theblaze--2020-07-23--Satanic Temple announces 'Devil's Advocate Scholarship' for high school graduates

The Satanic Temple wants to award two lucky 2020 high school graduates with a `` Devil 's Advocate Scholarship '' this summer , CNN reported Wednesday .
The organization , which focuses its efforts on the separation of church and state , wants applicants to send in creative applications — essays , poetry , works of art — by the end of August .
It will then go through the submissions and give two $ 500 scholarships .
What 's all this then ?
The Satanic Temple 's mission , according to the group 's `` The Devil 's Advocate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encourage benevolence and empathy , reject tyrannical authority , advocate common sense , oppose injustice , and undertake noble pursuits '' by `` championing religious pluralism '' and `` protecting free-thought . ''
More from group about its take on education : The group 's founder , Malcolm Jarry , told CNN that the idea for the scholarship stemmed from an email he received from a high school student asking him for a letter of recommendation for a religious scholarship being offered at her high school .
`` I was disappointed that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that moment as an opportunity to offer our own scholarship that reflects our values , '' Jarry told the outlet .
`` In addition to promoting our values by honoring those who engage in pro-social rugged individualism , the scholarship allows students a rare opportunity to be critical of an institution that only rewards sycophantic adulation , '' he said .
How do I get my student in on this action ?
To apply for the scholarship , which opened Monday , students must answer one of two questions and be 2020 high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` What initiatives have you undertaken that are consistent with [ The Satanic Temple 's ] tenets and mission ? ''
Option No .
2 : `` Please discuss and describe in detail any one of the teachers who crushed your spirit , undermined your self-confidence , and made you hate every minute you were forced to be in school . ''
According to the website , `` Submissions can be in any reasonable form .
Suggestions for submission formats include , but are not limited to , an essay , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a film project , or another creative expression . ''
The only requirement is that the work `` must be original and the sole creation of the person submitting . ''
All submissions must be in by Aug. 31 .
Winners will be announced Sept. 15 .

They're satanists with hearts of gold.
The Satanic Temple wants to award two lucky 2020 high school graduates with a "Devil's Advocate Scholarship" this summer, CNN reported Wednesday.
The organization, which focuses its efforts on the separation of church and state, wants applicants to send in creative applications — essays, poetry, works of art — by the end of August. It will then go through the submissions and give two $500 scholarships.
What's all this then?
The Satanic Temple's mission, according to the group's "The Devil's Advocate Scholarship" webpage, is "to encourage benevolence and empathy, reject tyrannical authority, advocate common sense, oppose injustice, and undertake noble pursuits" by "championing religious pluralism" and "protecting free-thought."
More from group about its take on education:
The Satanic Temple advocates the protection of bodily autonomy and the pursuit of knowledge. TST views intellectual exploration as a critical component of individual fulfillment. Often, however, people confuse learning with schooling. While learning involves a self-directed approach to better one's understanding of things, schooling involves the imposition of an oppressive hierarchical structure that demands obedience to authority first and foremost and determines what knowledge should be disseminated and how it should be imparted. Compulsory schooling violates the fundamental civil rights of the children who are forced to attend. Schooling requires that students endure chronic stress along with a profound degree of tedium and boredom such that empathy is diminished, and depression and anxiety often ensue.
The group's founder, Malcolm Jarry, told CNN that the idea for the scholarship stemmed from an email he received from a high school student asking him for a letter of recommendation for a religious scholarship being offered at her high school.
"I was disappointed that she did not receive the scholarship and saw that moment as an opportunity to offer our own scholarship that reflects our values," Jarry told the outlet.
"In addition to promoting our values by honoring those who engage in pro-social rugged individualism, the scholarship allows students a rare opportunity to be critical of an institution that only rewards sycophantic adulation," he said.
How do I get my student in on this action?
To apply for the scholarship, which opened Monday, students must answer one of two questions and be 2020 high school graduates.
Option No. 1: "What initiatives have you undertaken that are consistent with [The Satanic Temple's] tenets and mission?"
Option No. 2: "Please discuss and describe in detail any one of the teachers who crushed your spirit, undermined your self-confidence, and made you hate every minute you were forced to be in school."
According to the website, "Submissions can be in any reasonable form. Suggestions for submission formats include, but are not limited to, an essay, a poem, a work of art, a film project, or another creative expression." The only requirement is that the work "must be original and the sole creation of the person submitting."
All submissions must be in by Aug. 31. Winners will be announced Sept. 15.
Good luck.


theblaze--2020-07-23--'He's an incompetent': Mark Levin rips Dr. Fauci for PRAISING New York's disastrous coronavirus resp

'He's an incompetent': Mark Levin rips Dr. Fauci for PRAISING New York's disastrous coronavirus response

'He 's an incompetent ' : Mark Levin rips Dr. Fauci for PRAISING New York 's disastrous coronavirus response

This week on "LevinTV," BlazeTV host Mark Levin ripped into White House health expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, who in a recent PBS interview praised New York as the model for fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
"We know that when you do it properly, you bring down those cases. We have done it. We have done it in New York," Fauci said of New York, the former COVID-19 epicenter.
More than 400,000 New Yorkers have been infected with COVID-19 since the pandemic began and at least 32,463 people have died in the state.
Levin called Fauci's statement "shocking," adding that Fauci's "gift of communication" gives him an odd sort of charisma, and that the mainstream media has consistently over-hyped his proficiency.
"It's clear, he's extremely political. He's been in government 50 years. He's an incompetent," Levin said of Fauci.
"He's been in this job for 37 years. He's been in the federal government for 50 years ... that means in 2009, when they didn't have a handle on the swine flu, when they didn't know what they were doing, when it was pure luck, he was the infectious disease guy then, too. Remember, he's the infectious disease guy. He's not 'America's doctor'. He's not America's health expert for all purposes. He's the infectious disease guy."
Watch the video below for more:
Want more from Mark Levin?
To enjoy more of "the Great One" — Mark Levin as you've never seen him before — subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-07-23--Gun-wielding kids as young as 10 years old have carjacked over a dozen drivers since late June, Chic

Gun-wielding kids as young as 10 years old have carjacked over a dozen drivers since late June, Chicago cops say

Gun-wielding kids as young as 10 years old have carjacked over a dozen drivers since late June , Chicago cops @ @ @ @ @ Chicago Public Schools teacher who instructs students as old as her assailants — said , @ @ @ @ @ safe in my neighborhood '

Chicago police say a group of children ages 10 to 17 have carjacked over a dozen drivers since late June, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
What are the details?
One victim, Alyssa Blanchard, told the paper she's so traumatized after being carjacked at gunpoint outside her Calumet Heights home last week that she's now afraid to venture out.
"I'm scared to use my garage. I don't feel safe in my neighborhood," Blanchard, an elementary school teacher for Chicago Public Schools, told the Sun-Times.
Blanchard, 44, was carjacked July 14 returning home in the early evening, the paper said, adding that a vehicle and three or four children came toward her as she pulled into her alley garage.
Two children pointed handguns at her head and ordered her out of her BMW, she told the Sun-Times, adding that one child looked as young as 11.
"It was so instantaneous ... I was just scared for my life," Blanchard noted to the paper. "I thought, 'This is it.'"
They took her purse containing about $300 and jumped in her BMW and rode off, she told the Sun-Times.
More where that came from
Blanchard said it was "traumatizing" to learn that the children used her BMW the next day to carjack a woman in the parking lot of Trinity Hospital, the paper reported.
In that carjacking, police said a 21-year-old was seated in her Lexus when four or five teens exited a BMW, with two of the culprits confronting the victim with guns, the Sun-Times said.
Two teens forced the victim to the ground outside the car, the paper said, adding that she grabbed a door handle and held on until the teens drove off, police said. The woman was treated for a foot injury, the Sun-Times said.
Blanchard told the paper that cops recovered her BMW, which had been crashed a couple of days after the carjacking.
The age range of the suspects is particularly disheartening, she told the Sun-Times.
"I teach this age group, and I can't believe they would do this," Blanchard said, according to the paper.
Police said the suspects fired shots in two of the carjackings, but no one was hit, the Sun-Times said.
Police published a community alert Sunday evening warning of other carjackings tied to the minors, the paper said, adding that the alert said the children are committing the carjackings with a higher frequency, as six were reported just last Saturday. Here's the list via WLS-TV:


theblaze--2020-07-23--Sen. Rubio: Chinese consulate in Houston was a 'massive spy center,' not a diplomatic facility

Sen. Rubio : Chinese consulate in Houston was a 'massive spy center , ' not a diplomatic facility 'It 's @ @ @ @ @ closed '

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said Wednesday that the recently shut down Chinese consulate in Houston was "basically a front" for a "massive spy operation."
The Florida Republican made the remarks during an interview with Fox News' Maria Bartiromo Wednesday morning as news broke that the Trump administration had ordered the diplomatic consulate to close by Friday.
Chinese workers at the consulate started burning mounds of paperwork in large barrels in the facility's courtyard soon after they were ordered to shut down operations. The fires got so big that the Houston Fire Department was called to the scene but were denied entry.
During the interview, Rubio didn't mince words in regard to what he believed to be true of the consulate.
"This consulate is basically a front," he said. "It's kind of the central node of a massive spy operation — commercial espionage, defense espionage, also influence agents to try to influence Congress. They use businessmen as fronts in many cases to try to influence members of Congress and other political leaders at the state and local level. So it's long overdue that it be closed.
"What'll happen is the secretary of state, probably already has de-marched the ambassador — basically called him in, told him we are going to do this, told him why — and given their agents, that we know who they are, 72 hours to leave the country. If they don't leave within 72 hours, they'll be arrested as spies," Rubio said.
Sen Rubio Joins Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business to Talk China & Plans for a Fourth Stimulus Package youtu.be
"When your embassy or consulate is closed, they start destroying everything in there, they have a plan of destruction," Rubio added. "For us the Marines are in charge of doing that if someone closes our embassy. So they'll burn documents and shred documents and destroy computers and so forth. ... Now what will happen is the Chinese will respond. They will close one of our facilities somewhere in China, probably Wuhan."
The senator also tweeted about the consulate Wednesday morning.
In a statement confirming the news that the consulate had been shut down, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said, "The United States will not tolerate [China's] violations of our sovereignty and intimidation of our people, just as we have not tolerated [its] unfair trade practices, theft of American jobs, and other egregious behavior."
The move by the U.S. came as the country has been taking a more aggressive approach against the Chinese Communist Party's long-standing intellectual property theft tactics.
The Justice Department and FBI had recently announced charges against two Chinese nationals for allegedly "hacking into the computer systems of hundreds of victim companies, governments, non-governmental organizations, and individual dissidents, clergy, and democratic and human rights activists in the United States and abroad, including Hong Kong and China."
Earlier this year, Attorney General William Barr indicated that the Chinese have been in a "full-court blitzkrieg" against the U.S. and that the Justice Department was planning action to thwart them.


theblaze--2020-07-23--The Washington Redskins have chosen a very underwhelming new name — for now

After years of criticism and consideration — and declarations by the team owner that the name would never change — the NFL franchise formerly known as the Washington Redskins has settled on a new, inoffensive name. Sort of.
The Washington football team will, for the foreseeable future, be officially known as ... the Washington Football Team.
As a movement to remove from public view all content or references that are potentially racially offensive sweeps the nation, the Redskins franchise was under greater pressure than ever before to change the name, which some Native Americans view as a racial slur.
The plan is for the Washington Football Team name to be temporary as the team searches for a new name and mascot for future seasons, ESPN reported.
"Effective immediately, Washington will call itself the 'Washington Football Team,' pending adoption of a new name, sources tell ESPN," ESPN's Adam Schefter reported. "This is not a final renaming and rebranding for team; this is the name it wants to use until pending adoption of a new name in the future."
Over the next 50 days before the 2020 NFL season is set to start, the Washington Football Team will clear out all references to the Redskins name from its public platforms.
For years, team owners of the franchise have insisted that the name is not offensive and would never be changed. The team has had the "Redskins" name since 1933. ESPN reported:
Team owner Dan Snyder had, for years, resisted changing the name — telling USA Today in 2013 to "put it in all caps" that he would never make such a move. Some who worked for Snyder said they believed then that he would rather sell the team than use a new name.
The controversy surrounding the name predated Snyder's purchase of the team in May 1999. When Washington played at Super Bowl XXVI following the 1991 season, there were 2,000 protestors outside the Metrodome in Minneapolis. Then-owner Jack Kent Cooke said of any possible change, "There is not a single, solitary jot, tittle, whit chance in the world. I like the name, and it's not a derogatory name."
The new name's lack of creativity led to some social media mockery, including from NBA star LeBron James.
"Just waking back up from my pregame nap to see about The Washington Football team??? Is that real??" James wrote on Twitter. "No way! Oh man they had a thorough intense long board meeting about that one huh."


theblaze--2020-07-23--Majority of Americans afraid to share political views, but staunch liberals feel they can freely exp

Majority of Americans afraid to share political views, but staunch liberals feel they can freely express themselves

Majority of Americans afraid to share political views , but staunch liberals feel they can freely express themselves A new @ @ @ @ @ a third of Americans fear their political opinions could cost them their job .

A majority of Americans are self-censoring and not sharing their political beliefs because they are fearful of the ramifications, according to a new survey from the Cato Institute. Nearly a third of employed Americans fear their political opinions could cost them their jobs or career opportunities.
A Cato Institute/YouGov national survey found that 62% of Americans say the current political climate prevents them from voicing their political convictions because "others might find them offensive." This is up from the survey taken in 2017 when 58% said they were afraid to share their own political beliefs.
Self-identified Republicans were the highest percentage to practice self-censorship at 77%, followed by independents at 59%, and 52% of Democrats.
Self-identified "strong liberals" were the only ideological group in the country who held a majority in feeling they could freely express themselves. The poll found that 58% of staunch liberals are not afraid to tell others their political beliefs. But even strong liberals are self-censoring themselves more these days — 42% in 2020 compared to 30% in 2017.
There are 32% of employed Americans who are worried that they might lose their job or miss out on career opportunities if their political beliefs were revealed. Broken down by political party, 28% of Democrats, 31% of independents, and 38% of Republicans are concerned their political opinions could harm their career trajectories.
"This suggests that it's not necessarily just one particular set of views that has moved outside of acceptable public discourse," Emily Ekins, research fellow and director of polling at the Cato Institute, wrote. "Instead these results are more consistent with a 'walking on eggshells' thesis that people increasingly fear a wide range of political views could offend others or could negatively impact themselves."
At 51%, young Republicans under the age of 30 are the most concerned about their political opinions hurting their career prospects, compared to 39% of those between the ages of 30 and 44, 34% of those between the age of 45 and 54, and 28% of Republicans between the age of 55 and 64.
Conservatives with the highest levels of education are the most worried about being punished for their political ideology. The survey found that 60% of Republicans with post‐graduate degrees are concerned their political views could hurt them at work. That's far higher than post-grad liberals — only 25% are worried their political ideas could negatively affect their careers.
The survey also found that 31% of Americans wanted to use cancel culture tactics and were in favor of terminating a business executive who personally donated to Donald Trump's re‐election campaign for president. Support for firing an executive who personally donated to President Trump rises to 50% among strong liberals.
Among everyone, 22% support firing an executive who gave a donation to Joe Biden's presidential campaign. There were 36% of staunch conservatives who are in favor of firing an executive who donated to Biden's presidential campaign.
The Cato Institute/YouGov survey collected 2,000 responses online between July 1-6 from a national sample of U.S. citizens who are age 18 and older.


theblaze--2020-07-23--Horowitz: Republicans agree to throw money at states shutting down our lives and promoting rioting

Horowitz : Republicans agree to throw money at states shutting down our lives and promoting rioting Here are the top @ @ @ @ @ of lockdown bailout bills

So, what is the punishment for all these liberal governors and county officials violating the Constitution and shutting down our lives when their edicts don't even work to stop the spread of a transmissible respiratory virus? Senate Republicans and White House officials negotiated a package of bills to throw even more money at the states, thereby further incentivizing them to continue the flat-earth shutdown.
Now that Republicans have agreed that the feds can print an unlimited amount of money, why not just send everyone a $100,000 check? What about $200,000 so they can go on a nice vacation? Why draw the line at just one more $1,200 check per person? Also, if after accruing monthly deficits as large as our biggest annual deficits and creating more dependency than we had during the Great Depression, how can Republicans run against socialism? What exactly is socialism if not what Republicans are championing?
Here are the top problems with the proposed series of lockdown bailout bills that will add another $1 trillion to the deficit, create permanent dependency, empower the education cartel, and reward and incentivize liberal governors to continue their bad behavior. The actual bill has not been written, but here are the broad contours of the negotiations:
Paying off the teacher's unions … for shutting down schools ! Remember the promise by the president to cut off funding to schools that don't reopen? Not only will this not cut off existing funds, but it will add $70 billion in new funding for schools – with half the funding being dispersed on a per capita basis without any conditions and $30 billion dispersed to those schools that have "some" in-person instruction, which is to be defined by the governors! So rather than fighting a battle where the science and the data are clear, Republicans are rewarding the teacher's unions for their selfish child abuse in destroying elementary school kids' education and lining their pockets. Also, if schools are basically shut down, why do they need even the existing pot of money they get from the feds, much less a new cash infusion?
! Remember the promise by the president to cut off funding to schools that don't reopen? Not only will this not cut off existing funds, but it will add $70 billion in new funding for schools – with half the funding being dispersed on a per capita basis without any conditions and $30 billion dispersed to those schools that have "some" in-person instruction, which is to be defined by the governors! So rather than fighting a battle where the science and the data are clear, Republicans are rewarding the teacher's unions for their selfish child abuse in destroying elementary school kids' education and lining their pockets. Also, if schools are basically shut down, why do they need even the existing pot of money they get from the feds, much less a new cash infusion? Bailing out the Marxist universities so they can teach BLM anarchism : The only good thing about the shutdown is that the poisonous university campuses have been closed. Yet this bill offers $30 billion for universities with zero conditions attached! This is after the universities successfully got the Trump administration to back off its requirement for in-person instruction in order to continue the foreign student program. Now, not only do they have no incentive to open up normally, but they will get paid extra to spread their poison without having to rid their rolls of foreign students and without having to return to normal life.
: The only good thing about the shutdown is that the poisonous university campuses have been closed. Yet this bill offers $30 billion for universities with zero conditions attached! This is after the universities successfully got the Trump administration to back off its requirement for in-person instruction in order to continue the foreign student program. Now, not only do they have no incentive to open up normally, but they will get paid extra to spread their poison without having to rid their rolls of foreign students and without having to return to normal life. Creating permanent dependency : The counties have so much cash from the first round of bailouts that my county of Baltimore is giving out three free meals a day indefinitely to anyone with a child, regardless of income level, and delivering free meals to anyone over 60, including wealthy people. It makes the Obama stimulus era look like Barry Goldwater nirvana, yet it's evidently not enough money. States can't have it both ways on federalism. If they believe they can shut down our liberty and economy indefinitely, then they have the obligation to deal with the financial fallout, especially after the feds have already pumped in this much money.
: The counties have so much cash from the first round of bailouts that my county of Baltimore is giving out three free meals a day indefinitely to anyone with a child, regardless of income level, and delivering free meals to anyone over 60, including wealthy people. It makes the Obama stimulus era look like Barry Goldwater nirvana, yet it's evidently not enough money. States can't have it both ways on federalism. If they believe they can shut down our liberty and economy indefinitely, then they have the obligation to deal with the financial fallout, especially after the feds have already pumped in this much money. Only handouts but no tax cuts : The proposal provides more forgivable Small Business Administration loans for businesses under 300 employees that have lost more than 50% of their revenue. This is the most justifiable part of the deal, given that government has shut them down. But left out is Trump's promise of a payroll tax cut. Also, the bill extends expanded unemployment benefits, though at a lower amount than during the first round. This provision works against the first one. Either we are getting businesses reopened or not.Paying people not to work makes it impossible for restaurants or other business to find workers. Moreover, if you further incentivize states to continue with the lockdowns without placing conditions on their powers, what is the point of shoveling more money at businesses that can't stay open?
: The proposal provides more forgivable Small Business Administration loans for businesses under 300 employees that have lost more than 50% of their revenue. This is the most justifiable part of the deal, given that government has shut them down. But left out is Trump's promise of a payroll tax cut. Also, the bill extends expanded unemployment benefits, though at a lower amount than during the first round. This provision works against the first one. Either we are getting businesses reopened or not.Paying people not to work makes it impossible for restaurants or other business to find workers. Moreover, if you further incentivize states to continue with the lockdowns without placing conditions on their powers, what is the point of shoveling more money at businesses that can't stay open? Who says crime doesn't pay ? This framework provides governors with a $5 billion slush fund to be used for whatever they want in the realm of education. Could they now use it for BLM activities? Who knows? While it doesn't offer any direct handouts to the state and local governments, it allows them to use the original $150 billion from the March bill to make up for lost revenue and extends the deadline for using the funds from Dec. 30 to four months after the end of the fiscal year. Thus, all the states that have allowed both tyranny against peaceful citizens and anarchy for BLM at the same time are being rewarded rather than defunded.
? This framework provides governors with a $5 billion slush fund to be used for whatever they want in the realm of education. Could they now use it for BLM activities? Who knows? While it doesn't offer any direct handouts to the state and local governments, it allows them to use the original $150 billion from the March bill to make up for lost revenue and extends the deadline for using the funds from Dec. 30 to four months after the end of the fiscal year. Thus, all the states that have allowed both tyranny against peaceful citizens and anarchy for BLM at the same time are being rewarded rather than defunded. Throws money at the wrong people : The negotiated package will also provide families with more direct handouts at a level yet to be determined. It makes the same mistake the last bill does – providing too little and too much at the same time. Rather than targeting the relief only for those who actually lost income because of the shutdown, regardless of their income, the proposal once again indiscriminately writes checks to anyone under a certain threshold of income, even if they didn't lose a penny. At the same time, it provides nothing to those above that threshold, even if they lost everything. It needs to be situation-tested rather than means-tested. During the first round, the government claimed it was an emergency and there was no time to properly assess who needed the checks and to more effectively target those in need. But this is months later, after we already know people got extra checks, including dead people.
: The negotiated package will also provide families with more direct handouts at a level yet to be determined. It makes the same mistake the last bill does – providing too little and too much at the same time. Rather than targeting the relief only for those who actually lost income because of the shutdown, regardless of their income, the proposal once again indiscriminately writes checks to anyone under a certain threshold of income, even if they didn't lose a penny. At the same time, it provides nothing to those above that threshold, even if they lost everything. It needs to be situation-tested rather than means-tested. During the first round, the government claimed it was an emergency and there was no time to properly assess who needed the checks and to more effectively target those in need. But this is months later, after we already know people got extra checks, including dead people. Investing in a reopening while funding a shutdown: The package would offer another $25 billion to hospitals, bringing the total hospital payout since March to $200 billion. That sounds good, but the obvious question is if we are bankrupting ourselves to throw so much money at hospitals, as well as extra funding in this bill for testing and PPE for businesses, then shouldn't those funds be contingent on ending all of the restrictions? It has become clear that we have no power to stop this virus, just like the flu, and that most people do not get fatally sick from it. The entire concern, originally, was the ability of hospitals to handle it. With this amount of money being spent on hospitals, plus billions more in the proposed package for more testing, why can't we end the shutdown?
Fundamentally, this bill rewards bad behavior of the states and further incentivizes and subsidizes shutdown, while doing nothing to spawn economic activity, such as regulatory and tax cuts. If anything, it further subsidizes unemployment and the shutdown of our schools. If Republicans are going to bankrupt us with welfare with no regard for the debt, at least slash taxes and get some growth out of it. It also allows anarchist governors to control an even larger pot of money through health care and education funding, which will further empower them to shut down our lives, criminalize civil liberties through a mass police state, and abolish the policing of violent crime.
All Republicans can say is that Democrats would spend even more money. But Democrats aren't dumb. They purposely commence negotiations with insane demands knowing that it will ensure Republicans come closer to their position. Then, Republicans give Democrats most of what they want without any conditions on the anarchy or violation of civil liberties.
As CNBC explains, "The new proposal will serve as a starting point for negotiations with Democrats, who have passed a $3.4 trillion bill in the House and have been pressuring the GOP to move quickly on new aid as COVID-19 cases and deaths rise in the United States" (emphasis added).
Who needs Democrats with Republicans like this? Then again, with Jared Kushner, a lifelong liberal, writing the GOP platform, there really is only a uniparty in town.


theblaze--2020-07-23--Florida sheriff drops hammer on 'thug' with 230 charges who allegedly murdered 3 friends on a fishin

Florida sheriff drops hammer on 'thug' with 230 charges who allegedly murdered 3 friends on a fishing trip: 'We pray' for 'the death penalty'

Florida sheriff drops hammer on 'thug ' with 230 charges who allegedly murdered 3 friends on a fishing trip : @ @ @ @ @ death penalty '

A Florida sheriff is praying that the state attorney seeks the death penalty for a 26-year-old man with an unbelievable 230 charges on record who was arrested Wednesday for the alleged triple homicide of three friends out on a fishing trip.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced in a news conference Wednesday that Tony "TJ" Wiggins had been arrested and charged with allegedly murdering Damion Tillman, 23, Keven Springfield, 30, and Brandon Rollins, 27, in a gruesome "massacre" that reportedly stemmed from an argument over a truck.
Two others, Wiggins' girlfriend, Mary Whittemore, 27, and his brother, Robert Wiggins, 21, were also charged as accessories in the alleged slaying.
'We pray' for 'the death penalty'
During the news conference, Judd displayed a picture of TJ Wiggins and said, "I'm sure somebody thinks he ought to have counseling and pretrial release," before adding on behalf of the police department that "we pray that the state attorney can seek the death penalty."
"He needs to receive a fair trial, the appropriate appeals, and then be executed," the sheriff said.
'Pure evil in the flesh': 2 brothers, 1 woman arrested in Polk County triple homicide youtu.be
When Judd revealed the extent of Wiggins' criminal record — which includes 15 convictions and being regularly arrested since he was 12 years old — he had to repeat it so reporters would believe him.
"I didn't stutter. He has 230 charges in his arrest history. Fifteen convictions and two times to state prison at only 26," the sheriff said. "He's a thug, he's a criminal. He's pure evil in the flesh. He's wild and he's out of control."
Judd noted that before the triple murder, Wiggins' brother had one misdemeanor arrest and his girlfriend had no prior criminal arrests.
Dollar General bag leads to arrest
The murders occurred Friday night in Frostproof, a small central Florida city of 3,000 residents nearby Orlando.
Investigators reportedly found a Dollar General bag in the victims' truck that led them to the store to check surveillance footage, which showed the suspects and the victims present in the store shortly before the murders took place.
Law enforcement believe that Wiggins overheard Tillman talking about going fishing and instructed his brother to drive to the lake to meet them, according to the Washington Examiner. Then they confronted the victims alleging that one of them had previously stolen his truck's engine. Police have not been able to confirm whether that accusation is truthful.
At this point it is believed that Wiggins shot all three of the fishermen. Wiggins' brother reportedly confessed that to be the case to police during the investigation.
The three suspects then allegedly drove to McDonald's and ordered 10 double cheeseburgers and 2 McChicken sandwiches.


theblaze--2020-07-23--Police officers shouldn't be responding to rape calls if the suspect runs away, Minnesota AG Keith E

Police officers shouldn't be responding to rape calls if the suspect runs away, Minnesota AG Keith Ellison says

Police officers should n't be responding to rape calls if the suspect runs away , Minnesota AG Keith Ellison says

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said it would be better to not have police officers responding to rape calls in situations when the rapist has already fled, according to The Federalist.
Instead, Ellison suggests, it is preferable to have a social worker trained in interacting with rape victims respond to such a call. In making his point, Ellison dismisses police officers as people who are simply trained in how to use guns.
"If you're a woman who's been a victim of a sexual assault, and the assailant ran away, wouldn't you rather talk to somebody who is trained in helping you deal with what you're dealing with, as opposed to somebody whose main training is that they know how to use a firearm? Right?" Ellison said on a virtual panel with PBS's Yamiche Alcindor and California Democratic Rep. Karen Bass.
Democrat AG Keith Ellison Says He Doesn't Want Police Officers To Respond To Rape youtu.be
Ellison's comments are similar to rhetoric that has surrounded efforts to defund or dismantle police departments in liberal localities. The idea is that police officers shouldn't be responding to things that could conceivably be handled more effectively by social workers or other unarmed officials, in order to minimize the potential for unnecessary violent conflicts that can lead to police killings.
Applying that to mental health crises or minor traffic stops carries its own problems, but applying it to the violent crime of rape is even more controversial and potentially dangerous.
Also, Ellison's description of police as nothing more than people who know how to use guns is inaccurate and indicates a narrow way of viewing police that is potentially fueling anti-police rhetoric. Police officers are trained to respond capably to a variety of situations that don't require the use of firearms, including sexual assaults.
For victims' comfort, and for public safety, having police respond to not only take care of the victim but to work quickly toward catching the suspect is crucial, even and especially if that person has fled the scene.
Ellison faced accusations of sexual abuse in 2018.
Minneapolis, where George Floyd was killed by police officers on May 25, has been ground zero of the recent anti-police movements that followed Floyd's death. Last month, the city council voted to start the process of replacing the police department with an alternative model.
From WCCO-TV:
The charter amendment calls instead for "a department of community safety and violence prevention." It also includes a provision for licensed law enforcement officers.
"As a charter department, the director would be nominated by the Mayor and approved by the City Council. The director would have non-law enforcement experience in community safety services, including but not limited to public health and/or restorative justice approaches," the council reported in a press release.


theblaze--2020-07-23--DHS official reveals there are ‘hundreds’ of ongoing investigations into 'criminal rioters': 'They a

DHS official reveals there are ‘hundreds’ of ongoing investigations into 'criminal rioters': 'They are terrorists'

DHS official reveals there are ‘ hundreds ’ of ongoing investigations into 'criminal rioters ' : 'They are terrorists' 'There @ @ @ @ @ across the country right now '

Department of Homeland Security Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli revealed Thursday that there are "hundreds" of ongoing federal investigations into the "criminal rioters" taking advantage of racial injustice protests across the country.
What are the details?
Protests in the wake of George Floyd's death in late May have frequently turned violent and resulted in attacks on law enforcement and the destruction of historical monuments and statues. Some have alleged that the riots may be part of a coordinated effort.
"There are hundreds of investigations running across the country right now," Cuccinelli told BlazeTV's Glenn Beck on his radio program Thursday, adding that results from the majority of investigations have yet to be determined or be made public.
"You've seen [some] arrests come along," he said. "Like, if you go back to the Andrew Jackson statue situation in Washington. You saw that investigation go quickly and finish with four arrests."
"So there are hundreds of federal investigations running into these criminal rioters, that's what they are," the DHS official confirmed again. "They are terrorists."
The Department of Justice announced that four men had been charged with destruction of federal property for their attempt to topple a statue of President Andrew Jackson in Washington, D.C., last month.
The four men, who were from the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, and Virginia, had attempted to pry the statue from its base and pull it down using ropes. During the incident, police clashed with the crowd and two officers suffered injury.
What else?
Beck asked Cuccinelli if the federal government was looking into the possible bigger picture behind the various riots and investigating the groups, such as Black Lives Matter, potentially, which may be orchestrating the activity.
"Well, we are looking at anywhere there is organization behind criminal activity," Cuccinelli said in response.
"Now, realize, that a group that calls itself Black Lives Matters in Washington may not be connected to a group that calls itself Black Lives Matter in Minneapolis," he added. "So we have to connect the dots evidentially, not just in terms of them taking similar positions. They have to coordinate action to count as a group.
"But we are looking for that and analyzing that information," he said.


theblaze--2020-07-23--Caller alleges he was fired for not 'believing in face masks'

Caller alleges he was fired for not 'believing in face masks '

On Thursday's episode of "Pat Gray Unleashed," Zach, a caller from Maine said he was fired from his job for "not believing in face masks."
In this clip, Pat gave Zach the opportunity to talk about the unfortunate action his company allegedly took as a result of not believing in face masks.
According to Zach, his company called him in for a tour to see the changes made to the facility during the coronavirus lockdown that began in March. Upon learning of the new face mask requirement for all returning employees, Zach initially protested the safety measure for health reasons.
Zach claimed that his boss offered a face shield as a mask alternative and Zach said he accepted the shield as an alternative, and that he would wear a face shield upon his return to work.
Things took an unexpected turn when Zach received a text message from his boss telling him that he would not be returning to work. Zach said the message went on to state the reason for his termination was "not believing in face masks to keep other employees safe from Covid-19."
Pat suggested that Zach reach out to a lawyer for assistance on the matter and explained everything that is wrong with this incident, if true.
Watch the clip for more details.
This man and his daughter were fired for not believing in masks. I'm sorry, you said the words but you don't believe them. You're fired!
Use code PAT to save $10 on one year of BlazeTV.
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To enjoy more of Pat's biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-07-23--DeSantis blames Florida's inflated COVID-19 positive tests on 'testing industrial complex': 'Lot of

DeSantis blames Florida's inflated COVID-19 positive tests on 'testing industrial complex': 'Lot of money at stake here'

DeSantis blames Florida 's inflated COVID-19 positive tests on 'testing industrial complex ' : 'Lot of money at stake here @

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says private "testing industrial complex" is responsible for inflating the count of positive COVID-19 tests across the state.
Florida and other states have experienced a large surge in confirmed coronavirus cases over the last several weeks, prompting areas to slow — or rescind — their reopening practices.
What are the details?
During a Thursday "Fox & Friends" interview, DeSantis argued that the state's COVID-19 death toll is also inflated.
"There was a report in Orlando a week or so ago, where you had someone in a motorcycle accident [die], unfortunately," he recalled. "But that was categorized as a COVID death, just because the person had previously tested positive."
The motorcyclist in question — a man in his twenties — was determined to be a COVID-19 death because he had previously tested positive for the virus.
"You can actually argue that it could have been the COVID-19 that caused him to crash," one health official said of the man's death at the time.
DeSantis isn't satisfied with such reporting and classification, however.
"I think the public — when they see the fatality figures — you know, they want to know, 'Who died because they caught COVID?'"
DeSantis admitted that it wasn't the first time such a misclassification had been made and said that he wants to investigate just how "pervasive" that trend might be at this point in the pandemic.
The Republican governor also revealed the possibility that a "testing industrial complex" is behind the rise in positive COVID-19 cases across the state, especially in those who said they never took a test.
"There's a testing industrial complex now," he said. "There's a lot of money at stake here, people cranking out these tests. There's private companies involved."
The governor also called for Florida residents to come forward if they believe they have been targeted with false results.
"We want to hold people accountable if they're engaged in funny business like that," he added.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University estimate that there have been at least 389,868 confirmed cases of coronavirus across the state of Florida. At least 5,518 deaths have been attributed to the virus.


theblaze--2020-07-23--Cops try calming down handsaw-attack suspect — but some get the bright idea to taunt, scream at poli

Cops try calming down handsaw-attack suspect — but some get the bright idea to taunt, scream at police amid de-escalation attempt

Cops try calming down handsaw-attack suspect — but some get the bright idea to taunt , scream at police amid @ @

Police in Portland, Oregon, had a little bit more on their hands after getting a call about a man attacking people with a handsaw in a laundromat and busting car windshields Friday.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
Cops also had to deal with several bystanders who took it upon themselves to taunt and scream at officers who tried to calm down the suspect, which interfered with their de-escalation attempt, KOIN-TV reported.
What are the details?
Police said several 911 callers reported a man with a handsaw assaulting people and breaking car windshields near the 2700 block of NE Weidler Street, the station reported.
More from KOIN:
Two of the victims were inside a laundromat. Security video shows the suspect march straight up to a woman inside and swing the saw at her head. As someone rushes to her aid, the suspect swings again and both victims fall back. The suspect dashes back outside where he's seen marching toward two bystanders who quickly move backward and away.
Officers found the suspect near the 2100 block of NE Weidler Street. Police said they told him to stop and drop the saw but he refused and told officers he was going to make them shoot him.
Police said the man then walked into the middle of traffic and then started moving toward officers while yelling at them and still holding the saw, the station reported. After several warnings, KOIN said police used a less-lethal munition, and the man dropped the saw.
Straight outta their moms' basements...
But when officers started talking to the suspect to try calming him down, police said several bystanders — imitating a practice that's become all-too common in left-wing activism circles — interrupted the de-escalation attempt by screaming and taunting the officers, the station said.
Police said the screaming and taunting only made the suspect more upset, KOIN noted.
Officers told the station they kept talking calmly and listening to the man, and he was eventually taken safely into custody, the station said.
Who is the suspect?
Shane Vordelmicha Green, 58, was charged with three counts of second-degree assault, six counts of unlawful use of a weapon, first-degree attempted assault, strangulation, four counts of menacing, two counts of second-degree attempted assault, harassment, second-degree disorderly conduct, interfering with a peace officer, and four counts of reckless endangering, KOIN reported.
Image source: Multnomah County Sheriff's Office
He was booked into jail as the investigation continues, the station said.


theblaze--2020-07-23--Portland protesters issue their 'list' of demands amid teargassing, riots

Portland , Oregon , rioters listed their demands Wednesday amid the protests gripping the city .
What are the details ?
The group of rioters projected a list of their demands onto a nearby building as Democratic Mayor Ted Wheeler talked to the crowd about the continually deteriorating conditions of the city .
A reporter for KPTV-TV shared the demands on Twitter , writing , `` Directly behind Mayor Wheeler , a list of protesters ' demands projected on the Justice Center . ''
The demands included defunding the Portland Police Bureau by a minimum of 50 % , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the communities , especially the black community . ''
The rioters also demanded authorities free all protesters from jail , and remove the presence of all federal law enforcement officers from the Portland area .
'It is an unconstitutional occupation' A portion of Wheeler 's Wednesday speech addressing protesters could be heard in a video clip , according to KGW-TV .
`` I think what we 're doing tonight is actually the best thing we can do right now , '' he said .
`` Be here , be heard , be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't want [ federal police ] , we did n't ask for them , they 're not trained for what they 're being asked to do .
And we want them to leave . ''
He added , `` It is an unconstitutional occupation .
The tactics that have been used by our federal officers are abhorrent .
They did not act with probable cause , people are not being told who they are being arrested by , and you 're being denied basic constitutional rights . ''
Protesters gathered Wednesday night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ F*** Ted Wheeler '' and more .
Federal officers also ended up gassing Wheeler and other protesters during the evening appearance .
`` I 'm not afraid , but I am pissed off , '' Wheeler told the New York Times about the gassing .
`` This is an egregious overreaction on the part of the federal officers . ''
`` This is not a de-escalation strategy .
This is flat-out urban warfare , '' Wheeler added .
`` And it 's being wrought on the people of this country by the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got to stop . ''
You can read more about the status of the city , which continues to spiral out of control , here .

Portland, Oregon, rioters listed their demands Wednesday amid the protests gripping the city.
What are the details?
The group of rioters projected a list of their demands onto a nearby building as Democratic Mayor Ted Wheeler talked to the crowd about the continually deteriorating conditions of the city.
A reporter for KPTV-TV shared the demands on Twitter, writing, "Directly behind Mayor Wheeler, a list of protesters' demands projected on the Justice Center."
The demands included defunding the Portland Police Bureau by a minimum of 50%, with the money being reallocated to "reinvest into the communities, especially the black community."
The rioters also demanded authorities free all protesters from jail, and remove the presence of all federal law enforcement officers from the Portland area.
Demonstrators also demanded Wheeler resign as mayor.
'It is an unconstitutional occupation'
A portion of Wheeler's Wednesday speech addressing protesters could be heard in a video clip, according to KGW-TV.
"I think what we're doing tonight is actually the best thing we can do right now," he said. "Be here, be heard, be unified, and be clear. We didn't want [federal police], we didn't ask for them, they're not trained for what they're being asked to do. And we want them to leave."
He added, "It is an unconstitutional occupation. The tactics that have been used by our federal officers are abhorrent. They did not act with probable cause, people are not being told who they are being arrested by, and you're being denied basic constitutional rights."
Protesters gathered Wednesday night and teargassed the mayor, screaming "F*** Ted Wheeler" and more.
Federal officers also ended up gassing Wheeler and other protesters during the evening appearance.
"I'm not afraid, but I am pissed off," Wheeler told the New York Times about the gassing. "This is an egregious overreaction on the part of the federal officers."
"This is not a de-escalation strategy. This is flat-out urban warfare," Wheeler added. "And it's being wrought on the people of this country by the president of the United States and it's got to stop."
You can read more about the status of the city, which continues to spiral out of control, here.
(H/T: The Daily Wire)


theblaze--2020-07-23--Patricia McCloskey's gun was inoperable when seized, so a St. Louis prosecutor ordered crime lab to

Patricia McCloskey's gun was inoperable when seized, so a St. Louis prosecutor ordered crime lab to reassemble it and make it operational

Patricia McCloskey 's gun was inoperable when seized , so a St. Louis prosecutor ordered crime lab to reassemble it @ @ @ @ @ St. Louis couple says the gun was a 'prop ' for a court case and @ @ @ @ @

The handgun Patricia McCloskey was armed with when a large group of protesters marched near her home in St. Louis was inoperable when seized by police. A St. Louis prosecutor ordered the crime lab to dismantle and then reassemble the firearm to make it functional, according to a report from KSDK-TV.
St. Louis couple Mark and Patricia McCloskey brandished firearms after 500 protesters marched into a gated community in the affluent Central West End neighborhood on June 28. The two St. Louis attorneys stood outside their home and were ready to protect their property.
St. Louis police served a search warrant on the McCloskeys earlier this month. Police confiscated the couple's guns that they were holding during the encounter with demonstrators in June — an AR-15 and a handgun. Patricia McCloskey's handgun was inoperable when it was seized by law enforcement.
The McCloskeys said that the handgun was purposely made inoperable. The firearm was allegedly used as a "prop" so that it could be brought into a courtroom for a lawsuit the couple once filed against a gun manufacturer. The handgun had its firing pin rendered inoperable to make it safe to bring into the courtroom. The couple claim they never reassembled the gun to enable it to be functional.
Mark McCloskey appeared on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" earlier this week, where he hinted that the firearms were taken by law enforcement to see if they were operational and that there would soon be "some revelations."
"The technicality of the law is, they have to determine whether or not the weapons were readily capable of being fatal or causing serious bodily harm, and so they have to take them and test them and that sort of thing," McCloskey told Tucker Carlson. "There will be some revelations about that."
A member of Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner's staff ordered crime lab experts to disassemble and reassemble the handgun. Once it was reassembled correctly, the gun was "readily capable of lethal use."
"Assistant Circuit Attorney Chris Hinckley ordered crime lab staff members to field strip the handgun and found it had been assembled incorrectly. Specifically, the firing pin spring was put in front of the firing pin, which was backward, and made the gun incapable of firing," according to documents obtained by KSDK.
Prosecutors had the crime lab reassemble Patricia McCloskey's handgun. The crime lab test-fired the handgun successfully. It was restored as a "deadly weapon" on Monday.
Also on Monday, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner filed charges against the McCloskeys with a felony count of unlawful use of a weapon.
Gardner alleged that the McCloskeys waved their weapons in a "threatening manner" at "peaceful, unarmed protesters."
"It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in a nonviolent protest, and while we are fortunate this situation did not escalate into deadly force, this type of conduct is unacceptable in St. Louis," Gardner wrote.
The McCloskeys' attorney, Joel Schwartz, told KSDK that the St. Louis couple intentionally misplaced the firing pin on the handgun and that it was in that condition when Patricia McCloskey waved it at protesters and when it was turned in to their former attorney Al Watkins.
"It's disheartening to learn that a law enforcement agency altered evidence in order to prosecute an innocent member of the community," Schwartz said.
On Sunday, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) said he would consider a pardon in the McCloskeys' case.


theblaze--2020-07-23--POLL: Did President Trump make the right move sending federal agents to Chicago to combat its violen

POLL : Did President Trump make the right move sending federal agents to Chicago to combat its violent crime epidemic @ @ @ @ @ do n't forget to share !

POLL: Did President Trump make the right move sending federal agents to Chicago to combat its violent crime epidemic?
Cast your vote and don't forget to share!


theblaze--2020-07-23--Rapper Ice Cube tells Hollywood to fund black projects as 'form of reparations': 'Stealing our histo

Rapper Ice Cube tells Hollywood to fund black projects as 'form of reparations': 'Stealing our history [and] giving it to white people'

Rapper Ice Cube tells Hollywood to fund black projects as 'form of reparations ' : 'Stealing our history [ and @ @ @ @ @ people '

Rapper Ice Cube said this week that Hollywood should funnel money into black-led projects as reparations.
What are the details?
On Wednesday, the rapper appeared on the popular radio show "The Breakfast Club" where he said that the entertainment industry should be giving back to the black community for appropriating and using African American culture to make money.
"Black studios is virtually all the studios who've contributed in our narrative, in our pain, in our misrepresentation, is stealing our history, and giving it to white people for over 100 years," he said.
"So I think these studios that we know and love should kick in to a studio that's ran by black people with no outside influences, and whose movies and projects are owned by those black people, those black artists and black directors and writers and people who put the project together should own the projects," he added.
Such companies, Ice Cube said, include big names such as Universal, MGM, and Warner Bros.
“I just think it's a form of reparations from the entertainment industry if they all had to invest a certain amount of money into the studio each year as payment for all the damage they've done to black people," he explained.
He concluded, "Every artist I know, every great actor or director or writer, has 10 projects they can't get made because some white people don't understand what they're trying to make. That's a shame, so we need our own place."
Ice Cube Talks Contract With Black America, Reconstructing The System + More www.youtube.com
A 'Contract with Black America'
Ice Cube made the remarks in connection with his political activism project titled, "Contract with Black America."
The rapper crafted the proposal with an intent to distribute it to American political parties and presidential candidates ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
"Contract with Black America" stipulates that banks should invest 13.4% of bank loans into the black community as blacks make up 13.4% of the American population.
The movement's website says the point of the project is "addressing racial inequality."
Ice Cube's movement also aims to eradicate police brutality in the U.S., dismantle racism, and administer affirmative action for schools. Other tentpoles of the project include "mandatory civil rights and anti-racism classes in all elementary schools."
You can read more on his plan for action here.


theblaze--2020-07-23--Horowitz: Illegal alien/DACA recipient released after assault and DUIs in Texas accused of killing 3

Horowitz: Illegal alien/DACA recipient released after assault and DUIs in Texas accused of killing 3 retired cops in DUI crash

Horowitz : Illegal alien/DACA recipient released after assault and DUIs in Texas accused of killing 3 retired cops in DUI @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement officers simply do n't matter .

Every American has heard the name George Floyd. But few Americans will ever hear about Jerry Wayne Harbour, Michael White, and Joseph Paglia, three members of a police motorcycle group who were killed by an illegal alien allegedly driving drunk who received Obama's illegal DACA amnesty. And unlike with Floyd, there will be no impetus for policy changes to rectify the epidemic of repeat criminal aliens who are allowed to remain in the country and victimize more Americans.
We were told that the reason Floyd's murder was more important to highlight than the thousands of black murder victims killed by many black offenders every year is because it was born out of restraint and policing policies sanctioned by government. By the same reasoning, we should focus on the avoidable deaths of these three law enforcement officers, two of whom were military veterans, because specific governmental policies ensured that a serial drunk-driving illegal alien was not removed from this country. Had the laws written by Congress been followed, Harbour, White, and Paglia would still be living.
Members of the Thin Blue Line Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club were traveling on Highway 16 in Kerr County, Texas, on Saturday when Ivan Robles Navejas, allegedly driving drunk, crossed the center line and plowed headfirst into six motorcyclists. Three were killed and nine others in the group were injured, some of them seriously.
Navejas was charged with three counts of intoxication manslaughter and six counts of intoxication assault.
But here's the kicker: According to KTSA, Navejas, a Mexican national, had a pair of DUI arrests in 2013 and 2016 and was out on bail from an assault in 2018. KTSA reports that ICE stated that he was not removed in 2013 and 2016 thanks to Obama's priority enforcement policies that treated DUIs as unworthy of removal.
Still, I was confused as to how in a state like Texas, Navejas was allowed to be bonded out after an assault in 2018, despite the prior criminal record, now that ICE no longer continues Obama's amnesty enforcement priorities. That's when I received a statement from ICE that Navajas was given DACA. "Navejas also had Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) from 2013 through 2015, which has since expired," said the ICE official. "His conditional permanent resident status expired in January 2019, and he is now subject to removal."
Which means that despite two DUI arrests and one assault arrest, he was still not terminated from the DACA program until it expired on its own!
This underscores the need for Congress to mandate automatic ICE apprehension of any illegal alien caught driving drunk and to cut off funds to any locality that does not turn such criminals over to ICE before they post bond. It also highlights the need for the Trump administration to immediately rescind Obama's amnesty.
Last year, I wrote a series of articles on the pervasive threat of illegal alien drunk driving, which kills many Americans every year. More than most crimes, DUIs are habitual. Chances are that offenders have usually been caught driving drunk prior to a fatal incident. Unfortunately, when it comes to American drunk drivers, even repeat offenders rarely serve jail time and are out to offend again. But why in the world should we harbor the ticking time bombs of other countries who have been known to drive drunk with several thousand pounds of steel, especially when they have other criminal offenses?
If every story of an avoidable instance of repeat illegal alien offenders killing multiple Americans were accorded 10% of the George Floyd coverage, we'd have riots in the streets to push for immigration enforcement.
Just in one year of apprehensions with very limited resources, ICE arrested a pool of aliens who together racked up 80,730 DUIs, not including over 76,000 other driving offenses. A 2010 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that Hispanics are "less likely" to believe that driving while intoxicated is a "safety problem" or that they will be caught in the act. Also, the Texas Department of Transportation reported that "10,607 Latino drivers were involved in alcohol-related crashes in 2009, and the nearly 200 that died represent 31 percent of all DWI driver fatalities in the state."
According to a May 2006 NHTSA report, 42 percent of all Latino drivers fatally injured in car accidents had a blood alcohol content (BAC) level over 0.08 g/dL, as compared to just 29 percent of white drivers and 31 percent of black drivers. One 2016 study (Romano et al.) found, "Compared with permanent residents, undocumented drivers are more likely to binge drink, less likely to understand DUI laws, and less likely to perceive the risks associated with DUI – three factors largely associated with high DUI rates."
Therefore, it's very likely that thousands of Americans are cut down in the prime of their lives by illegal alien drunk drivers who almost always could have been removed from the country.
We are now told that we must strip the civil liberties of Americans because perhaps the voodoo viral mitigation strategies against coronavirus will save just one life. Well, we could save thousands of lives by simply enforcing existing law against people who have no right to be in the country in the first place.
Speaking of following the laws on the books, Trump must also immediately rescind DACA. At the very minimum, DHS needs to comb through all those who have criminal records and immediately terminate their statutes. According to data from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as of October 1, 2019, 4,210 illegal aliens with drunk driving offenses were approved for DACA. Given the habitual nature of this crime, how many more people like Ivan Robles Navejas remain in the country indefinitely to drive drunk and kill more Americans – even after having already been arrested for DUI?
Finally, in light of the George Floyd incident, there has been a call to end qualified immunity for law enforcement officers. But in light of this atrocity, shouldn't there be an effort to end immunity for government officials who shield criminal aliens from removal when those criminals proceed to kill Americans?
But don't expect Republicans to even discuss this issue, much less force legislation and budget provisions against sanctuary cities and target criminal aliens for removal. They are too busy meeting with BLM anarchists to promote the jailbreak agenda. The lives of these law enforcement officers simply don't matter like some others do.
Americans are dreamers too. American lives matter, and Jerry Wayne Harbour, Michael White, and Joseph Paglia deserve justice from our political system to solve the systemic, yet preventable problem that led to their deaths.


theblaze--2020-07-23--Joe Biden calls Trump the first racist president, apparently forgetting the ones who owned slaves

Joe Biden calls Trump the first racist president , apparently forgetting the ones who owned slaves Democratic presidential candidate and @ @ @ @ @ speaks about economic recovery during a campaign event at Colonial Early Education Program at the @ @ @ @ @ , 2020 in New Castle , Delaware .
( Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images )

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden said President Donald Trump is the first racist president in U.S. history, a statement that overlooks numerous presidents who either owned slaves or were overtly discriminatory toward racial minorities.
During a virtual town hall organized by the Service Employees International Union on Wednesday, Biden responded to a question about President Trump calling COVID-19 the "China virus" by claiming that not only is Trump a racist, but he's the first racist ever to become president.
"The way he deals with people based on the color of their skin, their national origin, where they're from, is absolutely sickening," Biden said. "No sitting president has ever done this. Never, never, never. No Republican president has done this. No Democratic president. We've had racists, and they've existed. They've tried to get elected president. He's the first one that has."
The comment was so incorrect and exaggerated that it may have received more backlash from Democrats than from Republicans. In claiming that Trump is the first racist to be elected president, Biden skips over presidents who owned slaves, presidents who condoned slavery, presidents who either actively implemented or passively accepted overt systemic racism and segregation, and presidents who supported the Ku Klux Klan.
Biden's campaign attempted to add context to Biden's remarks afterward, acknowledging past racist presidents but still attempting to emphasize President Trump's own alleged racism.
"There have been a number of racist American presidents, but Trump stands out — especially in modern history — because he made running on racism and division his calling card and won," senior adviser Symone Sanders said, according to NBC News. "He deliberately foments both, intentionally causing indescribable pain because he thinks it advantages him politically."
Biden has his own history of remarks and policy decisions that could be deemed racist by some. Biden was opposed to federal busing efforts to desegregate schools, a stance for which Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) called out the former vice president during an early Democratic primary debate.
Biden authored the 1994 crime bill that led to mass incarceration and harsh sentencing for nonviolent drug offenses, which disproportionately impacted minority communities. Some of the effects of that bill were softened by the Trump administration's bipartisan criminal justice reform bill.
Even earlier this year, Biden was criticized for saying that people who are unsure whether they'll vote for him or for Trump aren't really black, reinforcing a negative and false stereotype that black voters have to blindly support Democrats in all circumstances.
(H/T: Hot Air)


theblaze--2020-07-23--Leftist Portland mayor tries chatting with leftist rioters who've been burning down his city — and t

Leftist Portland mayor tries chatting with leftist rioters who've been burning down his city — and they shred him to bits

Leftist Portland mayor tries chatting with leftist rioters who 've been burning down his city — and they shred him @ @

One would think that when Democrat Ted Wheeler — the far-left mayor of far-left Portland, Oregon — takes to the streets to speak to a throng of amped-up left-wing rioters, their common ideologies would win the day, and Wheeler would make a little dent in the universe.
But once again, the left dined upon one of their own.
Members of Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler's security staff fight to close a door to The Portland Building after protesters followed and heckled the mayor when he left a protest at the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse on July 22, 2020, in Portland, Oregon. Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images
Thing is, these particular leftists have been burning down Portland night after night for nearly two months, trying to breach and set fire to a federal courthouse, destroying property, attacking police, and intimidating and beating up just about anybody who makes the mistake of getting in their way.
So it was no surprise that Wheeler on Wednesday night got the same nasty reception that left-wing Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey received in when he ventured into the leftist lions' den of protesters and rioters who torched his city in the wake of George Floyd's death.
What are the details?
As Wheeler walked into the crowds for what he deemed a "listening session," some threw objects toward him while others called for his resignation, chanting, "Tear Gas Teddy," the New York Times said.
Others called his arrival in the streets of Portland a photo op, the Times added.
Content warning: Language:
After tear gas actually hit Wheeler, some mocked him and asked how it felt, the paper noted.
Content warning: Language:
"I'm not going to lie. It stings. It's hard to breathe," Wheeler said regarding the tear gas deployed by the feds. "And I can tell you with 100% honesty, I saw nothing which provoked this response."
Wheeler added that federal officers were guilty of an "egregious overreaction" and that it only managed to "piss everybody off even more. It made people angry." Wheeler likened the feds' "urban warfare" to kicking "a hornets' nest."
Wheeler also pointed his crosshairs at President Donald Trump: "And it's being wrought on the people of this country by the president of the United States, and it's got to stop now."
Still, a white mother observed that Wheeler only showed up to the protests after other white mothers attending the demonstrations over the weekend were tear-gassed, USA Today reported.
"A lot of these people hate my guts," Wheeler said in an interview, according to the Times.
He was booed, he was cursed out, he was shouted down, he was harassed. "F*** Ted Wheeler!" one leftist shouted out before adding that the mayor is a "f***ing fascist!"
Content warning: Language:
But the Times said he still spent three hours there and even managed to draw cheers when he demanded that the federal government "stop occupying our city."
It's fair to say, however, that the show of support may have been a minority view.
Content warning: Language:


theblaze--2020-07-23--At least three federal officers may be permanently blind after Portland rioters attacked them with l

At least three federal officers may be permanently blind after Portland rioters attacked them with lasers But things are 'not @ @ @ @

At least three federal officers deployed to Portland, Oregon, may have been permanently blinded after rioters shined high intensity lasers in their eyes and launched fireworks at a federal courthouse in the city.
Protests have continued to rage in the city for more than 55 consecutive days since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May, prompting President Trump to deploy federal officers to help quell the chaos, a move opposed by Democratic state and local leaders.
Many of the demonstrations have turned violent as groups of rioters have engaged in standoffs with law enforcement, attacking officers with mortars, lasers, rocks, and bottles.
Deputy Director of Federal Protective Service, Richard "Kriss" Cline, told reporters Tuesday that a crowd of more than 1,000 "rioters" surrounded the Mark O. Hatfield courthouse on Monday and began tearing plywood barriers down and throwing objects at officers inside.
The rioters also allegedly graffitied the building, blocked roadways, and lit several fires in the area.
According to Cline, when officers responded to put out the fires, lasers that can cause permanent blindness were shined in their eyes.
"We have three officers who currently have eye injuries and they may not recover sight in those eyes from those laser attacks," Cline said in the news conference.
You can watch the news conference below. Cline's remarks begin at the 15:00 mark.
DHS/CBP Press Conference July 21, 2020 youtu.be
Cline said that FPS has now purchased anti-laser glasses to protect the officers' eyes.
He added that seven arrests were made on Monday night and early morning Tuesday, two for assaults on federal officers and five others on misdemeanor charges.
Also during the news conference, Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf took aim at the city of Portland for its apparent disinterest in quelling the violence.
"These individuals carried lasers, baseball bats, explosive fireworks, metal pipes, glass bottles, accelerants, and other weapons all targeting federal facilities and federal law enforcement," Wolf said. "And yet the city of Portland takes little to no action."
Federal officers have been active in Portland since earlier this month despite resistance from Democratic officials.
Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), who represents the city, argued in the face of facts that "Portland, Oregon, is not out of control," but rather there are simply "some people who have strong feelings."
Portland Democratic Mayor Ted Wheeler has also criticized Trump for sending federal officers to the city, calling the move "a blatant abuse of police tactics by the federal government" and arguing that the presence of federal officers has "sharply escalat[ed] the situation."


theblaze--2020-07-23--Maxine Waters accuses President Trump of using feds in Portland as a 'trial run' to remain in power

Maxine Waters accuses President Trump of using feds in Portland as a 'trial run ' to remain in power

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) says that President Donald Trump is ordering federal police officers to Portland, Oregon, amid nationwide riots as a test run for when he refuses to leave office.
Trump and Attorney General William Barr announced on Wednesday the deployment of at least 200 federal agents to Chicago, and other cities, including Albuquerque, New Mexico, in order to tamp down violence and enforce peace on the streets.
What are the details?
Waters, who appeared on Wednesday's MSNBC broadcast of "The ReidOut," told host Joy Reid that Trump is using such force in order to "not accept what happens when we have the election if he's not elected."
A visibly agitated Waters said, "The people of this country need to be worried about what we're seeing in Portland. We have these police officers or whomever they are, offices of agents of some kind that's been organized by the president of the United States. He didn't contact the local mayors. He didn't contact the governors. Who are these people? Why did they have these uniforms on?"
"We don't have anything that identifies them," she insisted. "They have unmarked cars. They're pulling people off the streets into those cars."
Waters added that Trump's behavior is indicative of a garden variety dictator.
"In Third-World countries, you have dictators who have paramilitary that they can call anytime they want," she warned. "As a matter of fact, it has been suggested that this is a trial run of the president of the United States who may be organizing to not accept what happens when we have the election if he's not elected.
"Is he going to pull out his military?" the Democratic congresswoman fretted. "Is he going to engage us? He has already alluded to there may be a civil war if he's re-elected. This is dangerous."


theblaze--2020-07-25--Oops: Would-be hero runs naked through his neighborhood after a car he thought abducted his niece. T

Oops: Would-be hero runs naked through his neighborhood after a car he thought abducted his niece. Turns out she was just around the corner

Oops : Would-be hero runs naked through his neighborhood after a car he thought abducted his niece .
Turns out @ @ @ @ @ corner

Give Nathan Murphy credit. When he believed the moment called for a hero, he was ready and willing to act the part.
So ready and willing, in fact, that he ran outside buck naked and corralled an innocent driver who he thought was trying to kidnap his niece.
Unfortunately for Murphy, what might have been a heroic moment instead turned out to be one of the most embarrassing moments of his life, when the supposedly absconded niece showed up moments later, safe and sound.
The scene unfolded in Ormesby in the United Kingdom, according to UNILAD.
According to Murphy, he was asleep in bed when his sister Natalie began screaming "That's our Lucy!" believing that her daughter had been abducted by a gray van that had pulled up front. So Nathan did what any adoring uncle would do and bolted out of bed in his birthday suit to stop his niece from being kidnapped.
"I jumped up out the bed, tried to find my clothes and I ended up just grabbing a T-shirt thinking it was my bottoms and I flew downstairs. When I was on the front I heard 'kidnap' and thought 'wow, this is serious'. I'm a big lad, I'm 18 stone, but I can move when I need to and because the adrenaline was rushing through me I went weak in the legs and I just fell over," Murphy said.
That, however, is when horror turned to embarrassment, because right then, the niece he was supposed to be saving strolled around the corner, completely safe and unharmed.
Apart from gratitude that his niece had not, in fact, been abducted, Nathan's first thought was, "I hope one of the mothers don't report me because all their kids had seen my downstairs and I didn't want to be put on some register."
There's no evidence that any of his neighbors intends to report him as a sex offender, yet, but the news is still pretty bad for Nathan: His 64-year-old father obtained CCTV footage of the whole incident and posted it to Facebook where it quickly went viral, racking up tens of thousands of shares and hundreds of thousands of likes.
According to the New York Post, Nathan's sister explained some of the confusion: "There must have been someone going past, having an argument, booting the van, then I heard, 'Mam!' and I thought someone grabbed her into the back of the van."
When she realized that her daughter had just walked around the corner, "Obviously that was a huge relief, then I was walking back to the house and the next thing I know Nathan's outside buck naked. I couldn't stop laughing, but at least I know he's got my back and I know he's going to be there for me."


theblaze--2020-07-25--Crackdown in Portland: Feds arrest and charge 18 people allegedly connected with ongoing civil unres

Crackdown in Portland: Feds arrest and charge 18 people allegedly connected with ongoing civil unrest

Crackdown in Portland : Feds arrest and charge 18 people allegedly connected with ongoing civil unrest

The Department of Justice announced Friday that it has arrested and charged 18 individuals with a variety of criminal charges connected with the long-running civil unrest outside the Hatfield Courthouse in Portland, Oregon. The charges include assault on a federal officer, property damage, trespassing, arson, and others. All 18 made their first appearance in court today and were released pending trial.
The seemingly unending rioting and violence has consumed the area around the courthouse for over seven weeks, and has at times even featured Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, who was purportedly pepper sprayed when he, along with other protesters, refused to disperse.
The courthouse falls under the jurisdiction of federal authorities including the United States Marshals Service and the Department of Homeland Security, who have been criticized by some in the community for attempting to protect the building. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have gone so far as to call the federal officers "storm troopers" and to suggest that their activities are unAmerican.
The ongoing siege of a courthouse by protesters has been slow to attract the media's attention, but now the scene in Portland — in which violence and disorder have grown progressively worse for weeks on end — has become a partisan flashpoint for debate. The protests began, as in many places, with the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police on May 25, but while many other cities have returned to a sense of normalcy, Portland's chaos rages on, perhaps worse than ever.
President Trump has frequently criticized Mayor Wheeler and other Portland authorities for their failure to effectively quell the riots, and has promised to use the resources of the federal government to protect federal property and the people of Portland.
On Sean Hannity's Fox News program Thursday night, Trump said, "[Wheeler] made a fool out of himself. He wanted to be among the people, so he went into the crowd and they knocked the hell out of him. That was the end of him. So that was pretty pathetic."


theblaze--2020-07-25--Surveillance video captures mob brutally beating a father and his daughter inside a NYC bodega

`` I thought they killed him .
I thought he died . ''

Surveillance video captured a brutal beating of a father and his stepdaughter by an angry mob, seemingly for no reason, inside a bodega in New York City.
The video showed a mob attacking the woman and her stepfather on July 7 at a Washington Heights deli. At one point the 41-year-old man was knocked unconscious from the vicious blows he received. Later in the video, one person grabbed a beer bottle to beat the woman on the head.
A bystander told the New York Police Department that her phone was also stolen by the mob when she tried to call the police, according to the New York Post.
Later, the stepfather and his 22-year-old daughter spoke to WLNY-TV.
"Came out of nowhere," she said.
The victim said she was stunned by the video because she had blacked out during the incident.
"I feel shocked," she said. "I blacked out because after… You have anxiety and you get nervous, you don't really remember stuff."
She told WLNY that she was walking to the deli when the group began harassing her and accusing her of trying to contact one of their girlfriends. When she rushed into the bodega to avoid the mob, they attacked her.
"I got hit in my face, my head, my face, my neck," she said.
She said her stepfather saw her being attacked and rushed to protect her. That's when the mob turned on him and beat him unconscious.
"I thought they killed him. I thought he died. I saw him on the floor," she said.
The man spent two days in the hospital and said that he was still suffering from pain in his face.
"He doesn't come outside, just relaxing, resting," his daughter said.
Police are asking for help from the public in finding at least six suspects, all in their 20s, from the attack. Three suspects have been identified by police as 22-year-old Tyquan Dupont, 21-year-old Devonte Phillips, and 26-year-old Tyrone Lawrence.
Here's a local news report about the vicious attack:


theblaze--2020-07-25--Twenty-year-old Tik-Tok dancing star shrugs off concerns about 'cultural appropriation,' and now has

Twenty-year-old Tik-Tok dancing star shrugs off concerns about 'cultural appropriation,' and now has been invited to dance in a major show

Twenty-year-old Tik-Tok dancing star shrugs off concerns about 'cultural appropriation , ' and now has been invited to dance in @ @ @ @ @ do n't think there should be any race element when it comes to dance at @ @

Morgan Bullock has became a star on the social media app TikTok, but not everyone was happy about it.
Bullock, who is 20 years old and black, told the Irish Times that she started dancing on TikTok because she saw many of her other friends doing it — so she tried to mimic their dances with "choppy coreography" and found that, by her own admission, she "was terrible at it."
Bullock said, "I tried to learn the routine to Savage, a song by Megan Thee Stallion and Beyoncé, but I couldn't move fluidly. So I tried Irish dancing to it, instead, doing the tricky footwork like rocks and toe-stands, trebles, drums." To her surprise, she woke up the next morning to thousands of comments, including many in foreign languages. She knew she was on to something, so she kept posting the videos.
According to Bullock, many Irish people — particularly older Irish people — friended her on Facebook and told her what joy they got out of watching her dance. But, she says, she also got a lot of negative feedback as well.
"The comments have been mostly celebratory, but some people said that, as a black woman, I'm appropriating Irish culture," she said.
Bullock says she is passionate about Irish dance, and teaching it to others, so she found the comments "quite hurtful." But she didn't let them stop her. She's entered into numerous competitions and one of her TikTok videos has over a million views, according to Yahoo News.
According to Bullock, "Irish dance is like any other cultural art form, it was created to be shared. It's a dance that was born out of oppression; we can't lose sight of that. For me, as a little black girl, it was a beautiful art I was desperate to be a part of."
Bullock's fame has grown so worldwide that she was invited to join the legendary Riverdance troupe when they perform in Vienna, Virginia, next year — an opportunity that is any Irish dancer's dream come true. She even got a congratulatory tweet from Irish PM Leo Vradakar. And it's all because Bullock didn't let negative comments on social media get to her.
Bullock told the Irish Examiner, "I posted the video on TikTok first, but a lot of the negative comments were on Twitter. I think a lot of people, for one reason or another, can't open their minds to seeing past race. But I don't think there should be any race element when it comes to dance at all."


theblaze--2020-07-24--Weekly Cringe Compilation: Democrats say the most ridiculous things

Weekly Cringe Compilation : Democrats say the most ridiculous things

In this week's installment of "Democrats Say," the "Steve Deace Show" featured Democrats spouting off with the most cringeworthy moments caught on-camera. The latest compilation includes Dr. Anthony Fauci praising the way New York City managed COVID-19, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez keeping it "classy" on the House floor, and Joe Biden saying something about his nostrils. Watch the video and prepare to cringe.
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theblaze--2020-07-24--Joe Rogan is leaving Los Angeles and moving to Texas because there's more freedom there

Joe Rogan is leaving Los Angeles and moving to Texas because there 's more freedom there

Joe Rogan, host of one of the most popular podcasts on the planet, said that he decided to move from Los Angeles to Texas because he wanted "a little bit more freedom."
Rogan explained the decisions behind his move during his podcast conversation with guest Joe De Sena, the CEO and founder of Spartan and the Death Race.
"I'm outta here," said Rogan when De Sana asked him about moving. "I'm gonna go to Texas."
"I just want to go somewhere in the center of the country, somewhere it's easier to travel to both places, and somewhere where you have a little bit more freedom," he explained.
"Also I think that um, where we live right here in Los Angeles is overcrowded. And I think, most of the time that's not a problem. But I think it's exposing the fact that it's a real issue, when you look at the number of people that uh, are catching COVID because of this overpopulation issue," Rogan continued.
"When you look at the traffic, when you look at the economic despair, when you look at the homelessness problem that's accelerated radically over the last six, seven, 10 years, I think there's too many people here," he added.
"I think it's not tenable, I don't think that it's manageable. And every mayor does a s**t job of doing it because I don't think anybody could do a great job of it. I think there's certain things you're gonna have to deal with when you have a population of whatever the f*** L.A. is, it's like 20-million-plus people," Rogan said.
"It's just too many people," replied De Sena.
"It's too many people," Rogan agreed.
COVID-19 concerns
The UFC host and former "Fear Factor" host has hinted previously that he was considering such a move. In May, he cited the coronavirus lockdown restrictions imposed by the Democratic leadership as the main reason for his inclination to move to Texas.
"If California continues to be this restrictive, I don't know if this is a good place to live," said Rogan. "I might jet. I'm not kidding. I'm not kidding, this is silly. I don't need to be here."
According to a report in 2019, nearly 700,000 Californians moved from the Democrat-controlled state in 2018, with more than 86,000 resettling in Texas. Despite those moving out, California's population grew to 40 million in 2018.
Here's the video of Rogan's comments:


theblaze--2020-07-24--UK and US say Russia launched a weapon in space

UK and US say Russia launched a weapon in space '' This is further evidence of Russia 's continuing efforts @ @ @ @ @ systems , '' said Gen. John `` Jay '' Raymond , U.S. Space Force Chief @ @ @ @

The U.S. and United Kingdom accused Russia of testing a weapon that could attack satellites in space. The U.S. Space Command said on Thursday that it had evidence that Russia "conducted a non-destructive test of a space-based anti-satellite weapon" last week.
The U.S. Space Command alleges that a Russian satellite "injected a new object into orbit" on July 15. The Russian satellite named "Cosmos 2543" released an unidentified object into orbit near another Russian satellite.
Cosmos 2543 is reportedly an inspector satellite, but the U.S. Space Command said the satellite's activity was "inconsistent with their stated mission" as an inspector satellite.
The U.S. State Department questioned the motives of the Cosmos 2543 satellite in 2018 when it exhibited "characteristics of a space-based weapon." The Department of State declared the behavior "hypocritical and concerning."
"This event highlights Russia's hypocritical advocacy of outer space arms control, with which Moscow aims to restrict the capabilities of the United States while clearly having no intention of halting its own counter space program — both ground-based anti-satellite capabilities and what would appear to be actual in-orbit anti-satellite weaponry," said Dr. Christopher Ford, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State.
"We don't have definitive proof, but I think it is," Brian Weeden, director of program planning for the Secure World Foundation, told The Verge. "It stands out as different from all the other rendezvous and proximity operations that have been going on.
"It's mostly satellites coming close to other Russian satellites or other Russian rocket bodies slowly — like a slow approach over several days," said Weeden. "And then they might back away, and then they'll come close again, then they'll hang out nearby. That's the sort of thing we've been watching."
"On July 15, Cosmos 2543 deployed a smaller object at a relatively high speed (roughly 200 m/s or about 400 mph) that is unusual for the typical satellite deployment," Weeden said.
In January, Cosmos 2543 and another Russian "inspection satellite" named Cosmos 2542 were spotted seemingly stalking a U.S. reconnaissance satellite operated by the National Reconnaissance Office that is named "USA 245," known to space experts as a "KH-11."
"We view this behavior as unusual and disturbing," Gen. John "Jay" Raymond, Commander of U.S. Space Command and U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations, told Time magazine in February. "It has the potential to create a dangerous situation in space."
"The United States finds these recent activities to be concerning and do not reflect the behavior of a responsible space-faring nation," Raymond said.
"Last November the Russian government launched a satellite that subsequently released a second satellite," Gen. Raymond told CNBC in February. "These satellites have been actively maneuvering near a U.S. government satellite … which the Russian government characterized as 'inspector satellites.'"
Now Raymond is pointing out that Russia's Cosmos 2543 is likely a weapon.
"The Russian satellite system used to conduct this on-orbit weapons test is the same satellite system that we raised concerns about earlier this year, when Russia maneuvered near a U.S. government satellite," Raymond said in a statement. "This is further evidence of Russia's continuing efforts to develop and test space-based systems, and consistent with the Kremlin's published military doctrine to employ weapons that hold U.S. and allied space assets at risk."
The Space Command claims there was also a Russian anti-satellite test carried out in 2017. Russians launched a satellite and "a smaller satellite was birthed" and then "a projectile was launched" from the satellite, Stephen L. Kitay, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, told the Pentagon last month.
Kitay said that China and Russia were "actively developing capabilities to negate U.S. allied and partnered space systems, we are left with no choice but to ensure we are prepared with the necessary means to protect and defend ourselves from attacks to our systems."
"I wish I could say that space was a sea of tranquility and a sanctuary from attack. But the fact of the matter is, space is contested," Kitay added. "Outer space has emerged as a key arena of potential conflict in an era of great power competition."
Russia and the United States are two of 110 countries that have signed the Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits putting weapons in orbit or space.