theblaze--2020-03-04--Arizona state House passes bill barring biological males from girls’ sports

It would apply to public schools , private schools , and colleges

Lawmakers in Arizona moved a step closer to barring biological males from competing in girls' sports.
According to a report Tuesday from the Arizona Republic, the state's House of Representatives passed a bill that would close off designated female sports "to students of the male sex":
The emotional hours-long debate on House Bill 2706 culminated in a party-line vote of 31-29, sending the measure to the state Senate, where it will become another flashpoint in the culture wars at the state Capitol.
Rep. Nancy Barto, a Phoenix Republican who is sponsoring the measure, argued it is necessary in the face of a lawsuit in Connecticut brought by the conservative Scottsdale-based group Alliance Defending Freedom and students who argue they unfairly lost out in competition with transgender athletes.
H.B. 2706 would require sports or teams sponsored by educational institutions to be designated as either coed, male or female, with biological males not being allowed to compete in female-designated events.
The bill also says that in the event of a dispute about participation on a sport or team, "A student may establish the student's sex by presenting a signed physician's statement that indicates the student's sex based on an analysis of the student's genetic makeup."
The Arizona Republic story points out that a previous version of the bill had more stringent requirements for establishing biological sex in a dispute — which included determining testosterone levels — that were amended after pushback from Democrats, who said they were too invasive.
Language in the findings section of the bill declares that "biological differences between females and males, especially as they relate to natural levels of testosterone, 'explain the male and female secondary sex characteristics which develop during puberty and have lifelong effects, including those most important for success in sport," citing a paper from the Duke Law Center for Sports Law and Policy.
The proposed restrictions would apply to public schools and private schools that are part of interscholastic sports organizations, as well as public colleges and community colleges and other higher learning institutions that are members of national athletic associations such as the NCAA.
Naturally, the bill has drawn criticism from those who say that student athletes' biological makeup shouldn't trump their perceived gender identity in the realm of athletics.
"Transgender girls are girls, and transgender boys are boys," Amanda Parris, policy counsel for the ACLU of Arizona, said of the bill in a statement against the legislation last Friday. "Transgender students participate in sports for the same reasons that other students do. They want enjoy the activities, challenge themselves and be a part of a team."
"Trans athletes are not a threat. We need to protect trans kids—and all LGBTQ+ kids—and ensure they feel safe and welcomed at school," Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said last month, urging lawmakers to reject the bill.
Meanwhile, legislators in several other states have also sought to address the question of transgender athletes in girls' sports. Similar bills have so far been proposed or filed in Idaho, Missouri, Tennessee, New Hampshire, Washington, Georgia, South Carolina, Ohio and Alabama.


theblaze--2020-03-04--Tulsi Gabbard slams Warren as a 'fake indigenous woman of color,' reminds everyone she's still in th

Tulsi Gabbard slams Warren as a 'fake indigenous woman of color,' reminds everyone she's still in the race

Tulsi Gabbard slams Warren as a 'fake indigenous woman of color , ' reminds everyone she 's still in the @ @ @ @ @ has n't dropped out

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) attacked her Democratic primary opponent Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) Tuesday, calling the senator a "fake indigenous woman of color."
The Hawaii congresswoman tweeted the attack in response to a Fox News segment where political strategist Karl Rove either forgot or chose to ignore the fact that Gabbard had not exited the race for president. Gabbard has just one pledged delegate in the primary race so far and has been consistently polling near the bottom.
While speaking as a guest on Fox News' "The Daily Briefing" with host Dana Perino, Rove referred to Warren as the "only woman left" in the race, which evidently bothered Gabbard.
Gabbard addressed Dana Perino in the tweet, though Perino did not suggest that Warren was the last female candidate in the Democratic primary.
"I'm not quite sure why you're telling FOX viewers that Elizabeth Warren is the last female candidate in the Dem primary," Gabbard wrote. "Is it because you believe a fake indigenous woman of color is 'real' and the real indigenous woman of color in this race is fake?"
Gabbard, who was born in the American Samoa and grew up in Hawaii, was referring to Warren's past debunked claims of having Native American ancestry. According to the Hill, Warren claimed she was "American Indian" when registering for the state bar in Texas. Then, after sparring with President Trump over her heritage claims, Warren released a report that indicated she could be as much as 1/64th Native American, or as little as 1/1,024th. The report did not help her case.
While other candidates who have been more successful than Gabbard — such as former South Bend., Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D) — have dropped out, Gabbard has chosen to remain in the race.
On Super Tuesday, with 1,357 delegates up for grabs, Gabbard was able to win just one delegate for her second-place finish in the American Samoa.


theblaze--2020-03-04--Campus newspaper for prestigious all-women college tells school to stop calling students 'women'

'We can not stay silent as our nonbinary and transgender siblings are stripped of their humanity '

A recent staff editorial for The Wellesley News, the student newspaper for Wellesley College, calls for the prestigious all-women school to edit its policies and language in deference to transgender and nonbinary individuals — most notably to stop calling students "women."
What are the details?
The editorial takes umbrage at the "never-ending reminders" on campus that Wellesley is for "Women Who Will," as well as the "attitudes of students, staff, and faculty members on campus who continue to refer to Wellesley 'sisters' and use she/her pronouns without consideration for who is in the room. These current practices and attitudes perpetuate the ongoing exclusion and ignorance of transgender and nonbinary identities."
In addition, the editorial calls attention to Wellesley's policy of excluding transgender male students from admission and only allowing applicants who identify as women — whether male or female assigned at birth — or who were identified as female at birth who now identify as nonbinary. "Those who are assigned male at birth and identify as nonbinary or identify as cis males are not eligible for admission," the editorial adds.
More from the paper:
On the fifth anniversary of Wellesley introducing its new gender policy, The Wellesley News calls for the College to reject its complacent attitude and towards the neglect of the transgender and nonbinary community. To do so, we ask that the College administration revise its policy surrounding the admittance of transgender male students and usher in a more inclusive language standard for official communications. Additionally, we ask students to reflect these changes in their everyday lives in order to foster a more kind, empathetic environment.
That 'women' word
The editorial also stresses in order to complete a "cognizant rejection of the gender binary," a few other things are in order, such as doing away with that "women" word. It notes a few ideas adapted from the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion web page of another all-women school, Mount Holyoke College, which also includes transgender and nonbinary students:
"When discussing the student body, say 'Wellesley students' rather than 'Wellesley women.'"
"Avoid making statements like 'We're all women here…'"
"Use gender-neutral language whenever possible in syllabi and other general written communication."
"When we reexamine our assumptions surrounding gender through small shifts like language, we become more tolerant of those who deviate from the gender spectrum," the editorial concludes. "And, most importantly, we cannot stay silent as our nonbinary and transgender siblings are stripped of their humanity by being excluded from something as crucial as language."
(H/T: The College Fix)


theblaze--2020-03-04--Elizabeth Warren reportedly reassessing campaign’s future after rough Super Tuesday

After a weak performance in Super Tuesday 's Democratic primary elections , presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
is reportedly taking a day to rethink her campaign and whether or not to press forward with it .
The Hill reported Wednesday morning that the senator flew home to Boston after a campaign rally on Tuesday night with no public events slated for the following day .
The outlet cited a `` senior campaign official '' that said the candidate was taking time to evaluate her campaign 's remaining prospects .
`` Elizabeth is talking to her team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the source told the outlet .
The Associated Press also cited a campaign aide who said that the senator was assessing the path forward with her staff .
Out of the 14 state primary contests held Tuesday , Warren failed to win any of the called races .
She also did n't win in any of the early primary states of Iowa , New Hampshire , Nevada , and South Carolina .
More embarrassingly , she came in third in her home state of Massachusetts , behind former Vice President Joe Biden and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Furthermore , as of Wednesday morning , the Massachusetts senator 's total pledged delegate count sat at 50 , well behind Biden 's 453 and Sanders ' 382 .
But , as her unpromising results were still rolling in on Tuesday night , Warren 's campaign sent out a message to supporters looking ahead to future primaries and asking for donations in order `` to keep up the momentum . ''
The report of Warren 's electoral re-evaluation came shortly after former rival candidate and former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign to support Biden 's bid .
`` I 'm a believer in using data to inform decisions , '' Bloomberg said in a statement .
`` After yesterday 's results , the delegate math has become virtually impossible – and a viable path to the nomination no longer exists . ''
The New York billionaire also added that `` the candidate with the best shot to '' unseat President Donald Trump in November `` is my friend and a great American , Joe Biden . ''
Warren previously said last week that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race up until the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee this summer if there 's no outright delegate winner among the remaining candidates with the intent to lobby the party 's superdelegates .

After a weak performance in Super Tuesday's Democratic primary elections, presidential hopeful Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is reportedly taking a day to rethink her campaign and whether or not to press forward with it.
The Hill reported Wednesday morning that the senator flew home to Boston after a campaign rally on Tuesday night with no public events slated for the following day. The outlet cited a "senior campaign official" that said the candidate was taking time to evaluate her campaign's remaining prospects.
"Elizabeth is talking to her team to assess the path forward," the source told the outlet.
The Associated Press also cited a campaign aide who said that the senator was assessing the path forward with her staff.
Out of the 14 state primary contests held Tuesday, Warren failed to win any of the called races. She also didn't win in any of the early primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. More embarrassingly, she came in third in her home state of Massachusetts, behind former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Furthermore, as of Wednesday morning, the Massachusetts senator's total pledged delegate count sat at 50, well behind Biden's 453 and Sanders' 382.
But, as her unpromising results were still rolling in on Tuesday night, Warren's campaign sent out a message to supporters looking ahead to future primaries and asking for donations in order "to keep up the momentum."
The report of Warren's electoral re-evaluation came shortly after former rival candidate and former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg announced Wednesday that he would be suspending his campaign to support Biden's bid.
"I'm a believer in using data to inform decisions," Bloomberg said in a statement. "After yesterday's results, the delegate math has become virtually impossible – and a viable path to the nomination no longer exists."
The New York billionaire also added that "the candidate with the best shot to" unseat President Donald Trump in November "is my friend and a great American, Joe Biden."
Warren previously said last week that she planned to stay in the primary race up until the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee this summer if there's no outright delegate winner among the remaining candidates with the intent to lobby the party's superdelegates.


theblaze--2020-03-04--Bernie Sanders supporters pout, claim 'coup,' blame media for his poor Super Tuesday showing

'This was not a resurrection ; it was a coup '

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders' supporters are crying foul after former Vice President Joe Biden's Super Tuesday victory.
The Vermont senator took the clear lead in the Democratic race after the first three primary contests. But Biden has re-emerged as the front-runner after his Super Tuesday performance — in which he won a majority of the delegates — that followed his blowout win in South Carolina.
Now that Biden is back on top, Sanders' supporters are voicing their ardent frustrations and theories that the Democratic nomination is being stolen from Sanders.
For example, Marianne Williamson, a former 2020 Democratic candidate herself who has since become a surrogate for Sanders, claimed the Democratic Party has initiated a "coup" against Sanders.
"Jake Tapper referred to the 'resurrection' of Joe Biden's campaign. This was not a resurrection; it was a coup. Russiagate was not a coup. Mueller was not a coup. Impeachment was not a coup. What happened [on Super Tuesday] was a coup. And we will push it back," she said in a since-deleted tweet.
Meanwhile, Carlos Maza, the progressive commentator who led the charge to de-platform Steven Crowder, blamed the media.
"It's easy to blame Warren for this, but the bigger culprit is cable news, which treated South Carolina like a major unexpected comeback for Biden and likely had a huge impact on last-minute voters worried about electability," he said.
And then there was Cenk Uygur, founder of the far-left YouTube channel The Young Turks, who had a complete meltdown, lashing out at the Democratic "establishment" for Sanders' lackluster Super Tuesday showing.
Because it appears that Sanders and Biden will be extremely close in delegate count at the convention, the likelihood of a contested convention is increasing.
A contested convention would be bad news for Sanders, even if he goes into the Democratic National Convention with a slight edge over Biden. That's because superdelegates have much more power in a second ballot at the Democratic convention and would likely lean heavily in favor of Biden.
(H/T: Washington Examiner)


theblaze--2020-03-04--Public California university offers speech therapy clinic to help transgender students sound like th

Public California university offers speech therapy clinic to help transgender students sound like their 'gender identity' 'This type of clinic @ @ @ @ @ have a place on campus and that we are being seen and heard '

A public college in California is offering a voice clinic to students who identify as transgender in order to help them sound more like their preferred "gender identity."
According to Campus Reform, the clinic is at San Francisco State University and offers speech therapy to help transgender and nonbinary participants "find their voice":
Assistant Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Anusha Sundarrajan is spearheading the initiative, which teaches techniques used for voice modification including exercises such as humming through a straw, according to the university.
Sundarrajan believes it's important that trans and nonbinary people hoping to change their voice use formal techniques. Without it, she says some may end up harming their vocal cords, leading to even greater problems. Instead, Sundarrajan stresses the clinic teaches participants healthy practices to help in attaining their new voice.
"With our clinic, we provide a nonjudgmental space where our participants can find a voice that defines who they are," Sundarrajan said in a late January university news release. "We want to create a safe and open environment for all our participants."
The release said "Sundarrajan and a team of graduate student clinicians meet with participants weekly to explore natural techniques of voice modification. Each session kicks off with group warm-up exercises — like humming through a straw to strengthen the vocal cords — followed by one-on-one time between the clinicians and participants under the supervision of Sundarrajan."
Some of the other techniques clinic participants use, according to the university, are "techniques common in the field of speech-language pathology" such as "Conversation Training Therapy," an example that "involves switching between their current and target voice, a practice that builds their confidence in speaking with their target voice in everyday settings."
As a success story for the clinic's efforts, the university points to Lola Chase, a recent graduate who identifies as "transmasculine" — i.e., a biological female who "identifies on the male side of the gender spectrum."
"Prior to joining the clinic, I didn't know how to support my voice in a way that both aligns with my gender identity and is healthy," Chase said. "I learned a lot from the clinic in that sense."
The recent graduate added, "This type of clinic reassures queer people that we have a place on campus and that we are being seen and heard."
The university adds that the clinics services are open to the general public as well as "members of the campus community," but that priority is given to enrolled students.


theblaze--2020-03-04--Mike Bloomberg drops out of presidential race and endorses Joe Biden after Super Tuesday disappointm

Mike Bloomberg drops out of presidential race and endorses Joe Biden after Super Tuesday disappointment

Former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg dropped out of the Democratic presidential primary and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday after failing to be competitive on Super Tuesday — a day which he poured hundreds of millions of dollars into.
Bloomberg, whose campaign staff reportedly wanted him to drop out before Super Tuesday, skipped the first four states of the primary in order to invest fully in the delegate-heavy Super Tuesday states, but that strategy fell flat as Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) won all 12 of the states that have been called, and lead in the remaining two states.
Bloomberg issued a statement announcing his withdrawal from the race and support for Biden:
I've always believed that defeating Donald Trump starts with uniting behind the candidate with the best shot to do it. After yesterday's vote, it is clear that candidate is my friend and a great American, Joe Biden. I've known Joe for a very long time. I know his decency, his honesty, and his commitment to the issues that are so important to our country – including gun safety, health care, climate change, and good jobs. I've had the chance to work with Joe on those issues over the years, and Joe has fought for working people his whole life. Today I am glad to endorse him – and I will work to make him the next President of the United States.
After gaining momentum in the polls through hundreds of millions in ad spending, Bloomberg qualified for the Nevada and South Carolina debates, where he performed poorly and was attacked heavily by the other candidates — perhaps most aggressively by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who attempted to resurrect her own failing campaign at his expense.
After Sanders appeared to be running away with the election after the first three primary contests, the race has shifted in favor of Biden with a huge win in South Carolina, followed by endorsements from former candidates Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Beto O'Rourke.
Bloomberg's exit and endorsement will likely result in many of the former mayor's supporters turning to Biden as the only remaining moderate alternative to the democratic socialist Sanders.


theblaze--2020-03-04--Democrat-turned-Republican West Virginia governor signs ‘born alive’ bill into law: 'An absolute no-

Democrat-turned-Republican West Virginia governor signs ‘born alive’ bill into law: 'An absolute no-brainer as far as I'm concerned'

Democrat-turned-Republican West Virginia governor signs ‘ born alive ’ bill into law : 'An absolute no-brainer as far as I @ @ @ @ @ — born or unborn — is precious and truly a gift from God '

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice — who was elected as a Democrat but later switched to the Republican Party — signed a bill into law Monday that protects babies who are born following attempted abortion procedures.
The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which penalizes physicians who don't provide the newborn baby medical care, moved through the state's House and Senate with near unanimous support before reaching the governor's desk.
"This is an absolute no-brainer as far as I'm concerned," Gov. Justice said. "I've said for a long time, even back before I took office as governor, that I would support measures like this because every human life — born or unborn — is precious and truly a gift from God."
What's the background?
West Virginia's newly signed law is nearly identical to the federal "born-alive" bill that was blocked by 41 Democratic senators in a vote on Capitol Hill last week.
The legislation, both in West Virginia and in D.C., came in response to comments by Virginia Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam last year that indicated an openness to abortions after birth, or infanticide.
"If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen," Northam said while discussing a controversial state-level abortion bill in a radio interview last year. "The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that's what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother."
Pro-life lawmakers took Northam's comments and the surrounding discussion as a sign that the Democratic Party had moved radically to the left on the abortion issue, and that further protections needed to be made.
'It's just common sense'
"If I had my way, I would stand up here and say I stand for life in all cases, all the time," Gov. Justice said in a ceremonial bill signing at the state Capitol. "It's unbelievable that we even have to go through this process for something that seems like it's just common sense. But, at the same time, we should be really proud that we're defending the lives of our most vulnerable."
"So today we're going to put a stake in the sand that says for us, for us at least, we stand for life and we stand for the right stuff," he added.


theblaze--2020-03-04--Coronavirus mortality rate higher than previously thought, World Health Organization chief says

'We are in uncharted territory' Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , director general of the World Health Organization ( WHO ) , @ @ @ @ @ conference on the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in Geneva , Switzerland .
( Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg via @ @ @

The mortality rate for those infected with coronavirus, more specifically known as COVID-19, is higher than officials had previously estimated, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday, according to CNBC.
Previous estimates indicated about 2% of those who contracted COVID-19 died, but now that estimate has been revised to 3.4% worldwide.
"This is a unique virus, with unique features. This virus is not influenza," Tedros said. "We are in uncharted territory."
Deeper into the numbers: Within that overall 3.4% mortality rate, there is some variance depending on the country. That variance is related to the speed of a country's response, and the ability of its health care system to treat patients. The low end mortality rate is 0.7% and the high end is 4% in some locations.
Signs of progress: Despite the lack of information about the virus and how to treat it, a senior WHO official said there is reason to be optimistic that COVID-19 can be contained with the proper public health measures.
"Here we have a disease for which we have no vaccine, no treatment, we don't fully understand transmission, we don't fully understand case mortality, but what we have been genuinely heartened by is that unlike influenza, where countries have fought back, where they've put in place strong measures, we've remarkably seen that the virus is suppressed," said Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of WHO's health emergencies program, according to CNBC.
Mutating virus: Chinese researchers have found two different strains of COVID-19, indicating that the virus has mutated since the beginning of the outbreak.
The strain contracted by about 70% of those infected with COVID-19 is believed to be more aggressive, but it has reportedly decreased in frequency as the outbreak has gone on. The other 30% have been infected by a less aggressive version of COVID-19.
"These findings strongly support an urgent need for further immediate, comprehensive studies that combine genomic data, epidemiological data, and chart records of the clinical symptoms of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)," Peking University's School of Life Sciences and the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai determined in a study, CNBC reported.


theblaze--2020-03-04--Italy set to close schools across the country in attempt to contain coronavirus

Italy set to close schools across the country in attempt to contain coronavirus 'None of us can be sure about @ @ @ @ @ disease '

Italy is set to close schools across the country in an apparent effort to tamp down the spread of coronavirus.
What are the details?
According to a Wednesday Bloomberg report, Education Minister Lucia Azzolina said that a decision on the matter is forthcoming.
“We have asked for an opinion from the scientific committee on whether schools should be left open or closed," Azzolina told reporters in Rome.
The outlet noted that Italian media, such as Ansa and la Repubblica, reported that school shutdowns would begin on Thursday and last until mid-March.
During a Tuesday news conference, Angelo Borrelli, head of the country's Civil Protection Agency, said, "None of us can be sure about the future evolution of the disease. This is an important week to understand what will happen."
Fabrizio Pregliasco, virologist at Milan University, added, "The virus is severely testing our health facilities and we need to limit children getting together. Closing schools is a necessary measure because it will help limit the spread."
The New York Post reported that 2,502 cases of COVID-19 had been reported in Italy as of Wednesday. At least 79 people in Italy have died as of Tuesday, up from 52 on Monday.
What else?
Japan announced this week its plans to close schools until further notice.
Beginning Thursday, schools will be closed until further notice. The Japanese school year ends in March.
About 12.8 million students at 34,800 schools nationwide will be impacted by the countrywide closures.


theblaze--2020-03-04--19 states sue Trump administration over use of Department of Defense funds for border wall construct

19 states sue Trump administration over use of Department of Defense funds for border wall construction 'We will not stand @ @ @ @ @ and will fight it using every tool at our disposal '

The seemingly never-ending legal efforts against the Trump administration's construction of a southern border wall continued on Tuesday afternoon with a federal lawsuit filed by 19 U.S. states.
The 77-page lawsuit — which was filed in U.S. District Court for the North District of California — takes issue with the administration's latest diversion of defense funds to construct the border wall, and claims that the plaintiffs seek "to protect their residents, National Guard units, natural resources, and sovereign and economic interests from the harm caused by President Donald J. Trump's flagrant disregard of fundamental separation of powers principles ingrained in the United States Constitution."
Last month, the Pentagon informed Congress of its plans to divert $3.8 billion in defense funds to help with wall construction along the southwest border, per the terms of the national emergency that President Donald Trump declared last year over illegal immigration and the security situation at the border. The decision was criticized by congressional Democrats as well as the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, Mac Thornberry (Texas), who is not running for re-election.
The states' lawsuit goes on to say that the states are injured because the redirected Pentagon funding set to be used for the wall includes money that would have otherwise gone toward military projects in their states or toward gear for their National Guard units.
Furthermore, the states also claim that "diversion of any funding toward construction of a wall along California's and New Mexico's southern borders will irreparably harm the sovereign interests of those States due to the environmental damage to their natural resources that construction will cause."
In addition to the separation of powers claims, the states' lawsuit also accuses the Trump administration of violating the Constitution's Appropriations Clause, of acting beyond its legal authority, as well as committing violations of the Administrative Procedure Act and National Environmental Policy Act.
The states listed as plaintiffs in the complaint are California, New Mexico, Colorado, Hawaii, Virginia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
"President Trump is risking the safety of every American by diverting taxpayer dollars from our military to fund the same xenophobic campaign promises he's made for the last four years," said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement on Tuesday. "We will not stand for this abuse of power and will fight it using every tool at our disposal."
Last year, the Supreme Court handed the Trump administration a win on the subject of a previous funding diversion, allowing wall construction to continue despite a lawsuit bought by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Sierra Club and the Southern Border Communities Coalition. The groups also filed a new lawsuit against the administration over the latest funding diversion last week.
Members of Congress have also tried to stop the funding diversion by forcing votes on two resolutions to terminate the president's national emergency declaration, but those efforts failed to overcome the Trump's veto both times.


theblaze--2020-03-04--Latino supporter of Bernie Sanders admits his daughter is voting for President Trump — and MSNBC's K

Latino supporter of Bernie Sanders admits his daughter is voting for President Trump — and MSNBC's Katy Tur is shocked

Latino supporter of Bernie Sanders admits his daughter is voting for President Trump — and MSNBC 's Katy Tur is @

MSNBC's Katy Tur sure can pick 'em.
Last month she was reporting live outside a New Hampshire polling place discussing primary supporters of democratic socialist presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and approached her very first interview subject: "Sir, can you tell us who you voted for?"
Without hesitation, the man hilariously replied, "Donald John Trump."
What happened this time?
Tur was interviewing residents of East Los Angeles ahead of Super Tuesday and asked a Latino man who he and his family were supporting in the California primary — and through an interpreter he replied that he was voting for Sanders.
"Por qué Bernie Sanders?" Tur asked him.
"They didn't know, but they're going to be supporting him," the interpreter told Tur after the man answered.
Tur pressed the man: "Is it your daughter leading the charge [for Sanders]?"
During the man's answer in Spanish, the name "Donald" was distinctly audible — and with that the interpreter exclaimed, "Oh wow!" and laughed.
'Your daughter's going to vote for Donald Trump?'
Tur knew what was up and asked — with a slightly incredulous tone — "Your daughter's going to vote for Donald Trump?"
"Yeah," the man admitted.
"Por qué?" Tur inquired.
Turns out her choice is due to the strength of Trump's economy, the man replied through the interpreter, who later told Tur that Trump support in the Latino community isn't seen "too much, but it's fascinating." He added that there's still a "stubborn 10% to 15% of the population that continues to poll for Donald Trump."
He added that members of his own family are Trump supporters, and they work in law enforcement, which is a loyal Trump base of support.


theblaze--2020-03-05--New York officials order 1,000 quarantined fearing possible contact with coronavirus patients

New York officials order 1,000 quarantined fearing possible contact with coronavirus patients There are currently six confirmed cases of COVID-19 @ @ @

Roughly 1,000 people in New York City have been ordered quarantined by health officials, most over fears that they may have come in contact with any of five individuals in one community who have tested positive for the coronavirus known as COVID-19.
There are six confirmed cases in the state.
What are the details?
The Washington Post reported that the outbreak began as such: "First, a lawyer who commutes between the suburbs and his midtown Manhattan office was diagnosed with the coronavirus. Then, his wife and children tested positive, along with a neighbor who drove him to the hospital."
The lawyer was admitted to a hospital and his wife and the two children were quarantined in their home. One of the kids, a boy, is a student who lived on campus at Yeshiva University, according to the New York Post. The outlet noted that "his 14-year-old sister attends the private Jewish SAR Academy in Riverdale that closed Tuesday for 'precautionary measures.'"
Now, anyone who came into contact with the family or the neighbor either through the kids' schools, the parents' law firm, their medical treatment, the family's synagogue, or in any other capacity have been ordered by health officials to self-quarantine.
Several people with known contact have been tested for COVID-19, and results are pending.
In addition to the folks who may have come in contact with the family or the neighbor, Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters that another 300 study-abroad students at state-run universities are being recalled back from countries with high numbers of coronavirus cases, namely China, Italy, Japan, Iran, and South Korea. Those students will be quarantined for 14 days.
According to WHEC-TV, that means the number of people ordered to self-quarantine or to face procedural quarantine is around 1,000 people, and "county officials said they will mandate quarantines for those who do not comply."
During a news conference Wednesday, Gov. Cuomo explained that COVID-19 is often spread through close contact with those infected, rather than through mass transit. He cautioned against panic, saying, "We have an epidemic caused by coronavirus, but we have a pandemic that is caused by fear."
Anything else?
The sixth confirmed coronavirus case in New York state is a 39-year-old woman who tested positive after returning from a trip to Iran. She and her husband are both health care workers who traveled together, and are self-quarantined in their Manhattan home. The wife is recovering, and the husband tested negative for coronavirus but remains quarantined out of caution.


theblaze--2020-03-05--YouTube host Cenk Uygur calls for progressives to 'go to war' against Democrat establishment to secu

YouTube host Cenk Uygur calls for progressives to 'go to war' against Democrat establishment to secure Bernie Sanders nomination

YouTube host Cenk Uygur calls for progressives to 'go to war ' against Democrat establishment to secure Bernie Sanders nomination @ @ @ @ @ for the US Senate , but he 's more angry about Sanders

Far-left YouTube host Cenk Uygur vowed to go to war with the Democratic establishment in order to secure the nomination for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) after a disastrous Super Tuesday showing for the socialist democrat candidate.
Uygur conceded his own campaign run for one of California's seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after receiving only 5% of the vote.
In a rant on his popular The Young Turks channel, Uygur went on a rant against the Democratic establishment for what he perceived as lies to help their favored candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden.
"No matter what happens tonight, If the establishment media continues to lie about Biden's record, we all have to go and collectively and kick their g*dd**n a**es, of course, not physically, we're progressives," Uygur said.
Uygur blamed the mainstream media for Sanders failing to secure the nomination on Super Tuesday.
"We thought it was almost over, Bernie was gonna win, now it's not over, now we're in a tie! And now we got absolute dig-in warfare against the establishment! But we didn't start the war, they started the war!" he yelled.
"You wanna go to war, we'll go to war!" he exclaimed later in the broadcast. "And that is what this is. We cannot let Biden win!"
Uygur criticized Biden as a weak candidate with serious flaws that would lose to President Donald Trump in the general election.
"Guys not just on progressives versus establishment, this is so important, I need you to understand this, Biden is not going to beat Trump!" he continued.
"Biden is either near senile or actually senile, watch any of the tapes! And Biden lies nonstop! He's gonna get caught!" Uygur exclaimed emphatically.
"And when Trump comes for him, he's not gonna beat Trump!" he concluded.
Sanders was widely considered to be on the path to obtaining the nomination before Biden surpassed him in the delegate count with stunning victories across the board on Super Tuesday.
Here's the video of Uygur's rant:
www.youtube.com
[H/T: The Washington Examiner]


theblaze--2020-03-05--'Maybe you shouldn't even want to have sex with me!' Rashida Tlaib declares in bizarre pro-abortion

'Maybe you shouldn't even want to have sex with me!' Rashida Tlaib declares in bizarre pro-abortion rant

'Maybe you should n't even want to have sex with me ! '
Rashida Tlaib declares in bizarre pro-abortion rant @ @ @ @ @ same line before

Radical leftist Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) has a penchant for raising eyebrows with her rhetoric, but she took it to another level on Wednesday when she declared during a pro-abortion rally that one of her go-to lines against pro-lifers is, "Maybe you shouldn't even want to have sex with me!"
What are the details?
During the rally in front of the Supreme Court, Tlaib told her fellow demonstrators, "This past year, I realized, my, my, my are they obsessed with our bodies, how we talk, how we look, what we stand for. I mean, this type of policing of our bodies is so interconnected to all the social justice movements all around the country."
"And let me tell you," Tlaib continued. "This obsession with our bodies. You know, I, in the Michigan Legislature for six years, used to say to people, 'Yo, yo, you know what, you're so freakin' obsessed with what I decide to do with my body, maybe you shouldn't even want to have sex with me!'"
Journalist Tom Elliott of Grabien Media noted that Tlaib went on to accuse pro-life politicians of "commercializing" women's bodies.
Anything else?
Tlaib made her remarks at the same protest where Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) threatened Supreme Court Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch.
Schumer addressed the men (who were not present) by name while speaking to the protesters, saying, "I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh: You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions."
TheBlaze's Nate Madden reported that the protest was "scheduled to coincide with oral arguments in the high-profile June Medical Services v. Russo abortion case."
Madden explained:
The June Medical Services v. Russo case that the Supreme Court heard Wednesday is Kavanaugh's first one dealing with abortion since ascending to the bench in late 2018. It deals with whether or not the state of Louisiana can enforce a law that places hospital admitting requirements on abortion providers. Abortion proponents fear that the court may use it to significantly expand states' ability to restrict abortion access.


theblaze--2020-03-05--President Trump tweets that Schumer must 'pay a severe price' for comments against Supreme Court jus

President Trump tweets that Schumer must 'pay a severe price' for comments against Supreme Court justices

President Trump tweets that Schumer must 'pay a severe price ' for comments against Supreme Court justices '' Serious action @ @ @ @ @ ''

President Donald Trump waded into the burgeoning feud between conservative members of the Supreme Court and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) over an abortion case before the court.
The president fired off two tweets on Wednesday demanding that Schumer "pay a severe price" for comments deriding Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh.
"This is a direct & dangerous threat to the U.S. Supreme Court by Schumer. If a Republican did this, he or she would be arrested, or impeached. Serious action MUST be taken NOW!" he tweeted.
"There can be few things worse in a civilized, law abiding nation, than a United States Senator openly, and for all to see and hear, threatening the Supreme Court or its Justices. This is what Chuck Schumer just did. He must pay a severe price for this!" he said in a second tweet.
Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts defended the court Wednesday in a rare and extraordinary statement castigating Schumer for his comments.
"Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous," said Roberts.
Schumer was addressing a pro-abortion rally in front of the Supreme Court as they considered a case about abortion legislation in Louisiana.
"I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price," Schumer said to demonstrators. "You won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions."
A spokesperson for Schumer responded to Roberts' condemnation claiming that the Democratic leader's comments had been purposely misrepresented by the "right wing," and accused Roberts of being a biased justice.
Here's more on the Supreme Court feud:


theblaze--2020-03-05--Kim Kardashian West shares pro-Trump story buried by the media

' I did n't hear much about it in the news ... '

Celebrity and criminal justice reform advocate Kim Kardashian West was at the White House on Wednesday to celebrate actions that President Donald Trump took last month, and she decided to share the story to her tens of millions of social media followers since she "didn't hear much about it in the news."
What are the details?
Kardashian West wrote on Twitter, "President Trump commuted the sentences of three really deserving women. I didn't hear much about it in the news so I wanted to share with you their stories! I have the pleasure of spending the day with these women today along with @AliceMarieFree who helped to pick these women."
The women Kardashian West was referring to are Judith Negron, Crystal Munoz, and Tynice Nichole Hall, all nonviolent offenders who were granted clemency by the president on Feb. 18 — the same day President Trump issued a number of high-profile pardons and commutations of sentences, including that of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Kardashian West went on to detail each of the women's stories on her timeline in order to highlight their cases, which were largely buried by the media in light of the big names and more controversial pardons issued at the same time.
"Tynice Hall was sentenced to 35 years in prison for a first time non violent drug conspiracy," Kardashian West wrote. "Her boyfriend at the time used her house for his illegal drug activities. She was only 22 years old when she went to prison and left behind a 3 year old son."
Kardashian West wrote that "Judith Negron was sentenced to 35 years in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud. After trial she received the longest sentence ever given to a female for a white collar crime. A mother, she left behind two young sons. This was Judith's first ever offense."
"Crystal Munoz," Kardashian West wrote, "was sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to possess & distribute marijuana. She left behind a five month old baby & was pregnant. Crystal was shackled by prison guards during the birth of her second daughter. Her case was highlighted in the First Step Act," she added, referring to the criminal justice reform law signed by President Trump.
Kardashian West noted that she was also joined on her trip to the White House on Wednesday by Alice Marie Johnson, a 63-year-old nonviolent drug offender whose life sentence was commuted by President Trump in 2018.
Anything else?
White House adviser and first daughter Ivanka Trump also recognized the women whose sentences were commuted by her father, and posted a photo of the group gathered at the White House with the message, "Meet Judith Negron, Crystal Munoz and Tynice Nichole Hall." She noted, "these three mothers were granted clemency by @realDonaldTrump last month and are already using their second chance to pay it forward!"
The White House acknowledged the gathering on Twitter, too, saying that Negron, Munoz, and Hall "met with the President in the Oval Office along with @AliceMarieFree and @KimKardashian."


theblaze--2020-03-05--Rachel Maddow is in a Twitter feud with a Bernie Sanders surrogate over report on DNC rigging the pr

Rachel Maddow is in a Twitter feud with a Bernie Sanders surrogate over report on DNC rigging the primary He @ @ @ @ @ as evidence of his inflammatory claim

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow called out a campaign surrogate for the presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) after he tried to misrepresent her report to corroborate claims of election rigging in the Democratic primary.
The exchange occurred based on Black Lives Matter activist Shaun King's tweet based on Maddow's reporting after the results of the Super Tuesday primary elections.
King tweeted that Maddow had reported that the Democratic Party was "interfering" with the primary election to stop Sanders.
"They reported that the party has asked [New York billionaire Mike] Bloomberg to drop out so that Biden would have an easier time against Bernie," he added.
Maddow fired back from her social media account to protest the representation of her report.
"What?" Maddow tweeted. "No. I didn't report any such thing."
"You absolutely did," he responded.
King doubled down and posted a video of Maddow on-air at MSNBC that officials of the party were pressuring Bloomberg to quit.
"The Bloomberg campaign is experiencing INTENSE PRESSURE from multiple sources from inside of the Democratic Party that he needs to quit," King tweeted.
He added another report from MSNBC where they explicitly stated that Democrats were pressuring the billionaire to quit in order to help former Vice President Joe Biden's candidacy.
Here's the segment.
You then followed it up by commenting on his claim that senior officials within the party were calling on Bloomberg to drop out in the name of helping Biden and harming Bernie. pic.twitter.com/qK5r5v0Lqt
— Shaun King (@shaunking) March 4, 2020
Critics accused Shaun King of misrepresenting Maddow's report and comments, and ridiculed him on Twitter.
King has been a controversial social media activist who has been accused of orchestrating online mobs to accost innocent people associated with his activism on behalf of the African American community.
Officials of the Democratic National Committee have been very sensitive to accusations from supporters of the Sanders campaign that they are trying to rig the primary election against their candidate.
Here's more about Shaun King and his activism:


theblaze--2020-03-05--Mike Bloomberg insists he 'would've beaten Donald Trump in November'

That pesky primary failure simply got in the way .

Failed Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg gave up on his White House bid Wednesday after a dismal showing on Super Tuesday, but the former New York City mayor still believes he "would've beaten [President] Donald Trump in November" if only he could have won his party's nomination.
What are the details?
During his farewell speech, Bloomberg told an audience of supporters, "This really is the best, most creative, most hardworking campaign team ever assembled. And I have to say, there is no doubt in my mind we would've beaten Donald Trump in November."
Bloomberg added, "And you know who else knows that? Donald Trump. He's been scared stiff of us and for good reason."
According to NPR, Bloomberg, a billionaire, ran "the most expensive self-funded campaign ever" in his pursuit of the Oval Office, shelling out more than $500 million just in advertising ahead of Super Tuesday. But his big spending did not pay off — Bloomberg failed to win a single state on Tuesday, only securing U.S. territory American Samoa.
Bloomberg has now endorsed front-runner and former Vice President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee, and vowed Wednesday to continue to spend big in order to defeat President Trump.
The president reacted to the news of Bloomberg's campaign suspension by tweeting, "Mini Mike Bloomberg just 'quit' the race for President. I could have told him long ago that he didn't have what it takes, and he would have saved himself a billion dollars, the real cost. Now he will pour money into Sleepy Joe's campaign, hoping to save face. It won't work!"


theblaze--2020-03-06--Steven Crowder DESTROYS pro-abortion girl's non-argument

Steven Crowder : ' I 'm not the one calling a baby a parasite . '

Pro-life tip: Here's a viable option for anyone looking to drop a verbal "nuclear bomb" on the abortion debate.
Inevitably, the abortion debate will reach a point when the pro-choice individual argues that abortion is acceptable for career-related reasons. When this happens, try this: Why does a woman have to kill someone to be a successful human being? Glorious.
Now, on with the reason you are here. Recently, Crowder sat down with a feminist who slithered up to the Louder with Crowder microphone and offered the most illogical pro-choice argument EVER.
Here's Crowder destroying a pro-abortion girl's non-argument.
Tyoutu.be
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Want more from Steven Crowder?
To enjoy more of Steven's uncensored late-night comedy that's actually funny, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-03-05--Mitt Romney signals that he may kill subpoena on Biden Ukrainian scandal with Burisma, calls it 'pol

Mitt Romney signals that he may kill subpoena on Biden Ukrainian scandal with Burisma, calls it 'political'

Mitt Romney signals that he may kill subpoena on Biden Ukrainian scandal with Burisma , calls it 'political' Romney said @ @ @ @ @ entity like the FBI investigate Burisma

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) made comments that many took to mean that he would vote against a subpoena in the investigation into Joe Biden's Ukrainian scandal.
"There's no question but that the appearance of looking into Burisma and Hunter Biden appears political," Romney said to reporters on Thursday.
"And I think people are tired of these kind of political investigations," he added, "and would hope that if there's something of significance that needs to be evaluated, that it would be done by perhaps the FBI or some other agency that's not as political as perhaps a committee of our, of our body."
Romney's skepticism presents a problem for the investigation, since he could be the deciding vote on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Committee Chairman Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) issued the request for the subpoena on Monday for testimony from a witness about Hunter Biden's time on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma.
While Romney did not explicitly say how he would vote on the committee on the subpoena, if he voted against issuing it, the subpoena would not be approved.
Romney was also the lone Republican to vote in favor of convicting the president on the Democrats' articles of impeachment, which drew the ire of many Republicans and other supporters of the president.
Here's more on the Burisma scandal:


theblaze--2020-03-05--Candidates linked to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez got destroyed on Super Tuesday

Candidates linked to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez got destroyed on Super Tuesday AOC 's brand of progressivism did n't sell well in @ @ @

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) isn't the only left-wing progressive who lost big this week. Several candidates linked to his fellow democratic socialist comrade, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), were destroyed during Super Tuesday elections throughout the country.
As the DailyWire's Ryan Saavedra pointed out, key Democrats running with Ocasio-Cortez's support got trounced at the ballot box. Among them was 26-year-old immigration attorney Jessica Cisneros, who ran a primary challenge against Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), one of the country's most conservative House Democrats.
Throughout the campaign, Cisneros — who ran with the support of AOC's "Justice Democrats" — ripped Cuellar as "Trump's favorite Democrat" while positioning herself as a progressive alternative to voters in Texas' 28th Congressional District. She also mimicked Ocasio-Cortez's speaking style, describing herself as "a brown girl from the border" who had "a whole community behind her" to "take on the machine."
According to Politico, Cisneros touted endorsements from Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and even championed Ocasio-Cortez's far-left agenda, including "Medicare for All" and the Green New Deal. Cisneros lost to Cuellar, 52% to 48%.
Another defeat in Texas
Another far-left Democrat running under the Ocaso-Cortez banner was Christina Tzintzún Ramirez, who came in a distant third place in the Democratic primary to take on Republican Sen. John Cornyn in November. Ramirez trailed the winner of the Democratic primary, M.J. Hegar, by more than 200,000 votes and 9 percentage points.
Still, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted Wednesday that her "heart is also full at the candidacy of @cristinafortx whose race is currently too close to call in the runoff for TX Senate."
Second place finish in California
Another candidate backed by Ocasio-Cortez, Georgette Gomez, qualified for the general election for California's 53rd Congressional District in the San Diego County area. However, Gomez came in second place, trailing establishment candidate Sara Jacobs by 11 points and 12,000 votes.
Gomez, Ramirez, and Cisneros were all endorsed last month by Courage to Change, a political action committee formed by Ocasio-Cortez to help progressive challengers taking on more moderate incumbents and win open seats.
Fox News reported that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) personally campaigned for Rep. Cuellar and described his win over an AOC-backed candidate on Tuesday as a "resounding victory."


theblaze--2020-03-05--HS principal to female prom attendees: Send me a photo of you wearing your dress before buying it —

HS principal to female prom attendees: Send me a photo of you wearing your dress before buying it — I'll decide if it's appropriate

HS principal to female prom attendees : Send me a photo of you wearing your dress before buying it — @ @ @ @ @ 's appropriate

Kim Pendleton began her job as principal of Southwood High School in Shreveport, Louisiana, at the beginning of January:
And it appears she's starting off her tenure with a bang.
What's going on?
According to KTAL-TV, Pendleton sent a message directed primarily at female students planning to attend the school's prom, saying she's pre-approving all dresses and will do so via photos of the female attendees wearing their chosen attire.
Here's Pendleton's message, the station said:
This message is for any female attending Southwood's prom. Boys, this also applies to your off-campus dates. As you begin shopping for your attire, please make sure you do not purchase any clothes that are sheer or revealing in any manner. Also, make sure we do not see excess cleavage or skin. Prior to purchasing an outfit, I will need you to send me a picture of you in the outfit ... with your name and grade. Once I approve the outfit you may purchase it. The approved outfit is the only one you will be allowed to wear to prom.
What has been the reaction?
As you might imagine, Pendleton's message has raised some ire with those who don't think she should have that kind of authority.
Jakarius Simpson's sister is a junior at Southwood, and he told KTAL the new policy is "totally wrong" and that parents and students should be making that call.
NBC News noted some negative comments on Facebook about the new rule as well.
"Once again the blame is placed solely on the female," one commenter said, according to the network. "Way to perpetuate rape culture. Smdh"
"This is such bs," according to another Facebook user's comment, which added that Pendleton is overstepping her bounds, NBC News reported.
However, a grandparent of one Southwood female student told KTAL that the principal's actions wouldn't be necessary if parents hadn't abdicated their responsibilities.
"As a grandparent, I'm kind of from the old school, back in the day," Albert Bryant told the station. "I can understand because there are some young ladies that are raising themselves more or less, and they can get a little bit provocative."
While Kimberly Theriot's 14-year-old girl doesn't attend Southwood, the mom told NBC News she'd back such a policy if it were implemented at her daughter's school.
"It is a shame that the principal has to even do this, but do you know WHY she has to do this? Because the parents of these girls WONT do it!!!" Theriot wrote on Facebook, according to the network.
NBC News said it tried reaching Pendleton by phone and email for an interview and was referred to the board for Caddo Parish Public Schools, which didn't immediately return the networks' request for comment about the policy.
Pendelton's Twitter account on Thursday came up as protected, but it isn't clear if that status is connected to outcry over the principal's prom dress mandate.
Anything else?
KTAL said students will have a chance to express concerns about the prom dress policy at an upcoming assembly, citing a Tuesday statement in response to the station's request for comment:
In April, Southwood will host their annual prom and school administration has taken a proactive approach of asking parents for photos ahead of their upcoming event. It is a school-level decision for all formal dress to be approved prior to the event. Southwood will host an assembly for students only to address dress code guidelines and give an opportunity to raise questions and concerns.


theblaze--2020-03-05--Olive Garden manager complied ‘without hesitation’ after a customer loudly demanded a nonblack serve

Olive Garden manager complied ‘without hesitation’ after a customer loudly demanded a nonblack server. Then the manager got a pink slip.

Olive Garden manager complied ‘ without hesitation ’ after a customer loudly demanded a nonblack server .
Then the manager @ @ @ @ @

A customer at an Indiana Olive Garden allegedly insulted her black hostess and loudly demanded that she be served by a nonblack employee last Saturday. The manager — who responded by complying with the request "without hesitation" — has since been fired.
Amira Donahue, a 16-year-old who works as a hostess at the Evansville restaurant, said that the customer, a white woman, vocally complained about her and another black hostess to her manager on Saturday.
"She made comments about me to my co-workers concerning my race and saying that I should work at a strip club instead," Donahue said, according to NBC News. "She asked if I'm even black and if I am from here."
According to Donahue, the woman came to the restaurant with a group of people, including two children, and became angry when they were seated at a table served by a black waitress. At this point she shouted for a nonblack employee to serve her, a demand to which the manager quickly acquiesced.
An observer to the incident, Maxwell Robbins, took to Facebook later to document what had happened. In the post, he noted that the manager complied to the customer's demands "without hesitation."
Robbins also reportedly called the Olive Garden several times to report the incident.
According to NBC News, the customer's treatment of Donahue drove her to tears, which Robbins noticed.
"The young lady was in tears and had no one to support her," Robbins said. "So I felt if I didn't write this post, nothing would have happened and she would continue to go to work for a place that she feels uncomfortable at and unwanted at."
On Wednesday, the restaurant chain announced that it had completed an investigation and decided to fire the manager in question.
"As a result of our investigation, we made the decision to separate with the manager involved," Meagan Bernstein, a spokeswoman for Olive Garden, said.
Here's more on the story from WEHT-TV:


theblaze--2020-03-05--Elizabeth Warren — who lost the female vote in her own state — blames failed campaign on sexism

Now that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has dropped out of the race, the questions and allegations about how sexism may have hindered her candidacy are making the rounds.
Warren pointed to her gender as an obstacle in earning the nomination, now that the remaining contenders are white men in their late-70s.
"[Sexism] is the trap question for every woman," Warren said Thursday. "If you say, yeah, there was sexism in this race, everyone says, 'Whiner.' And if you say no sexism, about a bazillion women think, 'What planet do you live on?'"
Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), as her own campaign was declining, also wondered openly about whether America was ready for a female president. And now that Warren is out, Harris has revisited the question.
"This election cycle in particular has also presented very legitimate questions about the challenges of women running for president of the United States," Harris said Thursday, CNN reported. "Look at what's happened. There are no women currently in this race...but the reality is that there's still a lot of work to be done to make it very clear that women are exceptionally qualified and capable of being the commander in chief of the United States of America."
There is, however, evidence that sexism was not Warren's problem, but rather a general and widespread unpopularity across demographics — including women.
Warren not only lost her home state of Massachusetts, which is embarrassing enough for an allegedly serious presidential contender, but in her home state she also lost the female vote to former Vice President Joe Biden.
According to Massachusetts exit polls, Biden beat her by 10 points with women. Sanders beat her by 7 points with "very liberal" voters and by 14 points with voters who support Medicare for All. And the former college professor lost college educated voters by 5 points to Biden.
There are certainly some voters who believe a woman is less qualified than a man to be president. But even if you take that away, Warren probably had too many issues to overcome to have a chance at the nomination. She lied about her race. She was dishonest about the tax implications of her policies. She tried to make personal wealth the worst thing in the world in a country where people aspire to be personally wealthy. Even Sanders, despite still having a chance at the nomination, is learning that some of those issues can cause problems with voters.


theblaze--2020-03-05--Coronavirus is changing how we greet each other

On Wednesday's episode of "Pat Gray Unleashed," Pat discussed how coronavirus is changing cultural habits around the world. In France, citizens are encouraged to reject the standard handshake and kiss on the cheek, and practice saying "hello" with a direct gaze. In China, loudspeakers tell people to say "hello," using the traditional gong shou gesture (a fist in the opposite palm).
Watch the video below for more.
youtu.be
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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--2020-03-05--Tables turn on the Soros-backed Democratic prosecutor who forced Missouri's GOP governor to resign

Tables turn on the Soros-backed Democratic prosecutor who forced Missouri 's GOP governor to resign Kimberly Gardner now faces a @ @ @ @ @ chief investigator 's trial

St. Louis circuit attorney Kimberly Gardner is facing heat following a seven-count felony indictment against her chief investigator for his actions in a failed prosecution against former Missouri Republican Gov. Eric Greitens.
Gardner, who was funded heavily by liberal megadonor George Soros during her election, made waves in 2018 when her office led the arrest of then-Gov. Greitens on felony invasion of privacy charges.
Greitens was accused of tying up his mistress, blindfolding her, taking a picture without her permission, and then threatening to release the picture if she ever went public about the affair. Later in the investigation, Gardner's office charged Greitens with computer tampering as it related to his campaign's alleged procurement of donor lists.
The governor later resigned after mounting pressure from his colleagues.
But now, many months later, the picture has never been found and both sets of charges have been dropped — and the investigation is coming back on Gardner.
According to a Just the News report, investigators now allege that the Greitens prosecution, which led to the governor's resignation, was built on false testimony and evidence tampering.
Most significantly, testimony transcripts and court records obtained by Just the News show the woman Gardner built her case around, beautician Katrina Sneed, testified she was asked unsolicited by Gardner's office to come forward as a witness and that she was actually reluctant to accuse Greitens because the entire story of a photo on his mobile phone may have been a dream.
"And at any point where you were in the basement with E.G. (Eric Greitens) at his home, did you see what you believed to be a phone?" Sneed was asked during an April 6, 2018 pretrial deposition with defense lawyers.
Sneed answered: "So not that's like a very vivid memory which is the reason why I haven't talked about it because I don't know if it's because I'm remembering it through a dream or I — I'm not sure, but yes, I feel like I saw it after that happened, but I haven't spoken about it because of that."
Ahead of the 2018 prosecution, Gardner had hired an out-of-state investigator, William Tisaby, to build the case against Greitens. Tisaby reportedly met with Gardner in early January to gather gather background material ahead of a meeting with the governor's paramour, Katrina Sneed. Sneed had not contacted authorities with a complaint prior to the meeting.
Gardner would eventually make the allegation that Greitens took a compromising picture of Sneed to use as blackmail, but no photo was ever found.
Last summer, Tisaby was indicted for six counts of felony perjury and one count of evidence tampering stemming from the Greitens prosecution. According to Just the News, Gardner has been ordered to appear before the grand jury in Tisaby's criminal trial. She can be seen listed as a key witness for the upcoming trial in a copy of the indictment obtained by the news outlet.
The report goes on to indicate that the indictment against Tisaby may implicate his former boss, as well.
Facts disclosed in the Tisaby indictment suggest Gardner herself was complicit in his wrongdoing by staying silent while Tisaby allegedly lied. For instance, the special prosecutors alleged that when Tisaby falsely denied during a March 2018 pretrial deposition in the Greitens case that there was a functioning videotape of the Sneed interview, Gardner did not correct him even as she questioned him.
"There is no recording of this interview?," Tisaby was asked by Gardner. "None whatsoever," he answered.
Tisaby's indictment declared that Gardner's office had videotaped the sessions and she "failed to disclose the fact for several months."
Prosecutors say a functioning videotape was found in Gardner's office, and the camera had not malfunctioned as had been claimed, according to the Tisaby indictment.
Tisaby's criminal trial is set to begin later this month.
In advance of the trial, for which she is set to appear, Gardner sued the city of St. Louis under a law passed in the 1800s to help fight the Ku Klux Klan, arguing there are "white supremacists" in the police force.
In the lawsuit, she accused city officials, police, and a special prosecutor of a "racially motivated conspiracy to deny the civil rights of racial minorities" interfering with her efforts to crack down on corruption within law enforcement.


theblaze--2020-03-05--WATCH: America's elections are under attack — and this time the biggest threat isn't Russia

WATCH : America 's elections are under attack — and this time the biggest threat is n't Russia 'You are @ @ @ @ @ this fight '

A war has been declared on this year's presidential election.
On Wednesday's TV special, Glenn Beck exposed how the infrastructure that we rely on for a free and fair election is quietly under attack. This time, the biggest threat isn't coming from Russia, but election-rigging efforts right here at home.
"You are directly in the middle of this fight, and you might not even have realized that your thoughts are being deliberately manipulated ... this is much bigger than just undermining Donald Trump," Glenn explained.
"I'm going to show you how all of this is happening, but the big question is: Why? Our enemies abroad know they have no chance in hell of actually electing their pick for president. They can post as many Facebook ads they want, and they can try and penetrate as many election systems as their hackers expose. But their goal isn't to actually affect the outcome," he said. "Victory for nations like Russia is for you to lose faith in the system, and that's exactly what the socialists are doing right here at home."
Watch the video clip below:
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theblaze--2020-03-05--DOJ immigration judge orders deportation of former Nazi concentration camp guard

'Berger was part of the SS machinery of oppression '

A federal immigration judge has ordered the deportation of a German citizen found to have been a former guard at a Nazi concentration camp during World War II.
According to a Department of Justice news release issued Tuesday, a U.S. immigration court found that Friedrich Karl Berger was removable from the United States due to his "willing service as an armed guard of prisoners at a concentration camp where persecution took place."
Over the course of his trial, the immigration court determined that Berger — who is still a German citizen — had served as an armed guard at a Neuengamme sub-camp which was located near Meppen, Germany. The camps, according to the ruling, housed "Jews, Poles, Russians, Danes, Dutch, Latvians, French, Italians," and political opponents of the Nazi regime.
According to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the SS established Neuengamme in December 1938; by 1945, it had grown into a camp system with "approximately 80 subcamps at various locations in northern and central Germany."
The judge's ruling found that the prisoners who were held there during the winter of 1945 — while Berger was a guard — suffered "atrocious" living conditions and were subjected to forced labor "to the point of exhaustion and death."
By the end of 1944, "approximately 10,000-12,000 prisoners remained incarcerated in the Neuengamme concentration camp, with another 37,000-39,000 in the subcamps," the museum's site says. That winter, according to the museum, "1,700 prisoners died each month" and some 2,500 prisoners died that February alone.
The court also determined that Berger assisted with guarding and transporting prisoners during the Nazis' evacuation to the Neuengamme main camp during the allied forces' approach in the spring of 1945 — an ordeal which the Justice Department describes as "a nearly two-week trip under inhumane conditions, which claimed the lives of some 70 prisoners."
Holt's decision also cited Berger's admission that he never asked to be taken off concentration camp duty while working there.
The Justice Department noted that Berger was found to be removable under the terms of the 1978 Holtzman Amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act. The amendment allows for the deportation of any alien who "ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise participated in the persecution of any person because of race, religion, national origin, or political opinion" during World War II under the direction of the Nazi regime or in association with it.
"Berger was part of the SS machinery of oppression that kept concentration camp prisoners in atrocious conditions of confinement," Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Department of Justice's Criminal Division said in a statement. "This ruling shows the Department's continued commitment to obtaining a measure of justice, however late, for the victims of wartime Nazi persecution."
According to a news release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the investigation against Berger was initially started by the Justice Department's Human Rights and Special Prosecution Section and was conducted alongside ICE's Homeland Security Investigations Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center and HSI's Nashville Special Agent in Charge office.
The decision comes well over a year after the Trump administration deported another former concentration camp guard, Jakiw Palij, back to Germany in August 2018. He died a few months later.


theblaze--2020-03-05--Elizabeth Warren chokes up after question about 'two white men' now left in race: 'All those little

Elizabeth Warren chokes up after question about 'two white men' now left in race: 'All those little girls ... are going to have to wait four more years'

Elizabeth Warren chokes up after question about 'two white men ' now left in race : 'All those little girls @ @ @ @ @ to wait four more years '

When far-left U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) spoke to the media outside her Cambridge, Massachusetts, home Thursday about her decision to end her presidential campaign, a reporter asked about another kind of race.
"I wonder what your message would be to the women and girls who feel like, 'We're left with two white men to decide between'?" the reporter inquired, presumably in reference to the leading Democratic candidates, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Vice President Joe Biden.
"I know," Warren responded before getting a bit choked up. "One of the hardest parts of this is all those pinky promises, and all those little girls who are gonna have to wait four more years. That's gonna be hard."
Warren had been making "pinky promises" to young girls during her campaign "so that they'll remember that running for president is what girls do."
Anything else?
Warren, a front-runner for the Democratic nomination a few months ago, drifted into the pack once primary season began.
Disappointing vote totals in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina gave way to Warren's chance to rebound on Super Tuesday. But she failed to win any of the 14 states up for grabs, including her home state of Massachusetts, where she took third place. In addition, Warren's total pledged delegate count sat at 65 as of Thursday morning, well behind Biden's 596 and Sanders' 531. She then reportedly flew home to reassess her campaign with staff.
According to Mic, the Biden and Sanders campaigns reportedly have been asking Warren for her endorsement, but she noted Thursday that such a decision will have to wait.
"I need some space around this, and I want to take a little time to think a little more," she said.


theblaze--2020-03-05--Bill Clinton: I had sex with Monica Lewinsky to cope with my anxieties

Bill Clinton : I had sex with Monica Lewinsky to cope with my anxieties 'It 's not a defense .
@ @ @ @ @ '

When some people experience anxiety, they go for a walk or meditate. Others binge on their favorite comfort food. But former President Bill Clinton has his own coping mechanism: Having sex with interns.
According to the UK's Daily Mail, the country's 43rd president described his sexual affair with Monica Lewinsky as one of the "things I did to manage my anxieties."
In what the British newspaper describes as an "explosive documentary" seen by DailyMailTV, the former president suggested that his romantic relationship with Lewinsky helped him deal with his own problems.
'Something that will take your mind off it for a while'
"Bill reveals that at the time he met Lewinsky the pressure of the job made him feel like a boxer who had done 30 rounds and he looked at Lewinsky as 'something that will take your mind off it for a while,'" reported the Daily Mail.
Clinton is said to have made the statement in a candid interview included in a Hulu documentary about his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, called "Hillary."
While Clinton does not appear to share the other issues he was facing that led him to resort to the affair with Lewinsky, he clarified that they do not excuse his conduct.
"It's not a defense, it's an explanation. I feel awful," he said in the Hulu documentary, the Daily Mail reported.
Clinton even offered Lewinsky, who has said her relationship with the former president ruined her reputation, an apology. The Daily Mail reported the former president feels "terrible" that Lewinsky, who was 22 years old at the time, is permanently associated with their fling which is said to have begun in November 1995 and lasted through March 1997.
However, according to the Daily Mail, Clinton suggested Lewinsky should just move on with her life. When things do not return back to "normal," you have "got to decide how to define normal," he is reported to have said.
'I feel terrible about it'
Although Clinton originally denied the affair with Lewinsky, both publicly and privately, he explained in the documentary how he eventually admitted it to his wife.
"I went and sat on the bed and talked to her. I told her exactly what happened, when it happened. I said I feel terrible about it. We've been through quite a bit in the last few years. I said I have no defense, it's inexcusable what I did."
Hillary said she felt "devastated" by what had occurred. "I could not believe it. I was so personally just hurt and I can't believe this, I can't believe you lied," she said, in the documentary.
"Hillary" premieres Friday on Hulu.


theblaze--2020-03-05--Chuck Schumer admits ‘I should not have used the words I used’ in comments about Kavanaugh, Gorsuch

Chuck Schumer admits ‘ I should not have used the words I used ’ in comments about Kavanaugh , Gorsuch @ @ @ @ @ making a threat ; I never , never would do such a thing '

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) admitted Thursday that his choice of words in highly controversial remarks about Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh was wrong, but still maintains that he wasn't issuing a threat.
"I should not have used the words I used yesterday," the New York Democrat said of his remarks In a Senate floor speech Thursday morning. "They didn't come out the way I intended to."
At a pro-abortion rally Wednesday in front of the Supreme Court that coincided with oral arguments in a high-profile abortion case, Schumer said: "I want to tell you, Gorsuch, I want to tell you, Kavanaugh: You have released the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won't know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions."
The remarks drew swift condemnation from Chief Justice John Roberts, who put out a rare public statement saying, "Justices know that criticism comes with the territory, but threatening statements of this sort from the highest levels of government are not only inappropriate, they are dangerous."
A Schumer spokesperson responded that the remarks were "a reference to the political price Senate Republicans will pay for putting these justices on the court, and a warning that the justices will unleash a major grassroots movement on the issue of reproductive rights against the decision."
During his floor speech, Schumer reiterated the position that the consequences he was referring to were political, aimed at elected Republicans, and were not meant as a threat against the two Trump-appointed justices.
"My point was that there would be political consequences, political consequences for President Trump and Senate Republicans if the Supreme Court — with the newly confirmed justices — stripped away a woman's right to choose," Schumer said, referring to the abortion case heard the day prior. He also said it a "gross distortion" to imply that he was referring to "anything other than political and public opinion consequences for the Supreme Court.
"I'm from Brooklyn; we speak in strong language," Schumer continued. "I shouldn't have used the words I did, but in no way was I making a threat; I never, never would do such a thing."
Turning his focus to the subject of abortion, Schumer went on to chastise his Republican colleagues for working "systematically over the course of decades to install the judicial infrastructure to take down Roe v. Wade and do very real damage to the country and to the American way of life, that is the issue that will remain."


theblaze--2020-03-05--Poll: Joe Biden has massive lead over Bernie Sanders in Florida as Castro and Maduro endorsements re

Poll: Joe Biden has massive lead over Bernie Sanders in Florida as Castro and Maduro endorsements resurface

Poll : Joe Biden has massive lead over Bernie Sanders in Florida as Castro and Maduro endorsements resurface Biden is @ @ @ @ @ Hispanics

While Democratic primary voters in California and Colorado may be warming up to socialism, a new poll in Florida shows Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) getting crushed in the state's upcoming primary election on March 10.
According to a statewide survey of Democratic primary voters by St. Pete Polls, former Vice President Joe Biden holds a whopping 49-point lead over his democratic socialist rival in the Sunshine State, 61% to 12%. The poll, which was conducted March 4, included Democratic candidates Mike Bloomberg and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) before they suspended their campaigns, which could mean that Biden's lead could be even larger than the poll indicates.
Endorsements from Latin American leftists resurface
The poll results follow weeks of controversies surrounding Sanders' campaign after the one-time front-runner for the Democratic Party nomination maintained his praise for the literacy programs of late Cuban dictator Fidel Castro during a Feb. 23 interview on "60 Minutes."
Sanders' pro-Castro comments were blasted by fellow Democratic lawmakers, including Florida Reps. Donna Shalala and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. Even former gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum, who campaigned with Sanders during the 2018 Democratic primary, has criticized Sanders' comments.
In the weeks since Sanders' remarks, videos have resurfaced of Latin American leftists praising Sanders, including Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and Fidel Castro's niece, Mariela Castro. In one of the videos from June 2016, Maduro described the presidential candidate as "a revolutionary friend," echoing similar comments made by Nicaraguan ruler Daniel Ortega in August. Meanwhile, Diario de Cuba reported Feb. 27 that during a 2016 interview, Mariela Castro said that she would vote for Sanders if she were a U.S. citizen.
Unpopular in Florida across all demographic groups
Sanders' unpopularity in Florida is not surprising given the state's large anti-socialist Hispanic electorate, including many Cuban, Venezuelan, and Nicaraguan voters who fled far-left regimes.
While Sanders has dominated the Latino vote in other primary states, the survey by St. Pete Polls shows him significantly under-performing his rivals among this demographic. Florida Hispanics prefer Biden over Sanders by a 59.9% to 9.5% margin. The former vice president also crushes Sanders among black voters in Florida, 67.9% to 8.5%.
Although the Vermont democratic socialist has argued that his campaign is uniquely positioned to defeat President Trump in a general election given Sanders' ability to turn out young voters, the Florida poll suggests that doing so would actually hurt him since he trails Biden by 47 points, 60.7% to 13.5% among 18- to 29-year-olds.
An analysis by FiveThirtyEight only gives Sanders an 8% chance of obtaining the necessary 1,991 delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination prior to the party's convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this summer.


theblaze--2020-03-05--VIDEO: Cruise ship passengers brawl in the midst of coronavirus scare — but it turned out to be the

VIDEO: Cruise ship passengers brawl in the midst of coronavirus scare — but it turned out to be the flu

VIDEO : Cruise ship passengers brawl in the midst of coronavirus scare — but it turned out to be the @ @ @ @ @ , which was turned away by Jamaica and the Cayman Islands after a crew member @ @ @ @ @ is seen docked in Cozumel , Mexico , on Feb. 28 .
Mexico 's Health @ @ @ @ @ first cases of coronavirus on Friday , saying two men who recently returned from Italy @ @ @ @ @ .
( JOSE CASTILLO/AFP via Getty Images )

Late last week a cruise ship was turned away from ports in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands due to fears that one or more passengers on board may have had coronavirus.
The ship was eventually allowed to dock at a port in Cozumel, Mexico. But while passengers were apparently stranded at sea temporarily, tensions boiled over on the ship leading to an all-out brawl, according to KABC-TV.
The backstory
According to the Washington Post, a crew member aboard the MSC Meraviglia cruise ship began displaying signs of sickness, including coughing, a fever, and an alleged "travel history to a country of interest relating to COVID-19."
The cruise company, however, said medical records clearly showed that the crew member had "common seasonal flu" and that his travel history didn't include coronavirus-struck countries with travel restrictions.
Still, Jamaican authorities would not allow the ship to dock. Then, officials on Grand Cayman also prevented the ship from docking out of an "abundance of caution."
The ship was finally allowed to dock in Cozumel, with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador saying it would be "inhuman" to not even allow a ship to dock.
The brawl
This was all quite stressful for the passengers on board the ship — first, the threat of potential coronavirus outbreak, as well as uncertainty about whether they'd be allowed to dock anywhere and get off the ship.
On their minds, possibly, was the weekslong quarantine of passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama, Japan, which had more than 600 confirmed coronavirus cases.
A passenger aboard the MSC Meraviglia said when the ship was denied at Grand Cayman and Jamaica, tensions began to rise, and somehow or another people began fighting. A crew member at one point appeared to even use pepper spray to try to break up the brawl. Watch below:
Again, it was just the flu. All passengers were refunded due to the "disruptive nature" of their experience.


theblaze--2020-03-05--DOJ watchdog finds serious flaws in FBI's past handling of potential terror threats

DOJ watchdog finds serious flaws in FBI 's past handling of potential terror threats 'Potential terrorist threats were not mitigated @ @ @ @ @ '

The Department of Justice's government watchdog has released a report faulting the Federal Bureau of Investigation for how it has handled information on potential homegrown terror threats.
The report, released Wednesday by Inspector General Michael Horowitz, focused on the bureau's efforts to investigate and identify homegrown violent extremists, or HVEs, which it defined as "global jihad-inspired individuals who are in the United States, have been radicalized primarily in the United States, and are not receiving individualized direction from a foreign terrorist organization (FTO)."
Among the problems that the investigation found were that some of those designated extremists went on to conduct terror attacks after they had already been on the FBI's radar.
"Since September 11, 2001, HVEs have carried out over 20 attacks in the United States, some of which occurred after the FBI closed a counterterrorism assessment or investigation on the individual," the report explained. "During our audit, we found at least six attacks committed in the United States by individuals who the FBI had previously assessed or investigated and who were subsequently categorized as HVEs."
Among such attacks listed in the inspector general's report are the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing, the 2009 Fort Hood Massacre, and the 2016 Pulse Nightclub shooting.
Furthermore, while the bureau conducted reviews in the wake of attacks by people previously designated as HVEs in order to figure out what went wrong in the investigation process, a related news release explained, "FBI did not ensure that all field offices and headquarters implemented recommended improvements and subsequent policy requirements."
Therefore, it added, "FBI field offices continued to conduct some counterterrorism assessments that did not meet FBI requirements or standards."
But the report also noted other follow-through problems associated with a widespread review of previously closed counterterrorism assessments that the FBI conducted in 2017. The review found that 6% of the cases it looked over didn't properly assess potential threats and needed further investigation, the reports notes.
However, "nearly 40 percent" of those flagged assessments "went unaddressed for 18 months after deficiencies were known," the report said. "As a result, potential terrorist threats were not mitigated for more than 1 year."
In a Wednesday video address describing the investigation's findings, Horowitz acknowledged, "This is a particularly challenging area for the FBI because of the need to preserve constitutional protections while maintaining national security."
He added that his office has made seven recommendations for the FBI to address the listed problems, "and the FBI has agreed with all of them."
Horowitz was also the inspector general behind the December report on the origins of the FBI's Trump-Russia probe that found "at least 17 significant errors or omissions in the Carter Page FISA applications."


theblaze--2020-03-05--Donna Brazile says Fox News' Juan Williams 'gave me the fist bump' after her 'go to hell' tirade aga

Donna Brazile says Fox News' Juan Williams 'gave me the fist bump' after her 'go to hell' tirade against Republican chairwoman

Donna Brazile says Fox News ' Juan Williams 'gave me the fist bump ' after her 'go to hell ' @ @ @ @

Fox News contributor Donna Brazile said Juan Williams, a longtime analyst for the cable network, "gave me the fist bump" after her on-air tirade Tuesday in which she told Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel to "go to hell."
What are the details?
Later in the day during a Super Tuesday panel, Fox News anchor Bret Baier asked Brazile about her comments to McDaniel.
"I just want to say that your tone has changed a little bit," he told Brazile. "You came in here a little bit hot and bothered ... and you were spicy today, and you had a little dust-up with Ronna McDaniel early on. Can you just explain that?"
After noting that "I'm a forgiving kind of person," Brazile broke things down.
"I want to thank Chris Wallace and Brit Hume and Juan Williams. Yes, all three men," she told Baier and the panel. "Juan gave me the fist bump, Chris gave me the talk, and Brit reminded me that, you know, sometimes ... you shouldn't call people outright. But let me just say this: As long as I'm alive, I'm gonna speak truth to power."
Brazile — who briefly served as chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee — also said McDaniel needs to "respect" how the Democrats go about their business.
"And I wanna make sure that the chairwoman, I know what her job is like, but I want her to understand, to respect the process on the Democratic side," she said, adding, "Democracy is messy, but do not tell the world that the Democratic Party is trying to rig it for one candidate. We're trying to make sure everybody gets a delegate. That's why I said, 'Put down that one for [Democratic presidential candidate] Tulsi [Gabbard].'"
youtu.be
What's the background?
On Fox News' "America's Newsroom," McDaniel weighed in on the Democratic presidential primary, saying, "It does depend on how big the lead that [Bernie] Sanders takes out of California is, if he picks up a huge proportion of delegates, but I don't see anybody getting out soon, and it's leading toward potentially a brokered [DNC] convention, which will be rigged against Bernie if those superdelegates have their way on that second vote."
Brazile — who infamously shared debate questions with Hillary Clinton ahead of time during the Democratic primary against Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in 2016 — reacted to McDaniel's suggestion to co-hosts Ed Henry and Sandra Smith.
"First of all, I want to talk to my Republicans," Brazile began. "First of all, stay the hell out of our race. Stay the hell out of our race. I get sick and tired, Ed and Sandra, of listening to Republicans tell me and the Democrats about our process. First of all, they don't have a process. They're canceling primaries. They have winner take all. They don't have the kind of democracy that we see on the Democratic side. And for people to use Russian talking points to sow division among Americans — that is stupid."
Then she lowered the boom: "So, Ronna, go to hell! This is not about — no, go to hell, I'm tired of it, Ed. ... We are not trying to prevent anyone from becoming the nominee."
How did McDaniel respond?
McDaniel responded to Brazile's "go to hell" rant on Twitter:
"It's ok, @donnabrazile," she wrote. "I'd be having a bad day too if my party was still hopelessly divided. Talk of a brokered convention and the DNC trying to stop Bernie obviously hit a little close to home."
McDaniel added more reactions later on.
"It's never fun to have your teenagers come home from school and say, 'Hey mom, you're trending on social media because some woman said you should go to heck.' But that being said, politics is a contact sport, and you know, I think Donna was out of line with her response," McDaniel said, according to the Washington Examiner. "Of course, we all recognize that the Democrats did put the thumb on the scale for Hillary Clinton in 2016 because of Donna, because of the book that she wrote, she exposed that."
McDaniel also said she "felt very in my lane saying that this is happening. I don't think it's something that we can't discuss, and I think her response was a little out of line and disproportionate to my comments earlier today," the paper noted.