theblaze--2020-07-22--CDC director says he 'absolutely' would send his grandchildren back to school in September

CDC director says he 'absolutely ' would send his grandchildren back to school in September Getting kids back in the @ @ @ @ @ public health issue

As the nation continues to debate whether to send students back to school this fall, at least one famous health expert has come out as a major advocate for getting kids in the classroom by September.
Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told ABC's "Good Morning America" Wednesday it's "critical" to get the schools open because of the health consequences connected to keeping kids out of school.
Redfield said that he believes schools can open safely — and is so certain of it that he would have no problem sending his own grandkids to school.
What did he say?
The CDC director began his interview touting the importance of masks and reminding viewers that there's data showing that face masks work to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
"If all Americans would embrace that [masks] as part of their personal responsibility to confront this outbreak, we could actually have a very significant impact on the outbreak that we're seeing across the country in the next four, six, eight, 10, 12 weeks," Redfield said.
But, he did not go so far as to agree with host Cecilia Vega that the federal government should mandate masks nationwide.
"Why not just mandate this nationally and make people wear a mask?" Vega asked.
"I'm not sure that mandating makes sense," Redfield replied. "I think the issue is how to motivate all Americans to do that. It's obviously an independent decision that the individual governors are making."
With that out of the way, Redfield addressed the need to get kids back in school.
Asked about how realistic it is to get little kids to stay six feet apart at lunch and recess, the director said that getting the students back in school is itself a public health issue.
"It's really important to get our schools open," Redfield answered. "As I've said, it's not public health versus opening the schools for the economy. It's public health versus public health. I think there really are a number of negative public health consequences that have happened to our K-12s by having these schools closed."
He emphasized the importance of working with the schools to implement the CDC's social distancing and face mask guidelines.
"It's so important now to work together with the school districts to figure out how they can take our guidelines and operationalize them in a practical way," he said, "and to do it in a way that's safe for those that are vulnerable."
What about his grandkids?
Vega asked Redfield if he would be comfortable with his school-age grandchildren going back to school in the fall.
"Absolutely," the doctor said.
"The only one that there may be some reservation is my grandson with cystic fibrosis, depending on how he can be accommodated in the school that he's in," Redfield said. "My other 10 grandchildren, of those, eight of them are school-aged, I'm 100% that they can get back to school."
(H/T: HotAir)


theblaze--2020-07-22--Woman is brutally murdered after community leader suggests citizens settle disputes without calling

Woman is brutally murdered after community leader suggests citizens settle disputes without calling police This absolutely could have been avoided

A Brooklyn woman is dead after she reportedly attempted to settle a dispute with a group of people without the help of the New York City police.
What are the details?
According to the New York Post, 33-year-old Shatavia Walls approached a group of people who were reportedly illegally setting off fireworks on July 4.
Walls, according to her mother, was "just following the advice of Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams," who suggested citizens settle disputes through "community policing," and without the aid of trained law enforcement officials.
Walls approached the group, and asked them to stop firing off the explosives in the area in which children were playing.
This apparently didn't sit well with the group, as at least one person from the group reportedly began to chase Walls with a gun, and shot at her while she sought safety in her mother's apartment building.
Walls, who was not injured at the time, was able to recover the shell casing as well as the suspect's driver's license, which was dropped while fleeing.
Walls' mother, Helen Testagros, said her daughter immediately reported the incident to New York City police, but insisted that the department took no action at the time.
The department instead said that it did not learn of the incident until July 7 — after the same suspect reportedly shot Walls eight times after she confronted a second group of people who were illegally setting off fireworks three days after her first encounter with revelers.
What else?
Adams has repeatedly called for citizens to mediate nonviolent disputes without the help of police in order to cut down on the amount of police-on-citizen crimes.
"Stopping fireworks cannot turn into fireworks between the police and the community," Adams said in June remarks directed at increasing complaints of illegal fireworks detonations. "We want a good community response to dealing with a nuisance. ... This is a non-violent act, so those three numbers that we all dial — 911 — get over that."
"She watched the news," Testagros, Walls' mother, told the outlet of her daughter's decision to confront the group. "Yes, she heard it. It was probably in the back of her mind. It's not a good idea. You don't know who you are approaching. These kids are not respectful anymore. ... They're more ruthless."
She added that the suspect fired shots at her daughter until the gun's chamber was depleted.
"[Walls] was on the ground shot. And [the suspect] kept shooting until the gun went 'click, click, click,'" she recalled.
In a statement about the incident, Adams said, "My heart goes out to the family of Shatavia Wells on this horrific accident. Gun violence has hurt too many innocent people in our city from 1-year-old Davell Gardner to this dynamic young lady. Dangerous people are shooting innocent people for senseless reasons. I renew my call for cracking down on the scourge of illegal guns."
He added, "Our call is to continue building an ecosystem of public safety that includes community response and police. Whenever someone exhibits violence, we should call the police, but whenever we can communicate peacefully with our neighbors, we should do so."
Trump blasts uncivilized behavior
On Monday, President Donald Trump addressed Wells' murder in remarks to reporters at the Oval Office.
"I love New York," Trump said. "[But] look at what's going on over there. The woman who was shot because she said, 'Could you please not light off firecrackers?' And they turned around and shot her eight times and she died. That's not our civilization, that's not about us."


theblaze--2020-07-22--Temporary pandemic hospital in NYC cost $52 million to build. It treated 79 patients and closed a mo

Temporary pandemic hospital in NYC cost $52 million to build. It treated 79 patients and closed a month later.

Temporary pandemic hospital in NYC cost $ 52 million to build .
It treated 79 patients and closed a month @ @

In a startling waste of taxpayer money, a temporary pandemic hospital constructed in New York City cost $52 million, but in the end served only 79 patients before closing its doors a month later.
According to a recent New York Times exposé, the hospital, which was built at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens at the height of the city's outbreak, "should've been a success story: It opened at the height of the pandemic, with a full staff eager to treat virus patients."
But instead it served only as an illustration of "the missteps made at every level of government in the race to create more hospital capacity" amid the pandemic.
The Times reported that the state paid as much as $732 an hour for doctors to essentially do nothing but paperwork at the facility.
"I basically got paid $2,000 a day to sit on my phone and look at Facebook," admitted Katie Capano, a nurse practitioner who worked at Billie Jean King. "We all felt guilty. I felt really ashamed, to be honest."
"Knowing what our patients had to endure in an overcrowded emergency department, it's frustrating how few patients were treated at facilities such as Billie Jean King," said Dr. Timothy Tan, the director of clinical operations at the Queens Hospital Center emergency department, located just four miles away from the temporary facility.
The Queens Hospital Center was reportedly hit hard by the pandemic, operating at three times capacity in the emergency department at one point.
Different stories have emerged from the debacle. City officials say they didn't end up needing the space, while doctors say they were restricted from transferring patients by bureaucratic red tape.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) called construction of the facility "crucial" to the "war effort" during a news conference in late March.
Fast forward to months later and aide to the mayor, Jackie Bray, reported to the Times that "the alternative space was less used than we expected it to be because we broke the curve, thank goodness." She added it was concluded that patients were often better served at their current hospitals.
Health care workers staffed at the Billie Jean King said even if hospitals were able to transfer patients, it would have been a while before the facility could take them in.
"Extreme dysfunction," one doctor said about working there. "Bureaucracy and dysfunction, and all kinds of barriers to serving patients."
With several different sides to the story, it's difficult to know exactly what happened. But any way you slice it, taxpayers got burned.


theblaze--2020-07-22--OH NO, JOE! Did Biden just have a stroke mid-speech?

OH NO , JOE !
Did Biden just have a stroke mid-speech ?

It's getting really awkward to watch presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden try to do even the most basic things — like speak. He finally came out of the basement recently, only to appear to have a stroke in the middle of his speech on the coronavirus ... or was it China? It was honestly hard to tell.
BlazeTV's Sara Gonzales, host of "News and Why it Matters," had one initial question in light of Biden's rather alarming speech problems and apparent confusion: Who are these people supposedly voting for him in recent polls?
Watch the video below to catch Sara's latest reaction to "Oh no, Joe!" Biden:
Want to see more from Sara Gonzales?
To enjoy more roundtable rundowns of the top stories of the day, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-07-22--'Freedom fighter' wants Chicago cop fired who allegedly knocked her teeth out amid riot — but now he

'Freedom fighter' wants Chicago cop fired who allegedly knocked her teeth out amid riot — but now her own actions and words are under scrutiny

'Freedom fighter ' wants Chicago cop fired who allegedly knocked her teeth out amid riot — but now her own @ @ @ @ @ scrutiny 'These white people love a sad sob story , ' Miracle Boyd said after @ @ @ @ @ pay for her medical expenses

An 18-year-old self-proclaimed "freedom fighter" wants a Chicago police officer fired for allegedly knocking out her teeth amid a riot in Grant Park on Friday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Miracle Boyd claimed an officer swatted a cellphone from her hand, WMAQ-TV reported, adding that she said the phone struck her face and knocked out some of her teeth.
Here's cellphone video of the incident taken from across the street. Content warning: Language:
"There is no way I should have left a protest abused and battered exercising my freedom of speech and freedom to assemble," Boyd said Monday in front of what she called the "racist" statue of George Washington in Washington Park, the station said. "I am disgusted ... I never thought I would have become a victim of the biggest gang in America."
Image source: WGN-TV video screenshot
Boyd, surrounded by her supporters, was in tears at one point Monday saying, "I will not allow the public to tear me down and humiliate me. I am not a menace, a hood rat, nor a rebel … but a dedicated freedom fighter," WMAQ added.
Now the 'freedom fighter' is under scrutiny, too
The station said videos released by a pro-police group appear to show Boyd trying to provoke cops amid the rioting. WMAQ aired brief snippets of Boyd in action — but another video spanning over four minutes offers a much broader look at her alleged behavior toward police.
Check it out. Content warning: Language:
Protestor antagonizing police, runs up on cops arresting individual youtu.be
'These white people love a sad sob story'
In addition, the creator of a GoFundMe disabled the page after raising over $83,000 for Boyd's medical expenses.
The reason for the page getting disabled isn't clear, but WGN-TV said Boyd faced criticism after going live on video this past weekend talking about the money raised for her and saying "these white people love a sad sob story."
Other posts from the past month appear to show Boyd bragging about vandalism during riots and looting in June, WGN added:
Image source: WGN-TV video screenshot
What did Boyd's attorney have to say?
Boyd's attorney, Sheila Bedi, said what matters isn't her client's past social media posts but last Friday's incident, WGN reported.
"What this officer did was target Miracle because she was expressing opinion about the police department with lethal force," Bedi said, adding that her client is "being slandered, she is being bullied, it's very clear that CPD with its coordinated communication campaign is trying to silence her," WGN reported.
Image source: WGN-TV video screenshot
As for that GoFundMe money, Boyd said she plans to give away some of it to social justice causes, WGN said: "I will use my GoFundMe to donate $10,000 to our Peach Book ordinance, I will use $10,000 to black and brown girls so that they can receive therapeutic services."
Reporters warned to not ask certain questions about Boyd
Chicago rapper Vic Mensa also spoke Monday in defense of Boyd and said police "fear Miracle's power" and are "spineless pigs," the Sun-Times reported.
"This is a war," Mensa added, according to the paper. "If you're not ready for a war, go the f*** home!"
The Sun-Times added that Charlie Wojciechowski — the reporter who penned the WMAQ piece on Boyd — asked a question about videos he said showed Boyd "bragging about certain violent acts."
Wojciechowski was booed, the paper said, and reporters covering the event were warned to not ask similar questions that put any blame on Boyd.
The Sun-Times said Mensa actually approached Wojciechowski and told him, "I'll take your [expletive] mic, and you won't even have a [expletive] mic."
Anything else?
Police said Monday that what started as a peaceful protest Friday quickly became an organized attack on officers as videos allegedly showed provocateurs infiltrating the march, hiding behind umbrellas, then pelting officers with bottles of frozen water, fireworks, and other projectiles, WMAQ reported.
Supt. David Brown said it all "devolved into a very dangerous situation in which mob action sought to injure officers," the station said.
Image source: WGN-TV video screenshot
The assault left 49 officers injured, including 18 who required hospitalization — and one suffered a crushed eye socket, WMAQ noted.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot added that it was "not peaceful protest — that's anarchy, and we are going to put that down," the station said.
Brown also said the department is investigating the officer involved in the altercation with Boyd, WGN noted.
"We started an investigation, it's being taken seriously. We will do a thorough investigation, and we will take the appropriate action against the officer," Brown said.


theblaze--2020-07-22--Anti-de Blasio artist hangs banner over highway during rush hour showing NYC mayor hoisting Lady Lib

Anti-de Blasio artist hangs banner over highway during rush hour showing NYC mayor hoisting Lady Liberty's bloody severed head

'New York has turned into a s**thole because of this guy '

No one will ever confuse Staten Island artist Scott LoBaido for a Bill de Blasio fan — especially not after Tuesday's events.
LoBaido made his thoughts on the New York City mayor quite clear with a banner he revealed during the afternoon rush hour.
What was on the banner?
The artist's banner depicted Hizzoner smiling while wearing a Che Guevara T-shirt and hoisting the bloody severed head of Lady Liberty.
He first unfurled the artwork publicly over the busy Staten Island Expressway hoping to "fire up the masses," the New York Post reported.
Image source: New York Post video screenshot
LoBaido told the paper that he is none too thrilled with what Mayor de Blasio is doing to Gotham.
Noting the image of the head of the Statue of Liberty dripping blood, LoBaido told the Post, "It's what he's doing to New York, he's severing the head of the greatest city on earth."
He said the reason he finally decided to put paint to fabric was because of de Blasio's oft-criticized lame response to the violent Black Lives Matter protests and riots in New York City combined with his ongoing spat with and perceived mistreatment of the New York Police Department.
According to LoBaido, the mayor's policies and ongoing disrespect for cops, first responders, and average New Yorkers have make the Big Apple a "s**thole."
"New York has turned into a s**thole because of this guy," he said, according to the Post. "He hates the true New Yorkers: police officers, firefighters ... people who built this city."
Cops told LoBaido to take the banner down an hour or two after it was hung, the artist said, adding that he plans to hang the image in various places around the city down the road.
The banner wasn't LoBaido's only form of visual protest against de Blasio's actions. On Monday, he painted a blue line in front of Staten Island's 122nd Precinct in support of police, the Post said.
"That thin blue line separates anarchy from civilization," the artist told the paper.
Shortly after the pro-cop image was finished, someone defaced it with Black Lives Matter graffiti, according to the Post.


theblaze--2020-07-22--Kim Kardashian breaks silence on husband Kanye West's 'mental health' in revealing statement — then

Kim Kardashian breaks silence on husband Kanye West's 'mental health' in revealing statement — then immediately deletes it

Kim Kardashian breaks silence on husband Kanye West 's 'mental health ' in revealing statement — then immediately deletes it @ @ @ @ @ someone as if they 're not in the room

Reality star Kim Kardashian issued a lengthy statement Wednesday about the mental health of her husband, rapper Kanye West.
West has been making headlines over the last several days following the release of several bombshell accusations against Kardashian and her family.
Kardashian apparently deleted the lengthy remarks less than an hour after issuing them on Twitter.
What are the details?
Kardashian reminded her 65 million Twitter followers of her husband's bipolar disorder diagnosis.
West himself revealed the diagnosis during a 2019 discussion with David Letterman.
In a series of tweets, Kardashian wrote, "As many of you know, Kanye has bipolar disorder. Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand.
"I've never spoken publicly about how this has affected us at home because I am very protective of our children and Kanye's right to privacy when it comes to his health," she continued. "But today, I feel like I should comment on it because of the stigma and misconceptions about mental health."
During a Sunday rally in Charleston, South Carolina, West revealed that the couple previously considered aborting their first child, North West. Reports alleged Kardashian and her family were horrified by West's revelation, and West himself said that Kardashian attempted to involuntarily hospitalize the rapper.
On Twitter, Kardashian explained that she and her family have been "powerless" to help the rapper, suggesting he does not want to be helped at this point.
"Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behavior know that the family is powerless unless the member is a minor," the reality star explained. "People who are unaware or far removed from this experience can be judgmental and not understand that the individual themselves have to engage in the process of getting help no matter how hard family and friends try."
Kardashian continued, asking social media users for their understanding and reminding them of West's dynamic personality and career.
"I understand Kanye is subject to criticism because he is a public figure and his actions at times can cause strong opinions and emotions," she continued,
"He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man who experienced the painful loss of his mother, has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bipolar disorder," she wrote.
Kardashian pointed out that West sometimes doesn't mean a lot of the things he says due to his bipolar disorder diagnosis.
"Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words some times do not align with his intentions," she insisted. "Living with bipolar disorder does not diminish or invalidate his dreams and his creative ideas, no matter how big or unobtainable they may feel to some. That is part of his genius and as we have all witnessed, many of his big dreams have come true."
Kardashian, instead, requested grace and understanding for West as she and her family try to navigate the media onslaught.
"We as a society talk about giving grace to the issue of mental health as a whole, however we should also give it to the individuals who are living with it in times when they need it the most," she continued.
"I kindly ask that the media and public give us the compassion and empathy that is needed so that we can get through this. Thank you for those who have expressed concern for Kanye's well being and for your understanding," she concluded. "With Love and Gratitude, Kim Kardashian West."


theblaze--2020-07-22--Andrew Gillum speaks publicly for first time since being found drunk in a hotel with gay porn actor

Andrew Gillum speaks publicly for first time since being found drunk in a hotel with gay porn actor and meth @ @ @ @ @ I felt from all of that ... was tearing me up '

Former Tallahassee mayor and Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum spoke publicly on Instagram for the first time since entering rehab following a night during which he was found heavily intoxicated in a hotel room with a gay porn actor and bags of crystal meth.
Gillum, 40, was considered one of the rising stars of the Democratic Party — even after losing the gubernatorial race to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis by half a percentage point — before his career trajectory came to a screeching halt in March in a Miami Beach hotel room. He blamed the incident on an alcohol problem and entered rehab.
"I went away to rehab to focus on my issues with alcoholism, having grown up in a household where my father battled addiction to alcohol, and later died from that addiction," Gillum said. "I knew well the toll it took on my father's dreams and ambitions."
The former mayor said he underestimated how much of an impact losing the governor's race had on him, but now says it sent him into a depression that he tried and failed to suppress and numb with alcohol, culminating with a humiliating breakdown in Miami Beach.
"My stuff had to be public and cause great embarrassment and rumors, some false, some true, the shame that I felt from all of that, the harm I caused, that was tearing me up," Gillum said. "I needed real help to try to unpack that."
On March 12, when Gillum claims he was in Miami Beach celebrating a friend's wedding, police found a disturbing scene in a hotel room with Gillum and two other men, one of whom is a gay porn actor.
Aldo Mejias told police he gave his credit card to a man named Travis Dyson to book a hotel room in Miami Beach. When Mejias arrived, he found Dyson and Andrew Gillum in the room "under the influence of an unknown substance."
Mejias said Dyson "collapsed in a prone position" on the bed, and Gillum was in the bathroom vomiting. Dyson was struggling to breathe, so Mejias called police and fire rescue.
Gillum was unable to speak to officers "due to his inebriated state," according to the incident report.
"Inside of the hotel room, officers observed in plain sight three small clear plastic baggies containing suspected crystal meth on both the bed and floor of the hotel room," the incident report stated.
Gillum said his wife stuck with him after the compromising situation.
"[She] knows what I am and knows what I am not," Gillum said. "She chooses to love me anyhow."
(H/T Politico)


theblaze--2020-07-22--Fox News' Janice Dean tears into NY Gov. Cuomo over COVID-19 death of in-laws: Cuomo is 'as weak as

Fox News' Janice Dean tears into NY Gov. Cuomo over COVID-19 death of in-laws: Cuomo is 'as weak as they come'

Fox News ' Janice Dean tears into NY Gov .
Cuomo over COVID-19 death of in-laws : Cuomo is 'as @ @ @ @ @ 'New York tough ' is not enough

Fox News meteorologist Janice Dean says New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's policies have been reckless during the COVID-19 pandemic and his actions resulted in the deaths of her in-laws.
What are the details?
In a blistering op-ed published Wednesday in USA Today, Dean said that Cuomo's motto during the coronavirus pandemic — "New York Tough" — couldn't be further from the truth.
"[W]hen it comes to tough questions about his leadership during this time, Cuomo has shown he isn't so tough after all," Dean wrote. "In fact, he prefers to place blame on anyone but himself for the disastrous decisions he's made."
Dean explained that her husband's parents — Mickey and Dee Newman, who were born and raised in Brooklyn — contracted COVID-19 while living in an elder care facility and died soon thereafter.
"We lost ... dad in late March and ... mom two weeks later," she wrote. "My family wasn't able to see them before they died, weren't given last rites, wakes, or funerals.
"They died alone," Dean said of her in-laws, who were "true New Yorkers."
"Mickey was a retired New York City Fire Department firefighter who served in the U.S. Air Force," Dean said. "Dee helped raise three kids and was a devoted grandmother. ... Not a day goes by where we don't think of them."
After eulogizing her family, Dean said she and her family could not apportion blame to anyone following the deaths.
Then, she wrote, she and her family learned about Cuomo's March 25 order, which mandated recovering coronavirus patients be placed into nursing homes and elder care facilities.
"The mandate also barred nursing homes from requiring incoming patients 'to be tested for COVID-19 prior to admission or readmission,'" she continued.
The order — which remained in effect for 46 days — saw at least 6,000 COVID-positive patients placed into the facilities in question, Dean said.
"To date, at least 6,500 of our most helpless seniors have been killed by the virus," Dean added. "Even the governor himself said the virus could sweep through nursing homes 'like fire through dry grass.'"
Who's to blame?
Dean stated that Cuomo, to date, still has not taken responsibility for the order that cost so many New York lives.
"Instead," she added, "he's blamed everyone and everything else: God, Mother Nature, the New York Post, the president, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and nursing care workers, claiming 'they brought in the infection.'"
Dean, who warned the pandemic should not be about politics, said the state and federal governments need to execute a non-partisan investigation into the loss of so many elderly lives amid the pandemic.
"It's about accountability for what happened to our parents and grandparents, who trusted us to look out for them," she concluded. "My in-laws Mickey and Dee Newman were New York tough. The governor? He's as weak as they come."


theblaze--2020-07-22--Black Republican challenging Rep. Ayanna Pressley flees home after BLM activist posts vulgar video a

Black Republican challenging Rep. Ayanna Pressley flees home after BLM activist posts vulgar video attacking her 'blackness,' interracial marriage

Rayla Campbell , a black Republican challenging progressive U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley ( D-Mass . )
, fled her home in fear for her life after a popular Boston Black Lives Matter activist trashed her on social media over her marriage to a white man and `` proximity to white supremacy . ''
Campbell , a mother of three , told the Boston Herald on Tuesday that the crude attack was `` racism to the ultimate level . ''
`` Racism is racism no matter where it comes from , '' she said .
`` I was horrified and absolutely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family and just stay elsewhere . ''
The BLM activist and Pressley supporter , Monica Cannon-Grant , upset by Campbell 's candidacy , posted the viciously racist rant on Facebook last week .
She took it down soon after , but not before local blogger `` Turtleboy '' downloaded and disseminated it .
You can watch a shortened video posted on Twitter below or the entire video here .
Content Warning : Video contains vulgar language that may be disturbing to some viewers .
In the video , Cannon-Grant questioned Campbell 's `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ white husband , calling her `` melanin-adjacent '' : At another point in the video , Cannon-Grant suggested that Campbell , due to her conservative political beliefs , is a `` house negro , '' akin to slaves who would bow to their master and report other runaway slaves .
Turtleboy noted in the blog that the claim `` is ironic , because by being an outspoken conservative black woman , Campbell has essentially ran away from the democratic [ sic ] plantation and is being reported as a runaway by people like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Campbell has demanded apologies from Cannon-Grant as well as Pressley and Democratic Rep. Joe Kennedy III ( Mass . )
, both of whom have touted Cannon-Grant 's support .
For her part , Cannon-Grant reportedly apologized for her words , saying , `` I do wish I had been more careful with my words when I commented about an individual seeking public office last week , and for that I take responsibility — this work requires more from me right now , and I 'm learning to deal with this bigger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a write-in campaign in hopes of getting on the November ballot for Massachusetts ' 7th Congressional District .

Rayla Campbell, a black Republican challenging progressive U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), fled her home in fear for her life after a popular Boston Black Lives Matter activist trashed her on social media over her marriage to a white man and "proximity to white supremacy."
Campbell, a mother of three, told the Boston Herald on Tuesday that the crude attack was "racism to the ultimate level."
"Racism is racism no matter where it comes from," she said. "I was horrified and absolutely terrified. I had to uproot my family and just stay elsewhere."
What happened?
The BLM activist and Pressley supporter, Monica Cannon-Grant, upset by Campbell's candidacy, posted the viciously racist rant on Facebook last week. She took it down soon after, but not before local blogger "Turtleboy" downloaded and disseminated it.
You can watch a shortened video posted on Twitter below or the entire video here.
Content Warning: Video contains vulgar language that may be disturbing to some viewers.
In the video, Cannon-Grant questioned Campbell's "blackness" over her marriage to her white husband, calling her "melanin-adjacent":
This heifer running against Ayanna Pressley. This one here with the white husband. At some point we gonna have to have a conversation with black folks who get in a relationship with white folks and then forget that they black.
If white vagina and white penises jeopardize your melanin, then we need you to sit in the back of the classroom and this ain't your part of the show and you don't get to talk right now.
Regardless of how many white penises you ride, and I ain't mad at you sis because if you riding that mother f***er for a credit score, get you that house, boo. Get you that 40 acres and a mule. Just don't forget you a n*****.
I'll be damned if I let this melanin-adjacent woman, whose proximity to white supremacy is so disgusting, be disrespectful to our congresswoman because white folks have convinced her that she was better. She's an exceptional negro? Is that what it is?
At another point in the video, Cannon-Grant suggested that Campbell, due to her conservative political beliefs, is a "house negro," akin to slaves who would bow to their master and report other runaway slaves.
Turtleboy noted in the blog that the claim "is ironic, because by being an outspoken conservative black woman, Campbell has essentially ran away from the democratic [sic] plantation and is being reported as a runaway by people like Cannon-Grant."
What else?
According to the Herald, Campbell has demanded apologies from Cannon-Grant as well as Pressley and Democratic Rep. Joe Kennedy III (Mass.), both of whom have touted Cannon-Grant's support.
For her part, Cannon-Grant reportedly apologized for her words, saying, "I do wish I had been more careful with my words when I commented about an individual seeking public office last week, and for that I take responsibility — this work requires more from me right now, and I'm learning to deal with this bigger spotlight."
Campbell is currently running a write-in campaign in hopes of getting on the November ballot for Massachusetts' 7th Congressional District.


theblaze--2020-07-22--MLB manager, players kneel for national anthem, sparking Trump criticism of the social justice prote

MLB manager, players kneel for national anthem, sparking Trump criticism of the social justice protests

Players for the San Francisco Giants stand and kneel during the national nnthem before their exhibition game against the Oakland @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday in San Francisco .
( Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images )

National anthem kneeling as a form of social justice protest has grown in popularity in Major League Baseball, demonstrated as numerous players and coaches knelt before an exhibition game Monday that wasn't even played in front of any fans, CBS News reported.
What's the story? While the NBA has welcomed social justice protests in various forms, and NFL players have knelt during the anthem for years to protest police brutality against minorities, the protests did not really catch on in Major League Baseball, a sport with a significantly smaller percentage of African American players and coaches.
Tuesday, however, San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler and several of his players took a knee during the anthem to protest recent incidents of police violence against black people.
Kapler explained his decision to kneel:
"I wanted them to know that I wasn't pleased with the way our country has handled police brutality and I told them I wanted to amplify their voices and I wanted to amplify the voice of the Black community and marginalized communities as well," Kapler said. "So I told them that I wanted to use my platform to demonstrate my dissatisfaction with the way we've handled racism in our country. I wanted to demonstrate my dissatisfaction with our clear systemic racism in our country and I wanted them to know that they got to make their own decisions and we would respect and support those decisions. I wanted them to feel safe in speaking up."
Kapler said he doesn't know whether he or other team members will continue to kneel throughout the season, but that they will make those decisions one game at a time.
Trump opposes protests: The next day, President Donald Trump reiterated his stance against the protests.
"Looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!" Trump tweeted.
Major League Baseball posted a tweet Monday attempting to explain why the protests aren't disrespectful.
"It has never been about the military or the flag," the tweet read. "The players and coaches are using their platforms to peacefully protest."
In another tweet, MLB stated that "supporting human rights is not political."
The 60-game MLB season begins Thursday.


theblaze--2020-07-22--Horowitz: The Chicago funeral shooting shows yet again that black lives don't matter to politicians

Horowitz : The Chicago funeral shooting shows yet again that black lives do n't matter to politicians

Where are all the frantic press releases from every corporation in America amid the worst mass shooting of black people in Chicago's recent memory? Where are the protests? The demands for more prison time? More cops? Or, if you only get your news from superficial corporate media sources, perhaps you don't know what I'm talking about.
While most people bring flowers and tissues to funerals, that is not the Chicago way. There, they bring guns. According to CBS Chicago, mourners were attending the funeral of Donnie Weathersby, himself a black life cut down at age 31 by gang violence, when a car full of gunmen drove by and sprayed 60 bullets into Rhodes Funeral Services funeral home, wounding as many as 15, some of whom are in serious condition. One of the victims was reportedly a bystander who was not a target of the assailants.
Some of the attendees reportedly shot back at the drive-by shooters, which is in itself peculiar given how hard it is for ordinary people to get a concealed carry license in Chicago. But Chicago is the Sodom and Gomorrah of America, where peaceful citizens can't exercise their rights while gang members carry openly and never face serious consequences for committing violent crimes, including gun crimes.
This is the latest example of how the BLM movement is a complete fraud. The biggest threat to black lives comes from black criminals and gang members:
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 70 percent of all black victims of violent crime in 2018 were victimized by black criminals.
A huge focus of the BLM movement is to abolish police and abolish incarceration. But once again, who are the victims of jailbreak policies almost every time? Yes, the black lives that absolutely do not matter to the political elites.
This year, the numbers of shootings and homicide victims in Chicago are eclipsing the numbers from last year by approximately 50 percent and are approaching record numbers year-to-date. Rather than spending the past three years fighting against criminal release and weak deterrent against gun felons, Republicans have joined in on the Jared Kushner jailbreak agenda, suggesting that we somehow have an over-incarceration problem. At the same time, when in control of all three branches, Republicans failed to pass a single self-defense or pro-Second Amendment bill, but passed a gun control bill. Gun control without criminal control is a recipe for disaster.
According to UCLA's database on prison releases, Illinois has released over 4,600 criminals from prison and 800 from Cook County Jail.
Even before the acceleration of the jailbreak movement over the past two years, crystalizing during the coronavirus outbreak, incarceration rates have been plummeting. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the black imprisonment rate nationwide has been down 28% from 2008-2018, while the white imprisonment rate dropped by just 13%. The jail incarceration rate for black criminals dropped 30% – to the lowest level since 1990 – while the white incarceration rate actually increased 12% over the past decade.
According to data I tallied from the Illinois Department of Corrections website, the number of Illinois prisoners plummeted 21.86% just in the 27 months from March 31, 2018, through June 2002.
Republicans and Democrats alike have been cheering on this trend and continue to suggest that we still have an over-incarceration problem. But behind all these criminal releases are more victims of crime, most of them black.
How can Republicans agree to throw more money at the states for a coronavirus response in the coming days without conditioning the funds on terminating these releases?
This is not just about the rioting and retreat of the police in major cities. Just because there are no police on the streets doesn't mean that people like you and me start committing crimes. It's the career criminals who commit the most crimes. They have been released over the past few years and increasingly so in recent months. That was the first step of the breakdown in law and order. They are the fuel for the criminal fire, while the war on cops supplied the match to kindle the fuel. This is why crime has been able to spike so high so rapidly in some places, nearly as high as it was before the generation-long decline in violent crime beginning in the 1990s.
This is happening everywhere. In Los Angeles, Jose Enrique Esquivel has been arrested a dozen times for stealing cars since being released under coronavirus jailbreak, and every time, he was set free. There is simply no deterrent.
In a series of tweets, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called the shooters "cowardly" and asserted, "We cannot give shelter to killers."
Actually, Mayor, this is exactly what you have done by releasing so many criminals and declaring war on the cops.
"When a person picks up a gun, we suffer as a city. This cannot be who we are," Lightfoot said.
So why is it that Chicago keeps putting gun felons with violent criminal histories on parole instead of locking them up? Just over the weekend, a man who was on parole despite a history of robbery and burglary convictions dating back 30 years was arrested for beating an elderly woman at Chicago's Union Station.
How hard is it for Republicans to open the BLM narrative and show how its very policies are the ones resulting in all the dead black lives? Yet in an interview with Newsweek, Jared Kushner recently defended his de-incarceration agenda, suggesting that "people need a second chance."
Well, what we are seeing in the justice system today is that they get 5-10 chances or an infinite number of chances, which ensures that many victims of crime don't get a second chance at life. It's easy to blame dead Confederate generals or pictures on food boxes for all the death and misery in inner cities. Leadership to address the source of the problem is what seems to be a rare commodity at this moment.


theblaze--2020-07-22--Feds tackle rioters, hit them with batons, force them to run away from battered Portland courthouse

Feds tackle rioters, hit them with batons, force them to run away from battered Portland courthouse they were trying to break into

Feds tackle rioters , hit them with batons , force them to run away from battered Portland courthouse they were @ @ @ @ @ people have decided the only way they 'll stop is to get their ass kicked @ @ @ @ @ ass kicked ! '
one observer remarked

After rioters in Portland, Oregon, tried yet again to break into the boarded-up and battered federal courthouse that's been a target for well over a month, federal officers aggressively cleared out the leftists from in front of the building.
What are the details?
The video shows one officer tackling two rioters at once from behind while others around them scatter — and then that same officer shoves to the sidewalk one of the rioters he'd just brought down and then takes a swing at another leftist, who wisely runs off. The officer then moves to the left down the sidewalk and shoves another rioter away.
The video pans backward showing other officers moving in and one them firing at rioters multiple rounds of what presumably are pepper balls, rubber bullets, or some other form of non-lethal munitions.
Image source: Twitter video screenshot
Soon officers cross the street, further pushing back the rioters as one officer whacks a rioter with a baton while another violently shoves a rioter to the sidewalk and against a pole.
Image source: Twitter video screenshot
The video of the federal officers' pushback is preceded by a clip showing rioters taking turns pummeling the entrance of the courthouse with a metal object:
Here are a couple of other videos showing the action before the federal officers took control:
How did viewers react to the clip of federal officers using force against the rioters?
Numerous Twitter users reacted to Andy Ngo's tweet highlighting the video, and many couldn't have been happier:
"That was a VICIOUS takedown," one person reacted. "Look at all the little gnats run away."
"Shields don't work when you get flanked, young rioter," another observed.
"This is encouraging," another said. "It is difficult to understand how so many people in Portland can be infected with this insanity."
"That just made my morning!" another said. "They need to be arrested federally. None of this catch & release BS."
"Damn they really scattered like roaches in the night when you turn on the light," another said.
"If you've never had to put down a riot before ( I have), second guessing everything is the easy part," another advised. "Violence doesn't look pretty, but these people have decided the only way they'll stop is to get their ass kicked. So they got their ass kicked!"
Anything else?
Amid the actions by federal officers in Portland, Defense Secretary Mark Esper has raised concerns about them doing so in other U.S. cities in camouflage uniforms similar to those troops wear in war zones, his spokesperson said Tuesday, Politico reported.
Esper has urged efforts to more clearly distinguish between the two, the outlet added, citing Jonathan Hoffman, chief Pentagon spokesperson.
"We saw this take place back in June when there were some law enforcement that wear uniforms that make them appear military in appearance," Hoffman said, according to Politico. Esper has told administration officials that "we want a system where people can tell the difference," the outlet added.


theblaze--2020-07-22--Oregon Democratic lawmaker says Portland riots are 'not out of control,' some people just have 'stro

Oregon Democratic lawmaker says Portland riots are 'not out of control,' some people just have 'strong feelings'

Oregon Democratic lawmaker says Portland riots are 'not out of control , ' some people just have 'strong feelings' Police @ @ @ @ @ and lasers

A Democratic congressman representing Portland, Oregon, said the riots in the city — which have gone on for over 50 consecutive days and have resulted in police being attacked with mortars, lasers, clubs, and bottles — are "not out of control."
Rather, there are simply "some people who have strong feelings," Rep. Earl Blumenauer said Tuesday during a floor speech in Washington, D.C.
"Portland, Oregon, is not out of control. To be sure there are some people who have strong feelings," Blumenauer said. "There are some who have done things that are inappropriate and unlawful, but that is the challenge of our local officials and our state officials to manage it, not having somebody unwelcome, uninvited, and unprepared coming in to take this difficult situation and make it worse."
What's the background?
Protests in Portland have raged for nearly two months since the death of George Floyd over Memorial Day weekend in Minneapolis, often devolving into violent chaos.
Much of the violence has surrounded the Mark O. Hatfield federal courthouse in the city, where protesters have graffitied the building, torn down fencing, and lit fires for weeks. Lately, rioters have assaulted officers attempting to defend the building using fireworks and high intensity lasers, injuring some.
Over the weekend, Portland police said "dozens of people with shields, helmets, gas masks, umbrellas, bats, and hockey sticks approached the doors" of the courthouse.
Police Superintendent David Brown said that 49 officers were injured during the riots on Friday. Eighteen officers were sent to the hospital, including one who suffered a broken eye socket when an explosive thrown toward police detonated.
Yet Democrats refuse help
Yet during the speech, Blumenauer joined fellow Democratic leaders in arguing against President Trump sending federal officers to the city to quell the riots.
The president, viewing some of the protesters as anarchists and agitators, ordered federal officers to the city in recent weeks.
Democratic Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler slammed the move calling it "a blatant abuse of police tactics by the federal government" and has argued that the presence of federal officers has "sharply escalat[ed] the situation."
Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.) added: "Trump and [Secretary of Homeland Security] Chad Wolf are weaponizing the DHS as their own occupying army to provoke violence on the streets of my hometown because they think it plays well with right-wing media."
Even the state's Democratic governor, Kate Brown, has chimed in, tweeting, "This is a democracy, not a dictatorship. We cannot have secret police abducting people in unmarked vehicles. I can't believe I have to say that to the President of the United States."
The "secret police" allegedly "abducting people" are U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group and Customs and Border Protection's BORTAC officers deployed to protect federal property.


theblaze--2020-07-22--POLL: What is the biggest threat to the future of America?

POLL : What is the biggest threat to the future of America ?
Cast your vote and do n't forget @ @ @

POLL: What is the biggest threat to the future of America?
Cast your vote and don't forget to share!


theblaze--2020-07-22--Fraternal Order of Police president says 'childish' Chicago mayor is 'running the Titanic into an ic

Fraternal Order of Police president says 'childish' Chicago mayor is 'running the Titanic into an iceberg intentionally'

Fraternal Order of Police president says 'childish ' Chicago mayor is 'running the Titanic into an iceberg intentionally '

Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara said Tuesday that Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) is "unprofessional," "childish," and "pathetic."
What are the details?
In an interview with Fox News' Laura Ingraham, Catanzara addressed the news of a mass shooting that took place outside a Chicago funeral home.
A gunman opened fire Tuesday night on a funeral home, injuring as many as 15 people who were attending a funeral at the facility.
On Wednesday morning, WGN-TV reporter Courtney Gousman said the oldest victim was a 65-year-old woman, and the youngest victim was a 21-year-old woman. Five of the 15 victims were reported to be in serious condition.
The mass shooting took place just as President Donald Trump announced his plans to deploy 150 federal agents to Chicago to help curb violence.
During a conversation with Ingraham, Catanzara called the Chicago mayor "unhinged" and said that her refusal to request federal assistance from the Trump administration was irresponsible. Catanzara himself wrote a letter to Trump requesting federal assistance amid the never-ending crime wave sweeping the city.
Lightfoot has previously said that any federal intervention would cause "chaos" and "lawlessness."
"The mayor likes to use the word 'unhinged,' but the ironic part is the mayor became unhinged," Catanzara railed. "I wish I could show you the text messages that she sent me over the weekend as soon as she found out I sent the request to President Trump."
He added, "She was the one who totally became unhinged, unprofessional, childish, and it was really pathetic for the leader of a city."
What about the justice system in Cook County?
Catanzara insisted that the lawlessness will only get worse because "the justice system in Cook County is totally broken all the way from [Cook County Board chairwoman Toni] Preckwinkle [down]. ... They have no idea what real justice is, [there] is basically the bloodbath in the street as a result."
Catanzara also blasted Lightfoot for having a "Napoleon complex."
"She is literally running the Titanic into an iceberg intentionally," he added. "Fifty-six rounds [were reportedly] fired [during Tuesday evening's incident] and [15] people shot tonight at a funeral where there was police's special attention because of the gang victim that was already being waked at the funeral home."


theblaze--2020-07-22--After China's Houston consulate was ordered to close, police say workers began burning large amounts

After China's Houston consulate was ordered to close, police say workers began burning large amounts of paperwork

After China 's Houston consulate was ordered to close , police say workers began burning large amounts of paperwork

Chinese officials at the diplomatic consulate in Houston reportedly rushed to burn "classified documents" after the Trump administration ordered the consulate to close by this Friday under suspicion that American intellectual information was in danger.
What are the details?
State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus confirmed the news Tuesday that the consulate had been shut down and workers were being evicted in order "to protect American intellectual property."
Within hours of the order, according to the Houston Chronicle, witnesses spotted workers at the consulate using barrels to burn paperwork in the courtyard.
The fire was so large that the Houston Fire Department was called, but when police and firefighters arrived they were denied entry.
"Police say a fire that was reported at the Chinese Consulate in Houston Tuesday evening, was the result of classified documents being burned," KRIV-TV reported. "Houston fire and police departments responded to the scene but were not allowed entry into the building."
KPRC-TV reporter Tulsi Kamath shared a video sent to her by someone who lives next to the consulate and had a view of the courtyard fire.
The video appears to show several bins filled with fire as smoke billows up from the courtyard.
In a brief statement, which did not provide further detail on why the Houston consulate was targeted, Ortagus said: "The United States will not tolerate [China's] violations of our sovereignty and intimidation of our people, just as we have not tolerated [its] unfair trade practices, theft of American jobs, and other egregious behavior."
What's the background?
The U.S. has been stepping up action of late against the Chinese Communist Party's long-running intellectual property theft.
The Department of Justice and FBI charged two Chinese nationals on Tuesday for allegedly "hacking into the computer systems of hundreds of victim companies, governments, non-governmental organizations, and individual dissidents, clergy, and democratic and human rights activists in the United States and abroad, including Hong Kong and China."
The DOJ alleged that the Chinese nationals conducted a hacking campaign against 11 countries over the last decade and recently tried to steal research from "companies developing COVID-19 vaccines, testing technology, and treatments."
The news came as the Trump administration considers banning the Beijing-based tech company, TikTok.
Anything else?
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin called the consulate shutdown "an outrageous and unjustified move that will sabotage relations between the two countries."
"The unilateral closure of China's consulate general in Houston within a short period of time is an unprecedented escalation of its recent actions against China," Wang said during a news briefing in Beijing, according to the Associated Press.
Axios noted that something similar happened in 2017 when the Russian consulate in San Francisco was ordered to close — black smoke was seen coming from the chimney.
Firefighters were also denied entry into the building during that incident and a firefighter told AP they were "burning something in the fireplace."


theblaze--2020-07-22--Naval petty officer caught on video screaming 'F*** Trump!' at flag-waving rally attendees

A uniformed naval petty officer was caught on video screaming expletives about President Donald Trump at a group of flag-waving rallygoers Sunday — and officials told the Navy Times the incident sparked an investigation by her California command .
What are the details ?
The sailor in question — identified by officials as Aviation Boatswain 's Mate ( Launch/Recovery ) 2nd Class Sarah J. Dudrey — is seen exiting a car and moving through the gathering at the Ventura County Government Center and raising her middle fingers at them , the paper said , adding that it 's unclear what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Facebook video reads that `` a large group of people were having a pro-America rally and had lined the sidewalks with happiness and flags .
Dudrey pulled up in a BORROWED CAR , parked illegally on a busy main street , blocking an entire lane , got out ... '' The members of the crowd shouted right back at Dudrey .
`` Shame on you ! ''
one person yells .
`` Take the flag off your shoulder ! ''
another demonstrator shouts .
At one point Dudrey , 24 , gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who 's holding a red , white , and blue umbrella in one hand and a sign in the other that reads , in part , `` no more house arrest . ''
`` You should be ashamed ! ''
a protester hollers at Dudrey .
`` Learn how to act in a f***ing uniform , you piece of s**t ! ''
another demonstrator loudly suggests .
Soon Dudrey gets back in the vehicle , and the incident appears to come to an end .
Dudrey is assigned to Naval Base Ventura County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the confrontation , the Times said .
Her command became aware of the video Sunday and started looking into it Monday , the paper said , citing spokeswoman Melinda Larson .
`` The Navy is a proponent of free speech , and active-duty members are free to participate in protests during their off-duty time , '' Larson told the Times in an email .
`` However , Navy members are not authorized to wear military uniforms while engaging in protests and voicing personal opinions . ''
It was not clear Tuesday what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paper said .
`` After a thorough inquiry into the matter , the Commanding Officer will make a determination on what actions are warranted , '' Larson added to the Times .
Dudrey could not be reached for comment Tuesday , the paper said , adding that Larson said she was not able to contact the petty officer on behalf of the Times .
Defense Secretary Mark Esper warned troops in a February memo to avoid political statements and supporting certain candidates while representing the military , the paper said .
`` As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote and participate in government , '' Esper wrote , according to the Times .
`` However , as public servants who have taken an oath to defend these principles , we uphold DoD 's longstanding tradition of remaining apolitical as we carry out our official responsibilities . ''

A uniformed naval petty officer was caught on video screaming expletives about President Donald Trump at a group of flag-waving rallygoers Sunday — and officials told the Navy Times the incident sparked an investigation by her California command.
What are the details?
The sailor in question — identified by officials as Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Launch/Recovery) 2nd Class Sarah J. Dudrey — is seen exiting a car and moving through the gathering at the Ventura County Government Center and raising her middle fingers at them, the paper said, adding that it's unclear what sparked the confrontation.
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
"F*** Trump!" Dudrey yells. "F*** you!"
The description of the Facebook video reads that "a large group of people were having a pro-America rally and had lined the sidewalks with happiness and flags. Dudrey pulled up in a BORROWED CAR, parked illegally on a busy main street, blocking an entire lane, got out..."
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
The members of the crowd shouted right back at Dudrey.
"Shame on you!" one person yells.
"Take the flag off your shoulder!" another demonstrator shouts.
At one point Dudrey, 24, gets in the face of a older woman who's holding a red, white, and blue umbrella in one hand and a sign in the other that reads, in part, "no more house arrest."
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
"You should be ashamed!" a protester hollers at Dudrey.
"Learn how to act in a f***ing uniform, you piece of s**t!" another demonstrator loudly suggests.
"Who's your commanding officer?" another person asks.
Image source: Facebook video screenshot
Soon Dudrey gets back in the vehicle, and the incident appears to come to an end.
Here's the clip. Content warning: Language:
Now what?
Dudrey is assigned to Naval Base Ventura County, about 15 miles from the site of the confrontation, the Times said.
Her command became aware of the video Sunday and started looking into it Monday, the paper said, citing spokeswoman Melinda Larson.
"The Navy is a proponent of free speech, and active-duty members are free to participate in protests during their off-duty time," Larson told the Times in an email. "However, Navy members are not authorized to wear military uniforms while engaging in protests and voicing personal opinions."
It was not clear Tuesday what disciplinary action Dudrey may face, the paper said.
"After a thorough inquiry into the matter, the Commanding Officer will make a determination on what actions are warranted," Larson added to the Times.
Dudrey could not be reached for comment Tuesday, the paper said, adding that Larson said she was not able to contact the petty officer on behalf of the Times.
Anything else?
Defense Secretary Mark Esper warned troops in a February memo to avoid political statements and supporting certain candidates while representing the military, the paper said.
"As citizens, we exercise our right to vote and participate in government," Esper wrote, according to the Times. "However, as public servants who have taken an oath to defend these principles, we uphold DoD's longstanding tradition of remaining apolitical as we carry out our official responsibilities."


theblaze--2020-07-22--NFL will let players wear helmet decals for police brutality victims like George Floyd, Breonna Tayl

NFL will let players wear helmet decals for police brutality victims like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor

NFL will let players wear helmet decals for police brutality victims like George Floyd , Breonna Taylor

The NFL is planning to join the NBA in allowing players to make statements about social justice on their game uniforms, according to the Associated Press.
Teams can choose to wear helmet decals honoring the victims of police brutality, including George Floyd, who was killed by Minneapolis Police Department officers, and Breonna Taylor, who was killed by Louisville Metropolitan Police Department officers.
The program will extend throughout the season, and the NFL is working with the players union to put together a list of names that teams can select from.
It's unusual for the NFL to allow such an open expression of social justice activism, as the league has been resistant to such demonstrations — and probably became more resistant after the backlash that has accompanied players kneeling during the national anthem.
From the Associated Press:
This initiative is something of a breakthrough because the league has not allowed such messaging, except for during its October NFL Crucial Catch program in conjunction with the fight against breast cancer, and in its November salutes to the military. Players also have been allowed to represent a cause on their cleats one weekend per season.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently apologized for his opposition to peaceful protests before games in the past, presumably including anthem kneeling. There is a significant portion of the NFL fan base that is opposed to anthem kneeling, viewing it as disrespectful to veterans and to the country.
"We, the National Football League, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of black people," Goodell said in June. "We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest. We, the National Football League, believe Black Lives Matter. I personally protest with you and want to be part of the much-needed change in this country."
Also, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," a song also known as the "black national anthem," will reportedly be played at every Week 1 NFL game and ahead of "The Star-Spangled Banner" when the season begins.
The NFL is moving in the direction of the NBA, which has for years allowed overt and individual expressions of social justice protest against racism or police brutality.
The NBA is allowing players to choose from an approved list of social justice phrases to wear on the back of their jerseys instead of their last names. Approved phrases include "Black Lives Matter," "Say Their Names," "Power to the People," "Liberation," and "Group Economics."
The phrase "Black Lives Matter" will be painted on the courts when the league resumes its season on July 30 in Orlando, Florida, after several months off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


theblaze--2020-07-22--Kanye West accuses wife Kim Kardashian of white supremacy by attempting to hospitalize him

Rapper Kanye West went on another Twitter tirade Tuesday night, saying that his wife, Kim Kardashian, and her mother are engaging in white supremacy by speaking out against him.
On Monday night, West told his Twitter followers that Kardashian was trying to involuntarily commit him after he claimed that the two considered aborting their first child, North West.
West made the tearful remarks during a campaign rally in Charleston, South Carolina, over the weekend.
What are the details?
West, clearly agitated, revealed, "Kris and Kim put out a statement without my approval...that's not what a wife should do. White supremacy."
Elsewhere during the rant, West said that his family is trying to hospitalize him, and insisted that he's been trying to divorce Kardashian.
"They tried to fly in with 2 doctors to 51/50 me," he wrote. "I been trying to get divorced since Kim met with [rapper] Meek [Mill] at the Warldorf [sic] for prison reform."
West has since deleted all of the tweets in question.
The news comes on the heels of reports that Kardashian was reportedly irate over West's remarks during the presidential rally in South Carolina.
West announced his presidential bid on July 5. Though he missed the deadline to qualify for the ballot in several states, he was able to appear as a candidate on Oklahoma's presidential ballot and hosted the Charleston rally on Sunday.
You can see the tweets below.
Anything else?
The New York Post cites a Kardashian source who said that the couple's marriage could be in very serious trouble amid West's latest behavior.
"I don't know if they can survive it," the source said, calling the situation "really bad."
Despite West's protests, the source added that the family "has such compassion for him right now," and that "anger is not a motivation" in any help the family may be attempting to provide to West.
"The family is trying to work out what to do," the source said, "and hoping that this nightmare will be over soon and they can get Kanye into treatment."


theblaze--2020-07-23--Chuck Todd notes the president has 'turned a corner,' and anti-Trump critics go crazy on social medi

Chuck Todd notes the president has 'turned a corner,' and anti-Trump critics go crazy on social media

Chuck Todd notes the president has 'turned a corner , ' and anti-Trump critics go crazy on social media

Chuck Todd faced an onslaught of criticism from many on the left after offering a brief line of faint praise for President Donald Trump.
The MSNBC anchor said that the president had "turned a corner" on masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus after Trump approved of masks during a media briefing.
Critics of the president on social media turned on Todd and attacked him for daring to make the otherwise unremarkable observation.
Justin Baragona of the Daily Beast posted the video of Todd's comments.
"I don't think like I said, I don't think we got a lot, perhaps the most newsworthy item out there was the president said in the next 24 hours they were gonna decide if the federal government would abide by a local ordinance like the one Washington, D.C., has put in about mandating masks," Todd said in the video.
"The fact that he said they're thinking about it is probably, shows you that at least on the mask front, the president has turned a corner," he added.
The outraged reaction
Critics of Trump were outraged that Todd offered a sliver of praise for the president and they took to Twitter to register their great displeasure against the MSNBC anchor.
"I tweeted something earlier today assuming a media personality would both sides or whitewash Trump even as he unleashes his militia on citizens. I was hoping to be wrong...and enter Chuck Todd," responded Wajahat Ali, an opinion writer for the New York Times.
"Friendly reminder that Chuck Todd is less educated than thousands of Black and brown journalists who haven't been given half the opportunities he has," replied journalist Kim Masters.
"Chuck Todd thinks objectivity means thinking both arguments are equally correct. That's actually just not having critical thinking skills," said author Dennis DiClaudio.
"This is why we never need more #ChuckTodd. Never. Ever. We need WAY less. Like none. #Sheesh!" tweeted actress Yvette Nicole Brown.
"Chuck Todd loves a horse race, even if one of the horses is charging through the stands stomping out spectators," responded screenwriter Bob Schooley.
"F**k You @chucktodd," said economist David Rothschild.
Trump critic Tom Nichols took credit for causing an "anti-Chuck Todd Riot" with his tweet.
Here's more about Trump's stance on masks:


theblaze--2020-07-24--Cenk Uygur asks supporters to pledge to personally 'remove' Trump from office if he loses and refuse

Cenk Uygur asks supporters to pledge to personally 'remove' Trump from office if he loses and refuses to leave

Cenk Uygur asks supporters to pledge to personally 'remove ' Trump from office if he loses and refuses to leave

Far-left YouTube host and failed congressional candidate Cenk Uygur is asking his followers to pledge to personally go to Washington, D.C., and help remove President Donald Trump from office if he loses the election and refuses to leave.
The host of "The Young Turks" posted a petition on his show's website and tweeted out the pledge for his nearly half a million followers to consider signing.
"Sign Petition: If Donald Trump loses the election and refuses to leave, and the United States military does not remove him from office, I, the undersigned, will personally go to Washington and help remove him from the White House with my fellow Americans," he wrote.
The website link cited an interview of the president with Chris Wallace on Fox News where he was asked if he would respect the results of the election in November.
"In general, I'm not talking about November, are you a good loser?" Wallace asked.
"I'm not a good loser," Trump replied. "I don't like to lose. I don't lose too often. I don't like to lose."
"But are you gracious?" Wallace asked.
"You don't know until you see, it depends," Trump said. "I think mail-in voting is going to rig the election, I really do."
"Are you suggesting that you might not accept the results of the election?" asked Wallace.
"I have to see," Trump added.
In another tweet, Uygur responded to the comments in the Wallace interview from the president.
"No, it most certainly does not depend. You'll leave, you f***ing goon. At that point, if US military does not physically remove you from the building, the American people will," he tweeted.
"Biden is not going to beat Trump!"
Uygur made headlines in March when he lost his campaign for the U.S. congressional seat in California, and then melted down on his show after his preferred presidential candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also performed poorly against Joe Biden.
"Guys not just on progressives versus establishment, this is so important, I need you to understand this, Biden is not going to beat Trump!" Uygur pleaded to his far-left audience on his show.
"Biden is either near senile or actually senile, watch any of the tapes! And Biden lies nonstop! He's gonna get caught!" Uygur exclaimed. "And when Trump comes for him, he's not gonna beat Trump!"
Sanders ended his presidential campaign in April, making Joe Biden the presumed Democratic presidential candidate.
Here's video of Trump's interview with Wallace:


theblaze--2020-07-24--DHS Deputy Secretary reveals what's REALLY happening to 'kidnapped' protesters in Portland

DHS Deputy Secretary reveals what 's REALLY happening to 'kidnapped ' protesters in Portland

Acting deputy secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, Ken Cuccinelli, joined Glenn Beck on the radio program Thursday. He came prepared to expose the leftist lies and detail the truth about what's really going on with federal agents in Portland, Oregon.
Cuccinelli made it clear that claims of federal agents in unmarked cars "kidnapping" Portland protesters from the streets are patently false. Rather, agents are protecting federal buildings in a lawful, safe, and constitutional manner.
"There are four federal agencies [in Portland] protecting the federal property. Three of them are from the Department of Homeland Security. The U.S. Marshals is the fourth, they guard the inside of the courthouse," explained Cuccinelli.
He went on to explain that a little known division of the DHS, called the Federal Protective Service, protects thousands of federal properties across the country, and has been protecting the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse in downtown Portland since it was built in 1997.
"This is not a new mission. It's a 24/7, 365 mission. We've been there from the beginning of this courthouse being built, and the birth of the Department of Homeland Security," Cuccinelli said.
"Our officers have bravely and resolutely done their duty and done their job to protect their facilities and people using them, and each other, of course," he continued.
"And with respect to the cars, we do use unmarked cars. I almost laughed when I heard [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi making this 'accusation.' Maybe she should check the San Francisco Police Department. You will find that every single law enforcement agency of any size in America uses unmarked vehicles, because they're safer for the officers and they're more effective for the mission. And we're not grabbing people off the street. The only people that we detain are people that match descriptions of offenders or who were just caught in the act."
Cuccinelli emphasized that using federal agents to protected federal buildings is both legal and essential under the United States Constitution, Article I, Section 8, paragraphs 1, 9, and 18.
"There are statutes conforming to those constitutional provisions, and it's those statutes, those laws, that we are enforcing. We are there constitutionally. We are there legally. We are performing properly, and we will continue to do that at the direction of this president until peace is restored or those facilities are protected. We're not doing local or state law enforcement. We don't have authority to do that. We're not presuming to have that authority. And that is not the authority we're acting under," he stated.
Watch the video below for more details:
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theblaze--2020-07-24--Charlamagne tha God rips Biden for saying Trump is the first racist president: 'Shut the eff up fore

Charlamagne tha God rips Biden for saying Trump is the first racist president: 'Shut the eff up forever'

Charlamagne tha God rips Biden for saying Trump is the first racist president : 'Shut the eff up forever '

"The Breakfast Club" host Charlamagne tha God ripped presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden for saying that Donald Trump is the first racist elected president, saying, "I really wish Joe Biden would shut the eff up forever and continue to act like he's starring in the movie 'A Quiet Place' because as soon as he opens his mouth and makes noise, he gets us all killed, OK?"
Charlamagne made the comments during Thursday's program, naming Biden his "Donkey of the Day." Charlamagne was responding to Biden's assertion, made Wednesday, that "No sitting president has ever done this... No Republican president has done this. No Democratic president. We've had racists and they've existed and they've tried to get elected president. He's the first one that has."
Biden was widely lampooned for the comments, given that some former presidents literally owned slaves and others openly supported the Ku Klux Klan.
Charlamagne explained his concern that Biden's perennial case of foot-in-mouth disease is causing many, like him, to lack excitement going into the November elections.
"How are we ever going to atone for America's original sins if we don't acknowledge them? How the hell can Donald Trump be the first racist president in a country where 12 presidents before him owned slaves?" he asked.
Charlamagne went on, "Joe, you got to hurry up and announce your Black woman VP so I can be enthused about voting for her because I will never be enthused about voting for you, and you know America is a terrible place when Kanye West seems like a viable option."
Biden made headlines earlier this year during a contentious interview with "The Breakfast Club" hosts during an exchange when Charlamagne pressed him for reasons why the black community should be excited to vote for Biden. In response, Biden could only offer the racist remark that "you ain't black" if you're considering voting for Trump. Biden later apologized for the comments.


theblaze--2020-07-24--California 'menu police' declare that certain foods do not count as meals during the renewed coronav

California 'menu police' declare that certain foods do not count as meals during the renewed coronavirus lockdown

California 'menu police ' declare that certain foods do not count as meals during the renewed coronavirus lockdown

Restaurant owners in California have another thing to worry about when trying to keep their businesses afloat during the recent government mandated shutdowns: Whether the Alcoholic Beverage Commission in California will deem their food offerings worthy of being called a "meal" such that they will avoid legal trouble if the state comes calling.
As noted by the Daily Mail, the so-called "menu police" have decreed that certain foods like calamari, mozzarella sticks, egg rolls, cups of soup, and the like do not count as "meals" for the purpose of compliance with California's latest wave of COVID-19 regulations. Under that guidance, restaurants are permitted to remain open to serve outdoor diners, but only if the customer is served a meal.
Perhaps in an effort to avoid gaming the system, the ABC undertook to define what constitutes a "meal," but the guidance was not tremendously helpful in many respects. According to the guidance, "Meals means the usual assortment of foods commonly ordered at various hours of the day; the service of such food and victuals only as sandwiches or salads shall not be deemed a compliance with this requirement."
However, although sandwiches and salads are the only two foods explicitly mentioned by the statue empowering the agency to make these decisions, they explicitly go on to state, "while the statute excludes mere offerings of sandwiches and salad, the Department does recognize that many sandwiches and salads are substantial and can constitute legitimate meals." However, if your sandwich or salad is "pre-packaged," then it would "typically not meet this standard."
Confused yet? Don't worry, California is just getting started. In the course of attempting to define what constitutes a meal, the latest guidance focuses almost exclusively on what a meal is not, and admits as much: "It is often easier to describe what does not constitute a bona fide meal."
To that end, the department provides a lengthy but non-exhaustive list of things that do not constitute a meal, including some obvious choices like nuts and pretzels, but also some less obvious ones like calamari, chicken wings, egg rolls, and flautas.
If you are confused as to whether a food offering at your restaurant qualifies as a meal, you should know that "although multiple courses are not required to constitute a meal, in order for the patron to be served a meal there should be a sufficient quantity that it would constitute a main course in a multiple-course dining experience," which of course is not tremendously helpful given that patrons have different size appetites and restaurants have widely divergent views of the proper size of a main course for a meal.
It is not clear at this time how long these unhelpful and vague regulations will remain in place in California.


theblaze--2020-07-23--MSNBC analyst pushes bizarre conspiracy theory over Trump sending federal officers to riots

`` This is how the movie would play out ''

MSNBC analyst John Heilemann pushed a bizarre conspiracy theory Thursday about President Donald Trump's decision to send federal officers to quell riots in Portland, Oregon, and other cities.
Heilemann said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that the president was using the law enforcement order as a trial balloon for using federal troops to stay in power should he lose the election in November.
"So, undermining a form of voting that we know is going to be more important in 2020 than ever, because of coronavirus, telling us that he's not necessarily prepared to accept the result of the election, using federal forces against peaceful protesters outside the White House and now in Portland," Heilemann said. "And increasingly encroaching on the state policing power, you know, they're trying to make it sound like Chicago is going to be different but he's setting precedents now."
The president has faced criticism after it was reported that many local governments rejected the offer of help from federal law enforcement but Trump decided to send officers anyway. Some argued that this was a breach of the balance of power between the states and the federal government.
"This is what would happen if you were an authoritarian president who was preparing to resist a loss in the election, you would be saying the things Donald Trump is saying and you would be gradually rolling out federal police power into the states, against the wishes of the mayors and governors in question," continued Heilemann.
He went on to cite Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) who said that Trump's order was unconstitutional and that it might lead to martial law being declared.
"This is how it would happen, this is how the movie would play out and anybody who is not looking at this with a state of alarm and concern and worried about, is this president going to employ formally martial law at some point, as Ron Wyden suggested yesterday, is that on the president's mind?" Heilemann asked.
"Is there anybody having watching Donald Trump for the last three and half years who doesn't think that Donald Trump would try to employ martial law if he thought that was the only way to stay in power. I ask you Joe, is there anybody who's sensible who comes on this show, who doesn't think that's possible?" he concluded.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who has been a vehement critic of the federal order, agreed to accept federal agents' help with law enforcement efforts in Chicago after a phone call with the president.
Here's the video of Heilemann's comments:


theblaze--2020-07-23--President Trump cancels Republican National Convention in Jacksonville

He said it was just not `` the right time '' for it

President Donald Trump announced that the Republican convention planned for Jacksonville, Florida, has been cancelled.
He made the announcement during a media briefing on Thursday.
"This afternoon my political team came to me and laid out our plans for the convention in Jacksonville, Florida. It's a place I love. I love that state," said the president.
"The drawings look absolutely beautiful, I never thought we could have something look so good so fast with everything going on. And everything was going well, a tremendous list of speakers, thousands of people wanting to be there, and I mean, in some cases, desperately be there," he continued.
"The pageantry, the signs, the excitement were really really top of the line. But I looked at my team and I said the timing for this event is not right, it's just not right, with what's happened recently, the flare up in Florida," Trump said.
"To have a big convention it's just not the right time," he added.
The president said his political team told him they could hold the conference in a safe manner, but that he refused to put the American people in danger.
"I told my team it's time to cancel the Jacksonville, Florida, component of the GOP Convention," Trump continued. "We won't do a big, crowded convention per se. It's just not the right time for that."
The convention was scheduled for August but critics of the president had condemned him and the Republican party for planning a large in-person convention in a state with one of the worst increases in coronavirus. On Thursday, the state reported that it was nearing 400,000 total cases, with 5,632 deaths.
Trump said that he would still give a convention speech in some other form, and that the party would still meet in North Carolina in order to vote for the nomination.
"I just felt it was wrong," said the president, "to have people going to what turned out to be a hot spot, you know when we chose it, it was not at all hot, it was free."
The city responds
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and Sheriff Mike Williams released a joint statement praising the decision.
"We appreciate President Donald Trump considering our public health and safety concerns in making this incredibly difficult decision. As always, in Jacksonville public safety is our number one priority," the statement read.
"President Trump has once again reaffirmed his commitment to the safety of Jacksonville Florida and the people of the United States of America," the statement concluded.
Here's a video of the president's comments:


theblaze--2020-07-23--Nurses claim conditions at Texas hospital's COVID-19 unit are horrific: Ants crawl in patients' mout

Nurses claim conditions at Texas hospital's COVID-19 unit are horrific: Ants crawl in patients' mouths, corpses kept in warm rooms for days

Nurses claim conditions at Texas hospital 's COVID-19 unit are horrific : Ants crawl in patients ' mouths , corpses @ @ @ @ @ days Disturbing on so many levels

Some nurses at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in Edinburg, Texas, are claiming that the conditions at a COVID-19 unit at the medical facility are unimaginably horrific, according to multiple reports.
The Hidalgo County-area hospital sits on the southern tip of the state on the U.S. border with Mexico.
What are the details?
Unnamed nurses at the hospital have gone public with allegations of the hospital's lurid conditions within the makeshift COVID-19 ward.
A Twitter user — who identifies herself as "Nurse Sarah" — said that staffers are afraid to speak out about the conditions out of fear of losing their jobs, the Daily Mail reported Thursday.
The social media user said that dead bodies at the Hidalgo County-based hospital are often left in non-air-conditioned rooms for days at a time while ants traipse across their corpses, as well as in and out of their mouths.
At least one nurse described watching ants "crawling on [patients'] bodies and faces." When the nurse notified their superiors, a hospital administrator reportedly responded "[The ants are] coming from the patient."
Nurses also reportedly claimed that there is not enough personal protection equipment to go around for the staff, and that nurses are required to wear the same gown all day — even, in at least one case, when the gowns are contaminated with fecal matter.
One purported whistleblower also said that one nurse is responsible for taking care of 117 patients at any given time.
The nurses, according to the social media user, also alleged that the hospital is keeping all COVID-19 patients out of the main facility in order to continue performing revenue-generating procedures.
Hospitals are becoming 'war zones'
In a recent statement, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez admitted that the county's hospitals are overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases.
Hidalgo County health officials have also begun storing bodies in refrigerated trucks, according to Reuters.
"We've got to lasso this virus, this stallion, bring the numbers back down and get control of this thing," Cortez said. "Because our hospitals — they're war zones, they are really struggling right now."
Earlier in July, a nurse working her fourth consecutive 12-hour shift vouched for the severity of the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on the hospital, and told the Texas Tribune that she'd seen things she will "never unsee."
The outlet at the time reported that the COVID-19 unit was previously a hospice center that had since been transformed to house coronavirus patients.
The hospital reportedly spent $9 million converting the building into a COVID-19 unit in March amid rising cases of infection.
It wasn't enough.
By June, the hospital was forced to appropriate a nearby rehabilitation building in order to accommodate the massive swell of cases.
Nurse Apryle Pelshaw told the Tribune that the toll is high for her and other health care workers.
"We hold it together, and I think we go out into our vehicles and cry," she admitted at the time.
In a Monday New York Times report, hospital administrators confirmed that they have, indeed, kept their COVID-19-positive patients away from the hospital's general population.
The Times points out that the hospital is located in an area where more than a third of families live in poverty. Half of all residents reportedly do not carry health insurance. At least 100,000 undocumented immigrants reportedly also live in the area.
The Blaze has reached out to a representative for DHR Health for comment on the allegations. A response was not given in time for publication.


theblaze--2020-07-23--Judge rules 'extremely personal' records from 2015 Ghislaine Maxwell case can be unsealed, including

Judge rules 'extremely personal' records from 2015 Ghislaine Maxwell case can be unsealed, including Jeffrey Epstein's flight logs

Judge rules 'extremely personal ' records from 2015 Ghislaine Maxwell case can be unsealed , including Jeffrey Epstein 's flight @ @ @ @ @ to keep the documents secret because her deposition contained 'intrusive questions about her sex life @

An extensive collection of "extremely personal" documents from a civil case against longtime Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell can be unsealed, according to a Manhattan federal judge. However, Maxwell's legal team can appeal the decision.
U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska ruled that "large portions of more than 80 documents from a 2015 civil lawsuit against Maxwell" could be released, according to Reuters. The documents are from Epstein accuser Virginia Roberts Giuffre's civil lawsuit against Maxwell that was initiated in 2015.
The documents include a seven-hour, 418-page deposition that Maxwell provided in 2016 during Giuffre's defamation lawsuit against Maxwell, which was settled in 2017. Giuffre alleged the British socialite defamed her by saying that she lied and fabricated sexual abuse allegations against Maxwell and Epstein.
Some records from the Giuffre case, including portions Maxwell's deposition, were unsealed Aug. 9, 2019, the day before Epstein's death from a reported suicide.
Maxwell's lawyers attempted to keep the records secret because the 2016 deposition contains attempts "to compel Ms. Maxwell to answer intrusive questions about her sex life" that are "extremely personal, confidential and subject to considerable abuse by the media."
"The court finds that any minor embarrassment or annoyance resulting from the disclosure of Miss Maxwell's mostly non-testimony about behavior that has been widely reported in the press is far outweighed by the presumption of public access," Preska said during Thursday's video hearing.
"The court finds that the countervailing interests identified fail to rebut the presumption of public access," Preska stated. "Accordingly, those papers shall be unsealed."
The documents also include flight logs from Epstein's private jets and police reports from Palm Beach, Florida, where Epstein had a home. Epstein's waterfront property was put up for sale this week with an asking price of $21.995 million. The disgraced financier's Manhattan townhouse was listed this week for $88 million.
Preska also said medical records and other Epstein accusers who have not publicly revealed their identities, as well as the names of "non-parties," will remain redacted.
Preska granted Maxwell's attorney, Lauren Menninger, one week to file a motion with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
Maxwell, 58, was arrested on July 2 at her $1 million remote 156-acre property in New Hampshire that she purchased in December, "through a carefully anonymized LLC."
Maxwell is charged with two counts of conspiracy, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, transporting minors for illegal sex acts, and two counts of perjury. She has denied the charges against her.
Maxwell is being held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, across the river from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City, which is where Epstein was being held in custody after being charged with sex-trafficking crimes. Epstein, 66, died on Aug. 10. 2019, when he hanged himself from a prison bedsheet, according to the New York City chief medical examiner.
Maxwell is accused of playing a "critical role" of helping Epstein recruit and groom underage girls. Maxwell's trial is scheduled for July 12, 2021.