theblaze--2020-06-05--Gov. Whitmer — who condemned lockdown protestors — breaks her own rules during march in Detroit

Gov .
Whitmer — who condemned lockdown protestors — breaks her own rules during march in Detroit The Democrat removed @ @ @ @ @ the cameras and threw social distancing out the window for the photo opportunity

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) flouted her own executive order mandating social distancing during a march protesting the death of George Floyd on Thursday, after months of condemning fellow Michiganders who demonstrated against her strict coronavirus lockdown.
What are the details?
Whitmer joined a march in Highland Park and Detroit days after loosening her restrictions on the number of people allowed to gather outside amid nationwide protests, but broke the rules she still kept in place requiring individuals to socially distance from others outside their own household.
The Democrat was filmed during the photo opportunity leaning on her fellow demonstrators and removing her mask to speak to the cameras in violation of the guidelines she insisted on maintaining for her state amid the continued presence of COVID-19.
The Detroit News noted that the crowd "appeared to violate social distancing rules" and reported:
Whitmer spokeswoman Tiffany Brown denied the governor had violated her own executive order issued Monday that says people should remain six feet apart if participating in public gatherings.
Contrary to the administration's own guidance posted online, Brown said the unity march didn't violate her latest order because it states, 'Nothing in this order shall be taken to abridge protections guaranteed by the state or federal constitution. That includes the right to peaceful protest.'
However, a page of frequently asked questions about the order on the governor's website specifically says, 'Persons may engage in expressive activities protected by the First Amendment within the State of Michigan but must adhere to social distancing measures recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, including remaining at least six feet from people from outside the person's household.'
Gov. Whitmer, Mayor Duggan join unity march through Detroit in honor of George Floyd www.youtube.com
During an appearance on ABC's "The View" last month, Whitmer said of demonstrators protesting against her lockdown:
These protests, they do undermine the effort, and it's very clearly a political statement that is playing out where people are coming together from across the state. They are congregating, they're not wearing masks, they are not staying six feet apart and then they go back home into communities and the risk of perpetuating the spread of COVID-19 is real.


theblaze--2020-06-05--Trump critics used major study on hydroxychloroquine to attack him — the authors just retracted it

Trump critics used major study on hydroxychloroquine to attack him — the authors just retracted it Trump critics used the @ @ @ @

An influential study in the Lancet used to attack the president for recommending the use of hydroxychloroquine against the coronavirus has been retracted after overwhelming criticism.
The editors of the publication explained on Thursday that the authors of the study could not obtain the dataset in the study in order for third-party reviewers to confirm the results.
The original study was published in the Lancet on March 22.
"Our independent peer reviewers informed us that Surgisphere would not transfer the full dataset, client contracts, and the full ISO audit report to their servers for analysis as such transfer would violate client agreements and confidentiality requirements," the authors said in the retraction.
"As such, our reviewers were not able to conduct and independent and private peer review and therefore notified us of their withdrawal from the peer-review process," they added.
The study was used by many critics to claim that the recommendation from the president would lead to reckless deaths from the ingestion of hydroxychloroquine.
One such critic was Neil Cavuto of Fox News.
"If you are in a risky population here, and you are taking this as a preventative treatment to ward off the virus or in a worst-case scenario you are dealing with the virus, and you are in this vulnerable population, this will kill you," Cavuto said in May.
"I cannot stress enough, this will kill you!" he added dramatically.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization said that it would resume international trial testing on the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine after experts began publicly questioning the Lancet study.
Here's more about the coronavirus development:


theblaze--2020-06-04--Amazon refuses to sell ex-NYT reporter's book on 'Unreported Truths about COVID-19.' Then Elon Musk

Amazon refuses to sell ex-NYT reporter's book on 'Unreported Truths about COVID-19.' Then Elon Musk steps in.

Amazon refuses to sell ex-NYT reporter 's book on 'Unreported Truths about COVID-19 . '
Then Elon Musk steps in @

Former New York Times reporter Alex Berenson has been an outspoken critic of the global coronavirus lockdowns, using data and facts to make his points. But when he wrote a book on those "unreported truths," Amazon initially refused to publish it.
Then Elon Musk stepped in.
What are the details?
Berenson has been sounding the alarm for months over the devastating impact shutdowns have had on the U.S. economy, lambasting governors and other leaders for opting to destroy businesses and livelihoods while exposing the inaccuracy of the doomsday models used to justify draconian measures.
On Friday morning, Berenson tweeted, "BTW: last night I submitted my first coronavirus booklet ('Unreported Truths about COVID-19 and Lockdowns') for sale to @amazon. Normally the review/publish process does not take long. Hopefully that will be the case this time and I won't have to scream about censorship."
Within 10 minutes, the author tweeted that his book had been censored and provided an image of an email from Amazon notifying him: "Your book does not comply with our guidelines. As a result we are not offering your book for sale." The company cited "the rapidly changing nature of information around the COVID-19 virus."
Elon Musk noticed the post and responded by calling out Amazon founder and fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos, writing, "This is insane, @JeffBezos."
Musk added, "Time to break up Amazon. Monopolies are wrong!"
By the afternoon, Berenson received notice from Amazon's customer relations department that his book would, indeed, be available for purchase within hours. Another former New York Times employee tweeted that Amazon claimed to have pulled the publication "in error."
The book was soon reinstated, leading Berenson to proclaim, "IT'S LIVE! Again, thanks to @elonmusk and everyone who helped."


theblaze--2020-06-04--'I can't take the lies anymore!': Glenn Beck goes on FIERY rant over left's civil rights HYPOCRISY

' I ca n't take the lies anymore ! '
: Glenn Beck goes on FIERY rant over left 's @ @ @

Glenn Beck has had enough! Do politicians on the left actually stand for anything they preach? Because for months they've been locking people inside their homes, arresting business owners, and destroying our economy. They said it was necessary. They said millions of Americans would die from COVID-19 if we didn't fall in line, close our doors, and let our neighbors' livelihoods be destroyed.
But when it comes to Black Lives Matter protests, those very same leaders are out in the streets, surrounded by masses of people, marching arm-in-arm without a thought about COVID-19. What happened to social distancing? What about the all-important masks?
The left called the Tea Party protests violent. But now, according to CNN, violence should be expected when fighting injustices. And while riots destroy our cities and our nation burns, sharing our thoughts in the electronic "public square" only brings even stronger efforts to edit unpopular opinions out of existence.
"I can't take the lies anymore. I can't take the spin. I can't take trying to be nice, trying to be reasonable. I can't take it anymore!" Glenn said before launching into a fiery rant over the left's hypocrisy about America's civil rights, violent riots, and volatile race relations.
Watch the video below to hear more from Glenn:
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theblaze--2020-06-04--LIVESTREAM: Dominate the Streets!

LIVESTREAM: Dominate the Streets!

Steven Crowder fact checks CNN , corrects the mainstream media 's dishonest Black Lives Matter riot coverage , and the @ @ @ @ @ Month , 2020 .
The crew goes live at 8 PM ET .
Want more @ @ @ @ @ enjoy more of Steven 's uncensored late-night comedy that 's actually funny , join Mug @ @ @ @ @ for all of Crowder uncensored and on demand .

Steven Crowder fact-checks CNN and corrects the mainstream media's dishonest Black Lives Matter riot coverage, and the guys kick off Cultural Appropriation Month 2020. The crew goes live at 8 PM ET.
Use promo code VIKING to save $20
Want more from Steven Crowder?
To enjoy more of Steven's uncensored late-night comedy that's actually funny, join Mug Club — the only place for all of Crowder uncensored and on demand.


theblaze--2020-06-04--No new COVID-19 cases linked to Lake of Ozarks partiers, Missouri officials say

No new COVID-19 cases linked to Lake of Ozarks partiers , Missouri officials say Remember when they were criticized for @ @ @ @ @ Day weekend ?

Officials in Missouri say they have not seen any new coronavirus cases linked to the crowds that gathered to party at Lake of the Ozarks over Memorial Day weekend, despite concerns that the widely covered partiers were not practicing social distancing.
There was one person from another county who tested positive for COVID-19 last week after bar-hopping at the lake on May 23 and 24 (becoming symptomatic the second day), sparking concern that they were likely infectious during their visit and spread the virus.
What are the details?
KTVK-TV reporter Scott Pasmore took video footage from Backwater Jack's Bar & Grill in Osage Beach on the Saturday before Memorial Day, and it spread like wildfire on social media. TMZ covered the story, warning readers, "If you need guidance on social distancing...look away."
But it wasn't just one bar. Videos showing parties at other Lake of the Ozarks establishments made the rounds, sparking what KMOV-TV referred to as "harsh words from local leaders."
Packed pool party at Lake of the Ozarks shows crowd ignoring social distancing guidelines www.youtube.com
Nearly two weeks later, Missouri's director of the Department of Health and Senior Services, Dr. Randall Williams, says there have been no new cases of COVID-19 in the state stemming from Memorial Day weekend gatherings.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, when Williams was asked whether any further infections had been linked to Ozark festivities, he replied, "The answer, to our knowledge, is no."
Gov. Mike Parson (R) noted that over the past month, the number of Missourians hospitalized for the coronavirus declined by over 40%. Parson declared, "Our hospitals are not overwhelmed. Our positivity rate continues to decline. People are recovering, and we are moving forward."
Missouri has had roughly 12,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and more than 675 residents have died from the virus.
Anything else?
After more than a week of protests across the nation involving packed crowds of protesters demonstrating after the death of George Floyd, a number of pundits on social media have pointed to the fact that many of those who slammed the Lake of the Ozarks revelers have not criticized the lack of social distancing among protesters.
Matt Kibbe of BlazeTV said of the news that there were no new cases in Missouri, "I'm old enough to remember the existential outrage of two weeks ago, but we've moved on to other ways of ripping Americans apart."


theblaze--2020-06-04--Al Sharpton announces march on Washington on anniversary of MLK 'I Have a Dream' speech

Al Sharpton announces march on Washington on anniversary of MLK ' I Have a Dream ' speech He made the @ @ @ @ @ for George Floyd

Al Sharpton announced during the memorial for George Floyd that he would be leading a march on Washington, D.C., on the 57th anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr.
Sharpton made the announcement during his eulogy at Floyd's memorial service Thursday at North Central University in Minneapolis.
"On August 28th, the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington, we're going back to Washington," he said.
In attendance was Martin Luther King III, the son of the late civil rights icon.
"That's where your father stood in the shadows of the Lincoln Memorial and said 'I have a dream,'" said Sharpton, addressing King.
"Well, we're going back this August 28 to restore and recommit that dream, to stand up," he continued, "because just like in one era we had to fight slavery, another era we had to fight Jim Crow, another era we dealt with voting rights, this is the era to deal with policing and criminal justice!"
The death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police led to nationwide protests, some of which descended into looting, rioting and destructive chaos.
Critics of Sharpton found it questionable to have him speak at the memorial service given his controversial past statements and extremism.
Here's video of Sharpton's announcement:


theblaze--2020-06-04--DA initially doesn't charge white bar owner who fatally shot black man who jumped him. But DA now ca

DA initially doesn't charge white bar owner who fatally shot black man who jumped him. But DA now calls for grand jury: 'These times are unique'

DA initially does n't charge white bar owner who fatally shot black man who jumped him .
But DA now @ @ @ @ @ 'These times are unique' Omaha bar owner Jake Gardner ( left ) fatally shot James @ @ @ @ @ self-defense after Scurlock jumped him , authorities said — but a grand jury will consider @ @ @ @ @ source : YouTube screenshot )

After a white bar owner fatally shot a black man who jumped him amid violent protests Saturday in Omaha, Nebraska, Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine looked at video evidence and concluded Jake Gardner, 38, acted in self-defense, the Omaha World-Herald reported.
On Monday, Kleine said Gardner wouldn't be charged in the death of 22-year-old James Scurlock and that a grand jury wasn't needed, the paper said.
But two days later Kleine said he'd ask for a grand jury investigation after all, KETV-TV reported.
Image source: YouTube screenshot
"We've reviewed the available evidence and made our decision based on the evidence and the law," Kleine said, according to the station. "I made a decision, and I would not change that decision based on anything we know today. ... However, I'm not afraid of having a decision that I've made reviewed by others."
What changed?
Kleine noted he met with community members who said he should call a grand jury to investigate Scurlock's death, KETV said, adding that Kleine said "I welcome and support" the move "in this rare instance."
The DA added to the station that he'll also petition for a special prosecutor and that "these times are unique" — presumably a reference to racially charged protests and rioting across America in the wake of the death of George Floyd, a black man, in the hands of Minneapolis police last week.
Douglas County Commissioner Chris Rodgers and City Councilman Ben Gray met with Kleine Tuesday, the station said, adding that Rogers said the trio "talked about what are the full possibilities that would restore faith in the system."
Rodgers added to KETV that they also want the issue of racial inequality addressed and solved in the community.
Scurlock's family also was disappointed by Kleine's decision to not press charges against Gardner and petitioned the DA to let a grand jury make a decision, the World-Herald noted.
What's the background?
The paper said surveillance video from Gardner's bars played at a Monday news conference showed a group of young people, including Scurlock, approaching Gardner.
More from the World-Herald:
Walking backward, Gardner lifts his shirt to show a handgun, then pulls it to his side and continues backing up. Two people from Scurlock's group — a man and a woman — tackle Gardner, who ends up on his back in a puddle in the street.
He fires twice into the air — he characterized them as warning shots in an interview with Omaha police. The two people run away from him.
Four seconds after that, Scurlock rushes from the sidewalk and dives on Gardner. Kleine said Scurlock was on Gardner's back and had his arm around the bar owner's neck. Gardner could be heard on another bystander's video hollering, "Get off me, get off me."
His right arm pinned, Kleine said, Gardner switched the gun to his left hand and fired over his shoulder. The bullet hit Scurlock in the shoulder-neck area, killing him.
Under Nebraska law, a person can be justified in killing another if he has a reasonable belief that deadly force is needed to protect himself or others. People are not allowed to use deadly force to protect property.
What else did videos show?
Kleine said he and police officials examined about five videos, the paper reported, and determined a timeline of what took place.
The World-Herald said a video it obtained shows a man identified as Scurlock and a friend vandalizing a business at about 10:15 p.m.
More from the paper:
In it, Scurlock apparently has entered the office through a shattered window. He hoists an office chair and, using both arms, hurls it into two computer monitors, then rips what appears to be a phone from a desk and chucks it against a wall. It penetrates the drywall, lodging there with the phone cord hanging out.
His friend smashes something into another monitor. Scurlock looks around, pulls a mask from his neck up over his face and the two hop out of the business onto the Harney Street sidewalk.
After windows were smashed at this bar, the World-Herald said "Gardner and his father rushed outside, past the bouncer, who was guarding the door. David Gardner, 68, exchanged words with people in Scurlock's group. He didn't push Scurlock but twice pushed someone in Scurlock's group."
Then a man appearing to be the same person who vandalized the business with Scurlock was seen pushing David Gardner to the ground, the paper said, citing a law enforcement official.
Jake Gardner then rushed to his dad and asked what happened to him and told people to move along, the World-Herald noted.
Then Scurlock and another man approached Jake Gardner who was walking backward and lifted his shirt to show a gun in his waistband then pulled it out and held it at his side, the paper said.
Soon an Omaha woman, Alayna Melendez, tackled Gardner from behind, after which Gardner ended up on his back in a puddle in the middle of the street, the World-Herald said. He then fired two shots into the air, the paper added.
Image source: YouTube video screenshot
Four seconds later Scurlock jumped on Gardner from behind, and authorities said Scurlock was on Gardner's back and placed him either in a headlock or chokehold, the World-Herald reported. Gardner can be heard yelling, "Get off me, get off me," Kleine told the paper.
Image source: YouTube video screenshot
Switching his gun to his left hand when his right arm was pinned, Jake Gardner fired over his shoulder, and Scurlock was killed, the World-Herald said.
"There was a consensus that the actions of the shooter were justified," Kleine said, according to the paper. "We certainly wish that none of this would have happened. It's a senseless death."
Here's a report that aired after Kleine said no charges would be filed against Gardner — but before he decided to call a grand jury:
No Charges for Omaha Bar Owner youtu.be
Jake Gardner was kept in Omaha police custody for questioning, with his attorneys present, the World-Herald said, adding that he was never booked into jail and was released at 11 p.m. Sunday.
Kleine, a Democrat, said he's long fought for justice for black victims
Kleine told the paper he's long fought for justice for black victims.
More from the World-Herald:
A Democrat elected in 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018, Kleine condemned people on social media for distorting several facts — including Democratic congressional candidate Kara Eastman's portrayal of the killing as "cold-blooded murder." Authorities also disputed online accounts that the elder Gardner had displayed a gun. And a member of Scurlock's group told police that he had not heard anyone utter racial slurs that night.
All that said, Kleine suggested that things easily could have turned out differently. He said he wishes Gardner and his father would have stayed home or behind their bouncer and let the night pass.
"I was hoping and praying to God [Saturday afternoon] that no one would pull out a gun and do something, and it happened," Kleine said, according to the paper. "It saddens me to no end."
Gardner evicted
The owners of the Omaha property in where Gardner's The Hive bar operated have evicted him, the World-Herald said in a separate story.
The property owners told the paper they've been threatened since the fatal shooting and that Gardner's bar no longer would be allowed to open at its space in a building near 12th and Harney streets.
They also told the World-Herald that Gardner hadn't complied with lease terms, that he was late on payments, and that there were "other issues" but declined to provide further details.


theblaze--2020-06-04--Passenger in George Floyd's car tells his side of the story, recalls horror of Floyd's final moments

Passenger in George Floyd 's car tells his side of the story , recalls horror of Floyd 's final moments

Maurice Hall, a friend of the late George Floyd, says that Floyd was nothing but polite and cooperative in the moments leading up to his death.
Minnesota state investigators consider Hall to be a key witness in the case.
Floyd was killed on May 25 when a former Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes during a detainment.
What are the details?
Hall, a passenger in Floyd's car when police approached, said that 46-year-old Floyd was humble and respectful throughout the entire incident.
"He was, from the beginning, trying in his humblest form to show he was not resisting in no form or way," Hall told The New York Times on Wednesday from his home in Houston. "I could hear him pleading, 'Please, officer, what's all this for?'"
Hall recalled Floyd's fear when he realized something was going to happen.
"I'm going to always remember seeing the fear in Floyd's face, because he's such a king," Hall said. "That's what sticks with me, seeing a grown man cry before seeing a grown man die."
He added, "He was just crying out at that time for anyone to help because he was dying."
What else do we know about this?
Following Floyd's death, Hall said he fled from Minnesota to his native city of Houston — but not before paying his last respects to his friend, the Times reported.
"When the whole world was finding out that they murdered George Floyd," he told the outlet, "I went and said a prayer where I witnessed him take his last breath, and I left."
A Minnesota state investigator arrived Monday at Hall's home, where they took him into custody for outstanding warrants for an arrest on felony possession of a firearm, felony domestic assault, and felony drug possession. Instead of questioning him over the warrants, however, Hall said the investigator was only interested in what he knew as a witness regarding Floyd's death.
Hall was released Tuesday, the Times reported.
Ashlee C. McFarlane, a lawyer for Hall, told the outlet that her client had been interrogated over Floyd's death for hours.
"When Mr. Hall's family found us, he had been isolated in jail for 10 hours after being interrogated until 3 a.m.," McFarlane said. "This is not how you treat a key witness, especially one that had just seen his friend murdered by police. Even with outstanding warrants, this should have been done another way."
The Times noted that Hall and Floyd were acquainted through a Minneapolis-area pastor in 2016 and became easy friends. The two were in contact daily from the time they met.
Anything else?
On Wednesday, Minnesota officials announced upgraded charges against former police Officer Derek Chauvin, the man who kneeled on Floyd's neck during the arrest, and who is accused of killing him.
Minnesota state upgraded the charges against Chauvin from third-degree murder and manslaughter to second-degree murder.
Three other former officers were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.


theblaze--2020-06-04--LIVE NOW: THIS is how you talk about race in America: A Glenn Beck experiment

LIVE NOW : THIS is how you talk about race in America : A Glenn Beck experiment

In a very special episode of "Glenn TV," Glenn Beck hosts a controversial but courteous conversation on race, riots, and healing the republic.
With perceived injustice and anger on all sides, how can we peacefully work together moving forward? And what's at stake? This will be a deep, civil conversation between people all across the political spectrum, without the anger and hatred you see so often during debates on cable TV.
This is a no-holds-barred conversation with only one rule: civility. If America is going to heal and move forward, these are the kinds of conversations we must have.
Glenn's esteemed guests include:
Dave Rubin: Host of The Rubin Report on BlazeTV
Sheriff Chris Swanson: White Michigan sheriff who marched with protesters
Relius Johnson: African-American director of multicultural studies at a Texas university
Ian Bremmer: Political scientist who teaches at Columbia University
Dr. Karlyn Borysenko: Former Democrat who credits a Trump rally with changing her views
David Harris Jr.: Black conservative leader
Join the conversation below:
Use code GLENN to save $10 off one year of your subscription.
Want more from Glenn Beck?
To enjoy more of Glenn's masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-06-04--Texas man buys car at auction, discovers $850,000 in cocaine hidden inside

When you purchase a used car , you typically want to eliminate any possible surprises .
Usually , car buyers are worried about a timing belt that 's on its last leg or a cracked engine block .
But one Texas man purchased a used car at an auction and got way more than he ever bargained for — nearly $ 1 million in cocaine .
A Laredo man went to an automobile auction where he took a crack at buying a new car .
The man knew exactly what vehicle he wanted and had his bid lined up .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and drove it home .
Little did he know that right under his nose was a massive amount of cocaine stashed .
The man sniffed out a secret compartment in the vehicle , and inside was bundles of drugs .
The lucky bidder called police on Saturday .
Deputies from the Webb County Sheriff 's Office arrived at his home , the Houston Chronicle reported .
The cops discovered 17 bundles , and police dogs found out another 17 bundles stuffed in a second hidden compartment .
The total weight of the coke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a street value of $ 850,000 .
Imagine how many cars you could get from an auction if you were to blow all that money ?
`` I thank and congratulate the person who alerted us to the drugs .
Had he not been an honest individual , the drugs could have ended up in the wrong hands , '' Sheriff Martin Cuellar said in a statement .
`` I encourage the public to report any crime or suspicious activity by calling our hotline at 956-415-BUST ( 2878 ) .
You may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Who says you ca n't cut a good deal at the auto auction ?

When you purchase a used car, you typically want to eliminate any possible surprises. Usually, car buyers are worried about a timing belt that's on its last leg or a cracked engine block. But one Texas man purchased a used car at an auction and got way more than he ever bargained for — nearly $1 million in cocaine.
A Laredo man went to an automobile auction where he took a crack at buying a new car. The man knew exactly what vehicle he wanted and had his bid lined up. He won the auction for the car and drove it home.
Little did he know that right under his nose was a massive amount of cocaine stashed. The man sniffed out a secret compartment in the vehicle, and inside was bundles of drugs.
The lucky bidder called police on Saturday. Deputies from the Webb County Sheriff's Office arrived at his home, the Houston Chronicle reported.
The cops discovered 17 bundles, and police dogs found out another 17 bundles stuffed in a second hidden compartment. The total weight of the coke was 74.96 pounds, estimated to have a street value of $850,000. Imagine how many cars you could get from an auction if you were to blow all that money?
"I thank and congratulate the person who alerted us to the drugs. Had he not been an honest individual, the drugs could have ended up in the wrong hands," Sheriff Martin Cuellar said in a statement. "I encourage the public to report any crime or suspicious activity by calling our hotline at 956-415-BUST (2878). You may be eligible for a cash reward."
Who says you can't cut a good deal at the auto auction?


theblaze--2020-06-04--Rachel Maddow's ratings continue to slump even during bustling news cycle; CNN's viewership skyrocke

Rachel Maddow's ratings continue to slump even during bustling news cycle; CNN's viewership skyrockets

Rachel Maddow 's ratings continue to slump even during bustling news cycle ; CNN 's viewership skyrockets

Despite a bustling news cycle fueled by the coronavirus pandemic news as well as nationwide protests and riots, MSNBC's "The Rachel Maddow Show" continued to suffer from slumping ratings. Maddow's cable news program has been fading fast in the ratings ever since special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation closed without the desired outcome that Maddow preached to her progressive audience.
In May, "The Rachel Maddow Show" finished as the sixth-most-watched cable news program. This is the fourth consecutive month that MSNBC's most popular cable TV show placed outside the top five cable news programs among total viewers.
Maddow was beat in the ratings by CNN's "Cuomo Prime Time" in the coveted 25 to 54 demographic with 513,000 viewers compared to Maddow's 472,000. Even the usually basement-dwelling "Anderson Cooper 360" nearly tied Maddow in the key demo with 463,000 viewers. "The Rachel Maddow Show" has lost demo viewers for three straight months, viewers that advertisers look for before spending money on commercials.
Chris Cuomo's TV show put up respectable numbers in May thanks to his very questionable COVID-19 quarantine and regularly featuring the governor of New York, his brother Andrew Cuomo. In May, "Cuomo Prime Time" was CNN's top-rated show with 1.948 million total viewers, the highest ratings in the program's history.
With the COVID-19 pandemic, George Floyd protests, and historic unemployment, CNN saw its prime ratings skyrocket 117% from the same period a year ago, according to ratings data compiled by Nielsen. However, the network still only had 1.65 million total viewers.
Fox News was up 44% compared to the same time last year, and MSNBC increased a modest 16%. Fox News boasted an average prime time total audience of 3.441 million viewers, far ahead of second-place MSNBC that had 1.923 million viewers.
Fox News dominated the two other networks, and had the five most-watched shows in cable news in May. "Hannity" came in first place with a total audience of 4.231 million viewers, followed by "Tucker Carlson Tonight" with 4.192 million viewers, "The Five" had a viewership of 3.734 million viewers, "The Ingraham Angle" had 3.485 million viewers, and "Special Report with Bret Baier" reeled in 3.085 million viewers.
Fox News has now held the top spot in cable in total-day viewership for 47 straight months, and had its 221st consecutive month as the top-rated cable news network in total viewers across both total-day and prime time.


theblaze--2020-06-04--Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby rips Woodrow Wilson in moving post about America's racial d

Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby rips Woodrow Wilson in moving post about America's racial divide

NHL star Braden Holtby did not hold back his thoughts on progressive Democratic former President Woodrow Wilson in a statement Wednesday about America 's racial divide and the protests going on in cities and towns following the death of George Floyd .
What did he say ?
The Washington Capitals ' goalie tweeted that , though he felt he `` could n't find the words to say '' about the state of unrest in the U.S. after Floyd died at the hands of four now-fired and arrested Minneapolis cops , he believed he `` had to try . ''
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infused power we 've seen recently '' began by making it clear that this fight over race `` is anything but new . ''
All anybody has to do is look at the racist president whose name continues to adorn the bridge connecting Virginia and Maryland on the south side of the Beltway , which surrounds Washington , D.C. : Woodrow Wilson .
`` I stare at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge , spanning across the Potomac River .
From Virginia it leads to Maryland , into Prince George 's County , '' Holtby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is `` one of the most affluent Black counties in America . ''
And then he goes after the progressive left 's favorite president .
`` And here a monstrous bridge stands , named after a racist president , '' he wrote .
`` A President who was an outspoken white supremacist .
Who segregated Federal workers based on race .
The bridge sits there mocking every black person who has to travel across it while reading that name as a reminder of how much pain has been inflicted on their race .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Wilson — it 's also for those who are appear to be proud of Wilson 's legacy .
`` And yet , the society that has inflicted that pain seems proud of it , '' he said .
`` Proud enough to name a bridge in a white supremacists [ sic ] honor . ''
'Where do we go from here ? '
Holtby went on to share his brokenness over the state of affairs in America , saying that to believe there have been actual improvements in race relations is `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change has been far too minimal '' considering the age of information and communication we currently live in .
`` The amount of inhuman , hate based , racial crimes that have been committed in the centuries of American history is enough to make your skin crawl in discomfort and your eyes well with tears , '' he mourned .
`` Yet it 's still happening .
[ I ] n 2020 .
It should never happen .
Yet ... it still is . ''
So what do we do about it ?
@ @ @ @

NHL star Braden Holtby did not hold back his thoughts on progressive Democratic former President Woodrow Wilson in a statement Wednesday about America's racial divide and the protests going on in cities and towns following the death of George Floyd.
What did he say?
The Washington Capitals' goalie tweeted that, though he felt he "couldn't find the words to say" about the state of unrest in the U.S. after Floyd died at the hands of four now-fired and arrested Minneapolis cops, he believed he "had to try."
His statement about the "injustice and hatred infused power we've seen recently" began by making it clear that this fight over race "is anything but new." All anybody has to do is look at the racist president whose name continues to adorn the bridge connecting Virginia and Maryland on the south side of the Beltway, which surrounds Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson.
"I stare at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, spanning across the Potomac River. From Virginia it leads to Maryland, into Prince George's County," Holtby began, noting that Prince George's is "one of the most affluent Black counties in America."
And then he goes after the progressive left's favorite president.
"And here a monstrous bridge stands, named after a racist president," he wrote. "A President who was an outspoken white supremacist. Who segregated Federal workers based on race. The bridge sits there mocking every black person who has to travel across it while reading that name as a reminder of how much pain has been inflicted on their race."
But his criticism isn't just for Wilson — it's also for those who are appear to be proud of Wilson's legacy.
"And yet, the society that has inflicted that pain seems proud of it," he said. "Proud enough to name a bridge in a white supremacists [sic] honor."
'Where do we go from here?'
Holtby went on to share his brokenness over the state of affairs in America, saying that to believe there have been actual improvements in race relations is "very naive" and adding that "change has been far too minimal" considering the age of information and communication we currently live in.
"The amount of inhuman, hate based, racial crimes that have been committed in the centuries of American history is enough to make your skin crawl in discomfort and your eyes well with tears," he mourned. "Yet it's still happening. [I]n 2020. It should never happen. Yet... it still is."
So what do we do about it? Holtby offers this:
So now what? Where do we go from here? As a person who definitely falls into the white privileged category, I know I will truly never know what it's like to walk in a black man's shoes. But I know I have arms, and ears, and a voice to walk beside beside and listen to every world of anguish and give my strength to every black man, woman or child until their shoes weigh the same as mine.
For everyone standing up and marching for what is right, your voices are not going unheard. You're bringing pride to every person who believes in the universal value of a human being. Keep fighting, and I vow to demonstrate and educate what you are fighting for. Not only for myself but my children, family and everyone else who will listen. Because America will never be great until all BLACK lives matter.


theblaze--2020-06-04--Woman exposes Black Lives Matter protesters for pushing a false narrative

During a Black Lives Matter protest in Washington , D.C. , Wednesday , a woman shouted down protesters for pushing @ @ @ @ @ Americans .
`` I am black .
I am not oppressed .
I am free @ @ @ @ @ .
She explained that violence is wrong every day , not when a black man @ @ @ @ @ Watch Wednesday 's episode of `` Pat Gray Unleashed '' to catch the full exchange @ @ @ @ @ Gray ?
To enjoy more of Pat 's biting analysis and signature wit as he @ @ @ @ @ senseless world , subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multiplatform network of voices who love @ @ @ @ @ and live the American dream .

During a Black Lives Matter protest in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, a woman shouted down protesters for pushing a false narrative on black Americans.
"I am black. I am not oppressed. I am free," the woman shouted. She explained that violence is wrong every day, not when a black man dies in police custody.
Watch Wednesday's episode of "Pat Gray Unleashed" to catch the full exchange.
Use code PAT to save $10
Want more from Pat Gray?
To enjoy more of Pat's biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multiplatform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-06-04--Minneapolis City Council is seriously weighing disbanding the police

Minneapolis City Council is seriously weighing disbanding the police 'We can declare policing as we know it a thing of @ @ @

Several Minneapolis council members are reportedly considering altogether "disbanding" the city's police department in the wake of George Floyd's death and the subsequent protests and riots that have erupted across the country in recent days.
"I don't know yet, though several of us on the council are working on finding out, what it would take to disband the [Minneapolis Police Department] and start fresh with a community-oriented, non-violent public safety and outreach capacity," said Steve Fletcher, a council member who represents the city's Ward 3, which covers parts of downtown, on Twitter.
Elsewhere in the lengthy thread, Fletcher argues that the city's police department is "irredeemably beyond reform," and that the community needs a new type of pubic safety that doesn't "fear our residents" and doesn't "murder black men."
"The whole world is watching, and we can declare policing as we know it a thing of the past," he wrote.
According to the City Pages, a local news outlet, fellow council member Phillipe Cunningham retweeted the thread.
Another council member, Alondra Cano, also spoke out, tweeting that the police department is "not reformable" and that "change is coming."
City Pages notes that some in the council have been attempting to reform law enforcement in the city for years. In 2018, the council voted to divert $1.1 million in police funding toward "community-driven public safety programs."
But now, given the unrest over Floyd's death, some council members believe even more change is within reach.
Earlier in the week, the council unanimously approved a Minnesota Department of Human Rights investigation into the police department and wrote in a statement:
"We urge the state to use its full weight to hold the Minneapolis Police Department accountable for any and all abuses of power and harms to our community and stand ready to aid in this process as full partners. The City Council's oversight of the Minneapolis Police Department has been historically constrained by the City Charter and state law and we welcome new tools to pursue transformational, structural changes to how the City provides for public safety."
Several other council members have also been outspoken since Floyd's death sparked nationwide protests against police brutality in black communities.
Last week, Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins asked the city to declare a state of emergency labeling racism a public health issue.
Another council member, Jeremiah Ellison, who is the son of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, raised eyebrows when he officially declared support for Antifa and instead blamed violence at the protests on "white power" terrorists.


theblaze--2020-06-04--Commentary: Remember Justine Damond? Delayed or absent police accountability transcends race.

Everybody suffers when cops are n't held to a higher standard JULY 18 , 2017 : Maryan Herffernan and John @ @ @ @ @ Damond , brother John Ruszczyk and Katarina Ruszczyk speak to the media outside their house @ @ @ @ @ Wales .
( Dylan Robinson/Newspix/Getty Images )

The entire world right now is focused on the Minneapolis Police Department because three of its officers knelt on the back and neck of an unarmed black man named George Floyd, and the other stood nearby and did nothing to stop them. Four days after Floyd's death, former officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, was charged with murder in Floyd's death. Wednesday, nine days after Floyd's death, the other three fired officers were taken into custody and booked on charges of aiding and abetting murder, and aiding and abetting manslaughter.
Meanwhile, in Louisville, Kentucky, the police officers who shot and killed Breonna Taylor in a late night drug raid in March remain at large, having been placed on "administrative reassignment."
A significant impetus for the protests around the country has been the feeling of anger, not just at the fact that these incidents happened, but at how long it has taken the police officers involved in these two incidents to face charges for their actions. On that point, I am in strong agreement with the protesters, as I've already stated.
Additionally, it is asserted that the fact that the officers took so long to face charges is evidence of racism. On that point, I am not so sure.
I've been writing about police issues from a conservative/libertarian perspective for a long, long time. I've probably read more data and studies on race and policing than just about anyone in America. I've read the Harvard study which suggests that black and Hispanic citizens are more likely in some jurisdictions to have force used against them by police, but not more likely to be shot. A couple years ago I was sent a review copy of a book that showed evidence that black people were targeted by police in North Carolina in traffic stops, and I read the whole thing. I am also aware of the studies that have tended to show, in examining some locations, that there is little or no bias in the application of police force.
As I get older, I feel more comfortable answering questions that I don't have the data for with "I'm not sure," so if you pressed me for an answer about whether black people or other minorities are systematically targeted by cops, I would say, "I'm not sure," but I think the actual answer is "it depends." Or, more fully, "It depends on where in the country you are and what police department you are dealing with." That's the best explanation I can come up with for the conflicting mountains of evidence out there, most of which is pulled from disparate locations. It also comports with what I have experienced with studying the practices of individual police departments, which is that there are widely divergent behaviors from city to city and jurisdiction to jurisdiction when it comes to police.
A separate question, which is far less studied, is the extent to which the race of police officers and/or their victims matters in the decision of whether police are held accountable with criminal charges. The reason there is a dearth of scientific study on this issue is probably largely due to small sample size: Officers are so seldom held accountable with criminal charges regardless of the circumstances that the boogeyman of the small sample size likely would make any study that attempted to examine it subject to legitimate criticism. As I've noted before, when New York City cops shoot 180 citizens over a 10-year period and only one of those cops is convicted of a crime of any sort (and only three are even charged), you're likely looking at an issue that is resistant to systemic study.
People do believe that it exists, and believe it strongly, however, and so what occurs tends to largely be an argument over anecdotes.
Several days ago, I listened to the entirety of Rush Limbaugh's appearance on "The Breakfast Club." During the course of the interview, Charlamagne tha God and Limbaugh had the following fascinating exchange:
CTG: You know what white privilege is? White privilege is that what happened to George Floyd wouldn't have happened to a white man.
[crosstalk]
Limbaugh: If what happened to George Floyd had happened to a white man, we probably wouldn't have even heard about it.
CTG: You definitely would have heard about it. You definitely would have heard about it. [Crosstalk]
....
DJ Envy: He's right, Charlamagne, he's right. You wouldn't have heard about it, and you know why? Because that cop would have been arrested, he would have been fired, he would have been charged with murder, a long time before all this. Immediately. Before the video had hit the social media, he'd have been charged, fired, arrested, locked up and all that, if George Floyd was white.
CTG: There's a Muslim officer in Minneapolis now doing twelve and a half years because he accidentally killed a white woman on duty. So I don't get it.
From there the conversation moved on to other topics, and the tragic case of Justine Damond (whose name was not mentioned, and who probably 95% of America has never heard of) was not mentioned again.
But it made me think back to that case, which I hadn't thought of in months, and so I went back and looked at the facts of that case. Here is a case where the exact opposite of the George Floyd situation happened. A black cop shot a completely unarmed (literally barefoot) white female in an affluent neighborhood who was only in interaction with the cops because she called them for help to report a possible rape. The officer's defense was that he shot Damond in the chest because she slapped the back of the police cruiser and startled him (of note, fingerprints were taken of the vehicle and none belonged to Damond, calling even this hilariously flimsy excuse into question).
The parallels are eerie and offer the rare opportunity for the one-for-one comparison: the incidents involved the same police department, the same prosecutor who was responsible for making a charging decision, and occurred less than three years apart.
Well, in fact, were the cops fired, arrested, charged, and locked up before the time it would take to upload a video to social media? In fact, they were not. In spite of widespread local outcry, a grand jury was not even convened to consider charges against the police officer, Mohammed Noor, until February 2018, almost seven months later. He was not charged until March 2018, eight months after the shooting. He remained with the police department (albeit on administrative leave) until he was charged.
Outrageously, when investigating the killing, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which was tasked with conducting an independent investigation of the shooting, obtained a warrant of Damond's home and searched it, even though she was shot and killed outside of her home and the undisputed evidence was that she was not armed. Imagine the indignity of the police rifling through your stuff, undoubtedly looking for dirt to smear Damond with in the media, after having killed her. What possible evidence that was actually germane to their killing could they have found?
In December 2017, five months after Damond was killed, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said basically the same crap he said when explaining why no one had been charged three days after Floyd's death: "While some clamor for swift justice, only careful, detailed work and careful analysis brings us real justice. That is what this case deserves and that is what it will get." He said this, by the way, in the midst of an apology for having had the temerity to have privately criticized the pace of the BCA's investigation.
It may well be the case (and probably is) that black people, at least in certain locations, are subject to more use of force, and perhaps unjustified use of force by police. But from what I have seen, police and the timid prosecutors who work with them are just as likely to inexcusably drag their feet and victim blame when the victim of a police killing is white as they are when the victim is black.
They certainly did in the case of Justine Damond. And whenever it happens, regardless of the race of the cop or the victim, we have to demand better accountability than what we have been getting.


theblaze--2020-06-04--Whoopi Goldberg takes on and shames rioters and looters who are exploiting the George Floyd protests

Whoopi Goldberg takes on and shames rioters and looters who are exploiting the George Floyd protests: 'You've destroyed too many people's dreams around the country'

Whoopi Goldberg takes on and shames rioters and looters who are exploiting the George Floyd protests : 'You 've destroyed @ @ @ @ @ around the country '

In the middle of a thoughtful Instagram post about the ongoing protests following the death of George Floyd, Whoopi Goldberg stopped to clearly tell looters who are taking advantage of peaceful protests to knock it off and understand how their actions are hurting people — including people they care about.
What did she say about looters?
The liberal actress and co-host of "The View" recorded and posted a video message Wednesday offering her take on the protests and the progress that's going on in America in the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of four Minneapolis cops.
In it, Goldberg said that folks are "being forced to look at something" that they've felt they were already able to see. But now that feeling is "different." She lauded the fact that all sorts of people who aren't black are peacefully taking to the streets to say "enough is enough" and experiencing the "response that they're getting." She noted that "parents — moms and dads — are walking with their kids."
Then she paused and spoke directly to the looters and rioters who have been committing violence and destruction in cities nationwide.
And she was very clear that the criminality had to come to an end: They have "destroyed" too many dreams and lives and are putting their own families in danger.
"All you looters, you need to stop," she said. "Because you've destroyed too many people's dreams around the country. You have made it impossible for a lot of people to get back to their lives.
"I'm just saying, all you looters," she continued, "just know your grandmother, your mother's mother, your brother's sister, your cousin's baby can't get their medication because you burned down the pharmacy, or you burned down the bus stop."
What else did she say?
After scolding the looters, Goldberg offered her take on how the country might reconsider the process of handing out badges. She added that knowing cops' state of mind and forcing them to talk about what they're facing is a good thing — not something that should be ignored.
"I'm just saying, maybe better background checks on the people who want to become police officers. Because, you know, that a big job to hand somebody a gun," she said. "So I would rather know that their state of mind is good and force this idea of having to talk to somebody about it."
And she was sympathetic to cops and the stress that comes with their duties, noting that the nation is seeing good things happen when police and the people talk about those stresses.
"There's nothing wrong with realizing you're overwhelmed. I can't imagine that cops on the front line right now are not overwhelmed," she said. "But they're talking to each other and they're talking to the demonstrators. And they're saying the things that people need to hear, like, 'What happened in Minnesota was unconscionable and we don't want to be that to you. We don't ever want to be that to you. Let us start this conversation.'"
Those kinds of conversations are what will lead to actual change where it's needed because everyday citizens who are new to the discussions are beginning to understand, she said.
"That's meaningful change, because when the police recognize that there's a problem, we'll be able to change it," Goldberg said. "And now, people are saying, 'We see it. I hear it. I understand it.'"


theblaze--2020-06-04--Woman, 22, charged with inciting riots after posting footage of her looting on Facebook, faces 15 ye

Woman, 22, charged with inciting riots after posting footage of her looting on Facebook, faces 15 years in jail

Woman , 22 , charged with inciting riots after posting footage of her looting on Facebook , faces 15 years @ @ @ @ @ the woman after receiving tips and social media posts of her looting and destroying businesses

A 22-year-old Michigan woman faces up to 15 years behind bars for allegedly inciting riots by destroying property and encouraging other looters to ransack stores during her Facebook Live broadcast.
Alexandria "Ally" Lyons of Grand Rapids was arrested after reportedly damaging businesses last weekend in Grand Rapids. She allegedly goaded fellow rioters to wreck retail locations by looting and throwing bricks at buildings. Lyons livestreamed video on Facebook of her kicking and shattering the glass window of a store. The riots left more than 100 businesses damaged, according to MLive.com.
Lyons and her friends went on a stealing spree where they stole beers from Mojo's Dueling Piano Bar and Restaurant, looted a jewelry store, and stole merchandise from a clothing store, authorities said. Lyons and her friends uploaded photos and videos of their actions to social media.
"Defendant could be heard telling her friends to get her a gold bracelet because she already has silver ones," Grand Rapids police Detective Matt DeJong wrote in a probable-cause affidavit of Lyons instructing others during a robbery of a jewelry store.
"She is heard multiple times encouraging her friends and others to throw bricks or other objects at windows of multiple businesses downtown and at one point picks up a brick herself and mentions heading 'back to the courthouse,'" the affidavit said.
In one video, Lyons allegedly instructed her friends to break into an ATM.
Lyons shared footage of her having a party at her house, where she was reportedly seen wearing stolen clothing from F. David Barney Clothiers.
Police tracked Lyons down after receiving numerous tips and people sharing social media posts of her looting and destroying businesses.
Lyons was charged with the malicious destruction of a building (between $1,000 and $20,000) in one case and inciting a riot in a companion case, according to Law & Crime.
Lyons faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the charges. The inciting a riot charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, and the malicious destruction of property is punishable for up to five years. Lyons was arraigned on Tuesday at the Grand Rapids District Court, and is being held on a $40,000 bond.
Ally Lyons has made her Instagram page private.
Adrian Keech Baker, 18, was also charged for rioting in Grand Rapids. Baker allegedly struck and shattered the glass window at Biggby Coffee. He was charged with rioting, larceny in a building, and malicious destruction of property. He has been released from jail after posting $5,000 bond.
Riots erupted at night after there were peaceful protests to raise awareness of police brutality and demand justice for the death of George Floyd. At least seven people were arrested during the riots last weekend, but only Baker and Lyons are reportedly currently facing felony charges during the Grand Rapids riots.


theblaze--2020-06-04--Woke leftist rips women for using 'white privilege' to scrub Black Lives Matter graffiti from federa

Woke leftist rips women for using 'white privilege' to scrub Black Lives Matter graffiti from federal building

Woke leftist rips women for using 'white privilege ' to scrub Black Lives Matter graffiti from federal building 'So , @ @ @ @ @ black lives then ? '

Leftists are becoming far too predictable.
In the wake of rioting in the nation's capital, a rather astonishing video shows an oh-so-woke Karen having a little talk with a trio of women committing the crime of scrubbing graffiti from a federal building.
Image source: Twitter video screenshot
That is to say, the letters read "BLM" — and apparently it was the wrong graffiti to wash off.
"Why are you guys removing Black Lives Matter graffiti?" she asked.
The culprits replied that it's a federal building and that it was vandalized. In fact, the address is 811 Vermont Ave. NW, which houses the Department of Veterans Affairs.
'So, you don't care about black lives then?'
Not that it mattered to Karen — the women were failing her litmus test for righteousness in 2020.
"So, you don't care about black lives then?" she asked.
The guilty party replied, "That's not at all what we're saying" and "we do care about black lives."
"Not enough to leave up a message," Ms. Woke shot back.
"We don't disagree with the message, ma'am, it's just on the building," one of the deplorables replied. "We're just trying to clean it."
Not getting anywhere with the oppressive wall-scrubbers, our heroine signed off her clip by saying, "Right. Not a great way to use your white privilege, ladies. That's disgusting."


theblaze--2020-06-04--YouTuber catches LA looters on video smashing windows, ransacking luxury stores, and squaring off wi

YouTuber catches LA looters on video smashing windows, ransacking luxury stores, and squaring off with police

YouTuber catches LA looters on video smashing windows , ransacking luxury stores , and squaring off with police

A Los Angeles-based YouTuber went out "car spotting" before inadvertently documenting an angry mob of looters busting into high-end shops on the famous Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills over the weekend.
The video, posted Sunday on the YouTube channel "effspot," follows a roaming crowd for several minutes as they smash windows and break into the luxury stores before being chased off by police.
Eventually, the police form a lined barricade at the north entrance to Rodeo Drive off South Santa Monica Boulevard to try to stop the looting. There, rioters can be seen flipping off police cars going by. Later in the evening, police launched smoke canisters in attempt to disperse the angry crowd.
Content warning: Video contains some violence and vulgar language
When Car Spotting Goes Terribly Wrong youtu.be
Throughout the remainder of the video, small groups of looters could be seen fleeing police with contraband in hand at various locations around the shopping district.
"This is all you're gonna get, guys, I'm sorry," the narrator said at one point during the video. "A bunch of police, rioters, protesters, thieves, looters, helicopters, newsmen."
In video posted the next day, "effspot" documented more looting, this time in Santa Monica.
Protests across the country following George Floyd's death have been exploited by looters and rioters taking advantage of the chaos. In Los Angeles, at least 61 people have been arrested and are facing prosecution for their criminal acts.
"I support the peaceful organized protests that already have brought needed attention to racial inequality throughout our society, including in the criminal justice system," L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said. "I also have a constitutional and ethical duty to protect the public and prosecute people who loot and vandalize our community."
(H/T: The Daily Wire)


theblaze--2020-06-04--Amid rioting, looting, LA officials move to slash police budget by up to $150 million to reallocate

Amid rioting, looting, LA officials move to slash police budget by up to $150 million to reallocate money to black communities

Amid rioting , looting , LA officials move to slash police budget by up to $ 150 million to reallocate @ @ @ @

A new L.A. City Council motion is seeking to slash up to $150 million from its law enforcement budget in order to reallocate the money to benefit minority communities.
What are the details?
According to LAist, Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez introduced a motion on Wednesday to request up to $150 million in budget cuts for the Los Angeles Police Department.
The motion is supported by Councilmembers Herb Wesson, Curren Price, and Monica Rodriguez, and was seconded by Budget Committee Chair Paul Krekorian.
If passed, the motion will redirect budget funds to "disadvantaged communities and communities of color."
The outlet reports that the overall LAPD budget is $3.1 billion annually.
What else?
On Wednesday, Deadline reported that Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (D) said the city would not be increasing the police budget.
Garcetti said that he is "committed to making this moment not just a moment," and promised that the budget would not increase.
"It is time to move our rhetoric towards action to end racism in our city," he said. "Prejudice can never be part of police work. ... It takes bravery to save lives, too."
"We will not be increasing out police budget," he added, highlighting the importance of "reinvesting in black communities and communities of color."
Garcetti spoke of "reinvesting in black communities and communities of color."
"The mayor proceeded to announce $250 million in cuts to the proposed budget and to reallocate those dollars to communities of color, 'so we can invest in jobs, in education and healing,'" the outlet noted. "L.A. Police Commission President Eileen Decker then announced that $100 million-$150 million of those cuts would come from the police department budget."


theblaze--2020-06-04--Undercover Project Veritas video appears to expose Antifa's organized recruitment and training effor

Undercover Project Veritas video appears to expose Antifa's organized recruitment and training effort: 'Practice things like an eye gouge'

Undercover Project Veritas video appears to expose Antifa 's organized recruitment and training effort : 'Practice things like an eye @ @ @ @ @ to either push back or incite some kind of violence '

A new Project Veritas video appears to show the inner workings of an Antifa operation in Portland, Oregon, where recruits are trained on how to incite violence in order to "destroy" their enemies.
In the video, an unidentified journalist who said he posed as an Antifa recruit detailed how the local outfit, Rose City Antifa, or RCA, reached out to him via ProtonMail, a free encrypted email service, to set up an interview and enroll him in a process toward becoming a "full-fledged" member.
The process included an interview and a series of secret lectures at a local bookstore before opening hours, where recruits would be taught the tactics of the trade, the undercover reporter said.
"If you ruin their day, if you like heckle them ... make them feel like they look ridiculous, make them feel outnumbered, and therefore, their whole 'yay yay America Trump' thing is gonna go by the wayside," alleged Rose City Antifa lecturer Adam Rothstein said during one secretly recorded session.
"The whole goal of this, right, is to get out there and do dangerous things as safely as possible," another lecturer identified as "Ashes" said.
Lecturer Nicholas Cifuni can be heard instructing recruits to "practice things like an eye gouge — it takes very little pressure to injure someone's eyes."
The undercover journalist noted that RCA "[does] not hesitate to either push back or incite some kind of violence," adding that "in our classes and in our meetings ... we talk about weapons detail and what we carry."
He also described RCA as "structured ... much like a company or like a business," adding that he suspects there are "outside funding, influence, or resources being used."
The video identifies RCA's founder to be Caroline Victorin, whom the undercover journalist said moved to Sweden with her dual-citizen husband. He noted that this could be evidence of a European connection.
In a statement over the weekend, Attorney General William Barr blamed far-left "Antifa-like" extremists for much of the violence that occurred across the country during protests over George Floyd's death.
"In many places, it appears the violence is planned, organized, and driven by anarchistic and far-left extremists, using Antifa-like tactics, many of whom travel from out of state to promote the violence," the attorney general said.
"Groups of outside radicals and agitators are exploiting the situation to pursue their own separate and violent agenda," he added.
The undercover Project Veritas journalist said he feared he could be the subject of violence if he were to have his true identity revealed.


theblaze--2020-06-04--Former Obama intelligence official secures bail for NYC lawyer accused of Molotov cocktail attack on

Former Obama intelligence official secures bail for NYC lawyer accused of Molotov cocktail attack on NYPD vehicle She told the @ @ @ @ @ is her 'best friend '

A former high-level Obama administration intelligence official has guaranteed the bail for the New York City lawyer who is accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at an NYPD vehicle. Salmah Rizvi, who worked in both the Departments of State and Defense, told the judge that the firebombing suspect is her "best friend."
Urooj Rahman was one of three people arrested this weekend, who were accused of trying to destroy NYPD vehicles. According to charging documents, Rahman tossed a Molotov cocktail at an empty police cruiser that was parked outside the 88th Precinct station house in Fort Greene around 1 a.m. Saturday.
Surveillance video captured Rahman getting into a tan van driven by Colinford Mattis, a furloughed associate of the York-based law firm Pryor Cashman and a member of Community Board 5 in East New York. Police arrested the two suspects after a brief chase in Brooklyn. In the van, police found a lighter, a bottle filled with toilet paper, and a gas tank.
Rahman was also accused of distributing incendiary devices to other rioters. Rahman and Mattis were charged with intentionally damaging a police vehicle with fire and explosives. They both face mandatory minimum sentences of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. Rahman's bail was set at $250,000.
Rahman, 31, is registered as an attorney in New York state and graduated from Fordham University School of Law. Rahman is friends with Rizvi, who served in the Defense Department and State Department during the Obama administration and currently an associate at the law firm Ropes & Gray, as reported by the Washington Free Beacon.
"Urooj Rahman is my best friend, and I am an associate at the law firm Ropes & Gray in Washington, D.C.," Rizvi told the judge, according to a transcript of the proceedings. "I earn $255,000 a year."
Rizvi agreed to be a surety for Rahman's bail, making her liable for the entire $250,000 amount if Rahman fails to obey the court's orders. U.S. District Judge Margo Brodie granted Rahman bail due to the "willingness of family and friends to sign on as suretors," according to Law360.
"The conduct was reckless, it was violent, it was completely lawless," Judge Brodie said of the firebombers, who both attended New York University Law School.
"We don't believe this is the time to be releasing a bomb-thrower like the defendant into the community," federal prosecutor Ian Richardson said.
"Home detention secured by the financial well-being of his entire family and several high-earning colleagues and friends should be an adequate deterrent to further danger to the community," Judge Steven Gold said.
Rahman will be detained at home and fitted with a GPS monitoring device. Mattis, the Princeton-educated attorney, was also approved for release on $250,000 bond and home detention, pending trial.
According to her biography on the Ropes & Gray's website, "Salmah is an associate in the litigation & enforcement practice group."
"Salmah also maintains an active civil rights and human rights pro bono practice, focused on prison reform, LGBTQ equality, and immigration," the site adds. "She represents asylum seekers at various stages of litigation."
The Washington Free Beacon also noted that Rizvi received scholarship funds from the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans, which was founded by the now-deceased brother of billionaire and left-wing financier George Soros.
While attending New York University School of Law, Rizvi was a fellow at the Palestinian-based legal organization Al-Haq, which was founded to challenge the "legal status of Israel as an occupying power."
Rizvi also received a scholarship supported by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. CAIR has been criticized for its ties to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Before her legal career, Rizvi worked as an analyst for the U.S. Departments of State and Defense. Rizvi's biography on the Islamic Scholarship Fund website states: "Salmah also worked full-time for the U.S. Departments of State and Defense as a lead linguist and analyst, mastering multiple foreign languages including Arabic, Urdu, Punjabi and gaining expertise in international security and diplomacy. Her high-value work would often inform the President's Daily Briefs."
The next hearing is June 12.


theblaze--2020-06-04--Here's a peek at pathetic leftist protest fails — including one clown who gets a little too close to

Here's a peek at pathetic leftist protest fails — including one clown who gets a little too close to a police dog

Here 's a peek at pathetic leftist protest fails — including one clown who gets a little too close to @ @ @ @ @ please — and do n't skimp on the butter

Amid the terror and sadness and destruction resulting from the George Floyd riots across America, there have been a handful of moments that just might get you busting a gut and put a smile on your face.
K-9 with a 'temper'
We've certainly seen our share of hyper-bold protesters this week, haven't we? Attacking and even killing police with impunity, destroying property without repercussions — and all with a rapidly growing we-can-do-whatever-we-want bravado.
So it must be a shock when their antics come back to bite them in the ass.
One scene featured a large group of loudmouthed protesters repeatedly yelling "f*** the police!" at officers and even dancing in their faces, presumably to antagonize them.
But a police dog was on hand at this noble assembly — and the pup was not pleased.
Indeed, a few loud barks was all it took to send one dancing woman scurrying for safety while another protester remarked at the K-9's "temper."
But alas, one guy who still didn't have his head on straight made the mistake of moving within a few feet of the dog — and then he turned his back.
Content warning: Language (and diminished brain cells):
Ouch. Is there some needle and thread in the pipe bomb bag?
Shoulda stayed in his mom's basement
Antifa members are having quite a week, too. Presumably viewing protests as a chance to advance anarchy, the so-called "anti-fascists" — ironically with a reputation for carrying out violent, fascist acts against anyone who gets in their way — were quite busy inciting riots and breaking a lot of windows.
One of the other strange things about Antifa members — with their soy spaghetti arms and skinny jeans and black hoods — is that they enjoy exuding thug-like toughness (well, at least when they're part of a pack of 20 or more).
But one reported Antifa guy sustained a leg wound during rioting, and video caught his reaction when one of his comrades tightened a tourniquet around his thigh. You hate to see such bona fide warrior scream in such pain:
Poor baby.
Think before you act, dear
And finally we bring you a Twitter clip posted by "hannah/Black Lives Matter" — a "proud Ohio University student & contributor to bringing down bigots and cops." Alrighty then.
Anyway, "hannah" wrote that she was "arrested for peacefully protesting for the BLM movement" in Cincinnati. What's more, "cops forced me to stand (while hyperventilating and actively passing out) and then laughed at me while I was having a panic attack. They withheld my sister's meds and mocked her intelligence while she begged."
Let's have a look:
Didn't catch the police laughing part or the police mocking part — but man, was that officer rough on her or what?
Still, it is a little funny when leftist adults cry and get panicky when the consequences they've brought upon themselves for lawless behavior come home to roost.
Cock a doodle doo.


theblaze--2020-06-04--WHO resumes hydroxychloroquine trial after problems are found with a study calling the drug dangero

WHO resumes hydroxychloroquine trial after problems are found with a study calling the drug dangerous

The World Health Organization announced Wednesday that it is set to resume an international trial testing the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19 after the organization had previously suspended the trial over safety concerns.
The decision to resume came after problems were discovered with a leading medical journal's study on the drug that claimed the drug was ineffective against the coronavirus and increased the risk of death in patients.
That study, published in the Lancet on May 22, has since been criticized by more than 100 scientists and clinicians for its use of suspect patient data provided by a tiny U.S. company, Surgisphere, which didn't match with government reporting. The journal's study was also co-authored by Surgisphere's chief executive Sapan Desai.
The journal was forced to issue an "expression of concern" on Tuesday, "to alert readers to the fact that serious scientific questions have been brought to our attention" regarding the study.
WHO pushes restart
On Wednesday, after its safety monitoring committee cleared the way, the WHO announced it would resume the testing.
"On the basis of the available mortality data, the members of the committee recommended that there are no reasons to modify the trial protocol," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a news conference. "The executive group received this recommendation and endorsed the continuation of all arms of Solidarity Trial including hydroxychloroquine."
Anything else?
Hydroxychloroquine is one of four drugs being tested as potential treatment for COVID-19 in the Solidarity Trial, which Tedros announced has enrolled 3,500 patients from 35 countries.
Though the testing is set to resume, the WHO noted that the restart was not an endorsement of the drug.
"We hope that the ongoing trials will continue until we have definitive answers," said Soumya Swaminathan, the WHO's chief scientist, according to Politico.


theblaze--2020-06-04--Commentary: Justice for George

Commentary: Justice for George

People do n't loot because they want to fight injustice .
People loot because they want a TV .
I could probably stop right there , and most of you reading this would already be on board with me .
The common sense conversation is often the one most lightly seasoned with words .
But let 's probe this concept just a bit below the surface of common sense – y'know , for giggles and whatever that other thing is .
In the history of brutish skullduggery , it 's pretty rare to find instances where wanton acts of violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whatsoever in achieving a moral ( or even merely ethical ) good .
If you 're living in 12th century China , and you see the Mongol horde kicking up dust on the horizon , you can be pretty sure that they 're not only going go loot your town , but also – and most importantly – there 's not a damn thing you can do about it .
If you throw up the white flag and surrender , they might be inclined to let some of you live in perpetual slavery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but they 're going to loot your town no matter what .
Absolutely nothing that you do is stopping that , short of winning the battle against them ( which , by the way , is unlikely ) .
So why is this the case ?
Spoils of war , man ; spoils of war .
Our very nature as human animals drives us to not only covet what our neighbor has , but also to devise a good solid plan for clubbing him over the head and taking it if we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very good book on morality somewhere… ) But surely , you say , we modern folk have evolved socially beyond that impulse , or at least beyond the tendency to act on it , right ?
No , and do n't call me Shirley .
Grief is suffering , and a true desire for justice is , too .
And here 's why : the desire for justice is not the same as the desire for revenge .
We have an entire legal system designed around that very notion .
And while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason why you 'll never see a murder victim 's sister sitting as a member of the jury at the trial .
The emotional and logical ( or pathological ) choose-your-own-adventure story of revenge is too reckless , too wild to be a valid way for us to run this particular railroad we call a country ; and we mistake that vengefulness as a desire for true justice at our extreme peril .
Because when you accept the two as one and the same , you get things like the riots going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of George Floyd .
Here 's what I know – not what I speculate , but what I know : George Floyd was killed unjustly by a police officer who – whether for reasons of racism , incompetence , an egotistical understanding of the power his badge afforded him , or all of the above – approached an arrest situation in the worst possible fashion .
I know that he deserved to be fired from his job , and that it 's a good thing for him to be arrested and given his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justice – in whatever form it takes – will be served .
What I about this case could be written into volumes that would fill the office from which I 'm writing this ( my kitchen – thanks COVID ) , especially if it was written by someone as long-winded as I am .
And guess what ?
What do n't know about it would , too .
That , among other reasons , is why the justice model prevails over the vengeance model .
The court of law exists to take difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one and plug it into a formula – one which mostly works but could always stand improvement , to be sure .
And to be clear , one of the things that that process is protest of injustice .
For all of you out there who stand in lines with facemasks that read , but who are n't committing violence or other crimes , please know that I 'm with you .
We may not agree on all the specifics , but I think we both want the same thing .
But to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was about the nogoodnicks among the protesters : it is n't just that robbery and arson and other forms of violence are n't a cry for justice – that 's just the first layer .
I would posit that these are not even actually the expressions of a vengeful group of people .
I know , I know , systemic racism and white privilege and capitalist billionaires pushing everyone else down into the mud…these tired and mostly nonsensical ingredients in the leftist word salad are what stands in place of a legitimate intellectual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ innocent of facts that it has all the credibility of a bedtime story made up on the fly by a distracted parent – I should know , I 've delivered a few of those .
Do I mean to say that if you 're stealing a Playstation ( future editions of this brilliant work please replace this term with the most recent popular gaming system ) , you must not care about the death of George Floyd , and that your notion of yourself as a cog in the machinery of true racial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the world for legitimately the first time is a steaming pile of that stuff that goes with the giggles mentioned above ?
Look , people always get righteously ( and generally rightly ) upset when someone lives out the old dictum about never letting a tragedy go to waste , until it 's their turn .
Then we 're kind of okay with it , unfortunately .
And if you 're commemorating the unjust death of a fellow human being by stealing from people who had nothing to do with the man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lighting buildings on fire and carelessly putting other people 's lives in danger ( you know , the way that cop put George 's life in danger ? )
, hear this : You 're .
Part .
Of .
The .
Problem .
And by the way , I 've been reading claims here and there that this whole thing is correlative to that time when Jesus went into the Temple , saw a bunch of financial transactions going on , and got angry .
Insert audible sigh .
Jesus overturned tables @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There 's no indication – at least in the Gospels I 've read – that in the process he ran out himself afterward , holding a bagful of shekels whilst flipping them the bird and screaming `` Workers of the world , unite ! ''
Bottom line , we all know that violence , arson , and looting are wrong .
All but the most brain-dead among us know it on a visceral level .
We know that they do n't achieve justice , and we further know that they actually work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 're either willing to lie to ourselves or not .
The saddest thing about this situation is the unnecessary and cruel death of George Floyd .
The second saddest thing is that the people who took up torches and pitchforks the moment his body had cooled never once stopped to turn around and look behind them .
If they had , they would have seen that almost all of us in this crazy old melting pot of ours we call a country were already standing in solidarity .
Almost all of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they claim to want .
Almost all of us want justice for George .

People don't loot because they want to fight injustice. People loot because they want a TV.
I could probably stop right there, and most of you reading this would already be on board with me. The common sense conversation is often the one most lightly seasoned with words. But let's probe this concept just a bit below the surface of common sense – y'know, for giggles and whatever that other thing is.
In the history of brutish skullduggery, it's pretty rare to find instances where wanton acts of violence and thievery had any sort of basis whatsoever in achieving a moral (or even merely ethical) good. If you're living in 12th century China, and you see the Mongol horde kicking up dust on the horizon, you can be pretty sure that they're not only going go loot your town, but also – and most importantly – there's not a damn thing you can do about it. If you throw up the white flag and surrender, they might be inclined to let some of you live in perpetual slavery for the rest of your life, but they're going to loot your town no matter what. Absolutely nothing that you do is stopping that, short of winning the battle against them (which, by the way, is really unlikely). So why is this the case? Spoils of war, man; spoils of war. Our very nature as human animals drives us to not only covet what our neighbor has, but also to devise a good solid plan for clubbing him over the head and taking it if we can. (This was addressed in a very good book on morality somewhere…)
But surely, you say, we modern folk have evolved socially beyond that impulse, or at least beyond the tendency to act on it, right? No, and don't call me Shirley.
Grief is suffering, and a true desire for justice is, too. And here's why: the desire for justice is not the same as the desire for revenge. We have an entire legal system designed around that very notion. And while the two unquestionably overlap, there's a reason why you'll never see a murder victim's sister sitting as a member of the jury at the trial. The emotional and logical (or pathological) choose-your-own-adventure story of revenge is too reckless, too wild to be a valid way for us to run this particular railroad we call a country; and we mistake that vengefulness as a desire for true justice at our extreme peril. Because when you accept the two as one and the same, you get things like the riots going on in this country today over the death of George Floyd.
Here's what I know – not what I speculate, but what I know: George Floyd was killed unjustly by a police officer who – whether for reasons of racism, incompetence, an egotistical understanding of the power his badge afforded him, or all of the above – approached an arrest situation in the worst possible fashion. I know that he deserved to be fired from his job, and that it's a good thing for him to be arrested and given his day in court, so that hopefully justice – in whatever form it takes – will be served. What I don't know about this case could be written into volumes that would fill the office from which I'm writing this (my kitchen – thanks COVID), especially if it was written by someone as long-winded as I am. And guess what? What you don't know about it would, too. That, among other reasons, is why the justice model prevails over the vengeance model. The court of law exists to take difficult, angering, tragic situations like this one and plug it into a formula – one which mostly works but could always stand improvement, to be sure. And to be clear, one of the things that can help that process is protest of injustice. For all of you out there who stand in lines with facemasks that read I CAN'T BREATHE, but who aren't committing violence or other crimes, please know that I'm with you. We may not agree on all the specifics, but I think we both want the same thing.
But to return to my original point, which was about the nogoodnicks among the protesters: it isn't just that robbery and arson and other forms of violence aren't a cry for justice – that's just the first layer. I would posit that these are not even actually the expressions of a vengeful group of people. I know, I know, systemic racism and white privilege and capitalist billionaires pushing everyone else down into the mud…these tired and mostly nonsensical ingredients in the leftist word salad are what stands in place of a legitimate intellectual framework for a point of view so innocent of facts that it has all the credibility of a bedtime story made up on the fly by a distracted parent – I should know, I've delivered a few of those.
Do I mean to say that if you're stealing a Playstation (future editions of this brilliant work please replace this term with the most recent popular gaming system), you must not care about the death of George Floyd, and that your notion of yourself as a cog in the machinery of true racial and socioeconomic justice trying to birth itself into the world for legitimately the first time is a steaming pile of that stuff that goes with the giggles mentioned above?
Yeah, I kind of am. Trigger warning, I guess.
Look, people always get righteously (and generally rightly) upset when someone lives out the old dictum about never letting a tragedy go to waste, until it's their turn. Then we're kind of okay with it, unfortunately. And if you're commemorating the unjust death of a fellow human being by stealing from people who had nothing to do with the man's death, or if you're lighting buildings on fire and carelessly putting other people's lives in danger (you know, the way that cop put George's life in danger?), hear this: You're. Part. Of. The. Problem.
And by the way, I've been reading claims here and there that this whole thing is correlative to that time when Jesus went into the Temple, saw a bunch of financial transactions going on, and got angry. Insert audible sigh. Jesus overturned tables and drove money-changers out of the Temple. There's no indication – at least in the Gospels I've read – that in the process he ran out himself afterward, holding a bagful of shekels whilst flipping them the bird and screaming "Workers of the world, unite!"
Bottom line, we all know that violence, arson, and looting are wrong. All but the most brain-dead among us know it on a visceral level. We know that they don't achieve justice, and we further know that they actually work against the promotion of justice. So, we're either willing to lie to ourselves or not. The saddest thing about this situation is the unnecessary and cruel death of George Floyd.
The second saddest thing is that the people who took up torches and pitchforks the moment his body had cooled never once stopped to turn around and look behind them. If they had, they would have seen that almost all of us in this crazy old melting pot of ours we call a country were already standing in solidarity. Almost all of us already wanted – truly wanted – what they claim to want.
Almost all of us want justice for George.


theblaze--2020-06-04--Social media melts down after claim of cops shooting a 13-year-old during rioting. Police say it was

Social media melts down after claim of cops shooting a 13-year-old during rioting. Police say it was a 34-year-old armed gunman who had just shot someone.

Social media melts down after claim of cops shooting a 13-year-old during rioting .
Police say it was a 34-year-old @ @ @ @ @ shot someone .

The New York Police Department has been under fire all across social media for the last several days after reports circulated claiming that officers fatally shot a 13-year-old boy 19 times during street protests.
The department, however, says that the reports are simply untrue — and that the suspect they shot was a 34-year-old ex-convict who was reportedly armed and dangerous.
What are the details of the shooting?
The hashtag "19Times" began trending on social media Tuesday, with users insisting that an officer shot a young teenage male during a protest-related standoff.
The rumors began persistently circulating, and so police were forced to clear up the reports with facts.
On Tuesday, NYPD Chief Terence Monahan said that the officer-involved-shooting did not occur because of the protests, and that the now-deceased suspect was not a 13-year-old boy — but a 34-year-old man.
According to police, officers responded to a call in Brooklyn and found a man who had been shot. Officers began immediately searching and discovered the 34-year-old suspect hiding behind a fence.
The unnamed suspect reportedly engaged in a standoff with officers. Monahan said that police repeatedly demanded the suspect drop his weapon for at least a whole minute.
"He had a gun in his hand. They saw it," Monahan said during televised remarks. "The officers gave orders for the male to drop the weapon. We hear the officers for over a minute — 'He's moving his hands, he's getting up. He's gonna go. He's gonna go. Please drop the gun! Please drop the gun!'"
The suspect apparently refused, and police began firing. There were reportedly 10 officers on the scene, and each one of them fired, Monahan said.
An illegal handgun was reportedly discovered at the scene. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. His victim was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and is expected to recover.
In a statement shared to Twitter, Monahan wrote, "This is inaccurate information. The armed man who was shot by police was 34-years-old and had just shot another man."


theblaze--2020-06-04--2 NYPD cops shot, 1 stabbed in the neck – FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force launches investigation

NYPD said that 22 rounds were fired in the `` unprovoked attack . ''

Two NYPD cops were shot, and another New York City police officer was stabbed in the neck on Wednesday night. An unidentified man ambushed police officers from the 70th Precinct while they were on an anti-looting patrol in Brooklyn around 11:45 p.m. Wednesday, nearly four hours after the city's 8 p.m. curfew.
"That officer was stabbed in the left side of his neck, thank God, missing an artery," said New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea in a news conference early Thursday morning. "He's recovering here in stable condition in the hospital."
"About the same time, a block or two away, what we know at this point in time is that we had a uniformed sergeant and police officer hearing shots fired coming from that initial scene," Shea said. "We believe that when they got there, they saw the perpetrator with a gun in his hand that we believe belonged to one of the officers."
"What we know at this point in time, 22 shell casings have been recovered from a number of members of the service," Shea added. "We know that we had a chaotic scene where a knife was recovered as well.
"We had the perpetrator struck multiple times, he is in critical condition," Shea said at the news conference. "We had two police officers shot in the hand, and we had the third police officer stabbed in the neck. All police officers at this point in time, thank God, are in stable condition and expected to recover.
"It appears to be a complete cowardly, despicable, unprovoked attack on a defenseless police officer," Shea said. "I think we are all fed up with, what we're saying is this violence has to stop."
Mayor Bill de Blasio went to Kings County Hospital Center in Brooklyn to visit the police officers.
"I was at @KingsCountyHosp with our officers wounded in Brooklyn last night," de Blasio tweeted. "We're thankful this story will end with our officers going home to their families. This is a painful time. No question. We have to find a way to come together and move forward."
At a news conference, de Blasio said, "We're gathered on a very tough night. It's another example of what it means every day to protect all of us no matter what is happening, the bravery they show constantly."
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch blamed anti-police rhetoric for the attacks.
"Are we surprised? Are we surprised we're here in the hospital again? Did we doubt because of the rhetoric we're hearing, the anti-police rhetoric that's storming our streets, are we surprised that we got this call? I'm not. We said it's going to happen," Lynch said.
The suspect is said to be a 20-year-old white man with no prior criminal history, according to the New York Post.
Unverified video alleging to be of the incident was shared on Twitter. Multiple gunshots and police sirens can be heard.
NYPD shared a photo of the knife used in the unprovoked attack.
Police also took photos of graffiti in the area that read: "ACAB," an acronym that stands for "All Cops Are Bastards." Police believe the anti-police graffiti may be related to a George Floyd protest that took place over the weekend.
The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force launched an investigation into the attack. Early Thursday morning, federal agents searched the Flatbush apartment of the suspect accused of stabbing the police officer in the neck.