theblaze--2020-10-29--‘I was preconditioned to HATE America': Ex-Antifa activist shares DISTURBING story of why he joined

‘I was preconditioned to HATE America': Ex-Antifa activist shares DISTURBING story of why he joined Antifa

‘ I was preconditioned to HATE America ' : Ex-Antifa activist shares DISTURBING story of why he joined Antifa

Gabriel Nadales, author of the book "Behind the Black Mask: My Time as an Antifa Activist," joined BlazeTV host Andrew Wilkow to share his disturbing, yet all too common, story of why he joined Antifa .
Nadales explained that growing up he had two main sources of anti-American propaganda: media (Spanish networks in particular) and school.
"A lot of [Spanish media] stories are uniquely targeted to make Hispanics feel marginalized, and make it seem like Hispanics against America. And in middle school and high school, I had several radical left-wing teachers who basically told me to hate America," Nadales said.
"When you're bombarded with so many anti-American beliefs and sentiments, it's easy for somebody growing up in this country to learn to hate America," he added. "Eventually I joined the Anti-fascist movement because I was preconditioned to hate this country.
Nadales went on to explain that he believed "America and Neo-Nazis were one and the same" and how even concepts such as freedom of speech were conflated with fascism because of teachers who see themselves as "activists first and educators second."
Watch the video below to catch more of the conversation:
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theblaze--2020-10-29--Pennsylvania county loses potentially thousands of requested mail-ballots

Where 'd they go ?
Nobody knows

The elections director for Butler County, Pennsylvania says that an unknown number of mail-in ballots, potentially thousands, have been lost by the postal service.
According to KDKA-TV, the county sent about 40,000 ballots to voters but many of those voters report that their ballots never arrived in the mail.
Voters and election officials are confused by the missing ballots. Officials initially believed that there was simply a delay in the postal system.
"At first we thought that maybe it just was a delay in the postal system" due to high volume, Leslie Osche, chair of the Butler County commissioners, told KDKA-TV. "And that could still be the case. But nonetheless, when we realized that, we changed our strategy and now have begun to tell folks that if they haven't received a ballot, they still have multiple options."
The Postal Service says it is not aware of any significant delays or issues delivering mail in Butler County.
"Regarding mail sorting and delivery in Butler County, the Postal Service is unaware of any significant delays or issues and is in regular contact with the Board of Elections as we work to locate and deliver ballots as they are presented to us," the Postal Service said in a statement.
Voters who did not receive their ballots are encouraged to go to the elections office to vote in person, vote via a provisional ballot at a polling place, or call the elections bureau to have a sheriff's deputy hand-deliver ballots to those who cannot leave their homes.
According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, only 24% of the nearly 40,000 registered voters who requested mail ballots have returned them to the county.
Pennsylvania, a key swing state in the 2020 presidential election, is expected to receive a record volume of mail-in and absentee ballots because of the coronavirus pandemic. State law prohibits election officials from beginning to count received ballots until 7 a.m. ET on Election Day. Each county in Pennsylvania has a different process for counting ballots and Fox News reports it is likely that all of the absentee ballots won't be counted by the end of Election Day.
Additionally, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered that the deadline to submit and count ballots processed by mail be extended to Friday, Nov. 6, three days after the election. State Republicans have appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, which will likely hear the case after the election. If the high court rules overturns the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling, ballots received after Election Day may be disqualified.


theblaze--2020-10-29--VIDEO: Woman tased on flight during furious brawl over face masks

VIDEO : Woman tased on flight during furious brawl over face masks

A viral video shows a police officer taser an airline passenger who engaged in a brawl because she allegedly refused to wear a face mask.
A wild donnybrook broke out during a Spirit Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, to the Luis Munoz Marin airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at around 7 p.m. on Sunday. The video was originally posted online by Twitter user V. Torres Montalvo on Oct. 26, and retweeted by CBS News correspondent David Begnaud, who said the brawl was started after a woman refused to wear a mask after the plane touched down in Puerto Rico.
Begnaud reported that Puerto Rico police identified the passenger as Nyasy Veronique Payne, adding that she "provoked an incident by acting in what witnesses called an aggressive, hostile, & defiant behavior." Police claim that the woman hit 28-year-old Javier Lopez Cruz soon after the plane landed.
The man who recorded the video told Begnaud that the fight broke out because the woman refused to follow the mandatory mask rules instituted by Spirit Airlines.
According to a witness named "Alfredo," there was a "young man was moving about the plane, switching seats and not wearing a mask." Flights attendants instructed the young man to stop switching seats and to wear a face mask in accordance with the airline company's COVID-19 protocols.
Three women were reportedly traveling with the young man, and were also not wearing masks "most of the flight, & were moving around while the sets belt sign was on," according to the witness.
One of the passengers on the plane alleges that "three men began yelling homophobic and racial slurs at the three women." According to the eyewitness, one person hit one of the women, which reportedly caused her to start punching passengers.
Police stormed the plane and attempted to squelch the melee, but the woman continued to attack a passenger in the rows behind her. A man is seen grabbing the woman's head and pulling her hair, and she retaliates by attempting to hurdle over an airline crew member to assault the man. As the man and the woman attempt to exchange punches, another woman is seen slapping someone.
The airline crew and airport police were eventually able to separate the two warring parties, and the woman was arrested. Payne's bail was set at $150,000, according to the travel website One Mile At A Time.
Spirit Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News.


theblaze--2020-10-29--Portland's pro-Antifa mayoral candidate in 2016 tweeted image of ballot with 'violent despots' like

Portland's pro-Antifa mayoral candidate in 2016 tweeted image of ballot with 'violent despots' like Stalin, Lenin, Ho Chi Minh as write-ins

Other write-ins visible in Sarah Iannarone 's tweeted image included Fidel Castro , Che Guevara , and Mao Zedong Portland @ @ @ @ @ 2016 tweeted image of ballot with 'violent despots ' like Stalin , Lenin , Ho @ @ @ @ @ mayoral candidate Sarah Iannarone on the phone with a voter at her campaign office on @ @ @ @ @ in Portland , Oregon .
( Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images )

Portland's pro-Antifa mayoral candidate, Sarah Iannarone, is being questioned about a tweet she posted in 2016 that included an image of a ballot with figures such as Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Lenin, and Ho Chi Minh as write-ins, KOIN-TV reported.
What are the details?
Last week, Mayor Ted Wheeler's campaign released a statement objecting to Iannarone "writing in violent despots like Ho Chi Minh and Joseph Stalin on her 2016 ballot," the station said.
But Iannarone's campaign manager Gregory McKelvey told KOIN that the image in question doesn't depict her ballot. Rather, he told the station, Iannarone "posted the ballots of many of her supporters who sent them in after voting for her" and that she "shared a picture of someone else's ballot celebrating Black women like Angela Davis and Assata Shakur."
The tweet of the 2016 primary campaign ballot also includes write-in votes for Mao Zedong, Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, Vladimir Lenin, and others, KOIN said.
Indeed a number of the individuals on the ballot image were responsible for the deaths of millions of people. In addition, the station added:
Angela Davis is an activist who was acquitted of kidnapping, murder and conspiracy charges in the 1970s, then ran as Vice President on the Communist Party ticket and later became a professor at the University of California Santa Cruz. Assata Shakur is a convicted killer of a New Jersey state trooper who later escaped from prison and was added to the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists list.
Wheeler campaign manager Danny O'Halloran said, essentially, it really doesn't matter if that's her ballot.
"No one who saw that tweet would have any way of thinking that [it wasn't her ballot]," O'Halloran told KOIN. "But more importantly it doesn't really matter. On that ballot is a vote for Sarah Iannarone, and everyone else written in was a Communist dictator. And her choosing to post that is just as inflammatory and mocks our democratic institutions in just the same way."
He added to the station that her tweet "fits a pattern of constant inciteful rhetoric by Sarah Iannarone and her campaign. She has repeatedly said she is affiliated with Antifa, she has chosen to wear items of clothing with Mao Zedong's face on it, she posted this tweet of a ballot with Communist dictators names — seeming to praise it — and she has been asked in interviews to condemn violent protest and has refused to, going as far as to say in an interview that peaceful protest might not be going far enough."
KOIN said McKelvey declined the station's request for an on-camera interview with him or Iannarone but that he did issue a statement:
"Ted Wheeler is using the same tactics as Donald Trump to scare and confuse voters. The claim is simply a lie. Trump and Wheeler paint progressive women as too radical because they believe misogyny and misrepresentations can still win elections. They are tired tricks from a time that our city and nation are eager to move past. In 2016 Sarah shared a picture of someone else's ballot celebrating Black women like Angela Davis and Assata Shakur. Wheeler's campaign is increasingly desperate to paint Sarah as a radical because his ideas are straight out of the McCarthy era – degradation of the climate, housing segregation, police brutality, and Red Scares. Portland deserves a conversation surrounding our housing crisis and economic recovery, not the daily distortions, alt-right attacks, and Red Scares of Wheeler's desperate reelection campaign. We expect voters to reject Donald Trump and Wheeler's shared tactic on election day."
Anything else?
Earlier this month, a poll of likely Portland mayoral voters indicated Iannarone had an 11-point lead over Wheeler, the incumbent candidate. But O'Halloran told KOIN the most recent polls show the race is "effectively tied" and a large number of undecided voters are still out there.


theblaze--2020-10-29--Jerry Falwell Jr. sues Liberty University, arguing the school damaged his reputation

That 's going to be a tough sell

Jerry Falwell Jr. has sued Liberty University for defamation and breach of contract, arguing the prominent evangelical institution where he used to serve as president needlessly injured and damaged his reputation through a series of public statements after forcing him to resign.
What are the details?
In the complaint filed Wednesday in the Virginia Circuit Court in Lynchburg, Falwell also claims that university officials accepted what Falwell alleges are false claims about his involvement in an extramarital affair between his wife and a former business partner without investigating the matter.
"When Mr. Falwell and his family became the targets of a malicious smear campaign incited by anti-evangelical forces, Liberty University not only accepted the salacious and baseless accusations against the Falwells at face value, but directly participated in the defamation," the lawsuit says, according to the Associated Press. "This action seeks redress for the damage Liberty has caused to the reputation of Mr. Falwell and his family."
The AP reported that the lawsuit even alleges that "Liberty's actions are antithetical to the teachings of Christ."
"We attempted to meet several times with the Liberty University Board of Trustees Executive Committee but were unsuccessful in doing so. Thus, we were forced to seek remedy for Mr. Falwell's ongoing injuries and damage to his reputation through the Court," Falwell's attorney, Robert Raskopf of Quinn Emanuel, added in a news release.
Falwell added in the news release: "Other than God and my family, there is nothing in the world I love more than Liberty University. I am saddened that University officials, with whom I have shared so much success and enjoyed such positive relationships, jumped to conclusions about the claims made against my character, failed to properly investigate them, and then damaged my reputation following my forced resignation."
Liberty spokesman Scott Lamb told the AP that the school would formally respond to the matter after reviewing the complaint.
What's the background?
Falwell stepped down from his university post in August after former pool attendant turned Falwell business partner, Giancarlo Granda, went public with allegations of an affair with the former president's wife, Becki Falwell. Granda claimed that he engaged in regular sexual encounters with her over the course of several years — and that Falwell would often look on.
Falwell admitted the affair happened but has denied any personal involvement in the matter. He also accused Granda of attempting to extort him for years prior to the public accusation.
Pressure had been mounting for Falwell to resign even before the allegations, however. He agreed to take an indefinite leave of absence in early August after making headlines for a since-deleted Instagram post showing Falwell with his arm around his wife's assistant as both of them displayed their pants partially unzipped.
Falwell captioned the post, writing, "More vacation shots. Lots of good friends visited us on the yacht. I promise that's just black water in my glass. It was a prop only."
Shortly after Falwell's departure later that month, the university announced it was opening an independent probe into his tenure as president.


theblaze--2020-10-29--Horowitz: Why are public health 'experts' ignoring proactive ways to neutralize COVID-19 while promo

Horowitz: Why are public health 'experts' ignoring proactive ways to neutralize COVID-19 while promoting failed drugs?

Horowitz : Why are public health 'experts ' ignoring proactive ways to neutralize COVID-19 while promoting failed drugs ?
Stock @ @ @ @ @ proven to help against the virus

Why not educate people on how to fortify their bodies against their likely inevitable exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus rather than selling them the false promise of avoiding the virus without any knowledge of how deal with it? Why are the politicians peddling medical advice while the health care industry is selling us politics?
At present, there is no effective way to stop the spread of or somehow hide or run from the coronavirus. There is also no vaccine and there is unlikely to ever be a fully effective one, especially for the most vulnerable people. The best tool we currently have is to effectively treat the symptoms early on with cheap drugs and vitamins, especially when taken as a prophylaxis. Yet, especially as it relates to the anti-malaria drug Hydroxychloroquine, it remains the one thing our government and media will shun, and in some states, even ban rather than promote.
Additionally, it has been proven that vitamin D and zinc fortify the immune system and help ward off serious illness. Every American knows they "need" to wear a mask and isolate themselves, despite the fact that these destructive measures have failed to stop the spread. What they have not been told is to stock up on vitamins that are proven to help against the virus. The reason is because that would empower people rather than scare them into submission. That is why so many medical doctors seem to be ignoring the opportunity to offer medical advice and are seizing the opportunity to offer us political advice and run our lives.
That is why seven months into this virus, people are still in the dark about the best way to fortify their immune system or ward off symptoms early on – or what to even watch for in terms of early symptoms. The formula from our government is essentially this: "shut up, mask up, and avoid getting a virus that 60 million Americans likely already got, and if you get it bad, we will just put you on Remdesivir and a ventilator."
The protocol for pharmacological management of COVID-19 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shockingly recommends "no specific antiviral or immunomodulatory therapy" for those who are sick with the virus in the earlier or milder stages, or even hospitalized so long as they don't need supplemental oxygen. It's only once they reach that stage and more critical levels that the NIH recommends treatment. What is the treatment? Remdesivir, Remdesivir, and Remdesivir.
This guidance is problematic on two accounts. It ignores all the promising research behind the use of zinc, vitamin D, and hydroxychloroquine before the illness becomes critical, and then opts for a treatment that has proven ineffective once it's too late. They are either willfully trying to endanger more lives in order to further spread panic or they are bought out by big Pharma.
First, even before getting to hydroxychloroquine as a cheap and effective treatment for early stages of the virus, why is the NIH not educating the public on the use of vitamin D early and often?
A new study conducted at the University Hospital Marques de Valdecilla in Spain, analyzed 216 patients admitted to the hospital for the coronavirus to see if they had vitamin D deficiency. They found that 80% of them showed lower levels of vitamin D compared to a similar demographic used as a control group who were given regular vitamin D supplements. Interestingly enough, the study also found lower levels among men, which might explain why men seem to be more at risk than women for severe illness. An Italian study found that low vitamin D levels also seemed to correlate with more severe cases among those in the hospital.
The role that vitamin D plays in lessening susceptibility to illness is so stark that a U.K. study from May found a remarkable correlation between vitamin D levels of entire population and COVID-19 death rates by country. Belgium, which still has the highest death rate in Europe, has very low vitamin D levels, while all the Scandinavian counties, which fared well against the virus, had the highest levels of vitamin D in Europe.
In May, one New York doctor, Dr. Eric Ascher, in explaining the possible reason why his city was hit so hard, told the media, "I'm more shocked when a patient has a normal vitamin D level."
There are endless studies, nearly uncontradicted, proving the efficacy of vitamin D as a prophylaxis, along with vitamin C, Zinc, and of course, hydroxychloroquine. In fact, 154 studies, 91 of which were peer reviewed, have shown efficacy of hydroxychloroquine in the early stages of COVID-19.
So why wouldn't Dr. Fauci and his buddies at NIH tell people to fortify their bodies with these cheap drugs and vitamins early on and perhaps even preemptively? This is especially salient as his own NIH, while he was the director of the entire agency in 2005, published a paper on the efficacy of this cheap drug against SARS-1.
It wasn't until mid-September that Fauci even mentioned the use of vitamin D, and it was a very feeble, passive endorsement in response to a question by actress Jennifer Garner.
"I would not mind recommending, and I do it myself taking vitamin D supplements," said Fauci of vitamin D in response to Garner's question on a Sept. 10 Instagram live Q&A. And yeah, maybe throw in some vitamin C if you want.
"So if people want to take a gram or two at the most [of] vitamin C, that would be fine," said Fauci. That's not exactly a resounding endorsement of a proactive strategy that is backed by tons of research.
So why the equivocation and reluctance to actively teach the public about fortifying their immune systems?
Well, the answer is precisely because these remedies are so cheap and precisely because they want to push expensive drugs like Remdesivir. So what are the results after charging hospitals (aka the government) $3,000 a pop? Two weeks ago, World Health Organization scientists published a pre-printed study of Remdesivir use in 11,000 patients across 400 hospitals in the world. This was one of the largest clinical trials of a COVID-19 treatment to date. The study found that it neither lowered the mortality rate nor truncated time of stay in the hospital.
According to the U.K. Guardian, Gilead, the maker of Remdesivir, found out about the results of the WHO study 10 days before publication, but still signed an €850m contract with the European Commission for 500,000 doses, even though the recipients were not yet aware of the results of this blockbuster clinical trial.
Although the same WHO study found hydroxychloroquine ineffective in hospitalized patients, a recent Harvard study has already found that it is effective as a prophylaxis in reducing infection by 20%. Yet, the FDA has rescinded its approval of the drug. At the same time, Science Magazine reported this week that the FDA never consulted with the Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee (ADAC) before approving Remdesivir on Oct. 22.
ADAC is a group of infectious disease clinicians, biostatisticians, and pharmacists who review the data on experimental drugs and make recommendations to the FDA regarding their approval. While they are not required to seek the opinion of the committee, it's quite suspicious that the FDA chose to bypass them on something this important.
So, why do our "public health experts" tout failed expensive drugs at critical stages of the disease when there are proven effective ways to reduce the risk of ever getting to that stage, and for dirt cheap? I hate to say it, but corporate cronyism is the least insidious answer to this question.


theblaze--2020-10-29--Journalist Glenn Greenwald resigns from The Intercept claiming censorship of Biden-critical article

Journalist Glenn Greenwald resigns from The Intercept claiming censorship of Biden-critical article — Intercept fires back 'The same trends of @ @ @ @ @ homogeneity plaguing the national press generally have engulfed the media outlet I co-founded , culminating @ @ @ @ @ articles '

Claiming "trends of repression, censorship and ideological homogeneity" have overtaken the publication he co-founded and the mainstream media at large, journalist Glenn Greenwald resigned from The Intercept on Thursday.
In an essay announcing his resignation, Greenwald said a decision by the Intercept's New York-based editors to censor an article he wrote that criticized Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden was the "final, precipitating cause" of his departure. He lamented that the "pathologies, illiberalism, and repressive mentality that led to the bizarre spectacle of my being censored by my own media outlet are ones that are by no means unique to The Intercept."
According to Greenwald, an article he wrote this week criticized Biden, the Democratic nominee, over recent revelations about his business relations with foreign entities as reported by the New York Post and by a witness who claims to be a former business partner of the Biden family. He also critiqued "the media's rank-closing attempt, in a deeply unholy union with Silicon Valley and the 'intelligence community,' to suppress" the Hunter Biden materials. But Greenwald's editors wouldn't let him publish the story unless he removed the parts critical of Biden.
"The final, precipitating cause is that The Intercept's editors, in violation of my contractual right of editorial freedom, censored an article I wrote this week, refusing to publish it unless I remove all sections critical of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, the candidate vehemently supported by all New-York-based Intercept editors involved in this effort at suppression," Greenwald wrote.
"The censored article, based on recently revealed emails and witness testimony, raised critical questions about Biden's conduct. Not content to simply prevent publication of this article at the media outlet I co-founded, these Intercept editors also demanded that I refrain from exercising a separate contractual right to publish this article with any other publication."
He added that his editors rejected a suggestion that they publish their own article airing disagreements with his views on the Biden evidence rather than preventing him from publishing the story.
"So censorship of my article, rather than engagement with it, was the path these Biden-supporting editors chose," Greenwald wrote.
In response, he chose to leave, "voluntarily sacrificing the support of a large institution and guaranteed salary in exchange for nothing other than a belief that there are enough people who believe in the virtues of independent journalism and the need for free discourse who will be willing to support my work by subscribing."
"Like anyone with young children, a family and numerous obligations, I do this with some trepidation, but also with the conviction that there is no other choice," Greenwald wrote. "I could not sleep at night knowing that I allowed any institution to censor what I want to say and believe — least of all a media outlet I co-founded with the explicit goal of ensuring this never happens to other journalists, let alone to me, let alone because I have written an article critical of a powerful Democratic politician vehemently supported by the editors in the imminent national election."
Greenwald co-founded The Intercept and its parent company First Look Media in 2013 with Jeremy Scahill and Laura Poitras. He said the original mission of the publication was "to create a new media outlets where all talented, responsible journalists would enjoy the same right of editorial freedom I had always insisted upon for myself."
He believes that The Intercept of today is "completely unrecognizable when compared to that original vision."
"Rather than offering a venue for airing dissent, marginalized voices and unheard perspectives, it is rapidly becoming just another media outlet with mandated ideological and partisan loyalties, a rigid and narrow range of permitted viewpoints (ranging from establishment liberalism to soft leftism, but always anchored in ultimate support for the Democratic Party), a deep fear of offending hegemonic cultural liberalism and center-left Twitter luminaries, and an overarching need to secure the approval and admiration of the very mainstream media outlets we created The Intercept to oppose, critique and subvert."
Sounding off on the ideological bent of "every mainstream center-left political organization, academic institution, and newsroom," Greenwald declared his independence from groupthink.
"I began writing about politics fifteen years ago with the goal of combatting media propaganda and repression, and — regardless of the risks involved — simply cannot accept any situation, no matter how secure or lucrative, that forces me to submit my journalism and right of free expression to its suffocating constraints and dogmatic dictates."
The Intercept on Thursday published a response to Greenwald's criticisms, accusing him of crafting a "narrative" "teeming with distortions and inaccuracies."
Glenn Greenwald's decision to resign from The Intercept stems from a fundamental disagreement over the role of editors in the production of journalism and the nature of censorship. Glenn demands the absolute right to determine what he will publish. He believes that anyone who disagrees with him is corrupt, and anyone who presumes to edit his words is a censor. Thus, the preposterous charge that The Intercept's editors and reporters, with the lone, noble exception of Glenn Greenwald, have betrayed our mission to engage in fearless investigative journalism because we have been seduced by the lure of a Joe Biden presidency. A brief glance at the stories The Intercept has published on Biden will suffice to refute those claims.
We have the greatest respect for the journalist Glenn Greenwald used to be, and we remain proud of much of the work we did with him over the past six years. It is Glenn who has strayed from his original journalistic roots, not The Intercept.
In tweets sent after the Intercept's response was published, Greenwald refused to get into a "tit-for-tat" with his former employer, but announced he would publish the emails sent back and forth between him and his editors over the article "so people can decide for themselves if it was censored."
The news of Greenwald's resignation was received with admiration and respect from many journalists and political commentators.
Lee Fang, a reporter for The Intercept and now former colleague of Greenwald, called him "the most principled person in media today."
Others applauded Greenwald for his "courage."
But Greenwald is not without some detractors.


theblaze--2020-10-29--Twitter removes tweet saying Muslims have a 'right ... to kill millions of French people' — but appa

Twitter removes tweet saying Muslims have a 'right ... to kill millions of French people' — but apparently will not suspend account

Twitter removes tweet saying Muslims have a 'right ... to kill millions of French people ' — but apparently will @ @ @ @ @ was sent hours after a brutal attack in France

Twitter on Thursday removed a tweet posted by the former prime minister of Malaysia that said Muslims have "a right to be angry and kill millions of French people," but did not suspend the author's account. The tweet was sent hours after an attacker yelling "Allahu Akbar" brutally beheaded one person and killed two others in Nice, France.
The deleted tweet was part of a longer thread from former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, who said that while he personally does not approve of the murder, Muslims have a "right to be angry" with Western civilization and French President Emmanuel Macron over the display of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad.
The Muslim world is outraged at the French government for refusing to take action against French citizens for public displays of the prophet Mohammad, who founded of Islam. Images depicting Muhammad are considered blasphemous in the Islamic religion. French citizens have begun depicting Muhammad in images as a show of support for free expression after a French school teacher was beheaded by a Chehchen refugee on Oct. 16 in retribution for showing his students a Muhammad cartoon.
The former prime minister criticized Macron for refusing to stop the French people from freely expressing themselves.
"Macron is not showing that he is civilised [sic]. He is very primitive in blaming the religion of Islam and Muslims for the killing of the insulting school teacher. It is not in keeping with the teachings of Islam," Mohamad tweeted. "But irrespective of the religion professed, angry people kill. The French in the course of their history has killed millions of people. Many were Muslims."
Then he argued in a tweet hidden by Twitter that Muslims have a right to kill "millions of French people for the massacres of the past."
Image source: Twitter/chedetofficial screenshot
According to Twitter's policy documents, tweets that the company determines violate Twitter Rules are required to be removed before the violator can tweet again.
"In the interim period between when Twitter takes enforcement action and the person removes the Tweet, we hide that Tweet from public view and will replace the original content with a notice stating that the Tweet is no longer available because it violated our Rules," Twitter's policy states.
Mohamad has not tweeted from his account since his thread was finished five hours ago. It is unclear if he has not tweeted because Twitter has prevented him from doing so.
Twitter did not immediately respond to The Blaze's request for comment.
Earlier, Twitter locked the account of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan for violating Twitter rules on "hateful conduct" with a tweet that celebrated the success of the Trump administration's new wall on the U.S. southern border.
The Federalist obtained screenshots of Morgan's offending tweet, which said, ".@CBP & @USACEHQ continue to build new wall every day. Every mile helps us stop gang members, murderers, sexual predators, and drugs from entering our country."
"It's a fact, walls work," Morgan said.
For this tweet, Twitter locked Morgan's account and sent him an email that said, "You may not promote violence against, threaten, or harass other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease."
It appears that under Twitter's rules, a post justifying the killing of millions is morally equivalent to one promoting law enforcement and border security.
This story has been updated.


theblaze--2020-10-29--US Marshals recover 45 missing children, arrest 179 in human trafficking sting 'Operation Autumn Hop

US Marshals recover 45 missing children, arrest 179 in human trafficking sting 'Operation Autumn Hope'

The mission is believed to be the largest anti-human trafficking operation in Ohio 's history

U.S. Marshals, with the help of state and local agencies, rescued 45 missing and endangered children in Ohio and West Virginia during "Operation Autumn Hope."
The Central Ohio Human Trafficking Trask Force, Columbus PACT Unit, and the Cuyahoga County Human Trafficking Task Force also recovered 109 victims, who were referred to social services.
The campaign to locate and recover victims of human trafficking involved over 50 law enforcement agencies and non-government partners coordinated across the state of Ohio. The mission is believed to be the "largest anti-human trafficking operation" in Ohio's history.
Operation Autumn Hope resulted in 179 arrests made by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, many of which were outstanding warrants. There were 22 people who were arrested for allegedly seeking to have sex with a minor.
One of the missing children rescued is a 15-year-old girl from Cleveland who was linked to "other possible victims to an individual in Columbus suspected of human trafficking," according to a U.S. Marshals news release.
United States Marshals Service officers from Southern Ohio and Southern West Virginia worked on the operation. U.S. Marshal Michael Baylous said of the13 missing kids recovered by the Cops United Felony Fugitive Enforcement Division; three of the children were missing from San Bernardino, California, following a parental dispute and found in West Virginia.
The operation was supported by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
"These predators shamelessly target the most innocent and defenseless members of our community," Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said. "Operation Autumn Hope is sending a loud and clear message: We are watching, we will catch you, and we will protect our children."
"These vulnerable members of our population usually slip through the cracks," said Sgt. Dana Hess, director of the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force. "This operation highlighted the vast number of potential victims and allowed law enforcement the opportunity to make contact and link them to services."
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost (R) released a news release about the human trafficking sting.
"The success of Operation Autumn Hope is measured not only in the number of arrests but in the lives that were rescued from this evil," Yost said. "Every agency on this team looks for the day when no person is bought and sold in Ohio. Don't buy sex in Ohio!"
Earlier this month, U.S. Marshals rescued 11 children in New Orleans, two of which were in "extreme danger."
On Sept. 21, U.S. Marshals announced that they had rescued 35 missing children during "Operation Safety Net" in Ohio.
On Sept. 17, U.S. Marshals Service completed "Operation Triple Beam," a 60-day mission to decrease violent gang crime in Oklahoma City. U.S. Marshals made 262 arrests, seized illegal firearms and narcotics, plus rescued five missing children,
On Sept. 4, the U.S. Marshals Service said that they rescued eight "highly endangered" missing children in Indiana during "Operation Homecoming."
On Aug. 27, U.S. Marshals located 39 missing children in Georgia and Florida during "Operation Not Forgotten." Authorities said the children were between the ages of 3 to 17. Of the 39 endangered children, 15 were victims of sex trafficking.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement engaged in a multi-agency operation last month that resulted in the arrest of five suspected child sexual predators. "Operation Home Alone 2" was able to successfully "target sexual predators who attempted to lure underage children with the intent of engaging in sexual activity."


theblaze--2020-10-29--Twitter locked US border chief’s account after he celebrated the wall keeping dangerous illegal alie

Twitter locked US border chief’s account after he celebrated the wall keeping dangerous illegal aliens out of the country

Twitter locked US border chief ’ s account after he celebrated the wall keeping dangerous illegal aliens out of the @

Twitter — currently under fire for censoring bombshell New York Post reporting about Hunter Biden's overseas business dealings — is now making more headlines for censoring a top Trump administration official after he celebrated the construction of the southern border wall.
What are the details?
The social media giant reportedly locked U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan's account Wednesday afternoon following his posting of a tweet about how the wall is stopping dangerous illegal aliens from entering the country.
According to screenshots obtained by The Federalist, Morgan tweeted ".@CBP and @USACEHQ continue to build new wall every day. Every mile helps us stop gang members, murderers, sexual predators, and drugs from entering our country. It's a fact, walls work."
Morgan subsequently received an email from Twitter explaining that his account was locked for violating its "hateful conduct" policy, which states, "You may not promote violence against or directly attack or threaten other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease."
Morgan told the Federalist that Twitter locked his account without consulting with the Department of Homeland Security or asking him what he meant by the post.
"I'm sure somebody on that Twitter team has heard that everyone that illegally enters are just good people looking for a better way of life," Morgan said, reportedly adding that many border-crossers are in fact dangerous criminals who cross with the help of international drug cartels. "The American people ultimately don't get to hear the truth because someone at Twitter, based on their own ideology, pushed a button to prevent the truth from coming out."
A locked account punishment, according to Twitter, often results in Twitter requesting that the "violating content" be removed and making the offender "serve a period of time in read-only mode before they can tweet again."
What else?
The news came the same day that Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey faced tough questioning from Senate lawmakers over his company's decision to censor the New York Post's reporting about Hunter Biden.
During the appearance, Dorsey defended his company's seemingly biased decision to censor the Post and Trump administration officials while at the same time allowing Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei to call for the destruction of Israel on the platform.
Dorsey said, "We did not find those to violate our terms of service because we considered them 'saber rattling,' which is part of the speech of world leaders in concert with other countries."
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) tweeted: "Now Twitter is suspending law enforcement officials for discussing border security - you can't make this stuff up."
In conversation with the Washington Examiner, Morgan added: "Twitter is out of control in their clear bias against this administration and their blatant censorship of anything that may go against the policies of those who sit in cubicles in Silicon Valley."


theblaze--2020-10-29--Black Michigan city councilman and lifelong Democrat endorses President Trump: 'Democrats are full o

Black Michigan city councilman and lifelong Democrat endorses President Trump: 'Democrats are full of hate'

Black Michigan city councilman and lifelong Democrat endorses President Trump : 'Democrats are full of hate '

Maurice Davis — vice president of the Flint, Michigan, City Council — has endorsed President Donald Trump in the next week's presidential election.
What are the details?
As highlighted by the Daily Wire, Flint City Councilman Davis — who is a lifelong Democrat — announced his support for Trump on Wednesday.
The outlet reported that Davis voted for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election.
During a Wednesday Trump rally, Davis announced he would be voting red.
"What an honor to be standing before you at a serious time like this in the world," he said in his remarks. "Pandemic, the China virus or plague — I even caught it and was in intensive care twice. The narrative has been spent. This is not a game, folks. President Trump and Vice President [Mike] Pence, God use whoever he wants to bring his people out of whatever the problem happens to be."
He continued, "Right now, the narrative has been spent, 'President Trump is full of hate.' Let me tell you something: The Democrats are full of hate. I'm tired. I'm a Democrat. I've been a Democrat all my life, 64 years. the last four years I voted for Hillary Clinton. This year I decided to go with President Trump. I am not a bootlicker, I am not an Uncle Tom. I'm none of those things. I'm somebody that's in a poor, impoverished community."
Davis added that it is time to put differences aside and work for the betterment of America.
"I don't want to hear fault," he said. "He who is without sin cast the first stone. We're saved under grace. God uses whoever he wants to such as times like these. We're tired of suffering, and nobody give a damn about poor folks. President Trump, they reached out with nothing but love from y'all all over this nation. I don't want to hear another time I'm a Trump supporter. I'm an American supporter. Y'all have more love. Now the Democrats call me every name but a child of God."


theblaze--2020-10-29--Supreme Court disappoints Republicans in two absentee ballot decisions

Court permits North Carolina to receive and count absentee ballots until Nov. 12

The United States Supreme Court on Wednesday permitted North Carolina to receive and count absentee ballots until Nov. 12, nine days after Election Day. The ruling is a defeat for Republicans who challenged a decision by the state elections board to extend the deadline because of concerns about the coronavirus.
In a 5-3 decision, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined the liberals on the court to keep in place a decision by the State Board of Elections to extend the deadline to submit absentee ballots because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Associated Press reports.
The elections board had lengthened the deadline as part of a legal settlement made in September with the North Carolina Alliance for Retired Americans, a union-affiliated group. The conditions of the settlement also loosened requirements for fixing absentee ballots that lacked a witness signature. North Carolina Republicans and President Donald Trump's campaign filed separate legal appeals asking the Supreme Court to reverse the decision, arguing that state election law specified a three-day deadline to turn in mail-in ballots. They said the State Board of Elections had usurped the legislature's constitutional authority.
The Supreme Court's majority rejected this argument. Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Clarence Thomas dissented, saying they would have granted the Republicans' request to block the deadline extension. Justice Gorsuch argued that the state legislature had already made accommodations for the coronavirus pandemic by permitting absentee ballots to be counted up to three days after Election Day.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett did not participate in the decision "because of the need for a prompt resolution and because she has not had time to fully review the parties' filings," a court spokeswoman said.
North Carolina's Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein celebrated the court's decision in a statement.
"North Carolina voters had a huge win tonight at the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court upheld the State Board of Elections' effort to ensure that every eligible vote counts, even during a pandemic," he said. "Voters must have their mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day, but now we all have certainty that every eligible vote will be counted. Let's vote!"
Republican state Senate leader Phil Berger warned that public confidence in the election would be undermined by extended ballot deadlines.
"The question is simple: May unelected bureaucrats on a state panel controlled by one political party overrule election laws passed by legislatures, even after ballots have already been cast? If public confidence in elections is important to our system of government, then hopefully the answer to that question is no," Berger said in a statement.
In another election-related decision released Wednesday, the Supreme Court declined a request from Pennsylvania Republicans to fast-track their challenge to an extended absentee-ballot deadline in their state.
CNBC reports that Republicans wish to reverse a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision extending the deadline for absentee ballots to be counted by three days to Nov. 6. The case will not be resolved before Election Day, but if the court ultimately rules in favor of Republicans, ballots collected after 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, may be disqualified.


theblaze--2020-10-29--FBI says Whitmer kidnap plotter also wanted to hang Trump and Republicans, dismantling Democrats' na

FBI says Whitmer kidnap plotter also wanted to hang Trump and Republicans, dismantling Democrats' narrative

FBI says Whitmer kidnap plotter also wanted to hang Trump and Republicans , dismantling Democrats ' narrative Alleged member of @ @ @ @ @ also made threats against South Carolina GOP Gov .
Henry McMaster

A man charged in an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan's governor also reportedly wanted to harm President Donald Trump, according to the FBI. The allegations would seem to disprove the accusations made by several Democrats that the plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) was inspired by President Trump's rhetoric.
Barry Croft, a Delaware resident, is one of six men charged in federal court with conspiracy to kidnap. The men are reportedly members of an extremist paramilitary group that was allegedly planning to kidnap Whitmer because of her restrictive lockdown orders in Michigan.
According to posts on social media, Croft threatened to hurt and hang Democrats, as well as Republicans. Croft made threats against present and former elected leaders in private Facebook posts, special agent Kristopher Long said. Croft posted a hit list on Facebook, which included Trump and former presidents, according to the Detroit News.
"I say we hang everything currently governing us, they're all guilty!!!" Croft wrote in May on his Facebook page. There was also an image of President Trump with the caption: "Wanna hang this mf'er too..."
In late June, Croft shared a photo of a noose on Facebook that listed people he wanted to see "hang," including former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), as well as "Democrats, liberals, Muslims" and "all anti-Americans."
According to the FBI, Croft wrote on the post, "The entire sitting government, is initiating the self destruct sequence. This is an outrage and will be answered!!!%. [sic]"
Another post reportedly said, "I say we hang everything currently governing us, they're all guilty!!% And what a deterrent, Rope!!!%"
Another social media post read, "Which Governor is going to end up dragged off, and hung for treason first?"
"There is not one ------------ serving in this bull---- government that I don't want to take, stick to a ------------- tree, and dangle...," Croft said in a Facebook video on May 28, the Detroit News reported.
"I'm for hanging Democrats, Republicans and Libertarians," Croft reportedly posted on Facebook on or about June 24.
Croft, 44, allegedly wanted to "go to war against the government of North Carolina."
According to the affidavit, Croft had a conversation with an unidentified person where "potential acts of violence" in South Carolina were discussed. On May 4, Croft made a veiled threat against South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, who is a Republican.
"I'll be in Columbia, SC on Friday," Croft reportedly wrote. "They say they want their Governor in custody. ... I want to grab them all, and hold trial."
"Yup. I'm going. With Sword," Croft allegedly said online.
Croft also purportedly said, "I'll die in defense of the constitution."
In April, Facebook was said to have shut down Croft's account for violating the company's "policy prohibiting certain speech or actions." However, Croft started a new Facebook account and continued to post anti-government rantings, according to the affidavit.
One of the other suspects charged in the alleged kidnapping plot is Brandon Caserta. The 32-year-old is known as "Debased Tyrant," and was seen on video calling President Trump a "tyrant" and "enemy." Footage shows an anarchist flag in the background of the room.
Numerous Democrats blamed President Trump for the extremists' scheme to kidnap Gov. Whitmer. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden hinted that Trump was at fault for encouraging domestic terrorists.
"It's the sort of behavior you might expect from ISIS and it should shock the conscience of every American. Every American," Biden said on Oct. 16. "And the failure to condemn these folks is stunning from the outset."
"When the president tweeted, 'liberate Michigan,' 'liberate Michigan,' that's the call that was heard. That was the dog whistle," Biden said.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) also blamed Trump by referencing his April tweet regarding Whitmer's coronavirus lockdown of Michigan that read: "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!"
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, also a Democrat, suggested that President Trump inspires harassment of his foes.
"There's not a day that goes by that I don't get some kind of harassment," Lightfoot said during a news conference on Oct. 8. "There is a real cause and effect when the President names me in a disparaging way, which is usually what he does, and people feeling like they have license to make what I regard as real threats."
Whitmer has blamed Trump on multiple occasions of inciting the kidnapping plot against her.
"Hate groups heard the president's words not as a rebuke, but as a rallying cry," Whitmer said earlier this month. "When our leaders speak, their words matter. They carry weight. When our leaders meet, encourage or fraternize with domestic terrorists, they legitimize their actions and they are complicit. When they stoke and contribute to hate speech, they are complicit."
President Trump fired back at Whitmer, and once again called for the governor to re-open Michigan.
"Governor Whitmer of Michigan has done a terrible job. She locked down her state for everyone, except her husband's boating activities. The Federal Government provided tremendous help to the Great People of Michigan," the president retorted.
"My Justice Department and Federal Law Enforcement announced today that they foiled a dangerous plot against the Governor of Michigan. Rather than say thank you, she calls me a White Supremacist—while Biden and Democrats refuse to condemn Antifa, Anarchists, Looters and Mobs that burn down Democrat run cities," Trump tweeted.
"I do not tolerate ANY extreme violence. Defending ALL Americans, even those who oppose and attack me, is what I will always do as your President!" Trump concluded. "Governor Whitmer—open up your state, open up your schools, and open up your churches!"
On Oct. 16, a federal judge in Grand Rapids, Michigan, ruled during a preliminary hearing that there was enough evidence against Croft and five other suspects in the alleged kidnapping plot to send the case to a grand jury for possible indictments.
Defense lawyers have portrayed their clients as "big talkers" exercising their First Amendment rights, who never intended to carry out any violence. However, investigators note that some of the suspects surveilled Whitmer's vacation home in northern Michigan and agreed to purchase explosives and tactical gear.
"You're crossing a pretty serious line when you go in the middle of the night in multiple cars and stage up at a gas station and … you go to the house of the sitting governor of the state to go surveil their house at night," Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler said.


theblaze--2020-10-29--UPS says it has found the contents of Tucker Carlson's lost package reportedly 'damning' to the Bide

UPS says it has found the contents of Tucker Carlson's lost package reportedly 'damning' to the Biden family

UPS says it has found the contents of Tucker Carlson 's lost package reportedly 'damning ' to the Biden family @ @ @ @ @ of the package and are arranging for its return '

United Parcel Service announced Thursday that after an extensive search it has located the contents of the package that Fox News host Tucker Carlson complained had been somehow lost in transit.
Carlson reported Wednesday night that he was expecting the shipment of a "collection of confidential documents related to the Biden family" which his team had obtained, but that the package containing the "damning" information had mysteriously never arrived. Instead, he reported someone at the shipping company had opened the package and removed its contents.
It was revealed Thursday morning that the shipping company used by Carlson's team was UPS. The Fox News host's producer had reportedly shipped the package using the overnight service from the show's New York office to Los Angeles, where Carlson was interviewing former Hunter Biden associate Tony Bobulinski.
For a moment, it appeared that the information would be lost forever, but according to TheWrap, now the contents of the package have been found.
"After an extensive search, we have found the contents of the package and are arranging for its return," UPS told the news outlet Thursday. "UPS will always focus first on our customers, and will never stop working to solve issues and make things right. We work hard to ensure every package is delivered, including essential goods, precious family belongings and critical healthcare."
TheWrap noted that UPS did not indicate how soon the package might be delivered to Carlson. Nor did the company offer any information about how or why the package was lost or misplaced.
Carlson had reported that UPS "went far and beyond" in its search for the package ahead Wednesday's show, "but they found nothing."
"[They] went through the office in New York where our producer dropped that package off ... [and] combed the entire, cavernous sorting facility," he added. "They used pictures of what we had sent so that searchers would know what to look for."
At the time, he said "the company has no idea — and no working theory, even — about what happened to this trove of materials, documents that are directly relevant to the presidential campaign."
Fox News has yet to comment on the retrieval of the information.


theblaze--2020-10-29--Source: Hunter Biden's gun was taken by Hallie Biden in 2018, thrown into a supermarket garbage can,

Source: Hunter Biden's gun was taken by Hallie Biden in 2018, thrown into a supermarket garbage can, went missing — and no arrests were made

Source : Hunter Biden 's gun was taken by Hallie Biden in 2018 , thrown into a supermarket garbage can @ @ @ @ @ no arrests were made The source also said the Secret Service and ATF visited the @ @ @ @ @ the gun prior to any report being filed

A source with knowledge of the situation has revealed to TheBlaze that in October 2018, Hunter Biden's handgun was taken from his vehicle without his knowledge by Hallie Biden — the widow of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's son Beau — and she placed it in a garbage can outside a Delaware supermarket.
But after a subsequent search, the gun couldn't be found, the source said. And after law enforcement was contacted and both Hunter Biden and Hallie Biden were questioned, the source said no arrests were made and no charges were filed.
Delaware State Police on Thursday told TheBlaze the case was referred for a decision on prosecution to the Delaware Department of Justice, which has not yet returned TheBlaze's request for comment on this case.
In addition, the source also said agents from the United States Secret Service as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives visited the shop where Hunter Biden purchased the gun prior to any report being filed.
What are the details?
In 2018, Hallie Biden and Hunter Biden were in a relationship and had gone public with it a year before. They ended their relationship in 2019. On the date of the incident in question — Oct. 23, 2018 — the source with knowledge told TheBlaze that Hallie Biden searched through Hunter Biden's vehicle, found a handgun, removed it, and then later threw it in a garbage can outside a supermarket.
The source added that later Hallie Biden contacted Hunter Biden, told him what she did, and that Hunter Biden told her to go back and get the gun — but upon attempting that, she couldn't find the gun.
When Hunter Biden arrived at the supermarket, the source with knowledge said he told law enforcement the gun was purchased earlier in October, that he used it for target practice, and that he kept it in his vehicle instead of Hallie Biden's house so it was not near her children.
Neither Hallie Biden nor Hunter Biden were forthcoming on why Hallie Biden would take the gun and throw it in a supermarket trash can, the source with knowledge said.
The source added to TheBlaze that when Hunter Biden was asked by law enforcement if he had contacted anyone about this incident, he asked if that meant his father, Joe Biden, and then said, "I have never called my dad for anything" and that he always handled his own affairs.
After about two hours no gun was located, and the source with knowledge said law enforcement let Hunter Biden and Hallie Biden leave the scene of the incident. The source added that Hunter Biden retrieved the case for the gun, which included its serial number, and turned it over to law enforcement. The source then said a description of the gun and its serial number were entered into the National Crime Information Center site, and a face page was completed for a Theft of Firearm report.
The scenario potentially implicates a number of Delaware laws, including laws that make it a crime to leave a loaded firearm where children might easily retrieve it.
Visit by Secret Service and ATF
The source with knowledge also said ATF and Secret Service agents visited the shop where Hunter Biden purchased the gun prior to any report being filed.
The source said the ATF asked the shop owner for the file on Hunter Biden's gun purchase — and that a copy was provided. In addition, the source said Secret Service agents also visited the shop prior to any report being filed, and that they needed to find the gun.
It was not immediately clear why the Secret Service would have properly been involved in the investigation since Hunter Biden's last day of Secret Service protection was July 8, 2014.
This story has been updated


theblaze--2020-10-29--Bill Maher demolishes Democrats as 'loser party,' says late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg 'should have

Bill Maher demolishes Democrats as 'loser party,' says late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg 'should have quit' during Obama administration

Bill Maher demolishes Democrats as 'loser party , ' says late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg 'should have quit ' during @ @ @ @ @ like her death was a shock '

HBO host Bill Maher said this week that the Democrats are the "loser" party and that late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg should have resigned during former President Barack Obama's presidency.
What are the details?
In remarks on Monday's episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Maher — who hosts HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" — said that Ginsburg's death wasn't surprising, and that Democrats should have prepared better to avoid the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
In remarks to Maher, host Jimmy Kimmel lauded the HBO host and his panel for the way they pivoted to the news of Ginsburg's death, which came in the middle of a live taping of "Real Time."
"Well, it's not like her death was a shock," Maher responded.
A clearly flustered Kimmel responded, "Well, it was — it was, though."
Maher fired back, "Really? She was 100 and had cancer, like, a million times. I mean, she was a great justice, but she should've quit. ... She should've quit."
Kimmel answered, "You think so?"
"Of course! Because they we wouldn't have nutso," he said, referring to newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who was approved Monday by the Senate to fill the vacancy left by Ginsburg's death.
What did Obama say?
Maher added that Obama reportedly told Ginsburg in 2013 that she should retire while he was still in office.
"The Democratic plan for the Supreme Court was 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg doesn't die.' And that's why they're such a loser party," he explained. "I vote for them, but they don't know how to do politics. I mean, Obama did have her over to the office, you know, when he was still in office to hint. ... She should've taken the hint. I mean, as great as she was in many ways, that really puts us in a bad place because as I keep trying to say on my show, power begets power. When you lose power, you keep losing it."
Maher added that Barrett's recent appointment is especially problematic for Democrats and could have long-lasting implications as soon as next week's presidential election.
"We lose presidential elections, they appoint justices, so now the Supreme Court is 6-3," he reasoned. "That's going to go on for a very long time. If the election winds up in the court, who do you think they're going to go with? We saw what happened with Bush v. Gore. That's what I mean. You lose power and then you lose it again."


theblaze--2020-10-29--Wisconsin GOP says hackers stole $2.3 million from its coffers just days before the election; FBI is

Wisconsin GOP says hackers stole $2.3 million from its coffers just days before the election; FBI is investigating

Wisconsin GOP says hackers stole $ 2.3 million from its coffers just days before the election ; FBI is investigating

Officials with the Wisconsin Republican Party told the Associated Press on Thursday that hackers broke into the party's coffers and stole $2.3 million designated for promoting the re-election of President Donald Trump.
According to the AP, GOP officials discovered the hack on Oct. 22 and called the FBI on Friday.
Wisconsin Party Chairman Andrew Hitt told the outlet that the FBI has launched an investigation into the theft. The AP said the FBI has yet to respond to inquiries about the alleged theft.
The timing of the hack comes as the Trump campaign is attempting to ward off the efforts of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and repeat its surprise victory of 2016.
The Badger State has been seen during the entire 2020 election cycle as a key battleground state after Trump beat Hillary Clinton there in 2016 after she infamously took the state for granted and barely campaigned there. Trump took the state by only 23,000 votes.
How did this happen?
Hitt told the AP that the hackers were able to steal the funds by altering vendor invoices.
From the AP:
Hitt said the hackers manipulated invoices from four vendors who were being paid for direct mail for Trump's reelection efforts as well as for pro-Trump material such as hats to be handed out to supporters. Invoices and other documents were altered so when the party paid them for the services rendered, the money went to the hackers instead of the vendors, Hitt said.
The hack was discovered after someone noticed that an invoice was generated that should not have been, he said.
How is the race going in Wisconsin?
Polls in the state have varied wildly over the last week.
For example, a Washington Post/ABC News poll reported Wednesday showed Biden with a 17-point lead over Trump, 57% to 40%. The poll was conducted Oct. 20-25.
However, a new Trafalgar Group poll conducted Oct. 24-25 showed Biden with lead of less than half a point, 47.5% to 47.1%
According to RealClearPolitics' average of polls, Biden currently leads Trump by an average of 6.4 percentage points.
The RealClearPolitics site shows that on this date (Oct. 29) four years ago, Hillary Clinton led Donald Trump by an average of 6.2 points. She had a 6.5-point lead going into Election Day.


theblaze--2020-10-29--Report: All of the Bobulinski material reviewed by Congress so far has been verified

Report : All of the Bobulinski material reviewed by Congress so far has been verified So much for 'Russian disinformation @

The Senate committee tasked with verifying materials submitted to Congress by former Hunter Biden business associate Tony Bobulinski has found all of the material reviewed so far to be legitimate.
Bobulinski submitted materials to the FBI and to Congress last week that he said proved the Biden family — including Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden — leveraged their family name to broker a partnership with CEFC China Energy Co. in 2017. Bobulinski was a member of the business consortium that dealt with the Chinese firm before things went south.
A spokesperson for Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, told the Daily Caller on Wednesday that all of the electronic devices and records of business dealings reviewed to date have been verified. The spokesperson also reportedly said that committee has not come across any "signs" or evidence to suggest the content is false.
The news appears to be a stunning rebuke of Democratic lawmakers and former intelligence officials, who have maintained that the Hunter Biden scandal stemming from the New York Post's reporting and Bobulinski's claims is part of a Russian disinformation campaign aimed at swaying the election.
The same laws that prohibit individuals from lying or submitting false information to Congress through verbal or written testimony also apply to the material Bobulinski submitted last week. As such, Johnson also told the Daily Caller that the lengthy review process will prevent the committee from calling Bobulinski to testify ahead of next week's election.
Bobulinski was supposed to appear before the committee last week but that was postponed after the FBI requested an interview with him over his allegations. In a statement, Johnson said he was happy that the FBI was taking the matter seriously.
"I appreciate that the FBI has a job to do, and I am glad they are finally taking an interest in these concerning financial matters that our Committees have been investigating for months," Johnson said. "I expect that Mr. Bobulinski will speak with our committee as soon as possible and fully share his insights into the Biden family's business dealings."
In September, Johnson and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) published a lengthy conflicts-of interests report about the Biden family which they said "revealed millions of dollars in questionable financial transactions between Hunter Biden and his associates and foreign individuals."
Among many findings, the report discovered that "on Aug. 8, 2017, CEFC Infrastructure Investment wired $5 million to the bank account for Hudson West III," most of which would later be rerouted to the Hunter Biden-owned Owasco firm.


theblaze--2020-10-29--POLL: Do you think coronavirus mandates are impacted by the upcoming election?

POLL : Do you think coronavirus mandates are impacted by the upcoming election ?
Cast your vote and do n't @ @ @ @

POLL: Do you think coronavirus mandates are impacted by the upcoming election?
Cast your vote and don't forget to share!


theblaze--2020-10-29--NY Times reporter: 'Intensity of tweets' from conservatives 'looking to amplify/draw attention to' P

NY Times reporter: 'Intensity of tweets' from conservatives 'looking to amplify/draw attention to' Philly looting is 'remarkable.' So is the backlash.

NY Times reporter : 'Intensity of tweets ' from conservatives 'looking to amplify/draw attention to ' Philly looting is 'remarkable @ @ @ @ @ backlash .
'Sorry but your efforts to suppress the facts wo n't work here , @ @ @ @

New York Times investigative reporter Eric Lipton noted Wednesday how conservatives were reacting on Twitter to Philadelphia looting on the heels of the fatal police shooting Walter Wallace Jr., a black man, who approached officers while reportedly armed with a knife Monday:
"Watching my Twitter feed since last night very notable the intensity of tweets from conservative voices looking to amplify/draw attention to looting in Phila," Lipton tweeted. "Yes it happened. NYT covered it as well. Just remarkable how conservatives want to elevate it."
What did folks react to the tweet?
While left-leaning commenters naturally backed up Lipton's observation, others didn't appreciate the reporter's dismay in regard to a legitimate angle of a legitimate news story, regardless of who is negatively portrayed:
"It is telling that progressives don't think it is particularly newsworthy when an American city is lit on fire and looted," one commenter said.
"Yes - you're right. It is very notable how 'conservative voices' tell people the truth while liberal media tries to hide it," another commenter noted.
"They are burning the city and no one should mention it on a mass social media site?" one user added. "My God the cover work must be exhausting."
"Sorry but your efforts to suppress the facts won't work here," another user noted. "We all know exactly what happens in Democratic run cities like Philadelphia where police are told to stand down and violence is allowed to fester. The Democrats are the party of violence."
"What a pompous response to the people who have had their business destroyed," another commenter said.
One commenter floated the following zinger:
Image source: Twitter
Anything else?
In case certain news organizations are doing their best to not "amplify/draw attention to" looting in Philadelphia, perhaps you'll find it enlightening to know that the city's deputy police commissioner reportedly obstructed the police response to the looting.
WTXF-TV reporter Steve Keeley tweeted Wednesday morning that police officers were "extremely frustrated" after Deputy Police Commissioner Melvin Singleton allegedly ordered both patrol and commanding officers to "not arrest looters just disperse them."
"By the order of CAR-2, Philadelphia Police will respond to 'priority' calls only," the alleged directive from the department obtained by Keeley said. "This means no calls for disturbance, missing person, stolen vehicle, burglary or theft will be answered."
Keeley added that some officers believe the order "leaves no deterrent to stop looting."


theblaze--2020-10-29--Jeremy Corbyn suspended from UK Labour Party after report says party committed 'unlawful acts of har

Jeremy Corbyn suspended from UK Labour Party after report says party committed 'unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination' under his watch

Jeremy Corbyn suspended from UK Labour Party after report says party committed 'unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination ' under @ @ @ @ @ accept the report 's conclusions led to his ouster

Controversial former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been suspended by the Labour Party and has had the whip removed after he refused to accept the conclusions of a damning report that was released Thursday, accusing him of gross failures to confront anti-Semitism within his party.
The 130-page report was compiled by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, a statutory non-departmental government agency that operates independently to "safeguarding and enforcing the laws that protect people's rights to fairness, dignity and respect."
The report detailed a litany of alleged failings by Corbyn and the party, and specifically stated that on at least two occasions, party officers committed acts of "unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination" against Jewish people and their allies. The report also stated that on numerous occasions, ordinary party members who did not have official roles committed such acts.
The report further claimed that, when complaints were made about this harassment, the party demonstrated "significant failings" and a "lack of leadership" in how it responded to the complaints when they were filed. Specifically, the report faulted the party for allowing some investigations to be influenced by political pressure, and additionally found that, "Some complaints were unjustifiably not investigated at all."
The report went on to claim that there existed "a culture within the party which, at best, did not do enough to prevent antisemitism and, at worst, could be seen to accept it."
Current Labour leader Keir Starmer accepted the conclusions of the report, calling this a "day of shame" for Labour and saying, "If you're anti-Semitic, you should be nowhere near this party. And we'll make sure you're not."
Corbyn, meanwhile, reacted to the report with defiance, claiming that "the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party."
His defiance appears to have cost him his position within the party. According to statement released by a Labour spokesperson, "In light of his comments made today and his failure to retract them subsequently, the Labour Party has suspended Jeremy Corbyn pending investigation. He has also had the whip removed from the Parliamentary Labour Party."
Corbyn stepped down as Labour leader in December after Labour suffered a crushing electoral loss that saw them lose 60 seats and caused Starmer to admit that Labour had utterly failed to address the concerns of ordinary Brits. However, he promised that under his leadership, Labour would become a "competent, credible opposition."


theblaze--2020-10-29--Police find van loaded with explosives in Philadelphia; looting and rioting continues in city despit

Police find van loaded with explosives in Philadelphia; looting and rioting continues in city despite curfew

Police find van loaded with explosives in Philadelphia ; looting and rioting continues in city despite curfew At least 200 @ @ @ @ @ already struggling in the midst of the pandemic , were the targets of massive looting @ @ @

Philadelphia police have launched an investigation after discovering a van that was reportedly loaded with explosives and suspicious items around 10 p.m. Wednesday night. The bomb squad and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives were called in to assist with the investigation.
Inside the abandoned van were explosives, such as propane tanks, dynamite sticks, and torches, according to WPVI-TV. The van was reportedly found at Logan Circle, a large traffic circle with a park and gardens in Philly's Center City neighborhood in the city's museum district.
No one was in the van when police approached the vehicle, but an eyewitness told WCAU-TV that they saw a man running away from the van.
The identity of the owner of the van has not been revealed, and no arrests have been made.
Philadelphia police have reported that explosives have been used to try to breach ATMs during the riots. WTXF-TV reported that authorities responded to four reports of explosives being detonated near automated teller machines in North Philadelphia between 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and 5 a.m. Wednesday. Police say the cashboxes were still intact after the explosions and the suspects could not steal the money, but significant damage was done to the machines.
This week's protests that have escalated into looting and fiery riots were sparked by Monday's police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr., who reportedly wielded a knife and charged at officers. Police fired 14 shots, killing Wallace.
During the first night of riots, dozens of businesses were looted, and at least 30 Philadelphia police officers were injured, 12 were hospitalized. Looting continued a second night in Philadelphia, including at a Five Below store, where BlazeTV reporter Elijah Schaffer was assaulted by looters.
Philadelphia instituted a citywide curfew from 9 p.m. Wednesday until 6 a.m. Thursday. Despite the curfew, there was still looting in the city on Wednesday night.
More than half of the stores in a northeast Philadelphia strip mall were vandalized Wednesday night, according to KYW-TV.
"One of the stores' managers told the station a group of about 12 to 15 people drove up to the shopping center at about midnight and went business by business, smashing doors and windows," KYW-TV news reporter Jan Carabeo noted.
In a different part of the city, a Lord & Taylor and other businesses were damaged by rioters.
No arrests were reported.
"City officials said at least 200 businesses, many of them already struggling in the midst of the pandemic, were the targets of massive looting across the city," WCAU-TV reported. "To assist police, an undetermined number of Pennsylvania National Guard troops will soon be arriving in the city."
"I have requested the assistance of the Pennsylvania National Guard," Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said. "Their role, first and foremost, will be to safeguard property and prevent looting. They will also provide assistance for our police department and other operational departments as needed."
The Pennsylvania National Guard troops will begin arriving in Philadelphia on Friday, Kenney said during a virtual news conference on Wednesday.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw delivered an update regarding the investigation into the police shooting death of Wallace.
"As I said yesterday, this investigation has many moving parts and we are working hard to ensure that a fair and thorough investigation takes place," Outlaw said. "We plan on releasing premise history audio of 911 calls and bodycam footage of the discharging officers in the near future.
"We will be meeting with members of Mr. Wallace's family, to ensure they get an opportunity to view the materials first," Outlaw continued.
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 President John McNesby commented on the investigation.
"We're calling on the city leadership to release the facts of this case, it's not hard, it's cut and dry. Release what you have," McNesby said.


theblaze--2020-10-29--US economy tops projections, posts largest-ever GDP increase in third quarter just days before the e

US economy tops projections, posts largest-ever GDP increase in third quarter just days before the election

US economy tops projections , posts largest-ever GDP increase in third quarter just days before the election Will it boost @ @ @ @

The United States economy posted a record-breaking rebound in the third quarter and has gone a long way toward recovering from the devastation reaped by the coronavirus-related shutdowns, according to new data released by the Commerce Department.
From July through September, the U.S. gross domestic product grew by 7.4%, which equals an annualized rate of 33.1%, the Bureau of Economic Analysis announced in a news release on Thursday. It's the largest quarterly GDP gain ever recorded.
Image Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
The news, which comes just five days before the election, could provide a boost to President Donald Trump's re-election chances. The president will undoubtedly tout the new numbers as evidence that he has successfully led the country through difficult economic times.
Though economists largely expected the GDP to rebound at an unprecedented rate in the third quarter, Bloomberg News noted that the increase still managed to top economists' most recent prediction of a 32% increase, and blew away their forecast of an 18% increase from a few months ago.
The third-quarter gains were powered by major increases in consumer spending and business and residential investment, according to the BEA news release. The industries that benefitted most from increased consumer spending were health care, food services, motor vehicles, and clothing and footwear.
While the latest update is certainly good news for the economy, it should be noted that the third quarter gains followed the second quarter's 31.4% plunge, which was also a record-breaking number. The economy is still climbing out of the deep hole it plunged into in April and May as the pandemic thrust the nation into an economic standstill.
According to The Hill, about 10.7 million of the more than 20 million jobs lost during the pandemic have yet to be recovered. The nation's unemployment rate has improved to 7.9% over the last several months, but that figure is still more than double its pre-pandemic level.
"This is going to be seized upon by both ends of the political spectrum as either evidence of the strength of the post-lockdown economic rebound or a cursory warning that the gains could be short-lived," James McCann, senior global economist at Aberdeen Standard Investments, told CNBC.
"[But] the reality is that the GDP numbers demonstrate that the U.S. economy did indeed rebound strongly as lockdown measures were lifted," he added.


theblaze--2020-10-30--Cybersecurity expert reportedly authenticates NY Post's Hunter Biden email; mainstream media largely

Cybersecurity expert reportedly authenticates NY Post's Hunter Biden email; mainstream media largely silent

A cybersecurity expert says that Hunter Biden 's email regarding former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee meeting with a Ukrainian businessman is authentic .
Earlier this month , the New York Post reported that Rudy Giuliani , President Donald Trump 's personal lawyer , handed over a copy of a laptop 's hard drive to the outlet .
Giuliani insisted that the laptop belonged to Hunter , and was handed over by a Wilmington , Delaware , computer repair shop owner .
The former vice president 's presidential campaign has denied any involvement in the alleged meeting .
Neither @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the authenticity of the emails obtained from the laptop or its hard drive at the time of this reporting .
What are the details ?
On Thursday , The Daily Caller News Foundation reported that Robert Graham — founder of cybersecurity firm Errata Security out of Georgia — said he was able to confirm the authenticity of Hunter 's email regarding his father , Joe , and an executive at Burisma Holdings .
The outlet reported that Graham was able to use cryptographic signature information found in the email 's metadata in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Ukrainian businessman Vadym Pozharsky to Hunter , who thanked the former vice president 's son for inviting him to Washington , D.C. , and providing `` an opportunity to meet your father and spent [ sic ] some time together '' — was legitimate and authentic .
The investigative report also revealed that Graham used DomainKeys Identified Mail — or DKIM signature — to verify with a private key on Google servers that the sender and recipient as well as the content of the email were not changed in an attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported , `` Graham , who has been cited as a cybersecurity expert in The Washington Post , the Associated Press , Wired , Engadget and other news and technology outlets , told the DCNF that he used a cryptographic signature found in the email 's metadata to validate that Vadym Pozharsky , an advisor to Burisma 's board of directors , emailed Hunter Biden on April 17 , 2015 .
Graham used the DKIM signature within the email to verify with a private key on Google 's servers that the sender , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the message that the DCNF obtained from Giuliani were unchanged from when the email was originally sent in April 2015 . ''
`` Graham previously told the DCNF that emails sent from Gmail , such as Pozharski 's message to Hunter Biden , can be 'absolutely verified beyond a shadow of a doubt ' by testing its contents against the unique DKIM signature found in its metadata , '' the outlet added .
Graham told the outlet , `` [ C ] ommitting criminal hacking does n't make true information any less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they gathered emails , the contents are provably legitimate . ''

A cybersecurity expert says that Hunter Biden's email regarding former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee meeting with a Ukrainian businessman is authentic.
Earlier this month, the New York Post reported that Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, handed over a copy of a laptop's hard drive to the outlet. Giuliani insisted that the laptop belonged to Hunter, and was handed over by a Wilmington, Delaware, computer repair shop owner.
The former vice president's presidential campaign has denied any involvement in the alleged meeting.
Neither Hunter nor Joe have issued remarks on the authenticity of the emails obtained from the laptop or its hard drive at the time of this reporting.
What are the details?
On Thursday, The Daily Caller News Foundation reported that Robert Graham — founder of cybersecurity firm Errata Security out of Georgia — said he was able to confirm the authenticity of Hunter's email regarding his father, Joe, and an executive at Burisma Holdings.
The outlet reported that Graham was able to use cryptographic signature information found in the email's metadata in order to verify that the message — purportedly from Ukrainian businessman Vadym Pozharsky to Hunter, who thanked the former vice president's son for inviting him to Washington, D.C., and providing "an opportunity to meet your father and spent [sic] some time together" — was legitimate and authentic.
The investigative report also revealed that Graham used DomainKeys Identified Mail — or DKIM signature — to verify with a private key on Google servers that the sender and recipient as well as the content of the email were not changed in an attempt to fabricate a fake message.
The outlet reported, "Graham, who has been cited as a cybersecurity expert in The Washington Post, the Associated Press, Wired, Engadget and other news and technology outlets, told the DCNF that he used a cryptographic signature found in the email's metadata to validate that Vadym Pozharsky, an advisor to Burisma's board of directors, emailed Hunter Biden on April 17, 2015. Graham used the DKIM signature within the email to verify with a private key on Google's servers that the sender, recipient, subject, date and body of the message that the DCNF obtained from Giuliani were unchanged from when the email was originally sent in April 2015."
"Graham previously told the DCNF that emails sent from Gmail, such as Pozharski's message to Hunter Biden, can be 'absolutely verified beyond a shadow of a doubt' by testing its contents against the unique DKIM signature found in its metadata," the outlet added.
Graham told the outlet, "[C]ommitting criminal hacking doesn't make true information any less true, so no matter how illegitimately they gathered emails, the contents are provably legitimate."


theblaze--2020-10-30--Walmart pulls all guns, ammo from stores' shelves, citing potential post-election social unrest and

Walmart pulls all guns, ammo from stores' shelves, citing potential post-election social unrest and violence

Walmart pulls all guns , ammo from stores ' shelves , citing potential post-election social unrest and violence

Walmart announced on Thursday that it would be removing all guns and ammunition from sales floor displays ahead of the 2020 presidential election, which will take place on Tuesday.
The move is said to be an attempt to tamp down the potential for theft of firearms if any of the company's stores are broken into amid ongoing social unrest across the country.
What are the details?
In a statement, Walmart spokesperson Kory Lundberg told CNN Business, "We have seen some isolated civil unrest and as we have done on several occasions over the last few years, we have moved our firearms and ammunition off the sales floor as a precaution for the safety of our associates and customers."
The items, according to the spokesperson, will remain available for purchase.
Fox Business reported that in an internal memo to store managers on Wednesday, Walmart requested staffers to yank guns and ammo from shelves "due to the current unrest in isolated areas of the country and out of an abundance of caution."
Of the move, Bloomberg tweeted, "Walmart has temporarily pulled ammunition and guns off its shelves ahead of any possible civil unrest that could take place following next week's election[.]"
What else?
According to Buzzfeed News, the outlet pointed out that it sells guns and ammo in approximately 50% of its stores across the country.
The company made a similar decision over the summer following the death of George Floyd and subsequent protests and looting.
Walmart's announcement also comes in the wake of mass protests and looting in Philadelphia following the police-involved shooting of Walter Wallace Jr.
On Tuesday, local authorities announced that a "large crowd of 1000 is looting businesses" in the Port Richmond neighborhood.
The news of the latest decision was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.


theblaze--2020-10-30--Horowitz: Man accused of killing 3 in car accident minutes after bragging about drunk driving had be

Horowitz: Man accused of killing 3 in car accident minutes after bragging about drunk driving had been granted asylum

Horowitz : Man accused of killing 3 in car accident minutes after bragging about drunk driving had been granted asylum @ @ @ @ @ been in the US

Three dead Texans allegedly killed by a foreign national recently granted asylum should serve as the latest reminder that we have not fixed our border problems and that there is a lot to do in the coming second term of President Trump.
Anyone who listened to the debate last Thursday night probably noticed that the entire discussion on immigration was a zero-sum game of compassion for illegal aliens. How well would you treat illegal aliens? How much amnesty would you offer? What was never discussed were the thousands of forgotten Americans who have been killed by criminal aliens who should never have been in the country.
On Wednesday, the New York Post posted a video of Camilo Morejon, 47, a "Texas man," swigging beer while driving outside Houston, Texas, as he boasted in Spanish about his ability to drive better while drinking alcohol. Just minutes later, according to prosecutors, he crashed into a silver Honda, killing all three of its occupants.
As tragic and avoidable as these deaths are, they were even more preventable because in a functioning immigration system, Morejon would never have been in the country. You see, Morejon is not an ordinary "Texas man." According to a timeline of his immigration status obtained from a DHS official by TheBlaze, Camilo Morejon Ordas was one of the many illegal aliens who entered our country during the wave of false asylum claims in 2018-2019 and was swiftly granted status without much verification.
According to DHS records, Morejon sought entry without appropriate documentation and requested asylum as a Cuban national at Laredo, Texas, "on or about September 17, 2018." He was granted asylum on March 15, 2019, was released into the country, and just a few weeks later already had a pending 1-485 for a green card application. On September 25, 2020, he received an employment authorization document (EAD) allowing him to work in the country.
"This man never produced any documentation that he even hailed from Cuba," complained the senior DHS official. "We barely know anything about him, yet he was waived through and was on track for citizenship when he allegedly murdered three Americans. This is the problem with policies that are left over from the Cold War designed to undermine Castro being in place at a time when the Cuban regime may be sending criminals to undermine us."
Where do Americans go for asylum from criminal aliens, against whom our government is supposed to protect us? This is why we have a vetting system for immigration, so that we know that, among the many good and bad people in this world, we only bring in exceptional citizens.
As I've written before at length, there is a particularly acute drunk driving problem among those who come here illegally from Latin America. Sadly, just four months ago, three retired cops from a motorcycle club were killed on their bikes by a drunk-driving illegal alien who had been granted DACA and released from jail without being deported, despite prior arrests for assault and DUIs.
Just last week, Texas lost a veteran Houston cop at the hands of an illegal alien who should have been deported on numerous occasions. Harold Preston was a 41-year veteran of the Houston police force who was about to retire when he was called to the scene of domestic abuse on the night of October 20. Preston came back to his family in a body bag that next day because he was shot by 51-year-old El Salvador national Elmer Manzano after he and another officer came to investigate the domestic fight.
Who is Elmer Manzano? He had been in the country illegally for decades, but despite six felonies, including two assault convictions, evading police, and probation violations, he was never deported. He barely served time behind bars. This is the classic toxic mix of lack of immigration enforcement and weak criminal justice deterrent. It's bad enough that so many domestic criminals continue to cycle in and out of jail without any fear of punishment, but how can an illegal alien remain here while committing crimes?
In the case of Morejon, the presumed Cuban national who is accused of killing three in a drunk driving incident, it's unclear whether he had prior criminal arrests. However, what is clear is that our asylum system is tilted towards letting in anyone who asserts a claim rather than protecting Americans from the sort of violence perpetrated by these individuals. Watch the video again and ask yourself if this is someone who looks like an asylee.
Before America can become an asylum for legitimately peaceful, productive, and persecuted individuals, we must ensure that our country doesn't become like the countries from which they are supposedly fleeing. And that begins with a system that vets out only the best and the brightest of the world.