see that he isn't a marriage counselor or sensitivity expert. Neo-nazi definitely suits him better."
"The @gop no longer has a moral left to stand on. To save this nation, they all gotta go."
Wrong
Turns out the protester in the photo isn't Cantrell. His name is Brian Cash, and he's from New Hudson, Michigan, the Detroit Free Press reported.
A marijuana advocate who voted for Sen. Bernie Sanders in the 2016 primary and then Trump in the general election, Cash also isn't too happy he's being mistaken for Cantrell, the paper said. In fact, he told the Free Press he hadn't a clue who Cantrell is but did some research and concluded that he's a "racist."
Cash added to the paper that his experience that day was "awesome" and that "anybody of any color should have the right to do what I did."
The 52-year-old flooring installer also told the paper he wasn't yelling at the line of cops in front of him but at an officer behind them who he said assaulted a female protester the previous day. The Free Press said incident prompted an announcement by the Michigan State Police that it was investigating the confrontation between individuals and House police.
More from the paper:
Other details about Cash: He is not concerned about the virus ("Not at all"); he doesn't believe masks protect people and won't wear one ("Ever"); he doesn't agree with the stay home order because people are still going to stores, pharmacies and gas stations anyway ("So what is the point of staying at home?"); he believes the virus was intentionally released by the Chinese government, and he said he had never voted before the 2016 election ("Because f*** the government, you know?").
WCRZ-FM in Flint posted a reaction to Cash being mistaken for a "white supremacist" and took the guilty parties to task.
"I wanted nothing more than for this to be true...but it's not," the writer lamented, adding that "the moral of the story is this — do some research before you share. Wanting something to be true isn't the same as it being true."
USA Today also ran a fact check and concluded, "We rate the claim that a protester at Michigan's capitol on April 30 is a known white supremacist from LA as FALSE because it is not supported by our research. Brian Cash has stated he is the protestor in the viral image from the protests in Lansing."


theblaze--2020-05-07--College student and racial equality activist faces felony charges after reportedly faking hate crime

College student and racial equality activist faces felony charges after reportedly faking hate crimes against herself

A female college student is facing felony charges after reportedly faking hate crimes against herself, according to Campus Reform.
What are the details?
California college student Dominguez Peña, 25, was reportedly discovered at the bottom of a campus stairwell, claiming that she was beaten by a masked man. She reportedly denied any medical assistance at the time, however, insisting that she wasn't able to trust anyone.
This was just one of many allegedly racially charged incidents Peña — a campus racial equality activist — alleged took place at the University of La Verne in La Verne, California.
Peña filed approximately 10 reports about being the victim of "racist attacks" and threats while on campus over the past year. Newsweek also reported that Peña even reportedly attempted to set her own vehicle on fire in an attempt to fake a threat.
In March, however, authorities arrested Peña and charged her with making criminal threats and perjury, both of which are felonies, the outlet reports. Authorities also charged Peña with seven misdemeanors including electronic impersonation and making falsified police reports.
Newsweek reported that one of the charges against Peña also included a felony count of perjury for reportedly filing a false claim to receive financial benefits from the California Victim Compensation Board. The California Victim Compensation Board is a program that provides assistance of up to $70,000 per case in order to help victims with "relocation, security, and medical costs."
"I appreciate you wanting to hear my side of the story. But for now I am unable to speak about anything, but maybe in the future," Peña wrote in a message to Newsweek.
KCBS-TV reported that if Peña is convicted on all charges, she could face up to eight years in state prison.
You can read more background on the case against Peña here.
What are people saying about this?
La Verne professor Judy Holiday told Campus Reform that Peña's allegations hurt the reputation of the school and its enrollees.
"It was very distressing to hear that a student fabricated racist threats, especially as those threats did so much damage to the reputation of other individuals and the university," she said. "It was also distressing to think about the fact that racism in the United States is so profoundly a part of the lives of people of color that a student felt compelled to do something illegal and immoral to bring attention to the problem."
Rod Leveque, the university's executive director for its office of strategic communication, expressed his gratitude for the local police department as well as the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office in getting to the bottom of the allegations.
"The incidents last year were extremely upsetting to the university community," Leveque said. "We take a lot of pride in being a diverse and inclusive campus, and we hope that the conclusion of the criminal investigation will allow us to continue to come together and focus on our mission of providing an excellent education to our students."


theblaze--2020-05-07--Illinois churches can't exceed 50 attendees until there's a coronavirus vaccine, medicine, or no new

Illinois churches can't exceed 50 attendees until there's a coronavirus vaccine, medicine, or no new cases

Demonstrators gather outside of the Thompson Center to protest restrictions instituted by Illinois Gov .
J.B. Pritzker in an attempt @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus on May 1 in Chicago .
Although some restrictions were eased , the @ @ @ @ @ `` stay at home '' order mandated until May 30 .
( Photo by Scott @ @ @

Under Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker's plan to reopen Illinois through the coronavirus pandemic, churches are included in restrictions that could limit gatherings to 50 people or fewer for more than a year.
Pritzker's plan includes five phases of reopening based on defined benchmarks based on the rate of infection in different areas of the state.
The first, and most restrictive, phase is phase 1, called "rapid spread." All of Illinois has already qualified for phase 2, "flattening." Phase 3, "recovery," is dependent on decreased rate of infection and hospitalization, as well as widely available testing and contact tracing.
Moving to phase 4, revitalization, requires a continued positive trend in the aforementioned areas. The final phase, "Illinois restored," requires a "vaccine, treatment or the elimination of new cases over a sustained period of time through herd immunity or other factors."
Under the current phase, gatherings are limited to those deemed "essential" and limited to 10 people or fewer. Phase 3 allows for "all" gatherings of 10 or fewer people. Phase 4 allows for all gatherings of 50 people or fewer.
So, churches that draw more than 50 people won't be able to fully return to normal until a vaccine is deployed (which is not a certainty), or until there's a highly effective medical treatment available. Or, until there are no new cases of the virus altogether.
Experts speculate that a vaccine could be 12-18 months away from being widely available, and because of the widespread isolation policies in the U.S., the country could be further from herd immunity than it otherwise would be.
Despite the constitutional concerns involved with restricting religious gatherings, Pritzker confirmed that churches would receive no exemptions from the policy, saying he was following the guidance that had been given to him.
"You know, that in phase three, there can be gatherings, church gatherings, of 10 or fewer. In phase four, 50 or fewer. So that's the guidance that's been given to me," Pritzker said during a Wednesday news conference, according to the Washington Examiner. "I'm not the one providing that guidance. It really is what the scientists and epidemiologists are recommending."


theblaze--2020-05-08--Nearly 50 million Americans had their credit card limits involuntarily cut in the past month

Nearly 50 million Americans had their credit card limits involuntarily cut in the past month Lenders are reportedly trying to @ @ @ @ @ from the coronavirus crisis

Roughly one out of every four Americans who hold a credit card — nearly 50 million people — saw their credit limits slashed or accounts involuntarily closed altogether by lenders over the past month, according to a new survey.
CompareCards, the Lending Tree site that conducted the survey, was so struck by the high numbers that it ran the survey a second time to be assured of the fallout to cash-strapped consumers hit with staggering unemployment due to the coronavirus crisis.
What are the details?
CBS News reported the findings, noting that "many lenders made their moves in the past month to avert losses if cash-strapped consumers struggle to keep up with payments amid surging U.S. unemployment."
The outlet added, "The credit curbs happened just when household budgets are particularly strained from coronavirus-related job losses and families are believed to be using their cards more frequently. The Lending Tree survey reports that 42% more cardholders said they used their credit card in the last month compared to the same period last year."
According to the survey analysis, credit card companies see the writing on the wall and their actions are nothing new.
CompareCards wrote:
Why would an issuer cut your limit? To minimize risk. In good economic times, banks are more than happy to give cards and bump up credit limits for good borrowers because lenders are confident that they'll get repaid. In uncertain economic times, when a consumer's financial life can literally be turned upside down in a day, banks get nervous. That available credit suddenly looks like untenable risk, so banks often rein it in, to the chagrin of the cardholder. It's clear from this data that lenders are repeating their actions once more.
Anything else?
On Thursday, the new numbers for the United States showed that over the last seven weeks, more than 33 million people have applied for unemployment benefits, USA Today reported.
According to NPR, "The Labor Department is expected to deliver a historically bad employment report Friday, showing millions of jobs lost last month as the jobless rate soared to around 16% — the highest level since the Great Depression."


theblaze--2020-05-08--'This is Barack Obama's blue dress': Mark Levin slams Obama over revelations in declassified docs

'This is Barack Obama 's blue dress ' : Mark Levin slams Obama over revelations in declassified docs The former @ @ @ @ @ details of Michael Flynn 's wiretapped calls

Newly declassified documents indicate that former President Barack Obama surprised his own deputy attorney general by revealing that he was aware of the details of wiretapped phone calls of Gen. Michael Flynn prior to President Donald Trump taking office.
Mark Levin says those documents are "Obama's blue dress ... without the DNA on it," in an apparent reference to evidence used during the impeachment trial of former President Bill Clinton.
What are the details?
Fox News reported Thursday:
President Obama was aware of the details of then-incoming national security adviser Michael Flynn's intercepted December 2016 phone calls with then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, apparently surprising then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, according to documents released Thursday as exhibits to the government's motion to dismiss the Flynn case.
Obama's unexpectedly intimate knowledge of the details of Flynn's calls, which the FBI said at the time were not criminal in nature, raised eyebrows because of his own history with Flynn — and because top FBI officials secretly discussed whether their goal was to 'get [Flynn] fired' when they interviewed him in the White House on January 24, 2017.
In reaction to the news, LevinTV host Mark Levin joined Fox News' Sean Hannity to discuss the revelations, holding up the documents and telling the host, "Sean, you know what this is? This is Barack Obama's blue dress. That's what that is, without the DNA on it."
Levin went on to explain, "We're supposed to believe that during the Obama administration, the FBI went rogue, the Department of Justice went rogue, the CIA went rogue, the DNI went rogue, the NSC went rogue, with all these leaks in the newspapers — the New York Times and the Washington Post that anybody can read and see — and Barack Obama didn't know anything. Poor Barack Obama, poor Joe Biden. The fact of the matter is, they've never been asked.
"They've never been asked about any role they had, any knowledge they had; those presidential briefing documents have never been made public," Levin continued. "This is a massive cover-up of the greatest scandal in American history."
Holding up a document again, Levin explained, "This tells us that Obama knew," then quoted from the newly released document that "Obama started by saying he had 'learned of the information about Flynn' and his conversations with Kislyak about sanctions" and that "Obama specified he did not want any additional information on the matter, but was seeking information on whether the White House should be treating Flynn any differently."
Levin noted that "treating Flynn differently" has been interpreted by some to mean that the former president meant not to give Gen. Flynn intelligence information.
"I don't think it means that at all," Levin said, concluding, "I think it means take out Flynn."


theblaze--2020-05-08--'I couldn't bring myself to apologize!' — Shelley Luther explains why she defied Texas lockdown

' I could n't bring myself to apologize ! '
— Shelley Luther explains why she defied Texas lockdown Luther @ @ @ @ @ the anti-lockdown movement

Salon owner Shelley Luther explained why she chose to protest the lockdown order in Texas and keep her Dallas business open even after she was fined and sentenced to jail.
Luther spoke to Fox News' Sean Hannity on his show Thursday after she was freed from jail after a decree from the Texas governor. Hannity asked her why she didn't simply apologize when the judge asked her to admit she was wrong.
"I just couldn't, I couldn't bring myself to apologize," she replied.
Luther said that officials kept pushing back the date for reopening businesses, which forced her to reopen for the sake of her stylists.
"When he finally pushed it back a final time, I just said, I just woke up one day and I said, 'I have to open. My stylists are calling me, they're not making their mortgage.' I was, at, right now, I still am not caught up, I'm two months behind on my mortgage," she explained.
"My stylists were telling me that they want to, you know, 'What do you think if I go underground and go to people's houses?'" Luther continued.
"And I just said, you know that's not a good idea, because we can't control the environment there. We don't know if it's been disinfected or anything like that, and I just decided that I would reopen to create a safe space for the stylists," she added. "And to make sure I wasn't the reason that they weren't making money."
Luther went on to explain what measures she took at her salon to keep the social distancing rules and disinfect her work spaces, despite her refusal to maintain the lockdown order.
Hannity said that he would make a donation to her salon in order to help keep the business afloat for the 19 stylists who work there.
Shelley's sentence outraged many across the country and led to the governor removing jail time as a punishment for violating the lockdown order. Texas will begin a partial reopening of barbershops and salons on Friday.
Here's the full interview with Luther:


theblaze--2020-05-08--Father and son charged with murder of Ahmaud Arbery after public outcry over disturbing video

Father and son charged with murder of Ahmaud Arbery after public outcry over disturbing video The incident occurred in February @ @ @ @ @ led to cries for justice

Two of the men seen in a video shooting and killing Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia have been arrested and charged in his murder after a very public outcry after video of the incident was released.
The incident became racially charged because the victim was black and the two men chasing him are white.
Gregory McMichael and his son, Travis McMichael, admit that they chased Arbery on the day of Feb. 23, but said that they believed him to be a burglar that had been robbing homes in their neighborhood.
After Arbery tried to run away, the two men cornered him again and shot him during an altercation. He died at the scene.
Arvery's family say he was just out jogging for exercise.
The two men were not arrested for two months until a very graphic video was released showing the incident.
Here's the graphic video [caution]:
Video appearing to show killing of black jogger Ahmaud Arbery sparks outrage www.youtube.com
On Thursday, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced that they had arrested both men for the murder of 25-year-old Arbery.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr released a statement after they were arrested.
"Gregory and Travis McMichael have been arrested this evening for aggravated assault and the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. We are grateful the Georgia Bureau of investigation has taken quick and decisive action," the statement read.
"This tragedy cannot be undone, but this is the first step in what I am confident will be a swift road to justice," he added.
Here's more about the lethal incident: