theblaze--2020-12-30--Walmart apologizes after company Twitter account calls Sen. Josh Hawley a '#soreloser' — #BoycottWal

Walmart apologizes after company Twitter account calls Sen. Josh Hawley a '#soreloser' — #BoycottWalmart trends

The company is very sorry

Walmart has issued a public apology to Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) after the company's Twitter account criticized the senator for announcing he will object during the Electoral College certification, calling him a "#soreloser."
Hawley on Wednesday became the first U.S. senator to declare his intention to object to the Electoral College certification on Jan. 6. "Millions of voters concerned about election integrity deserve to be heard. I will object on January 6 on their behalf," Hawley tweeted.
In response, the verified corporate Twitter account for Walmart wrote, "Go ahead. Get your 2 hour debate. #soreloser." That tweet has since been deleted, but not before Hawley captured a screenshot and replied back.
"Thanks @Walmart for your insulting condescension. Now that you've insulted 75 million Americans, will you at least apologize for using slave labor?" Hawley asked.
In a follow-up tweet, he added: "Or maybe you'd like to apologize for the pathetic wages you pay your workers as you drive mom and pop stores out of business."
Walmart did issue an apology for the tweet but not for the things Hawley accused the company of doing.
"The tweet was mistakenly posted by a member of our social media team who intended to publish this comment to their personal account," Walmart senior manager Casey Staheli said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. "We have removed the post and have no intention of commenting on the subject of certifying the electoral college. We apologize to Senator Hawley for this error and any confusion about our position."
On Jan. 6, Congress will meet in a joint session to certify the results of the Electoral College vote, which President-elect Joe Biden won 306 to President Donald Trump's 232. According to the Congressional Research Service, when the certificate or papers documenting each state's electoral votes is read during the session, the president of the Senate (Vice President Pence) will call for objections, if there are any. An objection may be made by presenting the Senate president with a written document signed by one member of the House of Representatives and one member of the Senate listing the grounds for their objection. At this point, the joint session will be suspended and each house of Congress will consider the objection separately. Both houses must agree to the objection by simple majority vote, otherwise it will fail and the electoral votes will be counted.
It is extraordinarily unlikely that the Democratic majority in the House will vote to discount the electoral votes of any state that declared Joe Biden the winner, and therefore any objection filed by Hawley or others is all but certain to fail after debate on the matter is finished and each house of Congress votes.
After Walmart's interaction with Hawley, #BoycottWalmart trended on Twitter.


theblaze--2020-12-30--Alec Baldwin's daughter apologizes after conflating Latinx and Spanish while defending stepmom Hilar

Alec Baldwin's daughter apologizes after conflating Latinx and Spanish while defending stepmom Hilaria Baldwin from cultural appropriation allegations

Alec Baldwin 's daughter apologizes after conflating Latinx and Spanish while defending stepmom Hilaria Baldwin from cultural appropriation allegations The @ @ @ @ @ '

Ireland Baldwin — daughter of actor Alec Baldwin and actress Kim Basinger — has issued an apology to social media after conflating Latinx and Spanish nationalities while defending her stepmother from accusations of faking a Spanish heritage.
What's a brief history here?
Earlier this month, Hilaria Baldwin was accused of cultural appropriation after social media users insisted that she appeared to suggest she possessed a Spanish nationality.
Social media users took Hilaria — Ireland's stepmother and Alec's current wife — to task over the allegations, accusing her of faking a Spanish accent and blasting her for appearing to never correct habitual reports that she was of Spanish nationality.
On Monday, Ireland Baldwin defended Hilaria in an Instagram video, writing, "It's so pathetic that anyone would wanna play detective, and dig that deep into someone's life that they don't know, don't know anything about, how they were raised, who they were actually raised by. It's just kinda sad and pathetic."
She continued, "[I]t's the holidays, and people are depressed, people are going through a lot. I know I'm going through a lot, personally. And the last thing we really need to do is start s**t and gossip about something that is so, so stupid. And about somebody that nobody really even knows."
"This person has dug up old tweets from Hilaria's high school peers, and they all say one thing about her, that she's really kind, when they reflect back on their experience with her," Alec Baldwin's daughter continued. “And that's because she is very kind, she's a good person. And she's a caring person who's always respected my relationship with my dad. I have a great relationship with her. And she could be a really malicious, terrible, horrible human who tears people down, but she isn't. Hilaria is a wonderful mother who takes great care of her kids, and she takes great care of my dad. And that's really all that matters to me."
In a since-deleted post, Ireland Baldwin then added, "I simply want to say this and then nothing more. I am fully supportive of any individual of the Latinx community. I will continue to listen and learn. But I also feel defensive when misinformation spreads regarding my family. I will do better. ... At the same time, I hope that people can start getting information from credible sources."
What are the details?
Following the defense of her stepmother, Ireland took to Instagram once more and revealed that many people remarked on her original post and blasted her for conflating "Latinx" — which refers to a person of Latin American nationality — and Spanish. Spain is a European country.
In a now-viral Tuesday night Instagram post, the 25-year-old model said that the topic of "cultural appropriation" is an important one, and thanked her followers for "sharing with me ways I can do better."
She began, "I moved out of a major city with the intention of escaping the public eye in a small but significant way. I couldn't take a deep breath in Los Angeles and was dealing with a great deal of anxiety that I didn't know how to manage. Stories come out about my family members that often times are fabricated or blown out of proportion.
"I've spent so much time getting worked up and upset seeing people dig into my parent's [sic] divorce and relationship history, into my past having visited a mental rehabilitation facility, and so many PRIVATE ordeals made public," she continued. "That's the thing I can say that most of you don't understand... what it's like to have your family's private affairs aired out and analyzed by millions of strangers.
"Now the purpose of this isn't to ask for any kind of sympathy," Baldwin added, "I simply want to point out a couple of things. 1. Like I mentioned yesterday, I do love my step mom very much. I think she's a strong, kind, and caring human being. Without saying anything further on all of this, I think it is her business and not my own to discuss her family background and answer your questions."
She continued, "2. I really appreciate the Instagram friends in my DMS [sic] who have been very open and honestly having discussions about cultural appropriation, the right terms to address their communities, and sharing with me ways that I can do better. 3. I don't see the significance in bullying anyone. Yes, it's important to educate. And YES it's beyond ok to express frustration and confusion and anger... but I think sending threatening messages isn't really going to get any kind of message across either."
She concluded, "4. I appreciate those who are patient with me. I don't have a publicist or a team of people who are all writing my posts and gathering my thoughts and making them as politically correct as possible... I'm going to f*** up. I'm a flawed human being who is still deep in this learning journey. I apologize to those who are dealing with any kind of hurt during these times and I hope you have a Happy New Year."
Has Hilaria responded to any of this?
On Tuesday night, Hilaria took to her own social media channel and addressed the ongoing controversy.
In a video, she said, "Yes I am a white girl, my family is white … Europe has a lot of white people in them. Ethnically I am a mix of many, many things."
Hilaria also referred to herself as a "different kind of Bostonian."
"[Y]ou can't change your background and nor would I want to," she insisted. "This is who I am, and this is my life story … it's my weird mix of who I am."


theblaze--2020-12-30--Levin: On January 6, we learn whether our Constitution will hold

Levin : On January 6 , we learn whether our Constitution will hold

January 6 is the day we learn whether our Constitution will hold and whether congressional Republicans care.
The 2020 presidential election was, in several targeted battleground states, an unconstitutional electoral exercise. Even putting aside evidence of significant fraud, virtually none of which received a hearing by our courts, events leading up to and including the November national election constituted a radical and grave departure from the federal electoral system adopted by the framers of the Constitution and the state ratification conventions. Now, let's be clear: None of this matters to the Democrat Party, since it and its surrogates perpetrated these unconstitutional acts, as I shall soon explain. Nor does it matter to the media, which is utterly illiterate on the subject and unequivocally supports the supposed outcome in any event. But it should be of great moment and concern to the people of this country and especially to congressional Republicans in both Houses, for if the latter do not at least confront and challenge this lawlessness on January 6, when Congress meets to count the electors, it will be the GOP's undoing and, simultaneously, the undoing of our presidential electoral system. Ultimately, it will be the people of the United States who love our republic who will be the losers.
Win, lose, or draw, on January 6, the Republicans must not act as if "the people have spoken" and be cowered into passivity or worse, such as joining the Democrat Party and media hecklers, by insisting that they are part of a lawless party seeking to "reverse the results of the election." Too many Republicans have already buckled, including the Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, Sen. John Thune, and Rep. Adam Kinzinger. No doubt others who are unreliable and cowardly when facing the organized mob will follow. But let us not be judged by those who have intentionally and strategically manipulated our politics and the law to undermine our constitutional order. It is they who must be condemned.
Specifically, Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 of the federal Constitution could not be more explicit. It states, in pertinent part: "Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress ..." This language was purposeful. During the Constitutional Convention, there were various proposals suggested for electing a president. Should the president be directly elected by the people? That proposal was rejected out of concern that such a purely democratic process could be hijacked by a temporary majority. Should the president be chosen in the first instance from within the national legislature? That proposal was also rejected on grounds of separation of powers. Should the judiciary play a role in the selection of the president? That idea was dispensed with as being the most objectionable, as judges were to be the least political of all public officials. The framers deliberatively and with much thought created the Electoral College process, in which the people and their elected legislatures — both state and national — would play important roles. But the electoral process rested first and foremost on the state legislatures directing how the electors would be chosen. The reason: While rejecting the direct election of a president, the framers concluded that the state legislatures were closest to the people in their respective states and would be the best representatives of their interests. At no time did the framers even raise the possibility that governors, attorneys general, secretaries of state, election boards, administrators, etc., would play any significant role in the electoral process. Indeed, certain of those offices did not even exist. Moreover, as I said, the courts were rejected out of hand. Thus, such an important power was to be exercised exclusively by the state legislatures.
After the 2016 election, the Democrat Party, its various surrogate groups, and eventually the Biden campaign unleashed hundreds of lawsuits and an unrelenting lobbying campaign in key states that had previously been won by President Trump, taking unconstitutional measures intended to stop President Trump from winning these states in the 2020 election, thereby literally undoing this critical constitutional provision. What had been carefully crafted at the Constitutional Convention and clearly spelled out in the Constitution was the main obstacle to defeating President Trump and winning virtually all future presidential elections. The problem for the Democrats was that in several of these battleground states, the Republicans controlled the legislatures, while the Democrats controlled state executive offices. The Constitution was not on their side. Therefore, they used the two branches of government that were to have no role in directing the appointment of electors to eviscerate the role of the Republican legislatures.
In Pennsylvania, considered the battleground of the battleground states, the Democrat governor, attorney general, and secretary of state made and enforced multiple changes to the state's voting procedures, all of which were intended to assist the Democrats and Biden. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court, whose seven justices are elected, has a 5-2 Democrat majority. (In 2018, there was a big push by the Democrat Party to fill three of the seats with Democrats, and it succeeded.) Just months before the general election, that court rewrote the state election laws to eliminate signature requirements or signature matching, eliminate postal markings that were intended to ensure votes were timely, and extended the counting of mail-in ballots to Friday at 5:00 p.m. (state law had a hard date and time — election day on Tuesday, which ended at 8:00 p.m. ET), thereby fundamentally altering Pennsylvania's election laws and nullifying the federal constitutional role of the Republican legislature.
In Michigan, among other things, the Democrat secretary of state unilaterally changed the state's election laws with respect to absentee ballot applications and signature verification. Indeed, she sent unsolicited absentee ballot applications by mail prior to the primary and general elections. State law required would-be voters to request such ballots. She intentionally circumvented the Republican state legislature and violated the federal Constitution by issuing over 7 million unsolicited ballots. Furthermore, a court of claims judge, appointed by a Democrat, ordered clerks to accept ballots postmarked by Nov. 2 and received within 14 days of the election, the deadline for results to be certified. The ballots would be counted as provisional ballots. The state legislature had no role in these changes.
In Wisconsin, the Elections Commission and local Democrat officials in the state's largest cities, including Milwaukee and Madison, changed the state's election laws. Among other things, they placed hundreds of unmanned drop boxes in strategic locations in direct violation of state law. Not surprisingly, the locations were intended to be most convenient to Democrat voters. In addition, they told would-be voters how to avoid security measures like signature verification and photo ID requirements. These bureaucrats and local officials bypassed the Republican legislature in altering state election procedures.
In Georgia, the secretary of state is a Republican. Regardless, as explained in the Texas lawsuit brought against Georgia and the three other states mentioned above, "on March 6, 2020, in Democratic Party of Georgia v. Raffensperger, Georgia's Secretary of State entered a Compromise Settlement Agreement and Release with the Democratic Party of Georgia to materially change the statutory requirements for reviewing signatures on absentee ballot envelopes to confirm the voter's identity by making it far more difficult to challenge defective signatures beyond the 22 express mandatory procedures set forth at GA. CODE § 21-2-386(a)(1)(B). 71. Among other things, before a ballot could be rejected, the Settlement required a registrar who found a defective signature to now seek a review by two other registrars, and only if a majority of the registrars agreed that the signature was defective could the ballot be rejected but not before all three registrars' names were written on the ballot envelope along with the reason for the rejection. These cumbersome procedures are in direct conflict with Georgia's statutory requirements, as is the Settlement's requirement that notice be provided by telephone (i.e., not in writing) if a telephone number is available. Finally, the Settlement purports to require State election officials to consider issuing guidance and training materials drafted by an expert retained by the Democratic Party of Georgia." Georgia's Republican legislature had no role in these electoral changes resulting from consent decree.
Consequently, in each of these four battleground states — and there were others — whether through executive fiats or litigation, key, if not core, aspects of state election laws were fundamentally altered in contravention of the explicit power granted to the state legislatures and, therefore, in violation of the federal Constitution and the process set forth for directing the selection of electors. And this is before we even get to the issue of voter fraud. That said, in many instances, ballots that would have been rejected or, if counted, evidence of fraud, were now said to be legal — not by state legislatures but by those who unilaterally changed the election laws.
The United States Supreme Court had an opportunity before the election, and in this general election cycle, to make clear to the states that they must comply with the plain language of Article II, Section 1, Clause 2 of the Constitution. Indeed, when a federal district judge in Michigan altered that state's election laws, a closely divided U.S. Supreme Court overturned his order. Justice Gorsuch pointed out that the state legislature writes election laws. However, when a case was brought to the Court involving the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's interference in state election laws, the U.S. Supreme Court was paralyzed. Chief Justice Roberts attempted to distinguish between federal and state courts, which is irrelevant; in another instance, Justice Alito ordered the Pennsylvania secretary of state, not once but twice, to segregate certain mail-in ballots, but nothing came of it. A court divided against itself cannot stand, to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln. Its failure to enforce the Constitution (and by that I don't mean make law or intervene in legitimate state election decisions) has contributed mightily to our current plight.
Despite what has been reported and repeated, the president is not actually or officially chosen on Election Day. The president is not chosen upon the certification of electors by the states. The process ends in Congress. And on Jan. 6, Congress — following both the Constitution and its own procedural law — makes the final decision on who is to be president and vice president of the United States. Of course, in every election in my lifetime, up to now, while there have been some controversies, the process has proceeded without much attention. But this time is different, as it must be. The Democrat Party, its surrogates, and eventually the Biden campaign instituted an unprecedented legal and lobbying campaign, mostly under the radar, as it was not well covered by the usual media outlets, to undermine our Constitution, the Republican state legislatures, and the Trump re-election campaign, in favor of Biden. In other words, the Constitution's electoral process for choosing electors and ultimately the president and vice president was systematically and strategically attacked. It is now left to Congress, or at least the Republicans in Congress, to confront this. The Democrat Party has done severe damage to the nation's electoral system, to the point where the state legislatures are now in the position of having the least input on the manner in which elections are held and federal electors are chosen — the complete opposite of what the Constitution compels and the framers unequivocally intended. And the legislatures in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Georgia have, in a variety of ways, objected to what's occurred, underscoring the seriousness of the problem.
If this outcome is allowed to stand without a fight on Jan. 6, it is difficult to see how this can be fixed. The Democrats will view this as a sure sign that they are free to do more and even worse. It will become extremely difficult for Republicans to win nationwide elections (something the ten or so GOP senators who wish to run for president should keep in mind). It will also become increasingly difficult to win a Republican majority in the Senate. And the 2020 constitutional violations will be used as a baseline for even more unconstitutional manipulations of the electoral system. The Democrat Party's goal is to turn the nation's electoral system into the one-party rule that exists in virtually all blue states, especially California with its supermajorities.
As I said earlier, win, lose, or draw, the congressional Republicans must act. It is the Democrats and their media who seek to undo election results by undoing the election system. Look at what they did in 2016 (need I remind everyone of the relentless assault against candidate and then President Trump?) and now 2020. And they have every intention, as they have boldly proclaimed, to further undermine our constitutional system should they win the Senate majority in a few days — by eliminating the filibuster and any ability to slow their radical legislative agenda; packing the Supreme Court with left-wing ideologues; and packing the Senate with four more Democrats from Puerto Rico and D.C. And that's just for starters. This is the same party that did not care that it had no hope of removing President Trump in the Senate, but impeached him anyway — on the most specious of grounds. They are playing for keeps and destroying our constitutional system, for which they have little regard. I am well aware that it takes a majority of both Houses to send the election of the president to the House of Representatives, where each delegation gets one vote, an extremely difficult hurdle.
Nonetheless, it is not asking too much for the Republicans to uphold the United States Constitution — which they all took an oath to do — and to fight to preserve and protect the plain words set forth in Article II. They must make the case to and on behalf of the American people. And they must make it clear to the Democrats that we, the people, who believe in this Republic, will not roll over! Now, let's see how many statesmen there are among Republican members of Congress.
Mark Levin is the host of LevinTV on BlazeTV.


theblaze--2020-12-30--California Supreme Court rules thousands of sex offenders in the state are eligible for early parole

The California Supreme ruled Monday that thousands of inmates convicted of nonviolent sex crimes are eligible for early release, the Associated Press reported.
The ruling was issued as the high court considered whether sex offenders should be excluded from Proposition 57, a voter-approved ballot measure passed in November 2016 aimed at reducing the state's prison population. The measure called for inmates sentenced for nonviolent felonies to be eligible for early parole consideration.
"The initiative's language provides no indication that the voters intended to allow the [Corrections] Department to create a wholesale exclusion from parole consideration based on an inmate's sex offense convictions when the inmate was convicted of a nonviolent felony," Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye wrote in the court's unanimous decision.
"[The ballot measure] is not ambiguous concerning its scope regarding offenders who were previously convicted of a registerable sex offense or who are currently convicted of a registerable sex offense that the Department has itself defined as nonviolent," the ruling continued.
Former California Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, who sponsored the measure that would eventually go on to be approved by 64% of voters, has repeatedly argued that it was never meant to cover sex offenders. In line with Brown's thinking, the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has prohibited the parole board from considering early release for sex offenders since the measure's implementation.
But on Monday, the state's high court ruled that the department was wrong for doing so given the plain language of the proposition.
Now up to 20,000 inmates imprisoned for sex crimes classified as nonviolent under California law — such as pimping, engaging in consensual sex with a minor, and possessing child pornography — will be eligible for early parole consideration, according to Sacramento attorney Janice Bellucci, who argued the case.
The court, however, said the number of eligible inmates is actually much lower at 4,400. The majority of felons registered in the state's sex offender database were convicted of violent crimes, though Bellucci said the classification of violent and nonviolent crimes is subject to change upon corrections officials rewriting their regulations.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Bellucci insisted "society will be safe" by noting that there are stringent safeguards to make sure inmates granted parole don't go on committing more crimes. They are often monitored electronically 24 hours a day for years, sometimes even decades; they undergo counseling and rehabilitation programs; and they return to prison if they violate the terms of their parole.
Corrections Department spokeswoman Dana Simas also sought to ease concerns over the ruling, saying it "does not mean that sex offenders will automatically be released to the community," only that they can appear before the parole board.
"[The board] will assess their case factors individually, including whether they continue to propose a public safety risk," she added.


theblaze--2020-12-30--Adam Carolla: If you voted Democratic, you voted for this tyranny

Adam Carolla : If you voted Democratic , you voted for this tyranny 'These are people that hate being wrong @

In this episode of "The Rubin Report," BlazeTV host Dave Rubin was joined by comedian, social critic, and father of podcasting, Adam Carolla, to talk about how California's Democratic voters are, in his opinion, responsible for the lockdowns they are now fleeing in droves.
Adam said he believes leftists have a backward view of the value of work, forgetting the "super important part of work, which is self-worth, and pride, and self-esteem, and the depression that kicks in, and all that, once you get on the dole."
He also talked about the "cognitive dissonance" he thinks Democratic voters have between their voting patterns and the high taxes, draconian lockdowns, and general tyranny they find themselves living under.
"I've been saying for a number of years that all roads lead to narcissism," Adam said. "The people I know that vote [Democratic], they voted that way and now they want to kind of will themselves to be correct ... these are people that hate being wrong. They have huge egos and they never want to be wrong."
Dave and Adam discussed California Secretary of Health and Human Services Mark Ghaly's stunning admission that outdoor dining bans are "not a comment on the relative safety of outdoor dining" but are actually about trying to keep people at home.
"It was a comment that kind of slid by a lot of people," Adam said of Ghaly's admission. "But it's a very scary precedent when the powers that be are essentially saying, 'You're gonna stay home because I told you to stay home.' And then you say, 'Give me proof why I should stay home.' And they go, 'I don't have to give you proof. I told you to stay home.'"
Watch the video clip below to catch more of the conversation, or find Dave's full episode with Adam Carolla here.
Want more from Dave Rubin?
Looking for smart and honest conversations about current events, political news and the culture war? On "The Rubin Report," comedian Dave Rubin engages the ideas of some of society's most interesting thought leaders, authors, and politicians. Subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-12-30--Video shows gang of young bicyclists in 'animalistic attack' on BMW in Manhattan in broad daylight:

Video shows gang of young bicyclists in 'animalistic attack' on BMW in Manhattan in broad daylight: 'Welcome to de Blasio's NYC'

Video shows gang of young bicyclists in 'animalistic attack ' on BMW in Manhattan in broad daylight : 'Welcome to @ @ @ @ @ shows how far the city has deteriorated '

A disturbing video posted Tuesday night shows a gang of bicyclists attacking a BMW in Manhattan in broad daylight and terrorizing the man and woman who were inside the vehicle.
One police officer noted that the attack was just another example of how far the city has fallen recently under current elected leadership.
What happened?
The recorded attack happened around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the intersection of Manhattan's Fifth Avenue and 21st Street, the New York Post reported.
The video was posted to Instagram by Breaking911. The outlet's post said the BMW bore "physician plates" and that the male driver was trying to take his mother to see Christmas lights around Manhattan when the pack of thugs launched their attack unprovoked.
"WELCOME TO DE BLASIO'S #NYC," Breaking911 wrote, referring to NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio. "Gang of thugs vandalize BMW with physician plates as a son was reportedly taking his elderly mother to see Christmas lights in Manhattan. Bystanders say the driver did nothing to provoke the attack. The elderly woman was crying & scared for her life."
The attackers can be seen trying to get into the BMW, doing body slams on the hood of the car, and beating the vehicle with their bikes.
Image source: Instragram/breaking911 video screenshot
Then one of the thugs gets a running start, launches himself off the hood of the car, and comes down with both feet slamming into the car's windshield, shattering and caving it in.
Image source: Instragram/breaking911 video screenshot
Image source: Instragram/breaking911 video screenshot
All the while, the perpetrators were being cheered on by their peers.
An unnamed Manhattan cop didn't mince words in his description of the attack to the Post — and what the crime symbolizes for the Big Apple.
"This was an animalistic attack in broad daylight," the officer told the Post.
After noting that the pair in the car were clearly scared for their lives, the cop added, "It shows how far the city has deteriorated and the politicians better get their heads out of the sand and start to deal with these problems before there is nothing left."
A source told the Post that the same group of thugs attacked a taxi not long after this incident was caught on video.
It remains unclear if any arrests have been made in connection to the attack, the Post said.


theblaze--2020-12-30--Police officer tells woman to mask up. She responds by clubbing the cop, who then cracks down and sh

Police officer tells woman to mask up. She responds by clubbing the cop, who then cracks down and shows her the error of her ways.

Police officer tells woman to mask up .
She responds by clubbing the cop , who then cracks down and @ @ @ @ @ her ways .
That 's one heck of an overreaction

An unidentified woman reportedly struck a St. Louis, Missouri, deputy on Christmas Day after the deputy dared tell her that she could not enter a gas station without donning a mask.
The deputy, however, fought back and pummeled the woman with a baton as she fled the scene.
What are the details?
According to KSDK-TV, the 59-year-old female, unnamed deputy — who was working security at a Shell gas station — approached the suspect and advised her that if she planned to enter the gas station, she would have to put on a mask.
The woman, according to authorities, reacted in a "belligerent" manner and responded by pushing the deputy and punching her. She then reportedly went on to strike the deputy in the head with her own baton.
The officer was left with a concussion.
Video released by the St. Louis Police does not show the assault, according to the station.
According to the New York Post, at least one social media user video reportedly caught the officer "returning the favor" and using a baton to pummel the woman in her car before she is able to flee the scene.
The unnamed suspect kicked at the deputy before making her getaway, and authorities are still seeking her identity and whereabouts in connection with the apparent attack. She was seen leaving the scene of the crime in a red vehicle.
What else?
St. Louis Sheriff Vernon Betts said of the incident, "My first response is to express concern for my deputy who suffered head injuries, but is expected to recover. She performed admirably while injured and under duress. Secondly, this incident points to the danger law enforcement officers face every day."
"This individual made a serious mistake and we are working with the St. Louis Police Department to apprehend and bring charges against this attacker," Betts added and pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic "is not over" and residents "must wear a mask."
Authorities ask anyone with information about the suspect or the incident to call St. Louis police at (314) 444-2500 or CrimeStoppers at (866) 371-8477.


theblaze--2020-12-30--Massachusetts cop buys Christmas dinner for family after they get caught shoplifting

Massachusetts cop buys Christmas dinner for family after they get caught shoplifting 'We just need to be there for each @ @ @ @ @ our neighbors '

A kind-hearted Massachusetts police officer is earning recognition for his Christmas spirit after responding to a call about shoplifting at a Somerset supermarket.
It was five days before Christmas when Somerset Police Officer Matthew Lima responded to a call for his help.
A local Stop & Shop grocery store reached out to police after they claimed two women had been caught shoplifting.
Lima told WCVB-TV that shoplifting is one of the most common complaints police officers receive from retail stores.
"It can be people shoplifting any number of items, any value from $10 up to thousands of dollars," Lima said. "You really don't know what to expect until you get there."
According to WCVB-TV, loss and prevention at the Stop & Shop accused two women who were shopping with two children of only scanning a few of their items at the self-checkout but bagging all of their groceries anyway.
Officer Lima was dispatched to the supermarket after police received a complaint.
"It was a little bit different from the get-go because not too many people engage in that type of behavior with their young children there," Lima said.
He observed something else as well.
"I noticed it was all grocery items, so it was all consumable food items," Lima said.
Suspecting that these women were stealing groceries out of necessity, he asked one of the women why they were shoplifting.
"She stated that, obviously it goes without saying, that times are tough for a lot of people, that she was working but not enough and didn't make enough money and that there were some other family issues going on and that she just wanted to provide a Christmas dinner for the kids," Lima recounted.
The two children with the women were the same age as Lima's own children, and he felt compassion for them. He issued them a trespassing notice but decided against filing charges.
After escorting them from the store, he turned around and went back in.
"I just made the decision that I was going to purchase the gift cards and they could go to a different Stop & Shop and buy their Christmas dinner for their girls," Lima said.
The coronavirus pandemic has been hard on every American. People all across the nation from every background have faced economic hardship or loss this year.
"We have the ability to adapt to many things," Lima said. "But also, we just need to be there for each other and be there for our neighbors."


theblaze--2020-12-30--Oregon mayor calls for small businesses to defy governor and open on New Year's Day

Oregon mayor calls for small businesses to defy governor and open on New Year 's Day 'What we 're talking @ @ @ @ @ mass movement opening across the state of Oregon '

The mayor of Sandy, Oregon, is calling on small businesses in his state to open on New Year's Day in defiance of Democratic Gov. Kate Brown's coronavirus restrictions, while still observing rules for social distancing and COVID-19 spread reduction.
In an open letter to the governor sent earlier this month, Mayor Stan Pulliam called the governor's lockdown orders "arbitrary" and accused her restrictions of bankrupting small businesses and sending "our neighbors to spiral into depression and anxiety."
"If you discover a mouse in your house, you don't burn it down to solve the problem. You find a way to safely remove the mouse without destroying everything else you value. Governor Brown, we are opening," the letter stated.
Appearing on Fox News Wednesday, the mayor said, "All Oregonians should take pause, stand up, and say this must stop."
"What we're talking about doing is having a mass movement opening across the state of Oregon throughout all of our local communities on Jan. 1, on New Year's Day," Pulliam said.
He described how a coalition of businesses in Oregon counties that have been labeled "Extreme Risk" will open and voluntarily comply with less restrictive "High Risk" measures recommended by the state government. According to KOIN-TV, restaurants and gyms can open with significantly reduced capacity under that lower tier of restrictions.
"What we're hoping to do is by doing this mass opening, just one level underneath the governor's recommended guidelines ... we want to get these storefronts open and get the employees back to work," Pulliam explained.
Fox News host Sandra Smith asked the mayor if he was "willing to face the consequences" if businesses open as he's calling for and there is increased spread of the coronavirus.
"You know, consequences of what?" Pulliam replied. "We talk about spread coming from our local main street, locally owned businesses but [pay] very little attention to the big box stores that are packing them in supporting corporate America."
"I don't know the names of the CEOs that are running the big box stores, but you better believe I know Lila and Paul Reed of Mt. Hood Athletic Club, Ria who owns Sandy Family Restaurant, Denise of Paola's Pizza. These are the face and names that make up the main street of Sandy and like so many main streets across these local communities all throughout Oregon," he continued.
"It's time that we stand with them."
Part of the reason for the Jan. 1 opening day, Pulliam explained to KOIN, is that in addition to the symbolism of the new year beginning, government agencies that are responsible for enforcing the coronavirus restrictions may be closed for the holiday.


theblaze--2020-12-30--Stunning police bodycam footage captures officer's viewpoint during Nashville Christmas bombing

A police officer-worn body camera captured footage of the moment a suicide bomber detonated an RV car bomb on Christmas Day in downtown Nashville , Tennessee .
On Friday , a bomber whom police later identified as Anthony Warner detonated a car bomb , killing himself , injuring three bystanders , and damaging dozens of buildings .
What are the details ?
As highlighted by Breaking911 , Officer Michael Sipos — one of the officers responding to the call of an armed RV — had been issued a body camera days prior to the incident .
The video , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , showed a first-person account of the moments before Warner 's RV exploded early Christmas morning .
Moments before it exploded , the RV had been broadcasting recorded messages warning people in the area of a bomb , warning them to evacuate .
Around the video 's four-minute mark , the RV explodes , and officers bravely swarm the scene and warn residents away from the area .
On Sunday , Don Cochran , U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee , said , `` Anthony Warner is the bomber .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and he perished in the bombing . ''
Following the fatal blast , authorities raided the home of Warner , a resident of Antioch , Tennessee , and ultimately determined that he had acted alone .
Metro Nashville Police Officer James Wells , another responding officer , thanked God for saving his life .
`` This might not be politically correct , but this is my truth , '' Wells said in an interview following the incident , detailing the moments that led to him approach the RV before it exploded .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to turn around and go check on [ a fellow female officer ] , who was by herself down on Broadway . ''
Following the blast , Wells said that he could only think to protect himself and the female officer .
He said , `` I just tell myself to stay on your feet , stay alive .
And I just take off in a full-out sprint .
And I 'm running toward [ the female officer ] and make sure she 's OK. And we kind of meet in the middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

A police officer-worn body camera captured footage of the moment a suicide bomber detonated an RV car bomb on Christmas Day in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.
On Friday, a bomber whom police later identified as Anthony Warner detonated a car bomb, killing himself, injuring three bystanders, and damaging dozens of buildings.
What are the details?
As highlighted by Breaking911, Officer Michael Sipos — one of the officers responding to the call of an armed RV — had been issued a body camera days prior to the incident.
The video, which was released by the Nashville Police Department, showed a first-person account of the moments before Warner's RV exploded early Christmas morning.
Moments before it exploded, the RV had been broadcasting recorded messages warning people in the area of a bomb, warning them to evacuate.
Around the video's four-minute mark, the RV explodes, and officers bravely swarm the scene and warn residents away from the area.
What else?
On Sunday, Don Cochran, U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, said, "Anthony Warner is the bomber. He was present when the bomb went off, and he perished in the bombing."
Following the fatal blast, authorities raided the home of Warner, a resident of Antioch, Tennessee, and ultimately determined that he had acted alone.
Metro Nashville Police Officer James Wells, another responding officer, thanked God for saving his life.
"This might not be politically correct, but this is my truth," Wells said in an interview following the incident, detailing the moments that led to him approach the RV before it exploded. "I literally heard God tell me to turn around and go check on [a fellow female officer], who was by herself down on Broadway."
Following the blast, Wells said that he could only think to protect himself and the female officer.
He said, "I just tell myself to stay on your feet, stay alive. And I just take off in a full-out sprint. And I'm running toward [the female officer] and make sure she's OK. And we kind of meet in the middle and we just grab each other."


theblaze--2020-12-30--Alyssa Milano says masks 'will protect you more than an AR-15 will' — immediately gets roasted

Alyssa Milano says masks 'will protect you more than an AR-15 will ' — immediately gets roasted Thanks for sharing @ @

Progressive actress Alyssa Milano recently tried to persuade "anti-maskers" to wear face coverings to guard themselves from the coronavirus by arguing that the small pieces of cloth offer greater protection than AR-15s.
"Anti-maskers are the same people who think they need an AR-15 for 'protection,'" the anti-gun activist and frequent critic of conservatives scoffingly tweeted on Tuesday, adding, "LOUDER FOR THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK: A MASK WILL PROTECT YOU *MORE* THAN AN AR-15 WILL."
Milano's argument is sensible enough, right? Masks in all likelihood have a better shot of warding off the coronavirus than guns do. After all, wearing a face covering is currently thought to help limit the spread of certain infectious diseases and is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Except, literally no one thought that AR-15s were useful for preventing the spread of viral illnesses. So as is patently obvious, Milano was just trying to use the anti-mask movement as an opportunity to take a pot shot at gun-owning Americans.
She got torched
Soon after posting, Milano was roasted for her nonsensical apples-to-oranges comparison.
After all, in the same way that guns don't offer much protection against tiny viruses, cloth face coverings won't do much to protect someone in the event their home is invaded by armed intruders.
"Those tools are for very different kinds of threats," tweeted Washington Free Beacon reporter Stephen Gutowski in response. "I own both AR-15s and KN-95s. I don't see any conflict in that whatsoever."
"Surely I'm not the only person in America who believes wearing a mask helps reduce virus spread and firearms protect from those who wish you harm," Washington Examiner reporter Kimberly Ross added.
"Uh, they could theoretically both protect you against different things," another Twitter user wrote. "Is there a reason you think these two things are mutually exclusive? Or related in any logical way at all?"
Another Twitter user said, "I guess you can strangle bad guys with your mask."
Still another commenter challenged Milano to a duel, writing, "I get an AR-15 and she gets a mask."
The Daily Wire also had some fun with the news:


theblaze--2020-12-30--Sen. Marco Rubio doubles down on criticism of Dr. Fauci for purposely misleading on masks and herd i

Sen. Marco Rubio doubles down on criticism of Dr. Fauci for purposely misleading on masks and herd immunity: 'I am appalled by his arrogance'

Sen. Marco Rubio doubles down on criticism of Dr. Fauci for purposely misleading on masks and herd immunity : ' @ @ @ @ @ arrogance' He 's not letting the doctor off easy

Last weekend, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) went after Dr. Anthony Fauci for knowingly misleading the American public about the herd immunity threshold for the coronavirus.
The senator ripped Fauci's statements on face masks and herd immunity following an interview the doctor gave to the New York Times in which he admitted that he purposely misled Americans on just how many people would need to get the vaccination in order for the nation to reach herd immunity.
In a new op-ed posted at Fox News on Wednesday, Rubio went after Fauci again, this time detailing just what he found "appalling" about Fauci's history of misleading the public with the intent to "manipulate their behavior."
Rubio began by noting that most of the media have ignored Fauci's admission to the Times, and he then laid out just what the doctor admitted to:
The story is straightforward. For most of this year, Dr. Fauci and other scientists in our public health establishment have been telling Americans that about 60 to 70 percent of the nation would need a vaccine in order for us to reach herd immunity and make the coronavirus a non-issue.
But, speaking with The New York Times, Dr. Fauci admitted that he believes the real number is in fact significantly higher — perhaps 75 to 90 percent — and he declined to be forthright because he felt the country wasn't ready to hear it. Only now did he say that he feels he has the freedom to "nudge this up a bit" without discouraging the nation.
Though highly critical of Fauci's actions, the Florida senator did acknowledge that he believed the medical expert's intentions were good. But that didn't change the basic fact about what Fauci was guilty of: "lying to the American people in order to manipulate their behavior."
This is not how the government should operate, Rubio went on. The American people should be trusted with the truth and allowed to make decisions "for themselves armed with facts honestly presented by public officials."
The trouble with having unelected people like Dr. Fauci taking it upon themselves to purposely mislead the public in order to impact community behavior is that there is no accountability, Rubio said:
The American people deserve the truth; they also deserve accountability. When elected representatives make decisions, they can be held responsible by the public. But when public health officials with decades of experience and leadership within our nation's institutions short-circuit the political process and make these decisions themselves, they deny the American people that same opportunity — and to change course if desired.
After all, accountability is a central tenet of representative government. It's the best way to ensure that the vision of what is being enforced by decision-makers matches the values of the population who have elected them.
When it's time for tough decisions to be made as a community, "elected officials at every level of government must lead," Rubio added, not "unelected technocrats."
As evidence that such technocrats do not always make the best calls for public policy, nor do they have the only legitimate interpretation of facts, the senator pointed out Fauci's and other experts' history of recommendations on mask-wearing:
As the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear, things are never so clear-cut. For example, early on in the pandemic, there was a question of whether wearing a mask could be an effective tool to stop the spread.
In March, Dr. Fauci said "there's no reason to be walking around with a mask" and cautioned that "there are unintended consequences" with wearing them. That guidance was confounding at the time, and it quickly became politicized.
But some of the first people to make decisions not based on science were the scientists who, as Dr. Fauci admitted this past June, initially decided not to recommend masks to the general public because they were supposedly "concerned that it was at a time when personal protective equipment, including the N95 masks and the surgical masks, were in very short supply."
Rubio advised that, though Americans should still generally follow health guidelines, they should not place "blind faith in unelected celebrity scientists" and should "call them out" when they overstep their authority.
The senator closed by reiterating his disgust with Fauci's admitted lies.
"I am appalled by his arrogance," Rubio said. "If he wants to lead the nation, he should run for office."


theblaze--2020-12-30--Josh Hawley is first US senator to say he will object to Electoral College certification

Josh Hawley is first US senator to say he will object to Electoral College certification Hawley 's objection will delay @ @ @ @ @ tough vote in the Senate for many Republicans

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) on Wednesday became the first U.S. senator to declare his intention to object to the Electoral College certification on Jan. 6.
Hawley will object to the certification of the Electoral College votes from Pennsylvania and other states that he says failed to follow their own election laws. Hawley will also call for Congress to launch an investigation into allegations of voter fraud and other election irregularities made by President Donald Trump's campaign.
"Following both the 2004 and 2016 elections, Democrats in Congress objected during the certification of electoral votes in order to raise concerns about election integrity. They were praised by Democratic leadership and the media when they did. And they were entitled to do so. But now those of us concerned about the integrity of this election are entitled to do the same," Hawley said in a news statement.
He continued:
I cannot cote to certify the electoral college results on January 6 without raising the fact that some states, particularly Pennsylvania, failed to follow their own state election laws. And I cannot vote to certify without pointing out the unprecedented effort of mega corporations, including Facebook and Twitter, to interfere in this election, in support of Joe Biden. At the very least, Congress should investigate allegations of voter fraud and adopt measures to secure the integrity of our elections. But Congress has so far failed to act.
For these reasons, I will follow the same practice Democrat members of Congress have in years past and object during the certification process on January 6 to raise these critical issues.
By officially announcing his intention to object to the certification of Electoral College votes, Hawley has all but assured that the process will be bogged down by debate in Congress and guaranteed that Republicans will face a tough vote on whether to accept the election results.
Several Republican members of the House of Representatives, led by Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), have already announced they will object when Congress moves to officially certify the Electoral College votes from several contested battleground states where the Trump campaign's legal team and its allies have made allegations of election irregularities. When Hawley joins these representatives in objecting, they will trigger several hours of debate in a joint session of Congress in the House chamber.
At the end of the debate, the House and Senate will vote on whether to accept the results from Pennsylvania and other disputed states, forcing several GOP senators to choose between supporting President Trump's unproved claims of voter fraud or respecting the certified election results of these states.


theblaze--2020-12-30--Horowitz: Gov. DeWine threatens to veto self-defense law as crime skyrockets in Ohio

Horowitz : Gov .
DeWine threatens to veto self-defense law as crime skyrockets in Ohio Without the right to self-defense @ @ @ @ @ to life , liberty , or property

As violent crime reaches record levels in Ohio's major cities, Gov. Mike DeWine (R) appears to be more concerned with using law enforcement against peaceful citizens and business owners. Now, he doesn't want you to defend yourself when the criminals he released from prison or the Antifa mobs attack you on the streets. Will Ohio Republicans stand up to this Republican in name only?
The right to bear arms is not just about the Second Amendment. It's rooted in the natural right to self-defense, which predated the Bill of Rights and was recognized by colonial governments since the settlement of the continent. As Sam Adams stated in 1772 regarding colonial rights, "Among the natural rights of the Colonists are these: First, a right to life. Secondly, to liberty. Thirdly, to property; together with the right to support and defend them in the best manner they can." After all, without the right to self-defense, there are no rights to life, liberty, or property.
To that end, numerous states have adopted "stand your ground" laws to affirm this basic right. Most red states allow victims of imminent threat to stand their ground and defend their lives rather than retreating whenever they are legally allowed to be in the place of the threat. Obviously, a person has the right to bodily integrity not just in his home but in any place he can legally enter. As Thomas Jefferson said, "It is their right and duty to be at all times armed." Which is why he once advised a friend, "Let your gun therefore be the constant companion of your walks."
This proposition should never be controversial, but liberals like Gov. Mike DeWine who side with the criminals are offended by the concept of self-defense.
Just before Christmas, the Republican-dominated state legislature made Ohio the 36th stand-your-ground state by removing the requirement that one be in their home or car in order to use deadly force against imminent danger of death or great bodily harm. The bill, SB 175, passed the Senate 18-11 and the House 52-31.
One would expect this to be easily signed by a Republican governor, but Mike DeWine is no Republican. DeWine complained that the legislature took up a self-defense bill rather than his gun control bill, leaving room to suggest he might veto the bill.
"Before the legislature took up other gun bills, they really should focus on what we have sent them, where we know there are things that will protect children, protect families," DeWine said during his coronavirus briefing on Monday. "The legislature can act on these, and unfortunately they did not do so."
State Rep. Jim Holmes (R), who voted for the bill, told TheBlaze in a phone interview that he disagrees with DeWine's assertion that self-defense laws are a distraction to the anti-crime agenda. "I believe that Stand Your Ground laws actually increase the collective security and safety in a community," said the 30-year Marine veteran speaking of his experience in providing security and deterrent in volatile theaters. "The only way to stop aggressors is to confront them. Additionally, Stand Your Ground laws reinforce the fundamental conservative values of individual responsibility and personal freedom."
What DeWine fails to understand is that his gun control bills are worthless in protecting the citizenry with all the criminals being released from prison daily. All of Ohio's major cities now have record homicides because violent gun felons don't get locked up. Gun control doesn't work, especially when criminals are let out.
That leaves citizens with limited options to protect themselves. There are record numbers of homicides throughout the state's major cities this year with no sign of relief in sight. Peaceful citizens will have to defend themselves most often out on the streets and in public spaces. Already two weeks ago, Cleveland broke the modern record for homicides set back in 1991 when the city suffered 175 murders in one year. Cleveland is also experiencing a crisis of carjackings. Columbus, the state's capital and largest city, recorded 173 homicides as of earlier this week, blowing past the previous record of 143 set in 2017. Cincinnati broke its annual homicide record two weeks ago.
Even the midsized cities are exploding with crime. Toledo broke a 40-year record for homicides this year. Akron experienced a 71% increase in year-over-year gun gun-related crimes, and the murder rate is the highest in decades.
DeWine's recipe to deal with this – let out gun felons ("criminal justice reform"), clamp down on inanimate objects, and infringe upon the right to self-defense – is creating a living hell. Ohio has let so many people out of prison and has limited new entrants to such an extent that there are fewer people in the state's prison system than at any time since 2005. Rather than working on locking up these criminals, DeWine is focused on the false narrative of "police reforms" and "de-escalation" training. Evidently, as implied by his veto threat, he wants citizens to engage in de-escalation tactics with violent criminals on drugs as well.
Who needs proactive policing and self-defense in DeWine's utopia anyway? The only possible crimes one could commit under his executive control are opening a restaurant at capacity and not wearing a Chinese mask. Given that most criminals dutifully wear masks , we must conclude that DeWine feels there is no need for self-defense.


theblaze--2020-12-30--Health experts say COVID vaccine distribution isn't progressing nearly fast as projected

Health experts say COVID vaccine distribution is n't progressing nearly fast as projected Yes , we 're gon na have @ @ @ @ @ speed

President-elect Joe Biden, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and Dr. Scott Gottlieb all say that the Trump administration's "Operation Warp Speed" isn't unfolding quickly enough or as initially projected.
What are the details?
According to a Tuesday NBC News report, approximately 2 million out of 330 million Americans have received a coronavirus vaccine at the time of this reporting.
Initially, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence projected that 80% of Americans — approximately 264 million people — would be vaccinated by June. At this rate, however, reports say that the program will fall rather short of the projected goal.
"To meet that goal, a little more than 3 million people would have to get the shots each day, the math shows," NBC's Joe Murphy and Corky Siemaszko reported.
In September, Trump vowed that 100 million vaccine doses would be shipped out by the end of 2020.
The outlet reported, however, that in December, as the first doses were rolled out, Operation Warp Speed's Dr. Moncef Slaoui cut that projection to just 20 million.
What are people saying about this?
On Tuesday, Dr. Scott Gottlieb — Pfizer board member and former Food and Drug Administration commissioner under the Trump administration — told CNBC that he doesn't believe the country will be able to deliver the "20 million doses" that were promised this year.
"Georgia, for example, just started vaccinating nursing homes yesterday, and the vaccine has been on the market, right now — been authorized for almost three weeks," he explained. "So we're late getting into some of these facilities."
Dr. Anthony Fauci also told CNN on Tuesday, "Well, we certainly are not at the numbers that we wanted to be at the end of December."
Biden on Tuesday echoed Gottlieb's remarks, saying, "We are grateful to the companies, doctors, scientists, researchers, and clinical trial participants and Operation Warp Speed for developing the vaccines quickly. But as I long feared and warned, the effort to distribute and administer the vaccine is not progressing as it should."
Has Trump weighed in on this?
President Donald Trump issued a statement in response to Biden's remarks on Tuesday night.
A portion of the statement said, "Nearly 20 million first doses have been allocated to states for immediate delivery and administration at their direction, and this process is progressing rapidly. Hundreds of millions of doses have been secured to be delivered over the months to come."
"The president has used the Defense Production Act 18 times in conjunction with Operation Warp Speed and will continue to employ it wherever possible to accelerate vaccine manufacturing and save lives," the statement continued.
In a statement, Operation Warp Speed spokesman Michael Pratt told the outlet that there is an "expected lag between shots going into arms and the data being reported."
Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Dr. Brett Giroir told NBC News that the reported 2 million shots given already is an "underestimate."
"[W]e were over the Christmas break last week — even for hospitals that slows things down," he told the outlet. "And it's only 15 days since the first vaccines were given."
Giroir said, however, that the administration still wants to expedite the vaccinations.
"I'd love to have everybody vaccinated by now," he said. "We'll have another 30 million doses in January, another 50 million doses in February, and that's going to add up pretty quickly into impact, particularly in our vulnerable communities.


theblaze--2020-12-30--Louisville police set to fire two more officers involved in the Breonna Taylor shooting

Louisville police set to fire two more officers involved in the Breonna Taylor shooting The officers were notified of their @ @

The Louisville Metro Police Department has moved to fire two off the officers involved in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor when police executed a "no-knock" search warrant at her home earlier this year.
Taylor was shot six times and killed during the March 13 raid. Officers had returned fire after Taylor's boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, shot his gun mistakenly believing he and Taylor were the targets of a robbery. Police suspected that Taylor's apartment was being used to traffic drugs, but no drugs or money were found during the search.
The incident quickly ignited public outrage and fueled anti-police brutality protests around the country as well as raised questions about the efficacy and morality of no-knock warrants.
The two officers — Detective Joshua Jaynes and Officer Myles Cosgrove — were notified of their termination on Tuesday and will answer the notices in a forthcoming hearing with the department's chief, ABC News reported.
"We plan to attend the pre-termination hearing on December 31st, although I expect the result has already been pre-determined," Thomas Clay, Jaynes' lawyer, said. "I fully expect Mr. Jaynes will be terminated after the 'hearing' no matter what the evidence is to the contrary. We will appeal any disciplinary action taken against Mr. Jaynes because I believe the evidence shows he did nothing wrong."
Jaynes was not physically present at the shooting but is the officer who prepared the search warrant for Taylor's apartment.
Cosgrove, on the other hand, was present at the shooting. A ballistics analysis reportedly determined that he fired the shot that proved fatal for Taylor. His lawyer, Jarrod Beck, likewise confirmed that he had received a pre-termination notice.
In a statement, Louisville's River City Fraternal Order of Police said, "The FOP is aware that two of our members received pre-termination opportunity to respond notices today, outlining the chief's current intent to terminate their employment. In the near future both members will have an opportunity to have a hearing before the chief of police and respond to the information contained in the notices. After those hearings, when the chief makes her final determinations, our members have the right to appeal any discipline that may be issued."
To date, only one officer involved in the incident has received disciplinary action. Brett Hankison was fired by the department in June. He was also indicted by a grand jury in September on three counts of wanton endangerment for recklessly spraying bullets into the building and nearby apartments.
The department has not fired Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly, who also was there and fired into the apartment. Mattingly was shot in the leg by Taylor's booyfriend during the raid.


theblaze--2020-12-31--Report: Wisconsin hospital worker intentionally destroyed over 500 doses of coronavirus vaccine

No motive is yet known for the act

According to police, a hospital worker in Grafton, Wisconsin, intentionally destroyed 500 doses of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine on Saturday, Dec. 26. No motive has yet been revealed for the hospital worker's actions.
Fox News reports that the hospital, Advocate Aurora Health, originally was led to believe that the doses were destroyed in error by an employee who inadvertently removed them from the refrigerator and failed to timely replace them. The employee in question reportedly removed 57 vials — each containing 10 doses — from the refrigeration unit where they were being kept and did not replace them.
The employee, whose identity has not yet been released by the hospital, initially told the hospital that the failure to replace the vials was accidental. However, on Wednesday the employee allegedly admitted to hospital administrators under further questioning that the destruction of the vaccine doses had been an "intentional act."
In a statement released to Fox News, the hospital noted that the employee in question was no longer employed, and expressed disappointment that 500 Wisconsin residents would now be delayed in receiving their coronavirus vaccine.
According to the statement, "We continue to believe that vaccination is our way out of the pandemic. We are more than disappointed that this individual's action will result in a delay of more than 500 people receiving their vaccine."
According to a statement released to WITI-TV, hospital administrators called police Wednesday afternoon to report the incident, which is now being "actively investigated" by the FBI, FDA, and Grafton Police Department.
Overall, the government has acknowledged that the pace of vaccination is lagging behind the original goals set by Operation Warp Speed. The government originally hoped to deliver 20 million doses of the vaccine before the end of the year; however, by most current estimates, it seems likely that less than 5 million doses will actually be delivered in that time frame.


theblaze--2020-12-31--A 3-year-old was abandoned along with his dog at an Ohio cemetery two days before Christmas. The com

A 3-year-old was abandoned along with his dog at an Ohio cemetery two days before Christmas. The community rallied.

A 3-year-old was abandoned along with his dog at an Ohio cemetery two days before Christmas .
The community rallied @ @ @ @ @ seen chasing after a car purportedly driven by whoever left him behind

Two days before Christmas, a 3-year-old little boy and his dog were dropped off and abandoned at a cemetery in Hinckley, Ohio. A witness who called 911 said they saw the toddler — who wasn't wearing shoes — chasing after the car apparently driven by whoever left the child and pup behind.
But once the word got out, calls, gifts, and offers of adoption poured in for the tyke, who the town's police chief described as "a pretty happy little fella" even when they first took him into protective custody.
What are the details?
The witness, who discovered the child at Hope Memorial Gardens Cemetery, stayed with the boy to keep him safe until authorities arrived. The youngster was able to relay that his name is Tony, and he knew the first names of both his parents but not his last name.
The Hinckley Police Department responded and provided the boy with a change of clothes since his clothes were wet when he arrived, and bought him some lunch. Then they posted a picture of Tony on their Facebook page, asking for help identifying him and explaining how he was found.
The community rallied. People wanted to know if they could buy presents for Tony, and others offered to adopt him outright. During an interview with local station WEWS-TV, police Chief David Centner even offered to care for the boy himself, saying, "My wife and I have already told children's services...we will welcome him into our home. We've got 14 grandkids and a big house and plenty of room and love for him."
The department informed people that they could send gifts to Tony and provided his clothing size. A day later, they posted a picture showing the presents that had been brought, and Chief Centner wrote:
"From all of us at HPD we want to thank everyone for your kindness, thoughts, prayers and overwhelming love. Our lobby is full from the gifts that have been dropped off. I reached out to my friend Santa and tomorrow morning after he has finished his deliveries he is going to stop at HPD. We are going to load the sleigh and make on final stop to see our little friend."
The Daily Mail reported that "a relative of the boy recognized the photo of him published in local media and contacted Tony's father," whom authorities have described as "very cooperative." The father called police Wednesday, and indicated that Tony's mother had custody of the child when he was abandoned, "NewsNation reported.
The father and officers also returned to where Tony was abandoned, and found the boy's dog, who was still running around the cemetery.


theblaze--2020-12-31--Man dubbed the 'most prolific serial killer in the history of the US' by the FBI dies in prison

Man dubbed the 'most prolific serial killer in the history of the US ' by the FBI dies in prison @ @ @ @ @ my spider web ''

Samuel Little, the man dubbed by the FBI as the "most prolific serial killer in the history of the United States" has died in prison at the age of 80.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement on Wednesday that Little had died but that the cause of death had not yet been determined.
Little confessed to 93 murders committed in a 35 year span between 1970 and 2005. He was in prison for the murders of three women when a Texas Ranger interviewing him was able to get him to speak about scores of other murders he says he committed.
Little said that he targeted drug addicts and prostitutes because few people would be searching for them when they disappeared. Some bodies of his victims have never been found.
"They was broke and homeless and they walked right into my spider web," Little said of his victims in 2019.
"I don't think there was another person that did what I liked to do," he explained. "I think I'm the only one in the world. That's not an honor. That's a curse."
Little was able to remember exact details about the murders and his victims. He even drew sketches of many of the murder victims in order to prove that he had killed them.
Ranger James Holland says that Little's confessions helped solve 50 cold cases. His murder spree spanned across 19 states from California to Florida. Officials were still trying to verify other cases of murder to which he confessed.
"For many years, Samuel Little believed he would not be caught because he thought no one was accounting for his victims," said Christie Palazzolo, a Crime Analyst for the FBI's Violent Criminal Apprehension Program.
Here's more about Samuel Little's confessions:


theblaze--2020-12-31--Democratic New Mexico governor fines churches $10,000 apiece after Christmas Eve service videos go v

Democratic New Mexico governor fines churches $10,000 apiece after Christmas Eve service videos go viral

Democratic New Mexico governor fines churches $ 10,000 apiece after Christmas Eve service videos go viral Her office then called @ @ @ @ @

New Mexico's Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham fined two churches $10,000 apiece for violating the state's social distancing requirements, and her communications director released a statement accompanying the fine implying that the pastors involved were "pro-virus," according to a report from Daily Wire.
The churches, Legacy Church and Cavalry Church, are described as "megachurches" by local ABC affiliate KOAT-TV. Both attracted attention after they posted videos on their respective social media sites showing hundreds of parishioners gathered singing Christmas carols during Christmas Eve services. Those videos garnered significant attention on social media and ultimately led to news stories from local media affiliates, which seems to have prompted the governor's actions.
On Dec. 15, Grisham instituted restrictions that limited capacity in worship services to 25% and required masks for all attendees. It was not immediately clear exactly how many people were present in either service, but the governor's office was apparently satisfied that both were over capacity, as both were fined $5,000 for exceeding the capacity limits. The churches were also fined an additional $5,000 apiece for failure to ensure that parishioners wore masks.
In a statement provided to KOAT, Legacy Church was defiant about Grisham's order: "It's tragic that what we do for thousands of shut-ins, those in despair, and kids who go without meals gets no state notice, but fixation on one service can net us large fines. The state should fold its losing hand against Churches as Colorado has, focus on the truly vulnerable, and recognize what the US Supreme Court has recently said about Churches because we must continue to do what we are called to."
They also, in their statement, referred to their service as a "peaceful protest," a likely reference to the Black Lives Matter protests that were allowed to proceed over the summer without any coronavirus enforcement actions.
Grisham's communications director, Trepp Stelnicki, did not mince words in response, implying that the pastors responsible for the service were "pro-virus," according to NBC News.
"We all wish this pandemic were over, but it's not, and no pro-virus pastor may deem it so. So many New Mexicans have sacrificed — and lost — so much in this pandemic," Stelnicki said. "These illegal and selfish gatherings will directly contribute to more suffering and illness in our state. These church leaders should reflect on the danger they've unleashed in their communities."
Restrictions on worship services — usually instituted by Democratic mayors and governors — have been struck down on numerous occasions in court. The Supreme Court has even weighed in, calling such regulations in New Jersey, Colorado, New York, California, and other states unconstitutional even though the regulations had already been lifted by the time the cases reached the court.
As Justice Neil Gorsuch noted in a concurring opinion to the decision striking down the New York regulations, "Government is not free to disregard the First Amendment in times of crisis. At a minimum, that Amendment prohibits government officials from treating religious exercises worse than comparable secular activities, unless they are pursuing a compelling interest and using the least restrictive means available. See Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc. v. Hialeah, 508 U. S. 520, 546 (1993). Yet recently, during the COVID pandemic, certain States seem to have ignored these long-settled principles."


theblaze--2020-12-31--Despite lockdowns, Cuomo plans to attend Bills playoff game

Even as businesses in New York — and specifically in Erie County — remain closed due to lockdown restrictions imposed by the administration of Gov .
Andrew Cuomo ( D ) , the governor has announced that he will allow a few thousand fans ( of course including himself ) to attend the Buffalo Bills ' first playoff game in 24 years .
Cuomo was widely criticized for publicly stating earlier this month that he would like to attend a Bills playoff game , in spite of the fact the has not allowed any Bills fans to attend a game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year .
Cuomo followed up his comments with Christmas week indications that he was actually seriously contemplating a plan to reopen a stadium for several thousand people so that he could attend the game .
Now , however , in a brazen and thinly-veiled display of his own power , Cuomo has announced a plan to reopen the stadium for about 7,000 fans — including himself — to attend the game .
Less than two weeks ago , Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz ( D ) , ripped Bills fans who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playoff game in person , saying that they needed to `` Get your priorities straight . ''
Poloncarz continued , `` If somebody in that crowd was sick and they passed it on to other individuals and only increased our rates , they 're only hurting our opportunity to be able to actually put people in the stands .
And what would happen if [ star quarterback ] Josh Allen got COVID ? ''
In light of these comments , Poloncarz was reportedly `` taken by surprise '' by Cuomo 's announcement that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than publicly chastising Cuomo like he did all the other Buffalo Bills fans , Poloncarz announced that Erie County will do everything they can to make Cuomo 's wishes come true : `` It 's getting real close .
We have to have a decision by midweek next week just so we know what we have to do for staffing and security purposes , and working with the other agencies we work with , state and federal , to ensure that it 's a safe and secure environment for our fans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Erie County have been forced to sue Cuomo so that they can reopen and accommodate far smaller crowds than 6,700 people .
In response to the lawsuit , a spokesperson for Cuomo hypocritically stated , `` We are moving heaven and earth to contain this virus and we know some people are unhappy , but better to be unhappy than sick or worse . ''

Even as businesses in New York — and specifically in Erie County — remain closed due to lockdown restrictions imposed by the administration of Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), the governor has announced that he will allow a few thousand fans (of course including himself) to attend the Buffalo Bills' first playoff game in 24 years.
Cuomo was widely criticized for publicly stating earlier this month that he would like to attend a Bills playoff game, in spite of the fact the has not allowed any Bills fans to attend a game of their historic season at any point this year. Cuomo followed up his comments with Christmas week indications that he was actually seriously contemplating a plan to reopen a stadium for several thousand people so that he could attend the game.
Now, however, in a brazen and thinly-veiled display of his own power, Cuomo has announced a plan to reopen the stadium for about 7,000 fans — including himself — to attend the game.
Less than two weeks ago, Erie County executive Mark Poloncarz (D), ripped Bills fans who had the temerity to want to attend the playoff game in person, saying that they needed to "Get your priorities straight." Poloncarz continued, "If somebody in that crowd was sick and they passed it on to other individuals and only increased our rates, they're only hurting our opportunity to be able to actually put people in the stands. And what would happen if [star quarterback] Josh Allen got COVID?"
In light of these comments, Poloncarz was reportedly "taken by surprise" by Cuomo's announcement that the stadium would be reopened, but rather than publicly chastising Cuomo like he did all the other Buffalo Bills fans, Poloncarz announced that Erie County will do everything they can to make Cuomo's wishes come true: "It's getting real close. We have to have a decision by midweek next week just so we know what we have to do for staffing and security purposes, and working with the other agencies we work with, state and federal, to ensure that it's a safe and secure environment for our fans."
Meanwhile, dozens of restaurant owners in Erie County have been forced to sue Cuomo so that they can reopen and accommodate far smaller crowds than 6,700 people. In response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for Cuomo hypocritically stated, "We are moving heaven and earth to contain this virus and we know some people are unhappy, but better to be unhappy than sick or worse."


theblaze--2020-12-31--Dozens of New York restaurant owners sue Gov. Cuomo over coronavirus restrictions

Dozens of New York restaurant owners sue Gov .
Cuomo over coronavirus restrictions

Dozens of restaurant owners in upstate and western New York have joined a lawsuit that has been filed against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D), alleging that state restrictions that are keeping their facilities closed are arbitrary and not based on science.
The lawsuit was originally filed in the week before Christmas, according to WKBW-TV in Buffalo, and by last week had over 40 restaurants named as plaintiffs. The lawsuit alleges that the restaurant owners have been deprived of constitutional rights without a rational, scientific basis.
Specifically, restaurant owners in Erie County complain that the "orange" designation applied to the county by the state requires them to remain closed while restaurants that are "around the corner" in neighboring "yellow" counties remain open. They note that according to the state's own figures, less than 1.5 percent of COVID-19 cases in the state are traceable to restaurants or bars.
According to a Fox News report, restaurant owner Paul Santora, who owns Santora's Pizza Pub and Grill in Erie County, claimed, "Everywhere else in our district and everywhere around us basically are operating fully and [are] having the best season of their careers, and right around the corner from us it's the same way."
Santora continued, "For us, we really need the message to be consistent. One day they're going and they're concentrating on percentage rates of positive cases and shuts us down to orange, and then all of a sudden it changes the hospital beds and it keeps us in orange."
Santora's attorney, Corey Hogan, told Fox News, "And we suggested to the judge, forgetting the constitutionality issues, let's just look at the fairness of it. The state itself has admitted that restaurants are not the problem. Gov. Cuomo said that. He also said hair salons are not the problem. They've been closed down. Now they've been allowed to open."
Cuomo, who has failed to stop New York from being one of the worst states in the country for the coronavirus pandemic and has been widely criticized for a number of public missteps — including forcibly placing infected persons in nursing homes, potentially leading to thousands of deaths — was not impressed with the lawsuit.
A spokesman for Cuomo told WKBW, "We get sued virtually every day for virtually every action taken during this pandemic, and frankly I've lost track of all the frivolous suits filed against us. We are moving heaven and earth to contain this virus and we know some people are unhappy, but better to be unhappy than sick or worse."
In spite of strict lockdown measures, some of which have previously been ruled unconstitutional, New York has continued to see worse coronavirus outcomes than other states. By any objective comparison, New York has seen far worse results than Florida, in spite of the fact that Florida has more people and an older population than New York. As Townhall political editor Guy Benson noted, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been widely criticized by media figures for not instituting many of the same policies as Cuomo, even though his state has objectively fared better during the pandemic.


theblaze--2020-12-31--Minnesota legislators say COVID-19 death totals have been inflated in their state, call for an audit

Minnesota legislators say COVID-19 death totals have been inflated in their state , call for an audit ST PAUL , @ @ @ @ @ Minnesota Governor Tim Walz helps pack food donations while campaigning at the Sanneh Foundation with @ @ @ @ @ of Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Joe Biden , on October 3 , 2020 in St @ @ @ @ @ Minnesota state representatives have alleged that Walz 's lockdown measures are based on inflated death @ @ @ @ @

Two Minnesota state representatives are calling for a national audit of the published coronavirus death totals nationwide, claiming that the figures have been inflated by including individuals who died of obviously non-illness related reasons (like car crashes) after they had a positive test for the novel coronavirus.
Reps. Mary Franson and Scott Jensen, both Republicans, made the comments on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" Tuesday. According to Franson, "I enlisted some people that are really good at understanding data … to go through those death files and what I found was shocking because I was just hoping that it was a myth, but indeed, Minnesota is classifying some deaths as COVID when clearly, they should not be."
Franson went on to state her belief that the mischaracterized deaths are part of the reason that the state remains in lockdown, which is harming the state's economy. She specifically noted that restaurants are only allowed to serve people in Minnesota outside, which is obviously less than ideal in December.
Jensen specifically faulted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the mischaracterized deaths, saying, "When the Department of Health and the CDC [Centers for Disease Control] decided to change the rules that had been in place for 17 years by encouraging the diagnosis of COVID-19 in situations that we never would have otherwise, they were abandoning their long-held commitment to precisely identifying the inciting or the initiating event that would lead to a sequence of events that would lead to a person's demise."
According to official totals, over 344,000 Americans have died of the coronavirus as of the time of the publication of this article. The exact number of these deaths that should be counted as coronavirus deaths has been the subject of controversy, since essentially everyone who dies while under a coronavirus diagnosis — regardless of whether coronavirus was the primary or even significant contributing factor to their death — is being included in the totals. Medical professionals and the CDC have argued that those deaths should be included in totals when the novel coronavirus was one of several contributing illnesses that led to a person's death.
However, a number of stories have emerged since the start of the pandemic of individuals who have died of obviously non-coronavirus related causes (like car wrecks, assaults, etc.) being included in coronavirus death totals because they had been diagnosed with coronavirus. It is as yet unknown how widespread these errors might be.
Minnesota remains under lockdown orders imposed by Minnesota's Democratic governor Tim Walz. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has aggressively targeted Minnesota bars and restaurants who have violated these orders, leading many small business owners in the state to chafe against the lockdown restrictions.


theblaze--2020-01-01--Happy New Year, from all of us to you

Happy New Year, from all of us to you

Happy New Year , from all of us to you

I don't know how your 2019 went. Maybe for you, overall, it was a great year — in which case, congratulations! Maybe it was a terrible one, in which case I hope next year will be a better one.
But one thing we can say about 2019, from a news perspective, is that it wasn't a boring year. And 2020 promises to be even less boring still.
If you thought the 2016 election was intense, just wait until you see what 2020 is likely to bring. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Beyond the inevitable horse race for the White House, we remain in the midst of a war for the soul of America that is nowhere near the end.
Here at Blaze Media, we promise to continue to cover all the news that is fit to print for people who love America. We're excited to see what the new year will hold, and we hope you'll continue to watch it with us.
God bless you, our loyal readers, and may your 2020 be truly great.


theblaze--2020-01-31--Elizabeth Warren accuses Chief Justice John Roberts of losing 'legitimacy' in oversight of impeachm

Elizabeth Warren accuses Chief Justice John Roberts of losing 'legitimacy' in oversight of impeachment trial

Even Adam Schiff shut that one down

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) asked during the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on Thursday whether Chief Justice John Roberts' oversight of the trial has "contributed to [the justice's] loss of legitimacy" given that no witnesses had yet been called.
What are the details?
"Mr. Chief Justice, I send a question to the desk," Sen. Warren declared from the Senate floor, addressing Roberts.
Justice Roberts thanked her before reading it aloud — as he has with every other question that has been accepted — and Fox News reported that he "seemed visibly irritated" by what Warren asked.
Warren's question, directed to the Democratic House impeachment managers, read: "At a time when large majorities of Americans have lost faith in government, does the fact that the chief justice is presiding over an impeachment trial in which Republican senators have thus far refused to allow witnesses or evidence contributed to the loss of legitimacy of the Chief Justice, the Supreme Court, and the Constitution?"
Roberts did not comment on Warren's question, but paused while making subtle nods with one hand over the other, waiting for House impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) to answer.
"Senator, I uh, would not say that it contributes to a loss of confidence in the chief justice," Schiff began. "I think the chief justice has presided admirably."
Schiff went on to argue that he does not think "a trial without witnesses reflects adversely on the chief justice," but that it would reflect "adversely on us," speaking of the United States.
www.youtube.com
Anything else?
Hours after Warren's question, Politico released a memo written by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in 1999, wherein he argued to his fellow senators at the time that no further witnesses would be required by the Senate in the impeachment trial against Democratic former President Bill Clinton.


theblaze--2020-01-31--Lamar Alexander will vote against witnesses, Democrats implode with outrage that impeachment is like

Lamar Alexander will vote against witnesses, Democrats implode with outrage that impeachment is likely over

Lamar Alexander will vote against witnesses , Democrats implode with outrage that impeachment is likely over

A key Republican senator announced that he would vote against the calling of new witnesses and thereby most likely doom the Democrats' demand to prolong the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump.
"Justice will be done. President Trump will be ACQUITTED," Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) tweeted after the announcement from Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.).
Democrats were hoping to garner enough votes to force new witnesses in the impeachment trial, but Alexander's was a vote they needed and lost.
"I worked with other senators to make sure that we have the right to ask for more documents and witnesses, but there is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the U.S. Constitution's high bar for an impeachable offense," tweeted Alexander.
Alexander went on to say that he believes the president was guilty of asking a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent, but added that the charge does not meet the high standard for impeachment.
"The question then is not whether the president did it, but whether the United States Senate or the American people should decide what to do about what he did," Alexander said. "I believe that the Constitution provides that the people should make that decision in the presidential election that begins in Iowa on Monday."
The unhinged response
Social media exploded with criticism of Alexander from the left and others.
"Lamar Alexander another coward We won't forget the ones who sold America down the drain," tweeted liberal actress Rosanna Arquette.
"Lamar Alexander is selling out his country on his way out the door. Lower than low," tweeted liberal strategist Adam Parkhomenko.
"GOP Senator Lamar Alexander will be voting no on allowing witnesses and documents, because he's a coward who doesn't care about America. He will forever be known as the guy who tried to cover up Trump's criminal scheme. And nothing else. That's it. Congrats, traitor," tweeted online activist Scott Dworkin.
"The entirety of Lamar Alexander's career tanked over 1 vote. History will destroy him and should," tweeted Shannon Freshour.
"Lamar Alexander joins fellow Republicans in voting for the first impeachment trial in U.S. history with no witnesses. Shame on him and his party. They are now accomplices in Donald Trump's crimes," tweeted CNN contributor Keith Boykin.
"Party over country. No integrity. No courage. No moral core. This is his legacy," tweeted Norm Ornstein.
The trial is expected to wrap up as soon as Friday.
"If this shallow, hurried and wholly partisan impeachment were to succeed, it would rip the country apart, pouring gasoline on the fire of cultural divisions that already exist," concluded Alexander.
Here's video of the latest in the impeachment trial:


theblaze--2020-01-31--No 'full blown' trial needed for impeachment, Joe Biden argued in 1999

No 'full blown ' trial needed for impeachment , Joe Biden argued in 1999 An unearthed memo shows Biden urged @ @ @ @ @ call further witnesses in the Clinton impeachment

A memo written by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden when he was a senator in 1999 has emerged, wherein Biden informed his caucus that "the Senate need not hold a 'full blown' trial" in the upper chamber against former President Bill Clinton.
The document was brought up on the Senate floor Thursday night during the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, where the president's lead attorney referred to its contents as "The Biden Doctrine."
What are the details?
In the four-page memo obtained by Politico, Biden argued "the Senate need not hold a 'full blown' trial" and presented prior impeachment cases as evidence that "in fact, the Senate need not hold a trial even though the House wishes to present evidence and hold a full trial."
Biden further argued in 1999 that "in a number of previous impeachment trials, the Senate has reached the judgment that its constitutional role as sole trier of impeachment does not require it to take new evidence or hear live witness testimony."
"The public has ability to understand whether it, and its system of government, have been gravely harmed," then-Sen. Biden argued in making his case that the voice of the people should be heard. "Where it (the public) expresses overwhelmingly the view that the President should not be removed from office and expresses this view not in a single poll but repeatedly over the course of a year, this is a constitutionally significant statement."
Politico noted that "Biden's comments from 1999 are at odds with current Democratic talking points that additional witnesses must be called to get to the bottom of Trump's actions in the Ukraine saga."
Report noticed on Senate floor
The Politico report was published at 8:36 p.m. EST on Thursday night, while the Senate trial against President Trump was ongoing and senators were asking questions of House impeachment managers and the president's legal team. News of the memo's contents swiftly made it to the Senate floor.
President Trump's lead counsel, Jay Sekulow, read from Biden's 1999 memo, before declaring to the Senate, "That was 'The Biden Doctrine' of impeachment proceedings."
Sekulow pointed out, "Some members in this chamber agreed with that. Some members that serve as managers also agreed with that," referring to Democratic senators and representatives now seeking to remove President Trump from office.
He noted that "now the rules are different."