theblaze--2020-02-21--Poll shows bad news for Democrats in swing House districts as the party lurches leftward

Poll shows bad news for Democrats in swing House districts as the party lurches leftward 'This is Bernie Sanders ' @ @ @ @ @ '

Although "the Squad," the group of far-left freshman congresswoman led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, has garnered more of the headlines following the 2018 midterm elections, the reality is that Democrats were largely able to win back the House of Representatives thanks to a slate of candidates who positioned themselves as moderates in suburban House districts once held by Republicans.
Now, two years later, with the strong possibility of Bernie Sanders, a self-described socialist, at the top of the 2020 ballot, Republicans are feeling bullish about their chances of winning back many of these House seats and making inroads in other congressional races.
Targeting socialists
According to Fox News, a "record number" of GOP candidates have filed to run for House and Senate seats across the country. Fox News noted that unlike the 2018 midterms when the surge was driven by Democratic hopefuls, this year's boom is led by Republicans, according to financial activity reports obtained by the network.
The surge appears to be driven by growing concerns with socialism and the growing radicalism of the Democratic Party.
"These are radical women that will not bend. They do not want to work across the aisle. They only want their policies of the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, and socialism for America," said Marjorie Greene, a businesswoman and first-time congressional candidate who's running in Georgia's 14th Congressional District.
"I'm tired of seeing our future threatened. I'm tired of seeing my children's future extremely threatened, and it's time to get off the bench and really step up to the plate," she added.
'This is Bernie Sanders' and AOC's party now'
Politico reported that President Donald Trump and the White House are embracing the strategy as part of its efforts to retain control of the Senate and possibly flip control of the House.
"This is Bernie Sanders' and AOC's party now," Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway said. "Bernie is not just the socialist standard-bearer; he may well be the presidential nominee."
The news comes as a new poll taken in 95 swing congressional districts across the country shows President Trump leading Sanders in a general election matchup.
The survey, commissioned by the National Republican Congressional Committee, shows Trump with a 5-point lead (48-43) over the Vermont socialist in the "battleground districts." Fifty-four of them are currently held by Democrats.


theblaze--2020-02-21--Female prisoner claims she was raped by a transgender inmate and that the prison covered it up

Female prisoner claims she was raped by a transgender inmate and that the prison covered it up The prison claims @ @ @ @ @ of 'transphobia '

A female prisoner at the Logan Correctional Center in Illinois is suing the prison for reportedly covering up her alleged sexual assault at the hands of a transgender inmate last year.
What are the details?
The woman, who is identified as Jane Doe in the lawsuit, alleged that an inmate who "identifies as female, but still has male genitalia" was moved into her housing unit last summer and immediately began to "express interest" in her, according to a report by WTTW-TV.
In the lawsuit, she recalled that she was "terrified of this inmate as the inmate was much bigger and stronger" and because she had heard that the inmate "had assaulted prior cellmates and had been convicted of murder."
The woman then said she was raped by the inmate, but that after she reported the incident to authorities only a "sham investigation" ensued.
The woman alleged that she was told by an officer "that he did not believe her and he pressured Plaintiff to say there was no sexual assault." She said she was "coerced" into saying the encounter was consensual and soon after filed a grievance with the Illinois Department of Corrections.
In return, the IDOC determined that she committed a "major infraction" for filing a "false" complaint under the Prison Rape Elimination Act.
'Transphobia' or a cover-up?
The alleged assailant, who is identified in the lawsuit as Janiah Monroe, formerly known as Andre Patterson, had been sentenced to 12 years in prison for the attempted murder of a government employee and then received 20 more years after he strangled a cellmate to death.
Monroe and another inmate had previously sued the IDOC, demanding a transfer to women's prison facilities after they had allegedly been the subject of abuse and insults from male inmates.
The suit names Logan's acting warden Beatrice Calhoun as a defendant, along with officers Brent Keeler and Todd Sexton.
Alan Mills, who leads the Uptown People's Law Center, and has represented Monroe in the past, said that Monroe has been the subject of unfounded complaints ever since transferring to Logan. Mills added that he believes transphobia to be the reason for allegations against his former client.
"A deeper point here is that since Ms. Monroe was transferred to Logan, she's made a lot of friends and has found substantial support among other prisoners and some staff," Mills said, according to WTTW-TV. "But transphobia exists everywhere, both out here on the street and in prison, so it's not surprising that there are some people who feel uncomfortable with her presence in a women's prison."
On the other hand, the plaintiff's attorneys are suggesting that the prison is attempting to cover up the incident so as to not draw unwanted attention to their controversial transgender policies.
"The transfer of transgender inmates from male to female prisons has been a contentious policy within IDOC," the attorneys wrote in the complaint. "In an attempt to justify the transfers, Defendants Sexton, Calhoun, Keeler and currently other unknown IDOC employees covered up the sexual assault of Plaintiff and tried to falsely classify it as consensual, to keep it from being considered a PREA violation."
(H/T: The Post Millennial)


theblaze--2020-02-21--AOC launches progressive PAC to target moderate Dems and 'reshape the Democratic Party' in 2020

AOC launches progressive PAC to target moderate Dems and 'reshape the Democratic Party ' in 2020 She 's attacking members @ @ @ @

Most freshman members of Congress focus on securing their own re-elections, but not Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The self-described democratic socialist U.S. representative from New York's 14th Congressional District has her eyes set on targeting a list of her political rivals across the country. What makes this interesting — some of her targets are fellow Democrats.
According to a report in the New York Times, on Friday Ocasio-Cortez endorsed an all-female slate of far-left candidates through her new political action committee. The Times reported the freshman congresswoman is "using her clout in the insurgent left and the considerable campaign funds she has drawn to counter the Democratic establishment in key races around the country. Among her most notable endorsements is a far-left Senate candidate in Texas.
'Reshape the Democratic Party'
Although it's not uncommon for members of Congress to transfer campaign funds to support their allies, the Times noted that Ocasio-Cortez is leveraging her "influence among activists" in an attempt to "try to reshape the Democratic Party."
The battle for the heart and soul of the Democratic Party comes as polls show Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders surging in the race to be the party's nominee. Ocasio-Cortez, who has endorsed Sanders' presidential bid, has not been coy about her desire to push the Democratic Party to the left.
"One of our primary goals is to reward political courage in Congress and also to help elect a progressive majority in the House of Representatives," she told the Times in an interview. "There's kind of a dual nature to this: One is opening the door to newcomers, and the other is to reward members of Congress that are exhibiting very large amounts of political courage."
Challenging incumbent Democrats
Ocasio-Cortez is also taking the rare step of challenging incumbent members of her own party, as she has announced that she will be backing primary challengers to at least two of her House Democratic colleagues: Marie Newman, who is challenging Illinois Rep. Daniel Lipinski of Illinois, and Jessica Cisneros, who is tackling Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar from his left.
Establishment Democrats fret that Ocasio-Cortez could have a negative effect on her party as it attempts to present itself as a moderate alternative to voters in November. At least one former Democratic operative noted the New York congresswoman's efforts are unprecedented.
"We've never seen somebody break onto the scene with this amount of potential and ability to drive the conversation and drive financial commitments from supporters," said Ian Russell, a former leader of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "The challenge for her is determining where she wants to spend her capital."


theblaze--2020-02-21--Church hosts what may be one of the largest women-only concealed carry classes in state. Students sa

Church hosts what may be one of the largest women-only concealed carry classes in state. Students say they're tired of being afraid.

Church hosts what may be one of the largest women-only concealed carry classes in state .
Students say they 're @ @ @ @ @ 'It 's my right to carry ... so I want to be able to '

Kai Brown is a 35-year-old single mom with two small children who wants to protect her family, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
So despite her fear of guns, Brown attended what may have been the largest women-only concealed carry certification classes in Ohio earlier this month, the paper said.
"It's my right to carry ... so I want to be able to," she noted to the Enquirer. "It's wonderful to be surrounded by many different women from many different walks of life. And we're all, you know, here to protect ourselves."
Image source: Cincinnati Enquirer video screenshot
The class took place in the basement of New Prospect Baptist Church, which holds one of the largest black congregations in Cincinnati, the paper noted.
But two Saturdays ago, it was home to 179 women firing .22-caliber handguns, the Enquirer said.
Image source: Cincinnati Enquirer video screenshot
The paper added that students repeatedly said they were tired of being afraid — of guns, of being home alone, of walking in some neighborhoods.
Image source: Cincinnati Enquirer video screenshot
For Brown, it appeared to be a struggle to just hear gunshots much less pulling the trigger herself — but the paper said her instructors were kind, encouraging, and helpful.
Finally, she took a deep breath — and fired.
Image source: Cincinnati Enquirer video screenshot
"It's evident that that fear is still there," Brown told the Enquirer, adding that "you have to be prepared" due to the times we're living in.
What's the background?
The church's pastor, the Rev. Damon Lynch III, along with Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Pastor — a Republican who appeared at the class with a T-shirt reading "All gun control is racist" — organized the class, the paper said.
Image source: Cincinnati Enquirer video screenshot
Here's a clip of Jeff Pastor speaking to the class:
And after it was announced in early January, the CCW class sold out within a week, the Enquirer said.
More from the paper:
Two hundred women signed up. Despite an early morning snowfall that made driving treacherous, 179 women turned out for the class, all with varying comfort levels with guns. Some had never touched one. Others owned a gun, but wanted the license needed to carry it with them. Some came because their moms or sisters or friends suggested it.
The class was taught by certified CCW licensing firm Arm the Populace. It was an intense, nine-hour class, complete with a built-just-for-the class shooting range in an empty storage area above the church's community center.
Women paid $25 each to cover the cost of the space, cheaper than the typical $65 class fee.
Arm the Populace, a Cincinnati-based company that offers firearms and personal defense training, donated its time. It billed the class as the largest CCW class of all women ever in Ohio.
A spokesman for the Ohio Attorney General's Office, which keeps CCW records, said the office does not track class size, but from his experience, 179 women in a class could be the largest. The office does not keep CCW permit statistics by race.
The numbers
The Enquirer pointed to a 2017 Pew report on "America's complex relationship with guns" that found gun ownership varies quite a bit when race and gender is taken into account: About 39% of men said they own a gun as opposed to 22% of women, and while 36% of whites said they're gun owners, only about 25% of blacks and 15% of Hispanics said they own guns.
In addition, nearly half of the white men said they own a gun compared to about a quarter of white women and nonwhite men — and 16% of nonwhite women, the paper added, citing the report.
But at the church CCW class, 169 of the 179 attendees were black, the Enquirer said.
Image source: Cincinnati Enquirer video screenshot
Douglas Cooper, Arm the Populace's founder and chief instructor, started the class by saying that "the Second Amendment is for everyone," the paper noted.
Rev. Lynch agreed.
"I'm not a gun lover; I don't own any guns, but people have Second Amendment rights to own a gun," he told the Enquirer. "In the African American community, the conversation is usually about buying guns back. But if people are lawfully trained and learn how to be responsible, they will probably never use one. It sets them on a different course. As opposed to a person who gets a gun and thinks, 'I have to go shoot.'"
Which, Lynch added to the paper, is a "good thing."


theblaze--2020-02-21--California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom: 'Doctors should be able to write prescriptions for housing'

California Democratic Gov .
Gavin Newsom : 'Doctors should be able to write prescriptions for housing '

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to fix California's homelessness problem. This is a noble goal, and an urgent issue in his state — nearly a quarter of homeless people in the U.S. are in California — and it's the top issue of concern to residents polled, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Newsom's proposed method of addressing the issue, and the mental health factors that often contribute to it, however, is questionable — and confusing.
"Doctors should be able to write prescriptions for housing the same way they do for insulin or antibiotics," Newsom wrote on Twitter on Friday. "We need to start targeting social determinants of health. We need to start treating brain health like we do physical health. What's more fundamental to a person's well being than a roof over their head?"
Mental illness can indeed lead to homelessness. Few people, if any, would argue that. But the governor's apparently serious assertion that the solution to that is for doctors to prescribe a home as a treatment for mental illness unfortunately doesn't seem to make much sense.
It doesn't take a medical professional to determine that someone without a home, whether they're mentally ill or not, needs somewhere to live in order to get their life together. The issue has always been how to accomplish that goal.
Part of the problem, suggested Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron, are the Democratic leaders who have controlled California for years, and the policies they've implemented.
"While poor policies in the past have gotten us here, it's time we look forward to address homelessness, mental health, substance use and incarceration issues one person, one family at a time," Waldron said, according to the Times. "The governor is right that building more housing is needed. Unfortunately, Democratic policies have stood in the way of housing production for years. That needs to change."
In his recent State of the State address, Newsom suggested that laws should be modified to make it easier to subject people deemed to be mentally unfit to care for themselves to involuntary mental health treatments, a proposal which some fear could infringe on civil liberties.
"What's the difference between that and a county jail?" Democratic state Sen. Jim Beall said, in expressing concern about that method.


theblaze--2020-02-21--Liberal ‘The View’ guest, co-hosts complain that Trump’s request to bring back movies like ‘Gone wit

Liberal ‘The View’ guest, co-hosts complain that Trump’s request to bring back movies like ‘Gone with the Wind’ is racist

Liberal ‘ The View ’ guest , co-hosts complain that Trump ’ s request to bring back movies like ‘ @ @ @ @ @ is racist What is even happening here ?

Liberal commentator Michael Eric Dyson said Friday on "The View" that President Donald Trump's recent remark that films like "Gone with the Wind" should make a return to contemporary Hollywood is racist.
Naturally, the show's liberal co-hosts agreed with Dyson's sentiment.
What are the details?
During the show, Dyson and "The View" co-hosts discussed Trump's comments over Oscar-winning film, "Parasite."
The South Korean film won Best Picture at the 2020 Academy Awards earlier this month.
"How bad were the Academy Awards this year, did you see? 'And the winner is a movie from South Korea!' What the hell was that all about?" Trump asked the crowd at a Thursday Colorado rally.
He continued his good-natured ribbing, "We got enough problems with South Korea with trade. On top of it they give them best movie of the year? Was ['Parasite'] good? I don't know. You know, I'm looking for like, let's get 'Gone with the Wind.' Can we get 'Gone with the Wind' back, please? 'Sunset Boulevard'? So many great movies."
Dyson, an author, preacher, and radio host, snarked, "Yeah, let's get 'Birth of a Nation' back because we don't have enough of that kind of kowtowing and cooning." He later argued that "Gone by the Wind" was all about "subordinating black people to white folk."
Co-host Ana Navarro joked, "Let's bring back the Civil War, let's bring back slaves!" while co-host Sunny Hostin added that Trump likely thought America was great back in 1939 when the beloved film was released.
"When was America great to him?" she asked. "If it was great when 'Gone with the Wind' came out with all those caricatures, those stereotypes and racial tropes, I thought what he said was really sort of instructive and reflective of what goes on [in his mind]."
It seems worthwhile to note that the American Film Institute ranked "Gone with the Wind" No. 4 on its list of best movies over the last century.
(H/T: Fox News)


theblaze--2020-02-21--WATCH: Dem goes to Trump rally and realizes Dems are screwed in 2020

WATCH : Dem goes to Trump rally and realizes Dems are screwed in 2020

On Thursday's radio program, Glenn Beck interviewed Dr. Karlyn Borysenko, who described what it was like attending a President Trump rally as a Democrat. She told Glenn that crossing party lines is nearly forbidden in liberal circles but she branched out anyway — and learned quite a bit about the other side.
Watch the video below for more on this story.
youtu.be
Use code GLENN to save $10 off one year of BlazeTV.
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--2020-02-21--Bernie Sanders hits Michael Bloomberg’s debate performance: ‘Trump will chew him up and spit him out

Bernie Sanders hits Michael Bloomberg’s debate performance: ‘Trump will chew him up and spit him out’

Bernie Sanders hits Michael Bloomberg ’ s debate performance : ‘ Trump will chew him up and spit him out @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg 's 'oligarchic ' spending .

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) doesn't think that fellow Democratic presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg would fare too well against President Donald Trump on the debate stage.
On Friday morning, CBS's "60 Minutes" posted a portion of an interview from Sanders' upcoming appearance on Sunday's show. In the segment, the Vermont senator spoke with show contributor Anderson Cooper about Bloomberg's performance at the Democratic debate Wednesday night in Las Vegas.
When Cooper asked Sanders if he was "surprised by how unprepared" Bloomberg appeared "for some very basic obvious questions," the candidate answered that he was.
"And, you know," Sanders continued, "if that's what happened in a Democratic debate, you know, I, I think it's quite likely that Trump will chew him up and spit him out."
Bloomberg — who announced his campaign in November but only qualified for his first primary debate this month — waswidelycriticized as appearing ill-prepared for the debate showdown. On Thursday, a Bloomberg senior campaign adviser explained that the former mayor "wasn't ready" for other candidates' attempts to "knock him out," but said the New York billionaire would be ready for the next debate.
Later in the "60 Minutes" segment, Cooper asked if Sanders was less worried about Bloomberg as a rival after this week's debate.
"I am worried about an unprecedented amount of money being spent on a campaign," Sanders responded. "You know, we've never seen anything like this in American history. And I just think though that the American people will rebel against this type of oligarchic movement. We are a democracy. One person, one vote. Not a guy worth $60 billion buying an election."
Bloomberg's wealth, and the amount of it he's been willing to spend on this election cycle, have also been a point of criticism for the former mayor. On Thursday, his campaign admitted to spending over $220 million in the month of January alone, according to Reuters, which brought its total spending to over $400 million so far. Sanders, by contrast, spent $26 million in January.


theblaze--2020-02-21--Actor Corey Feldman says his life is being threatened ahead of his promised Hollywood pedophile reve

Actor Corey Feldman says his life is being threatened ahead of his promised Hollywood pedophile reveal Is someone trying to @ @ @ @

Actor Corey Feldman says that he is being threatened ahead of his promised bombshell documentary, "The Rape of 2 Coreys."
Earlier this month, Feldman announced that he is set to name alleged Hollywood pedophiles that molested both him and his late friend, Corey Haim when they were child actors.
You can read more about Feldman's documentary — which is set to air just one time via livestream on March 9 — here.
What are the details?
Feldman, who will appear on Monday's broadcast of "The Dr. Oz Show," said on the pre-taped episode that he has been receiving threats ever since he came out with the news he would be outing alleged Hollywood pedophiles.
TheBlaze obtained an advance preview of Dr. Oz's forthcoming interview with Feldman.
"Have you been living in fear?" Oz asked.
Feldman responded that he's been the subject of what appears to be a targeted threat campaign.
"So, let me break it down for you a little bit and explain to you that there's elements of this, that, the reason why this has been so difficult which is, there's a multitude of reasons," Feldman began. "But one of the main things is a lot of the people who were pushing me and saying, 'You've got to do this' were victims that knew about what was going on."
He continued, "[A]t the last minute, these people would back out and they would say, 'Oh, well, we got death threats. Oh, well, my family is afraid. We've got a family to think about. My family's got to come first.' And I'm going, 'What about my family? Does my family not matter? Why am I being asked to sacrifice everything when nobody else is willing to take those same sacrifices?'"
"But you know what?" Feldman added. "That wasn't enough to stop me. So I kept going, and then another thing would happen. Then I get stabbed. Then I get almost run over. It's just one thing after another that have happened over the last three years. They do it through intimidation. And then they all go around and spread this rumor that you're this awful person."
Dr. Oz and Corey Feldman On Living in Fear - YouTube www.youtube.com
Oz later asked Feldman about one alleged pedophile in particular, whom he said he was shocked to learn about.
"There's one individual in particular who allegedly was involved in raping Corey Haim. ... That he told you, and told others, in the movie, that you've interviewed the same story, and this man, you nicknamed him 'The Rapist,'" he began. "You revealed his actual name in the movie. It was startling for me to hear. Does he know that his name is going to be mentioned in this film?"
Feldman seemed to answer in the affirmative, issuing an ominous response.
"I believe he reached out to somebody within my circle and made it known that he knows where I am, and he has a way to find me," he admitted.


theblaze--2020-02-21--Immigrant detention conditions ruled unconstitutional in case originating in the Obama era

Immigrant detention conditions ruled unconstitutional in case originating in the Obama era There were issues even before President Trump

A federal judge ruled Thursday that immigrant detention conditions at a Customs and Border Protection holding facility Tucson, Arizona, were unconstitutional — revealing some severe issues with detention conditions that date back to the Obama administration, according to Newsweek.
U.S. District Judge David Bury ruled that conditions at the Tucson CBP facility were notably worse than conditions for criminal detention centers around the state. The case originated in 2015.
"The evidence is undisputed that conditions of confinement at Tucson Sector CBP stations are substantially worse than conditions afforded criminal detainees at the Santa Cruz County jail or other jail facilities, where detainees are medically screened by medical professionals; have a bed with cloth sheets, blankets, and pillows, and an opportunity for uninterrupted sleep; have clean clothing, including second layers for warmth; showers, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and warm meals with a variety of food choices, including fruits and vegetables, accommodating food allergies and religious beliefs," Bury wrote.
"Likewise, the conditions of confinement for civil immigration detainees similarly improve once they are transferred from CBP holding cells to detention centers operated by the United States Marshals, ICE, ERO, Health and Human Services (HHS), and other immigration detention agencies and organization," he said.
Detainees at the Tucson center were subject to overcrowding so severe that it was sometimes impossible for them to sleep even while being detained for days. Other times, detainees had to sleep in bathrooms. The medical examinations were not done using a standard questionnaire created by medical professionals, leading to insufficient examinations by CBP agents with no medical training.
Going forward, immigrants won't be allowed to be detained at the Tucson facility longer than 48 hours.
"Today's monumental victory ensures that CBP cannot hold migrants in the Tucson Sector over 48 hours without providing conditions that meet basic human needs and serves as an example of the standards that should apply in all CBP facilities," said Mary Kenney, directing attorney of litigation with the American Immigration Council.


theblaze--2020-02-21--President Trump notches highest approval rating yet among small-business owners

In a recent survey , 64 % of small business owners questioned said they approve of the way President Donald Trump is handling his job — the highest mark of his presidency .
The survey , conducted by CNBC and SurveyMonkey , found that 47 % of the 2,100 entrepreneurs surveyed said they `` strongly approve '' of how Trump is handling the job — also a new high for Trump .
That figure had reportedly not cracked 40 % since responses began being collected on a quarterly basis in 2017 .
`` This is a high watermark for President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small business owners in our survey and among the general public , '' said Laura Wronski , a senior research scientist at SurveyMonkey .
Wronski did go on to temper the results , however , noting that small business owners have always been a consistent source of support for the president .
`` Part of this is just partisanship , '' she said .
`` One key way in which small business owners differ from everyone else is that they are more likely to be Republicans than Democrats by a pretty wide margin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducted Feb. 3-10 , came at a pivotal time for the president .
That same week he delivered his third State of the Union Address , received an acquittal on impeachment charges , and gained a political edge as the Democratic Party underwent its Iowa caucus debacle .
TheBlaze reported at the time how very good that week was for the president , a week in which the president also received a better-than-expected January jobs report and notched his highest ever Gallup approval rating .

In a recent survey, 64% of small business owners questioned said they approve of the way President Donald Trump is handling his job — the highest mark of his presidency.
The survey, conducted by CNBC and SurveyMonkey, found that 47% of the 2,100 entrepreneurs surveyed said they "strongly approve" of how Trump is handling the job — also a new high for Trump. That figure had reportedly not cracked 40% since responses began being collected on a quarterly basis in 2017.
"This is a high watermark for President Trump's job approval, both among small business owners in our survey and among the general public," said Laura Wronski, a senior research scientist at SurveyMonkey.
Wronski did go on to temper the results, however, noting that small business owners have always been a consistent source of support for the president.
"Part of this is just partisanship," she said. "One key way in which small business owners differ from everyone else is that they are more likely to be Republicans than Democrats by a pretty wide margin."
The survey, which was conducted Feb. 3-10, came at a pivotal time for the president. That same week he delivered his third State of the Union Address, received an acquittal on impeachment charges, and gained a political edge as the Democratic Party underwent its Iowa caucus debacle.
TheBlaze reported at the time how very good that week was for the president, a week in which the president also received a better-than-expected January jobs report and notched his highest ever Gallup approval rating.


theblaze--2020-02-21--Florida legislature passes law to require parental consent for minors' abortions

Governor expected to sign the bill , which would go into effect July 1

A measure that would require girls under the age of 18 to get parental consent before having an abortion is headed to the desk of Florida's Republican governor, Ron Desantis, after passage in both chambers of the state legislature.
The state's House of Representatives passed the bill on Thursday by a vote of 75-43, mostly along party lines, according to a report at the Associated Press. The Senate passed it by a vote of 23-17 earlier this month.
As the Tampa Bay Times explained, while Florida law currently requires parents be notified if their child receives an abortion, the recently passed measure requires parental consent for the procedure as well.
"What we are talking about is a child, and here [we] are talking about a child who is carrying a child," Republican bill sponsor Rep. Erin Grall said, according to the AP. "By including parents in this decision we empower the family. It is the critical backbone of our civilized society."
Other supporters of the measure have pointed out that parental consent is required for minor-aged children to do other things, and therefore should be to get an abortion.
"In the Sunshine State, a young girl needs a parent or guardian's approval before she gets a tattoo, but she can undergo an invasive, often dangerous procedure without any input from mom or dad," Susan B. Anthony List state policy director Sue Liebel said in a statement praising the bill's house passage. "Parents ought to have the right to protect and support their young daughters."
"Children can't go to a movie without a parent, can't receive medications in school without parental consent, so it is consistent," GOP House Speaker Jose Oliva said of the measure, according to the Center Square.
However, opponents just see the legislation as yet another effort to erode abortion rights.
"Certain lawmakers insist on claiming that this bill is about protecting minors and ensuring parental involvement or guidance — but that is not the reality," a statement from ACLU of Florida Legislative Director Kara Gross said. "It is about politicians creating a system where minors will be forced to have children against their will, placed in harm's way and stripped of their constitutionally protected right to end an unintended pregnancy."
DeSantis is expected to sign the bill, which would go into effect July 1. He asked lawmakers to send it to his desk last month during his State of the State address.
The big question is what will happen if and when the legislation gets taken to court, since the Florida Supreme Court struck down a parental consent requirement in 1989. Desantis said Thursday that he welcomes a review of the law by the current court, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. Three of the seven members of the current Florida Supreme Court have been appointed by DeSantis.
Twenty-six other states currently require parental consent for a minor to get an abortion.


theblaze--2020-02-21--Tim Allen on 'Last Man Standing' calls out Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren while launching into hum

Tim Allen on 'Last Man Standing' calls out Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren while launching into humorous defense of capitalism

Tim Allen on 'Last Man Standing ' calls out Bernie Sanders , Elizabeth Warren while launching into humorous defense of @ @ @ @ @ Elizabeth tell the folks capitalists are coldhearted , money-grubbing vultures .
When you put it @ @ @ @ @ it sound like a bad thing ! '

Tim Allen's "Last Man Standing" character Mike Baxter is trying to teach exchange student Jen (Krista Marie Yu) about capitalism in Thursday episode, as she looks into the best way to earn money for her geology club's bake sale, NewsBusters reported.
'We're also human beings with a conscience'
At the end of the show, Baxter on his vlog actually calls out Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren — both staunch anti-capitalists, with Sanders an admitted democratic socialist — while defending capitalism and extolling the compassion of its adherents:
"Hey, Mike Baxter here for Outdoor Man to talk about one of my favorite passions. No, no, no, not guttin' a deer while listening to the Lovin' Spoonful. I'm talkin' about capitalism. Now, old Bernie and young Elizabeth tell the folks capitalists are coldhearted, money-grubbing vultures. When you put it that way, you make it sound like a bad thing. But we're also human beings with a conscience. Conscience. You remember those?"
Later, he reminds viewers that "evolved' capitalists should listen to their consciences "every once in a while," as that's the best way to do business and continue capitalism's "recipe for economic success":
."..I mean, sure, paying your workers with baseball cards and bubble gum would increase profits, but it's wrong! Listen, a good boss should know how to make a buck and still be a human being. You see, capitalism, it's just a recipe for economic success, and it doesn't taste quite right until you sprinkle in a little morality. That's why, here at Outdoor Man, we provide benefits for our part-timers, paid medical leave, and all-you-can-eat chili at the Annual Meat Summit. Which sadly leads to a lot of paid medical leave. Happy employees make good employees, and that's good business. Baxter out."
Check it out:


theblaze--2020-02-21--John Krasinski shuts down critics who complain his roles celebrate military: ‘I’ll always respect pe

John Krasinski shuts down critics who complain his roles celebrate military: ‘I’ll always respect people who put their lives on the line’

John Krasinski shuts down critics who complain his roles celebrate military : ‘ I ’ ll always respect people who @ @ @ @ @ line ’ Why would someone ever complain ?

Actor John Krasinski hit out at criticism of his portrayal of military personnel, insisting that he has nothing but respect for men and women who serve in the U.S. military.
Forty-year-old Krasinski, who is well-known for his roles in "The Office" and the hit Amazon Prime series, "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan," also said that criticism over his military-style roles is unfounded.
What are the details?
In 2018, Krasinski also faced blowback for lauding the Central Intelligence Agency and meeting members of the agency during a series premiere of "Jack Ryan."
"I completely nerded out when I went to see [CIA agents]," he admitted at the time. "[T]hey were the most unbelievably diverse, intelligent, giving and generous group and we are so lucky to have them."
He added, "I met incredibly dedicated people and very honorable people and people who are putting their lives [on] the line in a whole different way. And, if chosen to do that selfishly — I don't know, there's nothing more heroic than that for me."
He told Esquire that he has nothing but respect for those in the military — including members of his own family.
"When people look for something that they want to see, I can't stop them from a subjective belief in something," he reasoned. "I have 11 aunts and uncles and cousins who have been in the military or still are in the military. So it was a big thing on my list to get to do a military movie or show or something."
What else?
The longtime actor, who was also featured in "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi," added, "If you start breaking down every single CIA event, do I respect and honor all those? Of course not. Of course not. Do you respect and honor every facet of every single president? Of course not."
He added, "As far as Jack Ryan and the CIA, I always say it's about the people. I'll always respect people who put their lives on the line for people like me, who they've never met."


theblaze--2020-02-21--Conflict of interest? New report reveals NBC's Chuck Todd was Democrat Amy Klobuchar's landlord

Conflict of interest ?
New report reveals NBC 's Chuck Todd was Democrat Amy Klobuchar 's landlord The financial relationship @ @ @ @

NBC's Chuck Todd helped moderate Wednesday night's debate despite having once had a financial relationship with one of the Democratic candidates on stage. According to the New York Post's Page Six, Todd was once Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar's landlord in Virginia.
According to the Post's report, Klobuchar and her husband, attorney John Bessler, once rented a three-bedroom home from Todd in Arlington, an affluent city located near Washington, D.C.
A source told the Post that although the couple began renting the house from Todd in 2008, they no longer live at the residence, and it is unclear when they moved out.
'$3,200/month'
A 2008 report by the Star Tribune said that Klobuchar and her husband rented the house for "$3,200/month, plus utilities." The Star Tribune noted that, "Before moving in May to provide more room for 'visiting grandparents,' Klobuchar and her family rented a two-bedroom apartment in northern Virginia for $2,800 a month."
At a rate of $3,200 per month, it means that, presumably, Klobuchar and Bessler paid Todd up to $38,400 per year.
The article also stated that the couple kept their home in Minnesota, but that she would commute to Washington on weekdays for work. According to online listings of the home, it has 3.5 bathrooms and is approximately 3,000 square feet. It is unclear if Todd still owns the house.
'Not disclosed publicly'
Although D.C. insiders were aware that Klobuchar was Todd's tenant — including while appearing on his various television shows — a source told the Post that their financial relationship had not been publicly disclosed.
The Post contacted NBC and Klobuchar for comment, but neither have responded to media inquiries.


theblaze--2020-02-21--'Walker, Texas Ranger' gets woke reboot, to star 'gay, conservative' character

Fans of the original may be less than thrilled

Beloved CBS show "Walker, Texas Ranger" is set for a reboot, but some fans may be less than thrilled to hear that the show is also slated to undergo a couple of woke changes.
For instance, Sgt. Cordell Walker's new partner will be a woman and his younger brother will be gay.
According to Variety, the new CW show will simply be called "Walker" and will showcase stars Jared Padalecki, Lindsey Morgan, and Keegan Allen. Padalecki, from the CW's "Supernatural," will play the lead as a widower and father with his own moral code who returns to Austin to find out there is hard work to be done in his hometown.
"He'll attempt to reconnect with his children, navigate clashes with his family, and find unexpected common ground with his new partner (Morgan) — one of the first women in Texas Rangers' history," Variety reported.
Keegan Allen, who played Toby Cavanaugh in "Pretty Little Liars," is cast to play Liam Walker, Cordell's younger brother. Here's his character description, per Variety:
Described as smart, slightly smug, but with a strong moral compass, Liam is Walker's younger gay and conservative brother who has been recently promoted to assistant DA. Liam and Walker are close, but Liam gives his brother no shortage of tough love. Liam has always stayed close to home, often sacrificing his personal life in favor of his family duties. In Walker's absence, he stepped up to take Walker's kids under his wing. Liam's close relationship with Walker's son and daughter makes Walker slightly jealous.
"Knowing the CW, now that Walker is back, Liam will have plenty of opportunity to explore his gay personal life for audiences to watch," Newsbusters said in its coverage of the story. "It will also be very interesting to see how the CW interprets the conservative side of his character," the report added.
Newsbusters described the original series that aired eight seasons from 1993-2001 and starred actor Chuck Norris as "a wholesome, moral show about good vs. evil and roundhouse kicks." But now, in a new era of television entertainment, fans should not expect the same themes to be portrayed.


theblaze--2020-02-21--Appeals court rules against Mississippi heartbeat abortion ban

Will the Supreme Court address this ?

Citing Supreme Court precedent, a federal appeals court has ruled against a Mississippi pro-life law that would outlaw abortion when an unborn child's heartbeat is detected.
Thursday's ruling comes from a unanimous panel of three federal judges on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, who also cited the appeals court's recent December ruling against a 15-week abortion ban the state passed in 2018 on the grounds that such a ban would take place before the unborn child is viable outside the womb.
The decision hinges on previous Supreme Court decision precedent that uses the viability of an unborn child outside the womb as a standard for whether or not abortion laws meet constitutional muster. While the point of viability has generally been considered to be around the point of 24 weeks, other babies have been born earlier and survived.
While the parties in the case may disagree about when an unborn child's heartbeat begins during a pregnancy, "all agree that cardiac activity can be detected well before the fetus is viable," the ruling contends. Fetal heartbeats are usually detectable around the sixth week of a pregnancy.
"That dooms the law," the ruling explains. "If a ban on abortion after 15 weeks is unconstitutional, then it follows that a ban on abortion at an earlier stage of pregnancy is also unconstitutional."
Following the law's passage and signature, the Center for Reproductive Rights, which brought the case on behalf of the Jackson Women's Health Organization — the state's only abortion clinic — in March. A district court judge blocked the law from going into effect in May, a decision which the Thursday ruling upheld.
The pro-abortion organization celebrated the panel's decision.
"This is now the second time in two months the Fifth Circuit has told Mississippi that it cannot ban abortion," Center for Reproductive Rights senior staff attorney Hillary Schneller said in a statement. "Despite the relentless attempts of Mississippi and other states, the right to legal abortion remains the law of the land."
"A ban at six weeks of pregnancy means many of our patients would lose their right to have an abortion before they even know they're pregnant," said Jackson Women's Health Organization said of the decision. "Most of our patients are past that point."
Mississippi's was just one of several state-level abortion bans to be signed into law last year and subsequently halted by a federal court. Others include Alabama's ban on nearly all abortions, Georgia's heartbeat law, Kentucky's heartbeat law, Ohio's heartbeat law, and Missouri's eight-week ban. Many pro-lifers hope that the numerous legal fights about such measures will eventually lead the Supreme Court to reconsider its past abortion rulings, such as Roe v. Wade.


theblaze--2020-02-21--Coronavirus-infected Americans flew home with healthy passengers — even though the CDC warned agains

Coronavirus-infected Americans flew home with healthy passengers — even though the CDC warned against it

American passengers with coronavirus who had been evacuated from the quarantined cruise ship off the coast of Japan were flown home on a plane with healthy passengers, against the warnings of the Centers for Disease Control, according to the Washington Post.
Fourteen American passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship — which has seen more than 600 passengers test positive for coronavirus — boarded planes back to the U.S. with unsuspecting non-infected passengers, reportedly at the urging of the U.S. Department of State. From the Post:
In Washington, where it was still Sunday afternoon, a fierce debate broke out: The State Department and a top Trump administration health official wanted to forge ahead. The infected passengers had no symptoms and could be segregated on the plane in a plastic-lined enclosure. But officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disagreed, contending they could still spread the virus. The CDC believed the 14 should not be flown back with uninfected passengers.
"It was like the worst nightmare," said a senior U.S. official involved in the decision, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. "Quite frankly, the alternative could have been pulling grandma out in the pouring rain, and that would have been bad, too."
The CDC was reportedly so displeased with the State Department decision to put the coronavirus-positive patients on the plane that it refused to be included in the news release announcing the decision.
Passengers on the planes taking the Americans back to California or Texas weren't told they were flying with people who had coronavirus, and some of them weren't happy.
"We were upset that people were knowingly put on the plane who were positive," passenger Vana Mendizabal told the Post. "I think those people should not have been allowed on the plane. They should have been transferred to medical facilities in Japan. We feel we were re-exposed. We were very upset about that."
Of the 3,700 passengers on the Diamond Princess ship, more than 600 got coronavirus after "chaotic" and "inadequate" quarantine procedures failed to stop the spread. Two elderly Japanese passengers died within a week of being evacuated from the ship.


theblaze--2020-02-21--Maryland college discovers racist graffiti. So they do the reasonable thing ... and cancel classes.

Maryland college discovers racist graffiti .
So they do the reasonable thing ... and cancel classes .

Officials at Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland, canceled classes Thursday after discovering "racist" graffiti in academic buildings a day before.
What are the details?
An Associated Press report on Friday revealed that the graffiti threatened black students with lynching and more.
Salisbury University President Charles A. Wight announced that classes would be canceled because of the incident in order to afford students the "opportunity to come together to process" the incident. The school announced the availability of support services such as the school's counseling center and the presence of therapy dogs.
Wight issued a statement condemning the act.
He wrote, "I was disheartened to learn today of another instance of racially charged and threatening graffiti on campus, this time in Henson Science Hall. The Salisbury University Police Department has launched an investigation into this new and distressing incident.
"As you have so emphatically demonstrated in recent months, hate and discrimination will not be tolerated on this campus," the statement continued. "I stand with you as we continue to navigate these difficult and unfortunate times."
Wight also proclaimed Thursday a "Day of Healing."
According to the Daily Times, the school's NAACP chapter said the graffiti depicted lynchings during Black History Month.
"Both the NAACP and Black Student Union say the vandalism had already been painted over," the outlet reported.
In November, the report added, the Salisbury Police Department responded to a call to investigate more racially charged graffiti as well as remarks about the 2012 mass killing at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
www.youtube.com
What else?
Authorities have not determined who committed the vandalism, and it should be pointed out that some past incidents of racist graffiti have been hoaxes.
In 2018, authorities charged a black student with writing racist graffiti at a dorm on the campus of Goucher College in Baltimore. The graffiti in question included a swastika and a reference to the Ku Klux Klan with the last names of four black students, including his own.
In 2017, a similar incident occurred when a nonwhite student scrawled "White lives matter" and the N-word at a high school in Missouri.
The same year, authorities charged a black man with similar crimes at Eastern Michigan University.
The list goes on.


theblaze--2020-02-21--Minneapolis to pay family $795,000 over relative fatally shot by police — after he allegedly grabbed

Minneapolis to pay family $795,000 over relative fatally shot by police — after he allegedly grabbed cop's gun, shot two officers. Police union is outraged.

Minneapolis to pay family $ 795,000 over relative fatally shot by police — after he allegedly grabbed cop 's gun @ @ @ @ @ Police union is outraged .
'It seems instead of punishing violent offenders , the City @ @ @ @ @ of rewarding violent offenders . '

Minneapolis City Council approved a $795,000 settlement last Friday for the family of Terrance Franklin who was fatally shot by police in 2013 — after he allegedly grabbed a cop's gun and shot two officers, KMSP-TV reported.
What's the background?
Minneapolis police said they wanted to question the 22-year-old in connection with a burglary case, and he broke into a home, hid in the corner of a basement, refused to surrender, and struggled with officers, MPR News reported.
Police said five officers — Ricardo Muro, Andy Stender, Mark Durand, Lucas Peterson, and Michael Meath — were in the basement with Franklin, KMSP said, and that Franklin grabbed one of their guns and shot Muro and Meath. Officers Peterson and Meath shot and killed Franklin, KMSP said. Franklin was shot eight times, MPR News said.
"Terrance Franklin had numerous opportunities to surrender," then-Minneapolis Chief of Police Janee Harteau said after a grand jury cleared officers of wrongdoing, MPR News added. "But it was clear in his actions that from the beginning he had made the decision not to get caught at any cost."
Investigators said they found Franklin's DNA on an officer's gun, MPR News said, adding that police didn't conduct a gunshot residue test on Franklin.
But Mike Padden, the Franklin family attorney, told MPR News a gunshot residue test was the only way to prove Franklin fired the gun — and he argued that Franklin never fired.
Image source: KMSP-TV video screenshot
"If you want people to buy this story, don't you think they would do a competent GSR test?" Padden asked MPR News. "That's law enforcement investigation 101."
What were the details of the lawsuit?
The Franklin family's wrongful death lawsuit, filed in federal court in 2014, alleged that Franklin didn't grab an officer's weapon and wound two cops, KMSP reported. The family alleged that Franklin was too light — 173 pounds, not 196 pounds as reported by police — to fight off the cops and grab one of their guns.
"This was absolutely not a situation where he was somebody in flight who just committed a crime," Padden told KMSP.
The suit also alleged that Franklin was shot while trying to surrender, KMSP said, and demanded no less than $2 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
What did the city council president have to say?
City Council President Lisa Bender told KMSP it will be the last settlement of its kind since cops are now wearing body cameras — unlike when the Franklin shooting took place nearly seven years ago.
Image source: KMSP-TV video screenshot
Bender also said that the police department also has gone through numerous changes since then, including "new use of force policies, deescalation procedures," and training police in "racial implicit bias."
What did the police union have to say?
Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, the union for Minneapolis police, said it was "with complete and utter disappointment" to hear of the settlement and noted that it's "outraged to say the least" by the "slap in the face of justice," KMSP said.
"This incident changed lives for many," the union said in a statement, the station noted, including the owner of the house that was burglarized, the owner of the car that was stolen, and the two officers "who were shot and significantly injured by Terrance Franklin, while attempting to stop him on his felonious crime spree."
The statement added that the settlement "shows the lack of support and compassion the City Council has regarding crime in this great city," KMSP said, adding that "it seems instead of punishing violent offenders, the City Council is in the business of rewarding violent offenders. This payment only assists with promoting and perpetuating violent acts toward the citizens and visitors of this great city and violence toward Police Officers."
(H/T: Blue Lives Matter)


theblaze--2020-02-21--Warren says the Green New Deal doesn’t go ‘far enough’

Warren says the Green New Deal doesn ’ t go ‘ far enough ’ She says she also has a @ @ @ @

The Green New Deal seeks to radically transform American life in the pursuit of protecting the environment while promising to cost taxpayers a considerable amount of money, but Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) says it doesn't go "far enough."
At a CNN town hall event on Thursday night, an audience member asked Warren whether or not she agreed with a ban on the export of U.S. oil as part of her environmental platform.
Warren said that she had not "thought about it in terms of that specific part" but "what I want to do is see us get off an oil economy, and not only for ourselves, but for the rest of the world; I want to see us move entirely to green."
She went on to say, "I not only support a Green New Deal — I don't think it goes far enough — I also have a blue new deal because we've got to be thinking about our oceans as well that we need to protect."
Introduced by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) last February, the "Green New Deal" was a radical policy proposal meant to save the environment through massive changes to the American economy, infrastructure, and transportation methods.
In addition to its proposal to "upgrade or replace every building in U.S. for state-of-the-art energy efficiency," the resolution also drew criticism and mockery for an initial supporting document that said, "We set a goal to get to net-zero, rather than zero emissions, in 10 years because we aren't sure that we'll be able to fully get rid of farting cows and airplanes that fast."
And it goes without saying that such radical, sweeping changes would be expensive by any measure. While Ocasio-Cortez has said that the plan would cost at least $10 trillion, a study done by the American Action Forum has put the possible total price tag as high as $93 trillion. Additionally, a study published by the Competitive Enterprise Institute in June found that households in five model states could see costs increase by over $70,000 in the first year of such a plan's implementation.
But to go further, Warren rolled out her "Blue New Deal" in December which deals with environmental issues affecting the ocean. Among its several proposals, the plan calls for an end to offshore drilling, investments in offshore wind farms, and new regulations for the fishing industry.
But despite her stated goal of protecting the environment, Warren's climate change credentials came into question earlier this month when video appeared to show her trying to hide behind a staffer after disembarking from a private plane.


theblaze--2020-02-22--Roger Stone files motion to disqualify judge over her statements at his sentencing

Roger Stone files motion to disqualify judge over her statements at his sentencing Stone 's attorneys argue he deserves a @ @ @ @ @ judge has shown bias against him

Attorneys for Roger Stone filed a motion Friday for the judge in his case to recuse herself from hearing his upcoming argument for a new trial, saying her statements praising the jury during his sentencing hearing should be disqualifying.
What are the details?
Reuters reported that Stone's attorneys argued Judge Amy Berman-Jackson "must be disqualified from hearing his new-trial motion because she praised the jurors in his trial for serving with integrity."
Berman-Jackson said during Stone's sentencing of more than three years of incarceration:
The dismay and disgust at the attempts by others to defend [Stone's] actions as just business as usual in our polarized climate should transcend party. The dismay and the disgust with any attempts to interfere with the efforts of prosecutors and members of the judiciary to fulfill their duty should transcend party. Sure, the defense is free to say, 'So what? Who cares?'
But I'll say this: Congress cared. The United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia that prosecuted the case and is still prosecuting the case cared. The jurors who served with integrity under difficult circumstances cared. The American people care. And I care.
Stone is currently seeking a new trial after it was revealed that the lead juror in the trial against him made social media posts criticizing President Trump and celebrating Stone's conviction. That juror, Tomeka Hart, was also a former pollical candidate with a history of activism for the Democratic Party.
Because Judge Berman-Jackson praised the jury, Stone's attorneys argue, it is reasonable to question her impartiality in hearing his case for a new trial based on the apparent bias within the jury that convicted him.
A reporter from Courhouse News noted that the court documents calls Berman-Jackson's "blessing" of the jury's integrity "premature."


theblaze--2020-02-22--Couple runs two teens on bikes off the road over their pro-Trump flags — police catch them from Snap

Couple runs two teens on bikes off the road over their pro-Trump flags — police catch them from Snapchat vids they posted

Couple runs two teens on bikes off the road over their pro-Trump flags — police catch them from Snapchat vids @ @ @ @ @ move on their part

Police say that a couple ran two teens on bikes off the road over their pro-Trump flags, and they were caught after posting videos of the altercation on social media site Snapchat.
The incident allegedly occurred in July in Hobart, Indiana.
Hobart police say that a woman and a man drove up to two teenage boys who were riding their bikes and asked if they supported President Donald Trump.
When they answered yes, the couple swerved to drive them off the road.
They told police that the male exited his vehicle in order to rip one of the flags from their bike. He then tossed it on the ground and ran over it with his vehicle.
A police affidavit says they threatened the boys, saying, "Don't let me see you downtown."
Hobart police say in the affidavit that they were able to identify the suspects from video posts to Snapchat from the incident.
They describe the pair of videos that allegedly show the suspects threatening the teens.
Police say one video shows the female say "Ya'll scared, just like your president!" to the teens, and follow up with, "America is not great!"
Police have charged 23-year-old Kyren Gregory Perry-Jones and 18-year-old Cailyn Marie Smith with felony counts of intimidation and criminal recklessness. They also were charged with misdemeanor counts of theft and criminal mischief.
Smith was in police custody on Friday, but they were still seeking Perry-Jones.


theblaze--2020-02-22--FBI arrests hacker who interfered with CA election — and he is directly linked to ex-Rep. Katie Hill

FBI arrests hacker who interfered with CA election — and he is directly linked to ex-Rep. Katie Hill's campaign

FBI arrests hacker who interfered with CA election — and he is directly linked to ex-Rep. Katie Hill 's campaign @ @ @ @ @ Hill 's primary opponents

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested a man for allegedly hacking the campaign website of one of former Rep. Katie Hill's (D-Calif.) rivals in the 2018 primary. The criminal complaint links the accused, Arthur Dam, directly to Hill's campaign, which also employed his wife as a fundraiser.
What are the details?
The Intercept first reported on Dam's arrest, noting that "during the campaign, the websites of Hill's opponents, Democrats Jess Phoenix and Bryan Caforio...were both attacked, though Hill's never was, raising suspicions at the time that Hill's campaign was behind them."
The outlet pointed to Dam's $500 in-kind donation to Hill's campaign for "graphic design and website security consultation." Dam's wife, Kelsey O'Hara, served as Hill's fundraiser during the campaign and was hired as former congresswoman's district director after she took office.
According to the feds, "Dam was found to be connected to the cyber attacks through subscriber information, IP addresses, geolocation history, and open sources, including through his employer and his wife, K.O., who worked for one of the Victim's opponents."
The focus of the investigation was on the damage done to Caforio, who is cited as the victim. Caforio's website was shut down four times, with the most damaging occurring just an hour ahead of the most critical primary debate.
The complaint filed Wednesday further states, "The victim suffered various harms, including a reduction in political donations and campaign visibility, and between approximately $27,000 and $30,000 in expenditures and lost time to respond to, investigate, and mitigate attacks."
Hill went on to win the primary by under 3,000 votes. She ultimately won the general election, but resigned months after taking office following a leak of nude photos and amid allegations that she had a sexual relationship with one of her congressional aides.
The former representative denied that allegation, but admitted to having an "inappropriate" relationship with a female campaign staffer. She later blamed her resignation on right-wing media and "rampant biphobia."
"I'm absolutely shocked and saddened to learn today that Katie Hill's campaign associates hacked my campaign in order to help her advance through the primary, "Caforio told The Intercept. "This should serve as a reminder that Russia is not the only threat to our democracy. There are bad actors on all sides who will do anything for their own personal gain, and we need to come together as Americans to defend our country and hold everyone responsible accountable."
As of this writing, Ms. Hill had not responded to The Intercept's nor The Hill's requests for comment on Dam's arrest.


theblaze--2020-02-22--WATCH: Anderson Cooper calls 'bullsh*t' on Rod Blagojevich during fiery interview

`` ... you 're creating a whole new alternate universe of facts ... ''

CNN's Anderson Cooper excoriated Rod Blagojevich, the disgraced former governor of Illinois who had his sentence commuted by President Donald Trump, in a contentious interview on Friday.
Blagojevich defended his statements that he was wrongly convicted, but Cooper dismantled him and ultimately proclaimed his excuses to be "bullsh*t."
"What's sad is that you actually hadn't learned that when you mattered, when you actually were the governor, you talk about working for criminal justice reform, there's a lot of people in Chicago, there's a lot of people in Illinois, who actually like spit up when you say that," said Cooper.
"Because when you were actually in power, and when you were actually governor, and you could have helped thousands of people with clemency cases, you blew it off!" he added, pointing out that he was sued for not even reviewing clemency requests during his tenure as governor.
"So it's a little ironic, and frankly a little sad and pathetic and hypocritical, you talking about commuting," continued Cooper. "But you ignored a whole hell of a lot of other people who were hoping you might give them clemency, when you actually mattered."
Blagojevich responded that he didn't know how corrupt the criminal system was until he was convicted, and then tried to make excuses about why he didn't review those clemency requests.
"You do have an obligation to at least admit what you did wrong, and you refuse to do that, and you're creating a whole new alternate universe of facts," Cooper exclaimed.
"And that may be big in politics today but it's still frankly just bullsh*t," he concluded.
Cooper also rejected outright Blagojevich's suggestion that they work on criminal justice reform together.
"I'd be happy to work with people on criminal justice reform, but I wouldn't work with you!" said Cooper.
Critics of the president were incensed that he used his clemency power to help a friend of his who had appeared on "The Apprentice."
Here's the fiery Blagojevich interview:


theblaze--2020-02-22--Greyhound says Border Patrol may no longer search for illegal immigrants on buses without a warrant

Greyhound says Border Patrol may no longer search for illegal immigrants on buses without a warrant The company is pushing @ @ @ @ @ riders are asked about their citizenship status

Bus giant Greyhound announced Friday that the company will no longer allow Border Patrol agents in search of illegal immigrants to board its buses without a warrant, in a move being hailed by civil rights advocates.
What are the details?
The Associated Press reported Greyhound wrote in an emailed statement that "it would notify the Department of Homeland Security that it does not consent to unwarranted searches on its buses or in areas of terminals that are not open to the public."
The emailed stated, "Our primary concern is the safety of our customers and team members, and we are confident these changes will lead to an improved experience for all parties involved."
Greyhound's new policy comes one week after the AP noted in a separate exclusive report that an internal memo from U.S. Customs and Border Protection dated Jan. 28 notified agents that boarding buses and questioning passengers without the consent of the company is a violation of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution.
The report further noted that "Greyhound has faced pressure from the American Civil Liberties Union, immigrant rights activists and Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson to stop allowing sweeps on buses within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of an international border or coastline."
In June 2018, Greyhound stating on a company blog post, "While we are required to comply with the law by allowing Border Patrol agents to board our buses when they ask to do so, we do not support or coordinate these searches, nor are we happy about them." It concluded, "Our drivers face arrest and fines for obstructing these agents, and we would not want to put their safety, or the safety of our passengers at risk by attempting to physically stop a federal agent from boarding."
Both the ACLU and Ferguson took victory laps upon hearing of Greyhound's policy change.
Andrea Flores, deputy director of policy for the ACLU's Equality Division told the AP via email, "We are pleased to see Greyhound clearly communicate that it does not consent to racial profiling and harassment on its buses. By protecting its customers and employees, Greyhound is sending a message that it prioritizes the communities it serves."
Ferguson's office released his statement on Twitter, which read, "Today's announcement from Greyhound confirms what should have been obvious to the company since I contacted them a year ago — it has both the power and the responsibility to stand up for its customers, who suffered for far too long from Greyhound's indifference to CBP's suspicionless bus raids and harassment."
"It's unfortunate it took a leaked memo and the threat of a lawsuit by my office before Greyhound acted," Ferguson continued. "That said, we're not just going to take Greyhound's word. We'll be following up with Greyhound to ensure compliance."
As of this writing, CBP had not yet issued a public statement in reaction to Greyhound's announcement. The AP noted that in the past "Border Patrol has insisted that it does not profile passengers based on their appearance, but instead asks all passengers whether they are citizens or in the country legally. The agency says the bus checks are an important way to ferret out human trafficking, narcotics and illegal immigration."


theblaze--2020-02-22--Bloomberg to release three women from their NDAs after devastating attack at Democratic debate

The campaign for New York billionaire Mike Bloomberg said that he would release three women from their non-disclosure agreements after he was hit hard during the Democratic debate about them.
"Bloomberg LP has identified 3 NDAs signed over the past 30+ years with women to address complaints about comments they said I had made," Bloomberg tweeted from his official account on Friday.
"If any of them want to be released from their NDAs, they should contact the company and they'll be given a release," he added.
Bloomberg appeared stunned when Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) challenged him on the NDAs during the Democratic debate in Las Vegas, Nevada. The exchange was widely seen as one of the more damaging interactions to the billionaire's campaign.
"A billionaire who calls women 'fat broads' and 'horse-faced lesbians!' And no, I'm not talking about Donald Trump, I'm talking about Mayor Bloomberg!" she said at the opening of the debate.
Warren also criticized the decision to release the NDAs in a statement released immediately after the announcement on Friday.
"That's just not good enough," the statement read. "Michael Bloomberg needs to do a blanket release so that all women who have been muzzled by the NDAs can step up and tell their side of the story in terms of what Michael Bloomberg has done."
A spokesman for Bloomberg fired back on CNN.
"We'll continue to do as much as we can around this," said Bloomberg senior advisor Tim O'Brien, who went on to criticize Warren on her claims of Native American heritage.
Here's more about the NDAs:


theblaze--2020-02-22--Bishop Patrick Wooden Sr. calls out 'woke' African Americans for supporting Planned Parenthood

On Friday 's episode of `` Pat Gray Unleashed , '' Pat discussed how Democrats had been duping the black @ @ @ @ @ decades ?
According to Bishop Bishop Patrick Wooden Sr. , the African American community can @ @ @ @ @ if they support Planned Parenthood .
Watch the video below to hear the most amazing @ @ @ @ @ Use code PAT to save $ 10 off one year of BlazeTV .
Want more @ @ @ @ @ enjoy more of Pat 's biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense @ @ @ @ @ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America , defend @ @ @ @ @ American dream .

On Friday's episode of "Pat Gray Unleashed," Pat discussed how Democrats had been duping the black community for the past six decades? According to Bishop Bishop Patrick Wooden Sr., the African American community cannot be "woke" if they support Planned Parenthood.
Watch the video below to hear the most amazing sermon of all time.
Use code PAT to save $10 off one year of BlazeTV.
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 multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


theblaze--2020-02-21--MSNBC contributor calls out 'racist liberal whites' who support Bernie Sanders, and the campaign jus

MSNBC contributor calls out 'racist liberal whites' who support Bernie Sanders, and the campaign just responded

MSNBC contributor calls out 'racist liberal whites ' who support Bernie Sanders , and the campaign just responded '' I @ @ @ @ @ people from the island of misfit black girls you throw out ... ''

An MSNBC contributor and editor of "The Root" called out "racist white boys" who support Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and his campaign fired back on social media.
Johnson was explaining his MSNBC debate with Nina Turner, a Sanders campaign official, about whether it is political useful to criticize candidate Mike Bloomberg by calling him an "oligarch," when he made the comments.
"A large number of bargain basement pathetic doubly intensely ignorant bigoted white boys who masquerade as liberals who find themselves consistently in support of Bernie Sanders online have decided that they want to make this part of their meme," Johnson said.
"I do find it fascinating that racist, liberal whites seem to love them some Bernie Sanders consistently," he added. "And always have a problem with any person of color who doesn't want to follow with the orthodoxy of their lord and savior Bernie Sanders."
Johnson went on to explain several moments from the Sanders campaign where he felt they thumbed their nose at black journalists and other African-Americans.
"He cares nothing for intersectionality. I don't care how many people from the island of misfit black girls you throw out there to defend you on a regular basis, it doesn't mean that your campaign is serious!"
The hosts appeared aghast at his comments, and jokingly chided him, saying that he had gone too far.
"I don't care!" he responded. "I don't care."
Briahna Joy Gray, the national press secretary for the Sanders campaign, responded to an edited clip of the exchange and accused Johnson of "open racism and sexism" in a tweet.
"I hope we can have political disputes without engaging in open racism and sexism," she tweeted. "This misogynoir is disappointing, but not surprising from @DrJasonJohnson. I hope we can all encourage each other to be better."
Sanders is considered the frontrunner of the Democratic primary campaign after the results in the Iowa and New Hampshire contests.
Here's the video of Johnson's statements:


theblaze--2020-02-22--Justice Sonia Sotomayor lashes out at conservative justices, accuses them of pro-Trump bias

Justice Sonia Sotomayor lashes out at conservative justices , accuses them of pro-Trump bias ' ... putting a thumb on @ @ @ @ @ the party that won a stay '

In a scathing opinion written on Friday, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor accused her fellow justices of doing President Donald Trump's bidding.
Sotomayor's stinging opinion followed a 5-4 vote down ideological lines in which the high court's conservative justices granted the Trump administration an emergency stay allowing it to continue enforcing its updated "public charge" rule.
Federal immigration law stipulates that immigrants should not receive permanent status if they could become a "public charge," which traditionally meant depending on cash assistance from the government. The Trump administration has updated the definition to include immigrants who might depend on non-cash assistance, such as food stamps.
Granting the stay amounts to "putting a thumb on the scale in favor of the party that won a stay," Sotomayor wrote of her conservative colleagues.
She also wrote:
Today's decision follows a now-familiar pattern. The Government seeks emergency relief from this Court, asking it to grant a stay where two lower courts have not. The Government insists—even though review in a court of appeals is imminent—that it will suffer irreparable harm if this Court does not grant a stay. And the Court yields.
...
Claiming one emergency after another, the Government has recently sought stays in an unprecedented number of cases, demanding immediate attention and consuming limited Court resources in each. And with each successive application, of course, its cries of urgency ring increasingly hollow.
The actions of court's conservative justices demonstrate preferential treatment for the Trump administration, Sotomayor went on to write.
"Perhaps most troublingly, the Court's recent behavior on stay applications has benefited one litigant over all others," she said. "I fear that this disparity in treatment erodes the fair and balanced decision making process that this Court must strive to protect."
Friday's decision will impact millions of immigrants.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, the Trump administration has requested emergency stays from the Supreme Court an unprecedented 24 times, 11 of which have been granted. By comparison, the Bush and Obama administrations filed a combined eight stay requests.


theblaze--2020-02-22--Chris Matthews: Dems may be better off with Trump re-elected than Sanders 'taking over' the party

Chris Matthews : Dems may be better off with Trump re-elected than Sanders 'taking over ' the party Moderates need @ @ @ @ @ Sanders

The thought of Vermont democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders taking over the Democratic Party is terrifying many party leaders and influencers to the point that MSNBC's Chris Matthews thinks some secretly want President Donald Trump to win re-election so they can rid themselves of the so-called "Bernie Bro" wing of the party.
Matthews raised the possibility that moderate Democrats may be better off with Trump winning re-election during a live discussion in Las Vegas before the Nevada caucus.
"I'm wondering whether the Democratic moderates want Bernie Sanders to be president," Matthews told panelists who were visibly surprised by the suggestion.
Matthews added that while moderate Democrats may dislike Trump, it may preferable for him to win re-election rather than Sanders and his supporters seizing control of the DNC.
"They don't like Trump at all, but do they want Bernie Sanders to take over the Democratic Party in perpetuity? He sets the direction of the future of the party. Maybe they rather wait four years and put in a Democrat they like," Matthews said.
Moderates need to stop 'pandering' to Sanders
As TheBlaze's Chris Enloe has reported, Matthews has been highly critical of Sanders and Democratic Party leaders who have enabled his rise. During an interview following Tuesday's Democratic debate, the "Hardball" host blasted the Democratic primary field for "pandering" to the democratic socialist and his supporters.
"They're just pandering to the Bernie people and you know what pandering gets you? Nothing," he said. "It certainly doesn't get you respect.
According to Matthews, moderate Democrats must take a harder stance against Sanders and his ideology.
"They've got to get out there and say, 'I disagree with socialism. I believe in the markets. I think he's wrong. I think he'll never get it done and this country will never go that direction and by the way we'll lose 49 states,'" he said.
Bernie Sanders is 'walking away with it...there has to be some alternative'
The MSNBC host also noted that despite Democratic Party leaders being uneasy with Sanders' candidacy, the Vermont senator is in the driver's seat to win the nomination.
"This is going to be very frustrating for pundits very frustrating for media consultants and everyone who's trying to figure this out logically, Bernie Sanders is walking away with it. There has to be some alternative, or...he's gonna walk away with it... all the way to Milwaukee," he said.


theblaze--2020-02-22--Nevada Democratic caucus kicks off with major issues, leading to fears of 'Iowa 2.0'

Nevada Democratic caucus kicks off with major issues , leading to fears of 'Iowa 2.0' ' ... a lot of @ @ @ @ @ did not show up '

Just weeks after the embarrassment of the Iowa caucuses, the Democratic Party is already facing substantial issues as the Nevada caucus kicked off Saturday.
According to Politico reporter Laura Barrón-López, numerous caucus sites across the state are short on volunteers.
"NSDP party officials are telling campaign representatives that there's a deficit of volunteers across the state, and so they are asking representatives of campaigns to act as precinct chairs, per multiple sources on ground," Barrón-López reported.
The Washington Examiner similarly reported that party officials were scrambling to cover the volunteer shortage.
Meanwhile, other caucus sites do not have registration lists or early ballots, the Examiner reported.
"Nevada Democratic Party officials are telling us and other campaigns that there's a deficit of volunteers across the state, and so they are asking representatives of campaigns to act as precinct chairs — which only underscores the poor preparations for these caucuses," an unnamed campaign representative told the Examiner.
In response, Nevada Democratic Party spokesperson Molly Forgey said the state party is quickly addressing volunteer shortages by recruiting and training new volunteers through the morning.
The Washington Post reported Friday that the Nevada Democratic Party was requiring volunteers to sign a non-disclosure agreement barring them from disparaging the party.
The NDA and "lack of training" caused at least one volunteer to quit, KNTV-TV reported.
Early entrance polls suggested that Sen. Bernie Sanders, the current frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, is leading in The Silver State.


theblaze--2020-02-22--Baltimore County AP history lesson compares President Trump to Nazism, communism

'The biggest problem is pushing an agenda on 16-year-olds '

One Baltimore-area high school is facing controversy over a lesson presentation that compared President Donald Trump's immigration policies to Nazism and communism.
The lesson slide in question shows a picture of Trump with the caption, "Wants to round up a group of people and build a giant wall." Underneath are two images, one of a swastika that says "been there," and another of a hammer-and-sickle that says "done that."
The slide also says, "Oh that's why it sounds so familiar!"
According to WBFF-TV, the image was presented in class on Wednesday — and parents are upset.
"The biggest problem is pushing an agenda on 16-year-olds," one parent told WBFF. "My understanding is that was just put up and it was left there for everyone to see the whole day."
State Rep. Kathy Szeliga (R) also caught wind of the lesson. She responded on Facebook, "Educational malfeasance of the highest degree. What is going on in our the Balt Co Public Schools????"
Baltimore County councilman Wade Kach told WBFF, "To even imply that our president is in any way a Nazi or a communist is outrageous. Is this curriculum for AP? Is it a purchased curriculum? Is it one that our school system wrote? Where is it coming from? I just think that it's irresponsible to post anything like this in a classroom."
In a statement, Baltimore County schools said:
This slide was used as part of a lesson in an AP History course. The topics being discussed included World Wars and the attempts by some leaders to limit, or prevent migration, into certain countries. In isolation and out of context with the lesson, the image could be misunderstood. In our Advanced Placement (AP) classes, which are college level courses, we expect and encourage analysis and discussion around historical and current events even if they are considered controversial. This lesson was not intended to make a political statement. If a student has concerns when discussing a controversial issue, schools have the tools to address the concern and support the student.
However, it is still not clear who created the slide. WBFF reported the teacher did not create it, and the Baltimore Sun reported the school system did not create it.
The College Board, which manages the AP program, does not provide curriculum for teachers.


theblaze--2020-02-22--VIDEO: Venezuelan entrepreneur has a warning for Americans: Socialism literally kills people

'So many people do n't have water to drink '

Venezuelan small business owner Jose Monagas has seen his country go from being one of the richest in Latin America to the poorest and he has a clear message for Americans: Socialism literally kills people.
As Vermont democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders is proposing a socialist overhaul of America's health care system through his Medicare For All scheme, Monagas warns how socialized medicine has brought nothing but misery and despair to the once-prosperous nation.
"For example, if you get into an accident and the ambulance takes you to the hospital, you will just die outside the hospital," Monagas told Fox News. "People die going from one hospital to another to see which one can take you."
He added, "They are sick and they are dying. They are waiting outside of the hospital for their medicine and their treatment and that happens every day."
'So many people don't have water to drink'
Mongas noted that the crisis in Venezuela extends beyond the health care system and has now affected every aspect of life, including even depriving citizens of basic necessities.
"Right now, so many people in Venezuela are going to work without taking a shower. So many people don't have water to drink. They have been robbed and they don't know what to say. They don't have anyone to go to," he said.
Access to utilities like electricity has also been constrained under the country's socialist government, which Monagas, who has a small software development firm, has said makes it impossible to conduct business in the country.
"One of the biggest problems for us is paranoia with electricity because we have a software development service team and you cannot do software development without electricity and internet," he said. "Every day you're risking that electricity will go out and you'll have three days without electricity. It has happened before."
A collapsing socialist economy
The main driver of Venezuela's misery is the country's economy, which has collapsed under the weight of years of socialist policies by the left-wing regimes of Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro.
"The country has no conditions for producers to produce food, for companies to stay there," Monagas told Fox. "The economic situation is very bad."


theblaze--2020-02-22--VIDEO: Socialist dictator who Bernie Sanders once compared to Lincoln now endorses his campaign

VIDEO : Socialist dictator who Bernie Sanders once compared to Lincoln now endorses his campaign Sanders would move America `` @ @ @ @ @ '' said Daniel Ortega

For someone who spends a lot of time pinky-promising the American people that his brand of socialism is inspired by Denmark, Sen. Bernie Sanders sure has spent a lot of time defending Latin American socialist strongmen. From praising Cuba's communist revolution led by Fidel Castro to supporting Bolivia's Evo Morales, Sanders has consistently gone to dictators who have very little in common with Scandinavian social democracy. A newly unearthed video seems that at least one of the despots seems to like him, too.
In a clip of an August 2019 recording shared on Friday by Twitter user "Reagan Battalion," Nicaraguan Marxist dictator Daniel Ortega is seen endorsing Sanders' presidential campaign and that of other Democrats.
Sanders would move America 'in the right direction,' Ortega said
According to human rights organizations, Ortega is said to be responsible for "egregious abuses against critics and opponents." In an interview with The Grayzone, a far-left news outlet, the Central American ruler was asked what he thought of Sanders' candidacy and the emergence of a movement to elect a socialist president in the United States.
"I know that the people of the United States have the intelligence and capacity to understand the message of Bernie Sanders and the important message of other brave female candidates," he said. "All of which go in the right direction so that the United States can become a country of peace, prosperity, and cooperation."
It's unclear who are the Democratic "female candidates" that Ortega also lauded, but it's presumably a reference to Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) and/or Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
'No empire is eternal'
Ortega's endorsement of Sanders' candidacy was kicked off with a question by reporter Max Blumenthal who asked the Nicaraguan despot for his thoughts on a previous visit by the Vermont socialist to his country in the 1980s and whether he believes Sanders would be a different kind of president or more in the mold of Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden.
"No empire is eternal," Ortega responded before predicting that the U.S. is on the brink of collapsing as Blumenthal and others in the room nodded their heads.
"I think that the United States, with its imperialist practices is entering its terminal phase," he added.
Sanders once compared Ortega to Abraham Lincoln
Also on Friday, NBC News published an article detailing Sanders' long history of supporting oppressive left-wing regimes throughout Latin America, including Ortega's communist Sandinista revolution in the 1980s.
Apparently, in an exchange with a constituent while he was mayor of Burlington, Vermont, Sanders compared Ortega to Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War:
In October 1985, a few months after Bernie Sanders traveled to Nicaragua to celebrate the sixth anniversary of that country's socialist revolution, the Soviet-backed government suspended the civil liberties of its citizens, including the rights to free speech, free assembly and labor strikes.
A few days later, Sanders, then the socialist mayor of Burlington, Vermont, received a pointed letter from a constituent. How, the letter-writer wanted to know, could Sanders continue to embrace a "another in a long line of dictatorships, whose only true concern is its length of stay in power"?
In a written reply, Sanders — who had praised Nicaragua's leaders upon his return from the trip — made no apologies. The Nicaraguan government was fighting a "brutal war" funded by the United States, he wrote, which made the situation "complex." Didn't the U.S. government, Sanders wrote, intern Japanese Americans during World War II? Didn't Lincoln curtail basic rights during the Civil War?
Sanders, NBC noted, "made no bones about his support for Soviet-backed, repressive governments in Latin America."
According to the news outlet, Sanders declined a request to comment on his past statements regarding Latin American leftist regimes.


theblaze--2020-02-22--Devin Nunes promises swift action against Washington Post over 'garbage,' 'fake news' story

'Who the hell is leaking these stories ? '

Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, vowed Friday that he will sue the Washington Post for false reporting.
The Washington Post reported Friday that Nunes went to the White House to personally inform President Donald Trump that a senior intelligence official had briefed members of Congress that Russia was again attempting to aid his campaign. The Post also claimed that "Trump's suspicions of the intelligence community have often been fueled by Nunes."
But Nunes said on Fox News Friday that the Post's reporting is completely false and that he will sue the newspaper in federal court.
"I don't know what planet the Washington Post is on," he said. "But they'll have an opportunity in federal court in the next couple weeks to explain who their sources are, because I'm going to have to take them to court because I didn't go to the White House. I didn't talk to President Trump."
"So, this is the same garbage," Nunes said.
"They build a narrative, they plant the narrative, they write fake stories about it — things that shouldn't even be talked about, this classified information — and they run these stories." Nunes went on to say. "Who the hell is leaking these stories?"
Nunes has previously made good on threats to sue news networks.
The California Republican filed a $435 million lawsuit against CNN in December over a story that claimed Nunes once met with former Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin "to discuss digging up dirt on Joe Biden."


theblaze--2020-02-22--Washington Post inadvertently debunks Trump-Russia theory in story on Russia helping Bernie Sanders

' ... not any particular affinity for the persons running '

The Washington Post reported Friday that American intelligence officials have briefed Sen. Bernie Sanders that Russia is trying to help his presidential campaign.
In that same story, the Post inadvertently debunked the Trump-Russia collusion theory, which resurfaced this week.
What did the Post report?
The Post reported that "Russia is attempting to help his presidential campaign as part of an effort to interfere with the Democratic contest."
Intelligence sources who spoke with the Post said it is not clear what specific actions Russia has taken, though the country is most likely spreading disinformation on social media to sow chaos and manipulate voters.
"I don't care, frankly, who Putin wants to be president," Sanders told the Post. "My message to Putin is clear: stay out of American elections, and as president I will make sure that you do."
How did it debunk the Trump-Russia theory?
This week, liberal commentators and the mainstream media resurfaced the conspiracy theory that Russia is helping Trump's campaign and that Trump is actively doing Trump's bidding. Remember, the Mueller investigation found zero evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia.
"The president is a Russian operative," MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell claimed on Thursday. "It is Vladimir Putin's greatest achievement ... the president of the United States is now helping the president of Russia help the president of the United States to get re-elected."
Meanwhile, the New York Times reported that Russia is again helping Trump's campaign. "Lawmakers are warned that Russia is meddling to re-elect Trump," the Times declared.
However, the Washington Post made clear in the 10th paragraph of the story on Sanders that Russia is not explicitly aiding specific candidates or colluding with campaigns.
Despite Trump's skepticism of Russian efforts to damage American democracy, officials in his administration have repeatedly warned that Russia has ongoing plans to interfere in U.S. elections and foster divisions among Americans, part of a strategic goal to undermine U.S. standing in the world.
Some analysts believe that the Kremlin's goal is to cause the maximum disruption within the United States, and it throws the support of its hackers and trolls behind candidates based on that goal, not any particular affinity for the persons running.
Indeed, CNN's Jake Tapper, citing sources that he knows and trusts, also discredited the Times story.
"What's been articulated in the news is that the intelligence community has concluded that the Russians are trying to help Trump again. But the intelligence doesn't say that," Tapper's source said.
CBS News' Catherine Herridge also reported that her sources indicate the intelligence does not show that Russia is helping Trump.


theblaze--2020-02-23--VIDEO: Batman flies off motorcycle while filming new 'Caped Crusader' movie

VIDEO : Batman flies off motorcycle while filming new 'Caped Crusader ' movie 'The Batman ' will feature an all-star @

Dubbed the most conservative superhero, Batman is back with a new film.
Titled "The Batman," the movie will star English actor Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader. Though the movie is not set to be released until some time in 2021, filming is already under way in Glasgow, Scotland.
While not much is yet known about the latest installment in the Batman saga, director Matt Reeves shared a teaser trailer last week that immediately went viral.
Batman flies off his motorcycle
Fans of the comic book legend were also abuzz on Friday after a video was leaked showing Batman flying off his motorcycle during a filming session in Europe.
Additional leaked photographs showed Pattinson wearing the famous "batsuit."
Classic villains and characters
The latest Batman film will bring together an all-star cast playing classic villains and characters of the beloved series. Paul Dano of Showtime's "Escape at Dannemora"will play the Riddler while star Colin Farrell will be the Penguin.
Meanwhile, Jeffrey Wright of HBO's "Angels in America" will star as James Gordon and Andy Serkis, of "Lord of the Rings" will play Batman's legendary butler, Alfred Pennyworth.
The film is set to open on June 25, 2021.