newyorkpost--2020-12-04--House passes ‘Tiger King’ bill to outlaw private ownership of big cats

A staff member was bitten by an animal at “ Tiger ...

A new bill passed by the US House of Representatives would outlaw private ownership of big cats — potentially preventing any new “Tiger King” successors from emerging.
The law, which was dubbed the “Tiger King” bill after the viral Netflix show of the same name, was passed by the US House of Representatives on Thursday with a 272-114 vote.
The show’s star, Joseph Maldonado-Passage, a.k.a. Joe Exotic, is currently serving 22 years in prison for various wildlife crimes, as well as a murder-for-hire charge.
The bill takes explicit aim at those who would otherwise try to claim the vacant throne, beltway publication Roll Call reports.
“We’re bringing the #BigCatPublicSafetyAct to end these practices up for a vote, and I’m glad to have helped move it forward through our committee,” tweeted Democrat Jared Huffman, who was featured in “Tiger King.”
The law was first brought to the Natural Resources Committee in September 2019, six months before Netflix debuted its documentary on the exploits of Maldonado-Passage.
The Big Cat Public Safety Act — the bill’s official title — would effectively ban the breeding and ownership of a big cat without a license from the US Department of Agriculture.
The bill drew criticism from Republicans saying that it would hurt small, family-run operations.
“This bill, contrary to what I’ve been hearing so far, is not about protecting the public from big cats,” Utah Representative Rob Bishop said during the brief floor debate.
“It is about hurting small, family-run zoos across the country. It is a power play of some kind.”
Other House Republicans said the bill is an attempt for House Democrats to ignore the ongoing suffering of small businesses during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Another week in Congress, another week of @SpeakerPelosi delaying relief to American small businesses and workers. What’s on the agenda instead? Marijuana legalization and the “Tiger King” bill,” tweeted Minnesota Republican Jim Hagedorn.
Carole Baskin, a long-time rival of Joe Exotic who runs a big cat sanctuary in Florida, touted her involvement with the bill in a post on her website, writing that her current husband was on weekly calls with members of the coalition.
“We have a majority, with over 230 co-sponsors, but need a 2/3rds vote to pass under suspension,” she wrote.
“We are rallying the tens of millions of supporters of our collective organizations to contact their members of Congress.”
Baskin is currently dealing with the fallout of an attack at her facility after one of her volunteers was bitten by a big cat Thursday.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Alexis Sharkey hated the term ‘influencer,’ sister says

A woman who was found dead on the side of a road in Houston should be remembered as a savvy businesswoman , not an Instagram influencer , her sister said Thursday .
“ She actually hated that word .
She wasn ’ t an ‘ influencer , ’ ” Alexis Sharkey ’ s sibling , Tobi Robinault , told ABC13 in a Thursday interview .
“ She wasn ’ t trying to influence anything .
She was a smart , savvy , successful businesswoman .
That ’ s how I want everyone to remember her , ” Robinault said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was discovered Saturday morning , less than 24 hours after she went missing .
Sharkey was a self-described mentor who boasted 21,000 followers on Instagram .
There have been no arrests in connection to her death and autopsy results are still pending , the report said .
Robinault told the news outlet that she believes her sister was murdered .
“ I have this terrible feeling that it was foul play , ” Robinault said .
“ It hurts me so much .
She was such a fun , happy person .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they could do this to her ?
”

A woman who was found dead on the side of a road in Houston should be remembered as a savvy businesswoman, not an Instagram influencer, her sister said Thursday.
“She actually hated that word. She wasn’t an ‘influencer,’” Alexis Sharkey’s sibling, Tobi Robinault, told ABC13 in a Thursday interview.
“She wasn’t trying to influence anything. She was a smart, savvy, successful businesswoman. That’s how I want everyone to remember her,” Robinault said.
The naked corpse of Sharkey, 26, was discovered Saturday morning, less than 24 hours after she went missing.
Sharkey was a self-described mentor who boasted 21,000 followers on Instagram. There have been no arrests in connection to her death and autopsy results are still pending, the report said.
Robinault told the news outlet that she believes her sister was murdered.
“I have this terrible feeling that it was foul play,” Robinault said. “It hurts me so much. She was such a fun, happy person. Who had so much anger in them that they could do this to her?”


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Texas prep football player attacks referee

Emmanuel Duron , Edinburg High defensive end and top area wrestler is ejected from tonight 's game versus PSJA and @ @ @ @ @ EDINBURG , Texas — A Texas high school football player , angered after being ejected @ @ @ @ @ onto the field and bowled over a referee Thursday night .
Senior defensive lineman Emmanuel @ @ @ @ @ came running from the sideline area after the referee announced the ejection , slamming into @ @ @ @ @ half of the zone play-in game against Pharr-San Juan-Alamo .
Duron was escorted from the @ @ @ @ @ The Monitor of McAllen reported that the referee was evaluated for a concussion by medical @ @ @ @ @ The game resumed after a delay , with Edinburg winning 35-21 to advance to the @ @ @ @ @ Defensive Player of the Year last season , Duron also is the Bobcats ’ kicker @ @ @ @ @ wrestler .

EDINBURG, Texas — A Texas high school football player, angered after being ejected from a game, charged onto the field and bowled over a referee Thursday night.
Senior defensive lineman Emmanuel Duron of Edinburg High School came running from the sideline area after the referee announced the ejection, slamming into the official during the first half of the zone play-in game against Pharr-San Juan-Alamo.
Duron was escorted from the stadium by police officers.
The Monitor of McAllen reported that the referee was evaluated for a concussion by medical personnel at the stadium.
The game resumed after a delay, with Edinburg winning 35-21 to advance to the playoffs.
The District 31-6A Defensive Player of the Year last season, Duron also is the Bobcats’ kicker and punter and a star wrestler.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Missing elderly man’s dog leads off-duty NJ cop to its owner

A grueling nine-hour search for a missing elderly man in New Jersey came to an end last week when his dog led an off-duty police officer to the owner .
Fred Rapp , 78 , was reported missing to Manchester Police on Nov. 27 .
Officers started a search for Rapp that evening , but were unable to contact him .
Using GPS data from Rapp ’ s cell phone , police were able to locate him somewhere within the wooded areas around NJ State Route 37 between Toms River and Berkley Township , which includes the 251-acre Crossley Preserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they used a humvee , a drone and a newly-acquired ATV to locate Rapp , but all of these methods were unsuccessful .
At 5:45 a.m. the next morning , Rapp was found by an off-duty Sgt .
named Charles Brooks , who was hunting in the area .
Brooks noticed a dog , Petie , which he would later discover was Rapp ’ s , wandering along a trail .
The officer followed the dog ’ s footprints several hundred yards and found Rapp , sitting near where he crashed his car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a police officer is a police officer 24/7 , ” said Manchester Police Chief Lisa Parker in a post on Facebook .
“ We are truly fortunate that Sgt .
Brooks was in the right place at the right time because without his help there is no telling how this story would have ended .
”

A grueling nine-hour search for a missing elderly man in New Jersey came to an end last week when his dog led an off-duty police officer to the owner.
Fred Rapp, 78, was reported missing to Manchester Police on Nov. 27. Officers started a search for Rapp that evening, but were unable to contact him.
Using GPS data from Rapp’s cellphone, police were able to locate him somewhere within the wooded areas around NJ State Route 37 between Toms River and Berkley Township, which includes the 251-acre Crossley Preserve.
During the search, police said they used a humvee, a drone and a newly-acquired ATV to locate Rapp, but all of these methods were unsuccessful.
At 5:45 a.m. the next morning, Rapp was found by an off-duty Sgt. named Charles Brooks, who was hunting in the area.
Brooks noticed a dog, Petey, which he would later discover was Rapp’s, wandering along a trail. The officer followed the dog’s footprints several hundred yards and found Rapp, sitting near where he crashed his car.
“This situation highlights the fact that a police officer is a police officer 24/7,” said Manchester Police Chief Lisa Parker in a post on Facebook. “We are truly fortunate that Sgt. Brooks was in the right place at the right time because without his help there is no telling how this story would have ended.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Joe Biden says he’ll ask Americans to wear masks for 100 days

President-elect Joe Biden says he will ask Americans to wear their face masks for 100 days after he takes office in January .
Biden told CNN ’ s Jake Tapper on Thursday that he hopes the mandate would help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. “ On the first day I ’ m inaugurated , I ’ m going to ask the public for 100 days to mask .
Just 100 days to mask , not forever , just 100 days , ” Biden said .
“ I think we ’ ll see a significant reduction.
” Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ patriotic duty ” and that it shouldn ’ t be politicized .
Biden has acknowledged he doesn ’ t have complete power to enforce a nationwide mask mandate , and that he would need help from state and local officials to help enforce the rule .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people wear face masks for their safety and of others .
“ Masks are a simple barrier to help prevent your respiratory droplets from reaching others , ” the CDC says .
“ Studies show that masks reduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nose and mouth.
” John Hopkins University has recorded more than 276,100 coronavirus deaths and over 14,100,00 confirmed cases as of Thursday .

President-elect Joe Biden says he will ask Americans to wear their face masks for 100 days after he takes office in January.
Biden told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Thursday that he hopes the mandate would help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S.
“On the first day I’m inaugurated, I’m going to ask the public for 100 days to mask. Just 100 days to mask, not forever, just 100 days,” Biden said. “I think we’ll see a significant reduction.”
Biden previously said wearing a mask is a “patriotic duty” and that it shouldn’t be politicized.
Biden has acknowledged he doesn’t have complete power to enforce a nationwide mask mandate, and that he would need help from state and local officials to help enforce the rule.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people wear face masks for their safety and of others.
“Masks are a simple barrier to help prevent your respiratory droplets from reaching others,” the CDC says. “Studies show that masks reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth.”
John Hopkins University has recorded more than 276,100 coronavirus deaths and over 14,100,00 confirmed cases as of Thursday.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Nets’ Jeff Green eager to help chase title with friend Kevin Durant

The Los Angeles Clippers ’ disappointing playoff implosion has been attributed ...

Jeff Green hasn’t played a second with the Nets or most of his teammates. But he’s still got a level of familiarity that he hopes will help him in Brooklyn.
Green is a childhood friend and former teammate of Nets star Kevin Durant. And his best offensive campaign came last season in Houston playing under Mike D’Antoni, now the offensive coordinator in Brooklyn.
“Obviously, knowing a couple guys, it does make it a little easier knowing what they like to do, where they like to be on the floor,” Green said Thursday on Zoom in his first public comments since signing with the Nets.
“Some have grown into a different role from the last time I played with them, so you still have to adjust to where they are at this point in their career and how they like to play. … But obviously, knowing the person really helps the adjustment, knowing who you can communicate with and how to communicate with that person.”
If a player can have a career renaissance at 34, Green is looking forward to one. He’s hoping to contend for his first title and do it alongside longtime pal Durant.
Jeff Green blocks a shot for the Rockets. AP
“The chance that we have to compete for a championship, but obviously doing it with somebody I call one of my brothers, being from the same area, coming in the same year,” Green said. “Just just having this opportunity to be alongside him to have this experience, it’s gonna be all that and more, coming from where we come from.”
Both Green and Durant come from Prince George’s County, Md., and their relationship truly blossomed in the NBA playing together in Seattle and Oklahoma City.
“That’s where the friendship started to build, and then it just continued to build over the years and grow stronger,” said Green. “So I’m excited for this opportunity to play alongside him.
“Watching him with all the wonderful things he’s done throughout his career, being a fan of the game and also a fan of him and rooting for him because he represents what we come from. So, it’s great to see. I’m just happy I can come here and do my part, help him get his third [championship] and, hopefully, get my first. It’s going to be fun.”
Players available on one-year minimum deals can often find it hard to break into the rotation of teams this talented. But at 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds, Green provides something the Nets need: A center who can shoot, space the floor and switch on the perimeter.
He also brings recent success with D’Antoni.
After joining the Rockets midseason, Green posted a 131 offensive rating that far exceeded his prior best of 115. He did it while moving from power forward to center in a five-out system and shooting .495/.426/.824 in a dozen playoff games. He hopes to recapture that form with D’Antoni coordinating Brooklyn’s attack.
“It’s great. I saw him the other day, talked the small window of memories that we had together. I was very effective under his offensive influence, so hopefully they can translate here to help his team in any way possible,” said Green. “I’m excited to be alongside him, Coach [Steve] Nash and the personnel we have. It’s going to be a great year.”
The Nets confirmed they’ll wear a City Edition uniform inspired by Jean-Michel Basquiat, the late Brooklyn artist.
“Basquiat embodies much of what Brooklyn represents, and his creative spirit and passionate voice can still be felt throughout the borough,” said John Abbamondi, president of the Nets and parent company BSE Global. “Today, more than ever, Basquiat matters.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Seton Hall playing slew of games since COVID return

For two weeks , Seton Hall couldn ’ t practice .
It was quarantined , the result of several positive COVID-19 tests , which included one for coach Kevin Willard .
A week after getting out of quarantine , the Pirates began a stretch of five games in eight days in four locations against programs from five different conferences .
They have gone from one extreme to the other , inactivity to nonstop action .
Welcome to the college basketball season , a year so unlike any other .
“ It ’ s kind of a microcosm of what I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” athletic director Bryan Felt told The Post .
“ It ’ s going to be a challenge , and we ’ ve already seen that.
” On Monday , Seton Hall hosted Iona College , a game that was scheduled just 48 hours earlier by the two head coaches , Willard and Rick Pitino .
Two days later the Pirates were in Kingston , R.I. , to face Rhode Island .
On Friday , they will face Oregon in Omaha , Neb.
, and they were scheduled to visit Penn State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stretch at home against Wagner on Tuesday .
All of this after the program was shut down on Nov. 9 for two weeks due to COVID-19 .
“ A lot of us have aspirations to play on the pro level , ” junior Jared Rhoden said over Zoom this week .
“ I say this is our pro week .
It ’ s a good test to see how strong our bodies are and where we are mentally and physically.
” To stay safe while traveling , Seton Hall will be using extra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team meals together .
Social distancing and mask-wearing will be practiced .
The program researched hotels it will stay in to make sure proper protocols are followed .
Rhoden , Shavar Reynolds and Sandro Mamukelashvili all said they weren ’ t nervous about traveling during the pandemic .
And the fact is a significant portion of the program already had the virus , and the team is testing every other day .
“ We ’ re in a position where we can do this in a very safe manner , ” Felt said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as such a surprise that Seton Hall has started slowly , losing at Louisville and Rhode Island , and trailing Iona for large stretches of the first half before pulling away .
This was a team , picked to finish fifth in the Big East , with question marks anyway , after graduating senior stars Myles Powell , Quincy McKnight and Romaro Gill , and then it had to deal with the 14-day pause .
In the opener against Louisville , key addition Bryce Aiken , a Harvard transfer , suffered an ankle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least a few weeks , a significant blow .
During the layoff , Willard and his staff made sure to have team-wide Zoom sessions every other day .
The Pirates did yoga together over video .
Reynolds used the time to watch extra film , up to three games a day , and run on a local football field .
The player most affected seems to be freshman point guard Jahari Long , who the staff was very high on coming into the year , but has struggled thus far .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room for 14 days , ” Willard said after the loss to Rhode Island .
“ Not an apartment ; he was in a room.
” The players talked about the mental challenges upon getting out of quarantine .
It wasn ’ t easy just to jump back in like nothing happened .
Two weeks away took a toll .
That ’ s one of the reasons Willard has been so vigilant and aggressive with his schedule .
Playing so frequently is the only way he thinks his team will be ready for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dec. 11 .
After being idle for two weeks , his players sound thrilled about their busy schedule .
“ We love playing the game .
We ’ ve been waiting , ” Reynolds said .
“ Just let us know who we ’ re playing , give us the scout and we ’ re [ ready ] .
This is what we want to do .
This is our dream .
”

For two weeks, Seton Hall couldn’t practice. It was quarantined, the result of several positive COVID-19 tests, which included one for coach Kevin Willard.
A week after getting out of quarantine, the Pirates began a stretch of five games in eight days in four locations against programs from five different conferences.
They have gone from one extreme to the other, inactivity to nonstop action. Welcome to the college basketball season, a year so unlike any other.
“It’s kind of a microcosm of what I expect this entire season to be like,” athletic director Bryan Felt told The Post. “It’s going to be a challenge, and we’ve already seen that.”
On Monday, Seton Hall hosted Iona College, a game that was scheduled just 48 hours earlier by the two head coaches, Willard and Rick Pitino. Two days later the Pirates were in Kingston, R.I., to face Rhode Island. On Friday, they will face Oregon in Omaha, Neb., and they were scheduled to visit Penn State on Sunday night before finishing this dizzying stretch at home against Wagner on Tuesday. All of this after the program was shut down on Nov. 9 for two weeks due to COVID-19.
“A lot of us have aspirations to play on the pro level,” junior Jared Rhoden said over Zoom this week. “I say this is our pro week. It’s a good test to see how strong our bodies are and where we are mentally and physically.”
To stay safe while traveling, Seton Hall will be using extra caution. It won’t eat team meals together. Social distancing and mask-wearing will be practiced. The program researched hotels it will stay in to make sure proper protocols are followed. Rhoden, Shavar Reynolds and Sandro Mamukelashvili all said they weren’t nervous about traveling during the pandemic. And the fact is a significant portion of the program already had the virus, and the team is testing every other day.
“We’re in a position where we can do this in a very safe manner,” Felt said.
Perhaps it shouldn’t come as such a surprise that Seton Hall has started slowly, losing at Louisville and Rhode Island, and trailing Iona for large stretches of the first half before pulling away. This was a team, picked to finish fifth in the Big East, with question marks anyway, after graduating senior stars Myles Powell, Quincy McKnight and Romaro Gill, and then it had to deal with the 14-day pause. In the opener against Louisville, key addition Bryce Aiken, a Harvard transfer, suffered an ankle injury and will be out for at least a few weeks, a significant blow.
During the layoff, Willard and his staff made sure to have team-wide Zoom sessions every other day. The Pirates did yoga together over video. Reynolds used the time to watch extra film, up to three games a day, and run on a local football field. The player most affected seems to be freshman point guard Jahari Long, who the staff was very high on coming into the year, but has struggled thus far.
“I can’t imagine sitting in a room for 14 days,” Willard said after the loss to Rhode Island. “Not an apartment; he was in a room.”
The players talked about the mental challenges upon getting out of quarantine. It wasn’t easy just to jump back in like nothing happened. Two weeks away took a toll.
That’s one of the reasons Willard has been so vigilant and aggressive with his schedule. Playing so frequently is the only way he thinks his team will be ready for Big East play when it begins on Dec. 11. After being idle for two weeks, his players sound thrilled about their busy schedule.
“We love playing the game. We’ve been waiting,” Reynolds said. “Just let us know who we’re playing, give us the scout and we’re [ready]. This is what we want to do. This is our dream.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--26 people found in human smuggling operation at Houston home, cops say

Dozens of people were rescued on Thursday night from a Houston home that police said is the site of a @ @ @ @ @ said they were alerted to the situation after a man escaped from the home in @ @ @ @ @ had been kidnapped .
Twenty five men and a woman were discovered by authorities at @ @ @ @ @ the Houston Police Department .
The department said the Department of Homeland Security is investigating @ @ @ @ @ were taken to a nearby school gym , police said .

Dozens of people were rescued on Thursday night from a Houston home that police said is the site of a human smuggling operation.
Police said they were alerted to the situation after a man escaped from the home in his underwear yelling that he had been kidnapped.
Twenty five men and a woman were discovered by authorities at the location, according to the Houston Police Department.
The department said the Department of Homeland Security is investigating the operation.
The victims were taken to a nearby school gym, police said.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Knicks’ Julius Randle not worried about Obi Toppin position clash

They say the NBA season — even a shortened 72-game ...

Julius Randle isn’t worried about Obi Toppin.
The Knicks first-round pick plays the same power-forward position as Randle. There’s concern among NBA cognoscenti whether the two can share the floor.
Entering his sixth season and figuring to be the Knicks’ No. 1 option, Randle said they’ll find a way. Neither seems suited for the small-forward position as a defender.
Randle didn’t seem to enjoy the topic, perhaps realizing if the fit is awkward, the young veteran may reappear on the trading block.
“He’s an athletic player from what I know,’’ Randle said on Friday’s Zoom call. “I haven’t seen much of him. But he can shoot it and run the floor. So I think we’ll be able to complement each other very well. The game is position-less now. To have many guys be versatile and do many things is great.’’
Julius Randle; Obi Toppin Getty Images (2)
The 6-foot-8 Randle played a bit of center last season, but he’s not a rim protector. Toppin, scouts believe, won’t be suited to play the 5 in the NBA because he’s not strong enough.
“That’ll be up to coach,’’ Randle said. “I’ve played the 5 before, though.’’
Randle’s first season in New York was a mixed bag. His numbers were gaudy, but he didn’t lead the Knicks to enough victories. He’s never been on a winning club in six seasons. The Post reported some teammates were unsettled by Randle’s over-dribbling.
To his credit, Randle, who turned 26 last week, admitted his new role last season as team leader after signing a three-year, $60 million deal was challenging. Randle averaged 19.5 points and 9.7 rebounds.
“It was a process,’’ Randle said. “A lot of times you go out as a young player coming up and you have to worry about your own game. For me it was about putting others before me and trying to make everyone else better. I had to learn how to do that. That was the biggest thing for me, making people better. It’s easier for a young player. You just go out and play.”
Randle got defensive when asked what he worked on in the offseason, calling it “a loaded question.’’ And he gave no specifics.
One thing that needs improvement is his 3-point shooting after he regressed in 2019-20, dropping to 27.7 percent from beyond the arc. The Knicks believe Randle will be more comfortable this season.
“I had a long time to work on my game, had a long time to digest the film, break it down,’’ the Dallas native said. “So it’s a loaded question. There’s obviously certain things that you pick out, that you focus on, but this offseason was a little bit longer. So there was a bunch of different things, changes that I can make and tweak and got better.’’


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Ghislaine Maxwell’s lawyers oddly reference NJ judge’s slain son in bail bid

Gregg Williams was the defensive coordinator of the St. Louis ...

Lawyers for Ghislaine Maxwell invoked the murder of New Jersey Judge Esther Salas’ son to argue that the British socialite’s renewed motion for bail should remain largely under seal.
“Given the sensitive subject matter of this case, the sureties have legitimate fears for their safety if they are publicly identified,” wrote Maxwell’s lawyer Christian Everdell in the Nov. 30 federal filing unsealed Friday.
“As we have all been recently reminded with the tragic case of the death of Judge Esther Salas’s son, there are people who are capable of committing horrible acts of violence — even against innocent third parties — by convincing themselves that their actions are justified.”
The unusual reference to the murder of the federal judge’s son, Dan Anderl, by a deranged defense attorney appeared as a footnote in the document.
The filing says that Maxwell, who is locked up at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn while she awaits trial on sex trafficking charges, has received numerous online death threats.
The defense letter was filed in response to US District Judge Alison Nathan’s request that Maxwell’s lawyers elaborate on their reasons for pushing for the sealing of parts of her bail application and a closed-door hearing to discuss it.
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“Many of the people who want to support Ms. Maxwell’s renewed bail application are older and do not have the financial means to hire a personal security detail to protect themselves,” the filing says.
The judge denied the request for a private hearing but allowed the defense to redact the names and identifying information of friends and family willing to co-sign her bond.
Her lawyers have asked the judge to schedule a bail hearing for Dec. 21.
After Maxwell’s arrest in July, Nathan denied the 58-year-old’s request for a $5 million bond calling her a risk of flight.
Maxwell has frequently complained about the onerous conditions of her imprisonment –including being awoken at night by a flashlight every 15 minutes so guards can ensure she’s still breathing.
The federal Bureau of Prisons has been under intense scrutiny since financier Jeffrey Epstein hanged himself in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Maxwell, the daughter of disgraced media titan Robert Maxwell, is accused of procuring girls to be sexually abused by her and Epstein.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Libbie Mugrabi scales Damien Hirst sculpture at Miami Art Week party

Click to email this to a friend ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Twitter ( Opens in new window ) Click to share on Facebook ( Opens in new window ) There was “ panic ” at the Faena Hotel during Miami Art Week when socialite and recent art world divorcée Libbie Mugrabi and legendary bon vivant Anthony Haden-Guest scaled a multimillion-dollar golden unicorn sculpture by Damien Hirst to take a photo .
They tried to mount the mythical beast touting one of artist Linjie Deng ’ s yin-yang calligraphy works , part of Mugrabi ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Page Six of the stunt , “ management and security freaked out , but the duo got a photo before listening to the pleas to climb down off the museum piece , which remained unharmed.
” Mugrabi happened to be wearing a Hirst pill charm bracelet based on his “ Controlled Substances ” paintings that the artist gave her over a decade ago , we hear .
A source said of the scene : “ The climbing of the statue was meant to be a harmless prank , but the hotel peeps freaked… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but them.
” Mugrabi — who recently settled a multimillion divorce from art collecting scion David Mugrabi — was in Miami to throw a dinner party and launch her new eponymous brand .
An invite seen by Page Six told guests to “ dress f-cking fabulous.
” We hear that , “ the room and patio could hold over 200 , but Libbie held her guest list to approximately 50 , who only took their masks off when they sat to eat.
” Guests included Petra Khashoggi , Martina Basabe , designer Alvin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who “ was ‘ live painting ’ Libbie ’ s new handbag line with hearts and her Libbie logo , ” a source said .
The insider added , “ Libbie also gave out her new line of hats that have ‘ word paintings ’ on them .
Anthony ’ s read ‘ Psycho Fan , ’ Libbie ’ s read ‘ Icon , ’ and others said ‘ boujee ’ and ‘ baf , ’ ” ( which apparently stands for “ busy as f- -k , ” according to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Apparently , “ the dinner was vegan , ” and “ somebody sent out a cake for Libbie ’ s birthday… she was embarrassed because her birthday was last month !
But she was a good sport about it.
” We reported that Mugrabi ’ s mom , Jane Scher , was snapping up art in Miami as well .

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There was “panic” at the Faena Hotel during Miami Art Week when socialite and recent art world divorcée Libbie Mugrabi and legendary bon vivant Anthony Haden-Guest scaled a multimillion-dollar golden unicorn sculpture by Damien Hirst to take a photo.
They tried to mount the mythical beast touting one of artist Linjie Deng’s yin-yang calligraphy works, part of Mugrabi’s private collection.
A source told Page Six of the stunt, “management and security freaked out, but the duo got a photo before listening to the pleas to climb down off the museum piece, which remained unharmed.”
Mugrabi happened to be wearing a Hirst pill charm bracelet based on his “Controlled Substances” paintings that the artist gave her over a decade ago, we hear.
A source said of the scene: “The climbing of the statue was meant to be a harmless prank, but the hotel peeps freaked… it was funny and cute to everyone but them.”
Mugrabi — who recently settled a multimillion divorce from art collecting scion David Mugrabi — was in Miami to throw a dinner party and launch her new eponymous brand. An invite seen by Page Six told guests to “dress f-cking fabulous.”
We hear that, “the room and patio could hold over 200, but Libbie held her guest list to approximately 50, who only took their masks off when they sat to eat.”
Guests included Petra Khashoggi, Martina Basabe, designer Alvin Valley, and the artist Jared Shaw, who “was ‘live painting’ Libbie’s new handbag line with hearts and her Libbie logo,” a source said.
The insider added, “Libbie also gave out her new line of hats that have ‘word paintings’ on them. Anthony’s read ‘Psycho Fan,’ Libbie’s read ‘Icon,’ and others said ‘boujee’ and ‘baf,’” (which apparently stands for “busy as f- -k,” according to a perfunctory Google search on our part).
Apparently, “the dinner was vegan,” and “somebody sent out a cake for Libbie’s birthday… she was embarrassed because her birthday was last month! But she was a good sport about it.”
We reported that Mugrabi’s mom, Jane Scher, was snapping up art in Miami as well.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Quinnen Williams isn’t Aaron Donald — but numbers say he’s getting closer

The Jets are five weeks away from cratering out .
They ...

Gregg Williams was the defensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams when they drafted a defensive tackle out of Pittsburgh with the 13th-overall pick of the 2014 draft.
That prospect was Aaron Donald, who turned out to be a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year — quite possibly headed for his third this season in Los Angeles.
Williams made clear Friday that second-year Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is not Donald — who is? — but the Jets’ defensive coordinator brought up his former pupil unsolicited to describe the improvement and the defensive impact his current one is making in 2020 despite the team’s 0-11 record entering Sunday’s game against Las Vegas.
“Remember back in the days when you guys were asking me about [Quinnen Williams] and I said you just have to wait?” Gregg Williams said after practice Friday in Florham Park. “He does some things, it’s not like Aaron Donald when I had him, but there’s some things that you just shake your head and say, ‘Wow.’ ”
Quinnen Williams; Aaron Donald Getty Images (2)
Quinnen Williams, the No. 3 overall pick in 2019 out of Alabama, missed three games as a rookie with ankle and leg injuries, finishing with just 2.5 sacks and 28 tackles in 13 appearances.
Still, he reported in better shape and declared in August plans to be “unstoppable” this season. In the past four games, Williams has totaled 17 tackles (four for a loss), eight quarterback hits, two passes defensed, a forced fumble and three of his five sacks on the season.
“He had to fight through those injuries last year. He got so much respect from me last year on playing on one leg, basically,” Gregg Williams said. “And then when we started this season, we had very little training camp, hardly any padded practices. He’s an extremely explosive football player. He’s a smart young man, too.
“But then once you add that together, with experience of time on task, more experience, more reps, he also now is coming up with some unique feel for the game.”
The longtime defensive coordinator added that Quinnen Williams’ defensive “rankings are off the charts” in various categories. According to Pro Football Focus, he is second in the league with 20 “stops,” any play that goes for no gain or loses yards. Williams also ranks 10th in the NFL among all interior defenders against the run, and 16th out of 127 overall.
Donald, who made the Pro Bowl in each of his first six NFL seasons and will again this year, ranks first at that position. His NFC-best 10 sacks leave him one behind league leader T.J. Watt of Pittsburgh.
“You’ll love this. Quinnen is way ahead of Aaron in a lot of different categories,” Gregg Williams said. “He’s ahead of him, and I love teasing Aaron about that every once in a while when we have our chats. They’re different players, they play the same position, but they’re different athletes on how they go about doing their responsibility.”
During training camp, the 22-year-old Quinnen Williams said he spent the offseason devouring film of three of the league’s top interior lineman: Donald, Indianapolis’ DeForest Buckner and Kansas City’s Chris Jones.
“Quinnen I know watches some of that film … to see some of the counter moves you see him using right now,” Gregg Williams said. “But make no bones about now, he’s a powerful young man in the run game. And I always smile with Aaron on that, because people don’t realize that Aaron isn’t as big as Quinnen.”
Indeed, Donald is listed as 6-foot-1 and 280 pounds, while Williams stands 6-3 and weighs 303.
“Quinnen is a big man. But Aaron can still get after it with making you believe you’re going to be blocking air, because he’s gonna jump you, he’s gonna spin you, he’s gonna do a lot of different things that way,” Gregg Williams said. “The other thing, too, I laugh, I smile, and I haven’t forgotten … there was a lot of criticism that came my way when we drafted this short guy, Aaron Donald, as high as we did. But he’s turned out to be a pretty good player.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Florida judge grants bail to woman accused of killing and burying husband

A Florida judge granted bond to a woman accused of killing her husband five years ago and burying the body under a firepit she built in the backyard , according to a report .
Laurie Shaver , 38 , has been behind bars since her September arrest in the 2015 death of her 36-year-old husband , Michael Shaver , a Disney World mechanic , WOFL , the Fox owned station in Orlando , reported .
“ The standard bond schedule for the Fifth Circuit is $ 50,000 for the charge of murder in second-degree .
I think that is appropriate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , according to the station .
She was ordered to wear an ankle monitor and to have no contact with her husband ’ s family , the station reported .
Shaver ’ s arrest came three years after deputies dug under the firepit of their Clermont home , and found her husband ’ s remains .
Investigators determined Shaver had been shot once in the head .
At the time , she was dating Travis Filmer , the father of her two youngest children , according to the station .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prosecutor at a bond hearing Thursday that he never asked her how the body wound up in the backyard .
“ No sir , not with her , ” he said , according to the station .
“ I specifically stated we don ’ t need to talk about it .
It ’ s none of my business , ”

A Florida judge granted bond to a woman accused of killing her husband five years ago and burying the body under a firepit she built in the backyard, according to a report.
Laurie Shaver, 38, has been behind bars since her September arrest in the 2015 death of her 36-year-old husband, Michael Shaver, a Disney World mechanic, WOFL, the Fox owned station in Orlando, reported.
She pleaded not guilty, court records show.
“The standard bond schedule for the Fifth Circuit is $50,000 for the charge of murder in second-degree. I think that is appropriate,” Lake County Judge Richard Singletary said, according to the station.
The Lake County jail released Shaver Thursday night.
She was ordered to wear an ankle monitor and to have no contact with her husband’s family, the station reported.
Shaver’s arrest came three years after deputies dug under the firepit of their Clermont home, and found her husband’s remains. Investigators determined Shaver had been shot once in the head.
At the time, she was dating Travis Filmer, the father of her two youngest children, according to the station.
Michael Shaver Lake County Sheriff's Office
In addition, WOFL reported that Filmer told a prosecutor at a bond hearing Thursday that he never asked her how the body wound up in the backyard.
“No sir, not with her,” he said, according to the station. “I specifically stated we don’t need to talk about it. It’s none of my business,”


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Mexican beauty queen Delia Emily Castillo vanishes, claims mom wanted to commit her

A former beauty queen from the Philippines blasted K-pop stars ...

Mexican authorities issued an Amber Alert for a missing beauty queen who they believed was kidnapped — but the teen later claimed she had merely run away from her mother.
Delia Emily Castillo, 17, had last been seen on Tuesday, waiting alone in her parents’ car while the family had breakfast without her at a restaurant in Hermosillo, Sonora, on Tuesday, El Universal reported.
The teen, who is an American citizen and who had won Miss World Teen in 2017, had not wanted to eat with them, according to some local reports.
But Rosa Isela Castillo, the teen’s mother, told El Diario Del Yaqui that when she returned to the car, Delia was gone.
“I’m trying to communicate with her friends to find out if Delia sent them a message or if they know something, because they have told me that she’s active on social media, but I don’t know if it’s really her, because she no longer answers my calls or messages,” the frantic mother told the newspaper in Spanish.
El Universal reported that Delia was spotted later in the day going inside a store and asking for directions to the nearest bus stop.
Delia managed to cross into the Arizona border city of Nogales around 5 a.m. Wednesday, the Sonora state prosecutor’s office said.
On Thursday, Delia posted a cryptic message on Facebook saying she wasn’t kidnapped and that she had ran away to escape her mother.
“Letting everyone know I’m safe and I don’t need help or any type of medical assistance I was not kidnapped,” she wrote. “I stepped away from my mother bc she tried to put me in a mental hospital in Mexico.”
Rosa Isela Castillo told El Universal she worried her daughter was hanging around the wrong crowd and that Delia was seeing an older man she thought was a bad influence on her.
The mother added she brought Delia to Hermosillo so she could get away from that crowd and get psychological help.
“My daughter, please come back. I am your mother,” Castillo pleaded in Spanish. “I am the only person who can find the best for you. What you’ve done doesn’t matter. Come back!”


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Liberty nab top WNBA draft pick for second straight year

Sabrina Ionescu is going to have some company .
For the second straight year — and second time in franchise history — the New York Liberty won the first-overall pick in the WNBA Draft lottery on Friday .
“ This is an exciting night for the Liberty franchise and for our fans , ” GM Jonathan Kolb said via press release .
“ Securing the top selection in the 2021 Draft ensures that we will have the opportunity to add a high character , elite level , player to our core group as we continue our efforts to build a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the top pick in 2020 , missed most of her rookie season with an ankle injury , and will have a new running mate when the Liberty make their pick at the April 2021 Draft .
The Liberty had 44.2 percent odds to win the top pick with a two-year record of 12-44 .
They ’ ll also make the 17th , 25th , and 29th selections , with Nos .
17 and 29 coming in the team ’ s three-way trade that sent All-Star Tina Charles to Washington .
The Dallas Wings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow the Liberty ’ s lead with picks 2-4 .

Sabrina Ionescu is going to have some company.
For the second straight year — and second time in franchise history — the New York Liberty won the first-overall pick in the WNBA Draft lottery on Friday.
“This is an exciting night for the Liberty franchise and for our fans,” GM Jonathan Kolb said via press release. “Securing the top selection in the 2021 Draft ensures that we will have the opportunity to add a high character, elite level, player to our core group as we continue our efforts to build a championship-caliber team in Brooklyn.”
Ionescu, the top pick in 2020, missed most of her rookie season with an ankle injury, and will have a new running mate when the Liberty make their pick at the April 2021 Draft.
The Liberty had 44.2 percent odds to win the top pick with a two-year record of 12-44. They’ll also make the 17th, 25th, and 29th selections, with Nos. 17 and 29 coming in the team’s three-way trade that sent All-Star Tina Charles to Washington.
The Dallas Wings, Atlanta Dream and Indiana Fever will follow the Liberty’s lead with picks 2-4.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Shane Johnson storms into ‘Power Book II’ on Starz

Shane Johnson says he ’ s surprised — and happy — that he was able to continue playing US Attorney Cooper Saxe in “ Power Book II : Ghost , ” the role he originated on “ Power.
” “ I thought I was done for when Tommy [ Joseph Sikora ] put a plastic bag over my head , ” says Johnson , 44 .
“ Usually [ showrunner ] Courtney [ A. Kemp ] gives you a heads-up before you die … so I was reading the script and thinking , ‘ Did she forget to give me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel like I ’ ve managed to strike a very important chord within the ‘ Power ’ universe.
” “ Power Book II : Ghost , ” continues the story of Tariq St. Patrick ( Michael Rainey Jr. ) , who , in “ Power , ” murdered his father , James St. “ Ghost ” Patrick ( Omari Hardwick ) — but it ’ s his mother , Tasha ( Naturi Naughton ) , who ’ s on trial for the murder .
“ I ’ m really excited for my character @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like seven years in the making , ” says Johnson , who originated the role of Cooper Saxe when “ Power ” premiered in 2014 .
“ So to get to this point — and the fact that I ’ m still around and still finding places to go with the character and new challenges — I feel like I ’ ve found some dynamic changes in Saxe over the years .
“ And that ’ s really due to the writers.
” Johnson has a few thoughts on the direction in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season ’ s plotline head .
“ As an audience member I would want Tasha to go to jail because she is responsible for this universe , ” he says .
“ In Season 1 , she told her husband , Ghost , that ‘ You ’ re gon na be the biggest drug dealer in New York City.
’ She was that person .
And then a few seasons later she ’ s like , ‘ Oh , I want to go legit ’ and that Ghost should take responsibility because he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the illegal stuff .
“ Now she wants to turn over a new leaf , but it ’ s kind of too late , ” he says .
“ She already made these choices — and she ’ s responsible for some of the deaths .
But as a parent , I fee like she ’ s responsible for her kid to a degree — his upbringing and molding him…so she ’ s directly responsible for Tariq being who he is and who he needs to be .
“ As Cooper Saxe I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s the one that killed his father , ” he says .
“ James Saint Patrick was the real person I wanted in jail but I can ’ t have him anymore because Tariq killed him .
“ He took my biggest case away from me so now I wan na take him down.
” Saxe is also using his niece , Riley Saxe ( Andrea Lee Christensen ) for insider leverage while she ’ s dating Tariq ’ s college roommate .
“ Riley could definitely be Cooper ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to anything he says .
He keeps trying to trust her and tell what to do but she ’ s buried in her phone — a typical millennial .
“ She ’ s just half paying attention and wants to please [ Cooper ] …but ends up getting him in trouble , ” he says .
“ He keeps trying to trust her and tell her what to do but she ’ s buried in her phone [ like ] a typical millennial .
The moment he thought she was sleeping with Tariq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the show .
“ I think they ’ re loyal to each other but she has bad instincts — instead of listening to her uncle .
”

Shane Johnson says he’s surprised — and happy — that he was able to continue playing US Attorney Cooper Saxe in “Power Book II: Ghost,” the role he originated on “Power.”
“I thought I was done for when Tommy [Joseph Sikora] put a plastic bag over my head,” says Johnson, 44. “Usually [showrunner] Courtney [A. Kemp] gives you a heads-up before you die … so I was reading the script and thinking, ‘Did she forget to give me a heads-up?’
“But I feel like I’ve managed to strike a very important chord within the ‘Power’ universe.”
“Power Book II: Ghost,” continues the story of Tariq St. Patrick (Michael Rainey Jr.), who, in “Power,” murdered his father, James St. “Ghost” Patrick (Omari Hardwick) — but it’s his mother, Tasha (Naturi Naughton), who’s on trial for the murder.
“I’m really excited for my character this season since it’s been like seven years in the making,” says Johnson, who originated the role of Cooper Saxe when “Power” premiered in 2014. “So to get to this point — and the fact that I’m still around and still finding places to go with the character and new challenges — I feel like I’ve found some dynamic changes in Saxe over the years.
“And that’s really due to the writers.”
Clifford Smith (Method Man) and Shane Johnson Starz
Johnson has a few thoughts on the direction in which he’d like to see this season’s plotline head.
“As an audience member I would want Tasha to go to jail because she is responsible for this universe,” he says. “In Season 1, she told her husband, Ghost, that ‘You’re gonna be the biggest drug dealer in New York City.’ She was that person. And then a few seasons later she’s like, ‘Oh, I want to go legit’ and that Ghost should take responsibility because he’s the one who did all the illegal stuff.
“Now she wants to turn over a new leaf, but it’s kind of too late,” he says. “She already made these choices — and she’s responsible for some of the deaths. But as a parent, I fee like she’s responsible for her kid to a degree — his upbringing and molding him…so she’s directly responsible for Tariq being who he is and who he needs to be.
Shane Johnson Starz
“As Cooper Saxe I want to see Tariq in jail because he’s the one that killed his father,” he says. “James Saint Patrick was the real person I wanted in jail but I can’t have him anymore because Tariq killed him.
“He took my biggest case away from me so now I wanna take him down.”
Saxe is also using his niece, Riley Saxe (Andrea Lee Christensen) for insider leverage while she’s dating Tariq’s college roommate.
“Riley could definitely be Cooper’s downfall because she hasn’t listened to
anything he says. He keeps trying to trust her and tell what to do but she’s buried in her phone — a typical millennial.
“She’s just half paying attention and wants to please [Cooper] …but ends up getting him in trouble,” he says. “He keeps trying to trust her and tell her what to do but
she’s buried in her phone [like] a typical millennial. The moment he thought she was sleeping with Tariq was one of my favorite moments on the show.
“I think they’re loyal to each other but she has bad instincts — instead of listening to her uncle.”
“Power Book II: Ghost” airs Sunday at 8 p.m. on Starz.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--District judge orders Trump administration to accept new DACA applications

The Trump administration must accept new applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that protects some young immigrants from deportation , a federal judge ruled Friday , in vacating a memo from the acting Homeland Security secretary that had suspended it .
U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis said the government had to post a public notice within three days that new DACA applications were being accepted .
The ruling follows one from November where Garaufis said Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf was unlawfully in his position .
On Friday , the judge said that invalidated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspending DACA for new applications and reducing how long renewals were valid from two years down to one year .
Wolf had issued his memo after the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled in June that President Donald Trump failed to follow rule-making procedures when he tried to end the program .
Garaufis also ordered the government to put together a status report on the DACA program by Jan. 4 .
An email seeking comment was sent to the Department of Homeland Security .
DACA , started during the Obama administration , allows certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country as children to legally work and shields them from deportation .
About 650,000 people are currently enrolled in the program .

The Trump administration must accept new applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that protects some young immigrants from deportation, a federal judge ruled Friday, in vacating a memo from the acting Homeland Security secretary that had suspended it.
U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis said the government had to post a public notice within three days that new DACA applications were being accepted.
The ruling follows one from November where Garaufis said Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf was unlawfully in his position.
On Friday, the judge said that invalidated the memo Wolf had issued in July suspending DACA for new applications and reducing how long renewals were valid from two years down to one year.
Wolf had issued his memo after the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled in June that President Donald Trump failed to follow rule-making procedures when he tried to end the program.
Garaufis also ordered the government to put together a status report on the DACA program by Jan. 4.
An email seeking comment was sent to the Department of Homeland Security.
DACA, started during the Obama administration, allows certain young immigrants who were brought to the country as children to legally work and shields them from deportation.
About 650,000 people are currently enrolled in the program.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Pimps, smugglers and AK-47s: ‘Trafficked’ targets global black markets

Mariana van Zeller takes viewers inside the world ’ s dark corners and criminal underbellies in “ Trafficked , ” her new National Geographic docuseries .
Airing Wednesdays at 9 p.m. , “ Trafficked ” takes a deep dive into various underground industries around the globe , including episodes exploring the world of fentanyl smuggling in Mexico , scamming in Jamaica and counterfeit money in Peru .
The Portuguese-born van Zeller , 44 , is a Peabody Award-winning investigative journalist and correspondent for National Geographic and Fusion .
Her previous documentaries include “ This ( Illegal ) American Life , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and “ El Chapo : CEO of Crime.
” Van Zeller answered some questions for The Post about “ Trafficked.
” How did this show come about ?
I ’ ve been covering the underworld and these black markets for over 15 years .
And one thing that I started realizing is that there ’ s so much information out there about the formal economy .
There are TV stations and radio channels and magazines devoted to analyzing and studying every twist and turn .
But we know so little about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make up almost half of the global economy .
So I felt we had a unique opportunity here with this show to shine a light into these worlds and [ to ] understand how the power structures work .
Did you learn anything that surprised you ?
Oh , so much .
We think about black markets as happening in these faraway places and hidden locations .
But actually what this show will tell you is [ that ] they ’ re all around us .
And they often happen in plain sight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just a couple of miles from my house in LA .
We saw a gun deal going down with a car being packed with AK-47s to leave that night for Mexico .
I spent time with pimps and sex traffickers just a few miles from my house .
Was it hard to get people to agree to talk or appear on camera ?
For every “ yes ” that we get , there ’ s dozens and dozens of “ no ’ s. ” When we arrived in Peru to do the episode @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team in place and we ’ d spent months preparing for this moment .
So we went and met with this family of counterfeiters that run a huge operation in Lima , where 60 percent of fake US dollars come from … And they said , “ Tomorrow we ’ re going to give you access into this world.
” And then the next day we showed up and waited for hours and they never came .
So we had to start from scratch and go back to the US .
Because we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you might think that it was easy or that everybody said “ yes.
” But it ’ s not the case .
It was incredibly hard to get people to actually talk to us .
Did you ever feel nervous or unsafe ?
There were plenty of times .
We minimize the risk as much as possible , but there are moments where things don ’ t go as planned .
There was one situation in Mexico where we were going to a region controlled by the Sinaloa Cartel .
We were walking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and they told us , “ While you ’ re with us you ’ re protected , but if … there ’ s a firefight , you ’ ll be stuck in the middle of it.
” You ’ ve spent a lot of your career on these subjects .
Why do you think they ’ re important to cover ?
I ’ m fascinated by the people who work in these worlds — traffickers , smugglers , black market operators .
I hope what people take away from this show is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous and depressing world .
Yes , depressing and dangerous things are happening around us , but there is common ground between even people that we think are the most different from us .
If we sit down and listen to their stories , there ’ s a whole lot that we can learn from the decisions that they ’ ve made .
It ’ s a great conversation starter for ourselves about the opportunities that we were given in life .
I truly don ’ t think anyone is born wanting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but if you give them a chance to explain how they started operating , only then are you able to address the root causes of black markets around the world .

Mariana van Zeller takes viewers inside the world’s dark corners and criminal underbellies in “Trafficked,” her new National Geographic docuseries.
Airing Wednesdays at 9 p.m., “Trafficked” takes a deep dive into various underground industries around the globe, including episodes exploring the world of fentanyl smuggling in Mexico, scamming in Jamaica and counterfeit money in Peru.
The Portuguese-born van Zeller, 44, is a Peabody Award-winning investigative journalist and correspondent for National Geographic and Fusion. Her previous documentaries include “This (Illegal) American Life,” “Soccer’s Lost Boys” and “El Chapo: CEO of Crime.”
Van Zeller answered some questions for The Post about “Trafficked.”
How did this show come about?
I’ve been covering the underworld and these black markets for over 15 years. And one thing that I started realizing is that there’s so much information out there about the formal economy. There are TV stations and radio channels and magazines devoted to analyzing and studying every twist and turn. But we know so little about the informal economy; the black markets that make up almost half of the global economy. So I felt we had a unique opportunity here with this show to shine a light into these worlds and [to] understand how the power structures work.
Mariana van Zeller observes cartel gunsmiths in Sinaloa, Mexico, in “Trafficked.” National Geographic/Muck Media
Did you learn anything that surprised you?
Oh, so much. We think about black markets as happening in these faraway places and hidden locations. But actually what this show will tell you is [that] they’re all around us. And they often happen in plain sight. We filmed some of the season just a couple of miles from my house in LA. We saw a gun deal going down with a car being packed with AK-47s to leave that night for Mexico. I spent time with pimps and sex traffickers just a few miles from my house.
Was it hard to get people to agree to talk or appear on camera?
For every “yes” that we get, there’s dozens and dozens of “no’s.” When we arrived in Peru to do the episode on counterfeiting, I had my whole team in place and we’d spent months preparing for this moment. So we went and met with this family of counterfeiters that run a huge operation in Lima, where 60 percent of fake US dollars come from … And they said, “Tomorrow we’re going to give you access into this world.” And then the next day we showed up and waited for hours and they never came. So we had to start from scratch and go back to the US. Because we end up showing the access onscreen, you might think that it was easy or that everybody said “yes.” But it’s not the case. It was incredibly hard to get people to actually talk to us.
Did you ever feel nervous or unsafe?
There were plenty of times. We minimize the risk as much as possible, but there are moments where things don’t go as planned. There was one situation in Mexico where we were going to a region controlled by the Sinaloa Cartel. We were walking into this forest area with these gunmen, and they told us, “While you’re with us you’re protected, but if … there’s a firefight, you’ll be stuck in the middle of it.”
You’ve spent a lot of your career on these subjects. Why do you think they’re important to cover?
I’m fascinated by the people who work in these worlds — traffickers, smugglers, black market operators. I hope what people take away from this show is not that we live in a very dangerous and depressing world. Yes, depressing and dangerous things are happening around us, but there is common ground between even people that we think are the most different from us. If we sit down and listen to their stories, there’s a whole lot that we can learn from the decisions that they’ve made. It’s a great conversation starter for ourselves about the opportunities that we were given in life. I truly don’t think anyone is born wanting to be an outlaw or a criminal, but if you give them a chance to explain how they started operating, only then are you able to address the root causes of black markets around the world.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Mike Pence visits Georgia ahead of Trump Senate race rally on Saturday

Democratic Senate hopeful Jon Ossoff said he would consider supporting ...

Vice President Mike Pence visited Georgia on Friday ahead of a get-out-the-vote rally by President Trump on Saturday to boost the two GOP Senate runoff candidates.
Pence insisted during a speech in Savannah, Ga., that the election is not yet lost to President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.
“As our election contests continue, here in Georgia and in courts across the country, I’ll make you a promise: We’re going to keep fighting until every legal vote is counted. We’re going to keep fighting until every illegal vote is thrown out,” Pence said.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, last month certified Biden as winner by 12,587 votes following a hand recount of ballots. But Trump has lashed out at Georgia officials, including Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who on Thursday endorsed Trump’s demand for an audit of signatures used on mail-in ballots.
Complicating matters for the Jan. 5 Senate runoffs, fringe pro-Trump conservative activists and attorneys have urged Republican voters in Georgia to stay home if GOP Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue won’t more aggressively push Trump’s case.
Pence implored rally-goers to “cast another vote for all that President Trump has accomplished” by voting for Loeffler and Perdue.
“I know we all have our doubts about the last election, and I actually hear some people saying, ‘Just don’t vote.’ My fellow Americans, if you don’t vote, they win,” Pence said.
“If you don’t vote, there could be nothing to stop Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi from cutting our military, raising taxes and passing the agenda of the radical left.”
The outcome of the runoffs will dictate control of the Senate next year. Republicans will hold at least 50 seats in January, but if they lose both races, the Senate will be divided 50-50 and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will break ties.
Loeffler, the richest member of Congress and wife of New York Stock Exchange chairman Jeff Sprecher, is running against the Rev. Raphael Warnock, pastor of the Atlanta church formerly run by Martin Luther King Jr. The political content of his sermons has earned negative news coverage.
Perdue faces Democrat Jon Ossoff, a 33-year-old whose failed 2017 candidacy in a House special election raised $23 million.
Biden said at a Friday press conference that he would be following Trump to Georgia to campaign for the Democratic candidates, though he did not say when.
Trump said in a tweet that he will be joined by first lady Melania Saturday night at Valdosta Regional Airport near the Florida border.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Carl Lentz’s ‘multiple’ affairs allegedly known to Hillsong for years

Aussie superchurch Hillsong is accused of knowing about disgraced pastor Carl Lentz ’ s sexual misconduct as far back as 2017 , Page Six has learned .
An alleged former church member , using the Twitter handle @ aurora_divva , tweeted about an alleged 2017 Hillsong NY scandal where a church member accused Lentz of inappropriate sexual behavior .
She says this was covered up by church staff .
She tweeted : “ While Carl Lentz messed up , I have no issues with him and I ’ m praying for him and his family .
It ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to be fired for real .
Cos all this could ’ ve stopped or handled back then.
” She added : “ What Carl Lentz got fired over has been happening for years.
” According to one insider , in July 2017 , a Hillsong member wrote to one of the church ’ s directors an email with allegations that some Hillsong leaders were texting nude photos to female volunteers , and that Lentz had been accused of making one volunteer “ extremely uncomfortable ” after he “ acted inappropriately , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ has been involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with different women.
” As we reported , Hillsong founder Brian Houston publicly cited “ moral failures ” for Lentz ’ s exit .
In newly leaked audio , Houston alleged that Lentz was unfaithful several times — including with Brooklyn designer Ranin Karim , with whom he split in October .
Lentz is now working on his marriage by going through “ intense therapy ” with wife Laura and spending time with his three kids .
He is committed to rebuilding trust and fixing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding : “ Covid has been a blessing in a lot of ways .
They have been able to spend more time together as a family watching movies , game nights and reading ( they have a book club ) .
“ He is not working and plans to take time away from the church to work on his marriage .
He has no plans to open a church or seek fame at this time .
He never planned to leave his marriage nor asserted he would do so .
That is completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the church and his parishioners for more than 20 years and takes his duties extremely seriously and has never shared confidential information about parishioners.
” The source added : “ He continues to have the utmost respect for Hillsong and everyone who works there .
He recognizes he has put them in a bad spot but is appreciative of all of the opportunities that Hillsong afforded him .
He is also reaffirming his relationship with God.
” In a statement referring to the 2017 allegations , Hillsong told Page Six : “ At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with legal counsel spent five weeks investigating the claims and could find no corroborating evidence for any of the allegations made .
For this reason , it was not escalated to Pastor Brian at that time .
However , our independent investigator is revisiting these allegations , and we await their findings .
”

Aussie superchurch Hillsong is accused of knowing about disgraced pastor Carl Lentz’s sexual misconduct as far back as 2017, Page Six has learned.
An alleged former church member, using the Twitter handle @aurora_divva, tweeted about an alleged 2017 Hillsong NY scandal where a church member accused Lentz of inappropriate sexual behavior.
She says this was covered up by church staff.
She tweeted: “While Carl Lentz messed up, I have no issues with him and I’m praying for him and his family. It’s the pastors that handled the whole incident that need to be fired for real. Cos all this could’ve stopped or handled back then.”
She added: “What Carl Lentz got fired over has been happening for years.”
According to one insider, in July 2017, a Hillsong member wrote to one of the church’s directors an email with allegations that some Hillsong leaders were texting nude photos to female volunteers, and that Lentz had been accused of making one volunteer “extremely uncomfortable” after he “acted inappropriately,” was “extremely flirtatious,” and “has been involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with different women.”
As we reported, Hillsong founder Brian Houston publicly cited “moral failures” for Lentz’s exit. In newly leaked audio, Houston alleged that Lentz was unfaithful several times — including with Brooklyn designer Ranin Karim, with whom he split in October.
Lentz is now working on his marriage by going through “intense therapy” with wife Laura and spending time with his three kids. He is committed to rebuilding trust and fixing his marriage, a friend said, adding: “Covid has been a blessing in a lot of ways. They have been able to spend more time together as a family watching movies, game nights and reading (they have a book club).
“He is not working and plans to take time away from the church to work on his marriage. He has no plans to open a church or seek fame at this time. He never planned to leave his marriage nor asserted he would do so. That is completely inaccurate.
“He has dutifully lead the church and his parishioners for more than 20 years and takes his duties extremely seriously and has never shared confidential information about parishioners.”
The source added: “He continues to have the utmost respect for Hillsong and everyone who works there. He recognizes he has put them in a bad spot but is appreciative of all of the opportunities that Hillsong afforded him. He is also reaffirming his relationship with God.”
In a statement referring to the 2017 allegations, Hillsong told Page Six: “At the time, our team in cooperation with legal counsel spent five weeks investigating the claims and could find no corroborating evidence for any of the allegations made. For this reason, it was not escalated to Pastor Brian at that time. However, our independent investigator is revisiting these allegations, and we await their findings.”


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Prosecutions for MTA overtime fraud are a sign to watch out for the next big scam

“ Overtime king ” Thomas Caputo and four other current and former MTA employees face up to 10 years in prison on charges of federal program fraud for collecting overtime pay when not actually on the job .
It ’ s a small measure of justice in a huge scandal uncovered by The Post and the Empire Center for Public Policy .
It ’ s been over 18 months since the Empire Center flagged flagrant excessive OT at the Long Island Rail Road and other MTA branches , and The Post followed up with a series of investigative reports .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Office and the FBI to build legal cases against some of the most blatant cheats .
Caputo , for one , drew more than $ 344,000 in overtime pay in 2018 alone — for a total that topped all other MTA employees , including the chairman .
Now the feds have proof that he was at a bowling alley while clocked in on at least two occasions .
Subway maintenance supervisor Michael Gundersen would have had to average 10 hours of overtime a day to reach his nearly 4,000 recorded extra hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state for some of his “ work ” time — on a Virginia vacation , the feds say , and at an Atlantic City concert .
In April 2019 , the Empire Center found that MTA overtime pay had jumped 16 percent in the past year .
Because it waged long court battles to get individual pay and pension info for public employees , it also flagged Caputo and other “ stars ” — and The Post made sure officials couldn ’ t keep turning a blind eye .
Yet the OT scam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the extra pay also means higher retirement payouts .
Indeed , Caputo retired after his “ good fortune ” was exposed and drew $ 144,000 in his first year .
Now the MTA is moving to slash his pension and claw back the amount he unjustly collected .
Gov .
Cuomo pretends the five accused are just “ bad apples.
” Ha !
LIRR overtime soared after a previous pension scam was exposed — namely , that nearly all its retirees were somehow qualifying for lucrative disability pensions .
Now the MTA needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next scheme to pad pensions , because many LIRR workers , especially , plainly figure they ’ re entitled to cheat the taxpayers .

“Overtime king” Thomas Caputo and four other current and former MTA employees face up to 10 years in prison on charges of federal program fraud for collecting overtime pay when not actually on the job. It’s a small measure of justice in a huge scandal uncovered by The Post and the Empire Center for Public Policy.
It’s been over 18 months since the Empire Center flagged flagrant excessive OT at the Long Island Rail Road and other MTA branches, and The Post followed up with a series of investigative reports. That prompted the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office and the FBI to build legal cases against some of the most blatant cheats.
Caputo, for one, drew more than $344,000 in overtime pay in 2018 alone — for a total that topped all other MTA employees, including the chairman. Now the feds have proof that he was at a bowling alley while clocked in on at least two occasions.
Subway maintenance supervisor Michael Gundersen would have had to average 10 hours of overtime a day to reach his nearly 4,000 recorded extra hours in 2018, but was out of state for some of his “work” time — on a Virginia vacation, the feds say, and at an Atlantic City concert.
In April 2019, the Empire Center found that MTA overtime pay had jumped 16 percent in the past year. Because it waged long court battles to get individual pay and pension info for public employees, it also flagged Caputo and other “stars” — and The Post made sure officials couldn’t keep turning a blind eye.
Yet the OT scam is also a pension scam, since the extra pay also means higher retirement payouts. Indeed, Caputo retired after his “good fortune” was exposed and drew $144,000 in his first year. Now the MTA is moving to slash his pension and claw back the amount he unjustly collected.
Gov. Cuomo pretends the five accused are just “bad apples.” Ha! LIRR overtime soared after a previous pension scam was exposed — namely, that nearly all its retirees were somehow qualifying for lucrative disability pensions.
Now the MTA needs to be on the alert for the next scheme to pad pensions, because many LIRR workers, especially, plainly figure they’re entitled to cheat the taxpayers.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--20-year-old aide to Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler killed in crash ahead of Pence rally

A 20-year-old campaign staffer for Georgia Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler died Friday morning in a highway crash just before Vice President Mike Pence arrived in the state to stump for Loeffler and fellow Georgia Sen. David Perdue .
Harrison Deal , a former intern for Perdue , was also a family friend of Georgia Republican Gov .
Brian Kemp , who described him in a statement as “ the Kemp son and brother we never had.
” Deal was killed on I-16 in Pooler , Ga. , outside Savannah , where Pence spoke Friday afternoon .
It ’ s unclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duties at the time of the accident .
Loeffler and Perdue face a Jan. 5 runoff election against Democratic candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff .
The outcome of the runoffs will dictate control of the Senate next year .
Republicans will hold at least 50 seats in January , but if they lose both races , the Senate will be divided 50-50 and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will break ties .
Pence said during a speech in Savannah that Deal , who is not believed to be related to the governor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Deal was due to graduate from the University of Georgia in 2022 .
Loeffler did not attend the Pence rally due to the tragedy .
“ It is with an extremely heavy heart that we mourn the loss of Harrison Deal , ” Loeffler said in a statement .
“ My heart aches for his family , and Jeff and I will continue to surround them in love and prayer in the days ahead .
Harrison was a beloved member of our campaign team .
More importantly , Harrison was a smart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outstanding young man.
” Loeffler said that Deal “ embodied the very best of this campaign – and the very best of our state .
We will forever cherish and honor Harrison ’ s memory , and I ask every Georgian to join us in praying for his family during this difficult time.
” President Trump is scheduled to visit the state on Saturday for an evening rally at Valdosta Regional Airport near the Florida border .

A 20-year-old campaign staffer for Georgia Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler died Friday morning in a highway crash just before Vice President Mike Pence arrived in the state to stump for Loeffler and fellow Georgia Sen. David Perdue.
Harrison Deal, a former intern for Perdue, was also a family friend of Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who described him in a statement as “the Kemp son and brother we never had.”
Deal was killed on I-16 in Pooler, Ga., outside Savannah, where Pence spoke Friday afternoon. It’s unclear if the young aide was performing campaign duties at the time of the accident.
Loeffler and Perdue face a Jan. 5 runoff election against Democratic candidates Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.
The outcome of the runoffs will dictate control of the Senate next year. Republicans will hold at least 50 seats in January, but if they lose both races, the Senate will be divided 50-50 and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will break ties.
Pence said during a speech in Savannah that Deal, who is not believed to be related to the governor, was a “truly wonderful young man.”
Deal was due to graduate from the University of Georgia in 2022.
Loeffler did not attend the Pence rally due to the tragedy.
Sen. Kelly Loeffler AFP via Getty Images
“It is with an extremely heavy heart that we mourn the loss of Harrison Deal,” Loeffler said in a statement.
“My heart aches for his family, and Jeff and I will continue to surround them in love and prayer in the days ahead. Harrison was a beloved member of our campaign team. More importantly, Harrison was a smart, bright, loving, loyal and outstanding young man.”
Loeffler said that Deal “embodied the very best of this campaign – and the very best of our state. We will forever cherish and honor Harrison’s memory, and I ask every Georgian to join us in praying for his family during this difficult time.”
President Trump is scheduled to visit the state on Saturday for an evening rally at Valdosta Regional Airport near the Florida border.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--AG Barr does his job on two key calls: annoying both Democrats and President Trump

WASHINGTON — Attorney General William Barr has given the lead ...

Few Trump administration figures have been vilified by the left as much as Attorney General Bill Barr, but he’s a complete professional — as his two latest moves prove.
Barr revealed Tuesday that he’s made John Durham, the former US attorney he’d previously put in charge of examining the origins of the FBI “Russiagate” probe, a special counsel. That ensures a President Joe Biden can’t easily kill the investigation of serious Justice Department abuses.
The AG made the appointment Oct. 19 but kept it quiet so as not to be seen as interfering with the election. He said Tuesday he opted to use “the same regulation that covered Bob Mueller, to provide Durham and his team some assurance that they’d be able to complete their work regardless of the outcome of the election.”
Under that regulation, a special counsel can only be fired for specific reasons, such as dereliction of duty, misconduct or conflict of interest. Biden’s AG won’t be able to shut down the probe without some serious backlash.
Barr’s directive authorizes Durham to “investigate whether any federal official, employee, or any other person or entity violated the law in connection with the intelligence, counter-intelligence, or law-enforcement activities directed at the 2016 presidential campaigns, individuals associated with those campaigns, and individuals associated with the administration of President Donald J. Trump, including but not limited to Crossfire Hurricane and the investigation of Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller, III.”
The AG also gave an update on Durham’s work: Its focus has narrowed to the conduct of the FBI agents who worked on Crossfire Hurricane, the Trump-Russia probe that began in July 2016 and didn’t end until March 2019, when Mueller reported he’d found no evidence of collusion.
But there’s plenty of evidence of misconduct — among the FBI investigators. A scathing report from Michael Horowitz, the Justice inspector general, documented some of it.
• Agents relied heavily on the known-to-be-discredited Steele dossier, full of made-up rumors, to obtain warrants to spy on the Trump campaign.
• Agents lied to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to get multiple warrants to monitor campaign adviser Carter Page — who they knew to be a CIA asset, not a Russian agent.
Andrew McCabe, Lisa Page and Peter Strzok were fired, and Durham has delivered one conviction so far: FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith pleaded guilty for falsifying a document sent to the FISA court.
Democrats are bawling that Barr is simply doing the president’s bidding, but his other announcement shows he’s no toady: He firmly declined to push Trump’s stolen-election narrative. FBI agents and US attorneys have examined multiple complaints, he said, but: “To date, we have not seen fraud on a scale that could have affected a different outcome in the election.”
When Barr authorized prosecutors to investigate such complaints weeks ago, Biden’s team called it a “clumsy and cynical partisan political scheme.” In fact, Barr was just doing his job — and, as always, doing it with professionalism and class.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Fantasy football: Don’t be tempted by Josh Gordon’s return

The final week of the fantasy football regular season is ...

Don’t do it. We know you’re going to be tempted, but don’t. Just say no. Do not pick up Josh Gordon.
The troubled Seahawks receiver was given clearance to return to action the final two weeks of the NFL season. He had been suspended since Week 15 of last season for PEDs. He is eligible to return in Week 16 this season.
This should be obvious, but we feel like we must state it anyway. First, he hasn’t played all season. He played just five games for Seattle last season, and caught just seven passes. He has totaled — totaled — just 110 catches since 2014. That encompasses every year since his lone fantasy standout season in 2013.
Plus, you will get him for exactly one game. Why waste a roster spot on someone who hasn’t produced in more than six seasons? And play him in fantasy championship week? In his first game back?
No way, no how. Just don’t do it.
But Gordon isn’t the only trap to avoid as we head into the last week of the fantasy regular season. There are others who might even tempt you to use them this week.
Don’t play Giovani Bernard. With the quarterback problems in Cincinnati, it makes it too easy for teams to focus on the run. Though Samaje Perine did not have a carry last week, we’re not convinced he has disappeared for good. He got virtually equal work and outperformed Bernard the previous three games. Don’t be surprised if he is back in the mix Sunday, cutting into Bernard’s touches. Just don’t do it.
Even if Todd Gurley is in the Falcons’ lineup Sunday, don’t put him in your fantasy lineup. The Saints are the stingiest defense against fantasy running backs. If Gurley doesn’t score, he is a drag on your fantasy team, failing to reach double-digit PPR output this season when he does score. He has just one 100-yard game all year. The Saints have allowed a league-low five rushing TDs all season. Just don’t do it.
Don’t bench Jonathan Taylor. The rookie Colts RB has given us fits all season. We anticipated a slow rise, but Marlon Mack got hurt and Taylor was thrust into action early. As soon as we started to get comfy, his production took a nosedive, and Jordan Wilkins began cutting into his work.
Yet, Taylor re-established his role with a strong game two weeks ago against a poor Packers defense. He missed last week because of close contact with COVID, but did not have the virus himself — so there is no reason to fear any slowdown. And he gets to face a soft Texans run defense. Expect he will get the lion’s share of touches among Colts RBs. Don’t bench him. Just don’t do it.
Don’t gamble on a Patriots wide receiver. New England has trouble passing with Cam Newton at QB, and particularly Damiere Byrd and N’Keal Harry have tough matchups with Chargers defensive backs. Just don’t do it.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--LA’s famed Magic Castle hit with allegations of sexual misconduct, racism

Hollywood 's `` Times 's Up '' organization , set up to fight sexual harassment , ...

L.A.’s legendary Magic Castle — known as the world’s most exclusive clubhouse for magicians — is a hotbed of abuse, racism and sexual harassment, according to a bombshell report published Friday.
At least 12 people have accused management and staffers at the historic Hollywood mansion — which stages breathtaking magic shows with star-studded audiences — of subjecting workers and customers to everything from racial comments to sexual assault, according to an investigation by the L.A. times.
One of the accusers, former waitress Stephanie Carpentieri, said the Magic Castle failed take action after she reported a busboy who repeatedly groped her breasts and grabbed her vagina on the job, the paper reported.
“I worked there for six years — I did my job well. And when I needed to be protected by them, they created a hostile environment for me,” Carpentieri, 38, said. “I just felt betrayed.”
Carpentieri, who sued Magic Castle last year, said the business — which is the official home to the Academy of Magical Arts — is plagued by a good-old-boy mentality and a culture of “not believing women.”
In another case, magic performer Ed Kwon said he was repeatedly harassed because he’s Korean, including during a brunch with a longtime magician member.
“He used his hands to make slanted eyes and [said] the stereotypical Chinese — something along the lines of, ‘Ching hong chong,’” said Kwon, 24, according to the paper. “What he did and said was so out of place, it hit me at a surreal level.”
Racist comments played a role in him leaving the Castle, and the country — and soured him on the magic trade entirely, he said.
Voters cast their ballots at The Magic Castle clubhouse polling location in Hollywood, California during election day. ETIENNE LAURENT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
A third accuser, former bartender Terry Lee Lamair, claims the Castle ignored complaints that a co-worker had sexually harassed her, according to the paper, which notes she sued the Castle in 2013.
Instead of doing anything to stop the abuse, she said, a supervisor joined in — by repeatedly referring to her vagina as the “Grand Canyon.”
“I do have hope that shining a light on this stuff will make a change, because the Magic Castle . . . should not be tarnished by this atmosphere of violence and harassment,” Carpentieri said.
Other allegations include a customer who “stormed out, mid-act” because a magician allegedly pressured her to “rub [a] card on my boobs” in 2018, according to the customer, Andrea Kemp.
“He leaned into me and tried to smell my chest and . . . I pushed him off me,” she said. “I went back to my seat and . . . stormed out mid-act. I immediately started crying,” she said.
Between 2011 and 2019, the academy was sued four times by former employees for allegedly violating the Fair Employment and Housing Act, which protects against sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation, according to the report. Settlements were reached in three of the cases and Carpentieri’s suit is ongoing.
After an investigation into some of the allegations, the The Academy of Magical Arts and its Board sent a statement to members on Oct. 14 stressing the need for improvement.
“The findings were serious and broad-spanning, covering management, culture, human resources, operational systems and processes, and the need for systemic change,” the statement notes, according to the L.A. Times.
Randy Sinnott Jr., the president of the organization’s board of directors, didn’t immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment Friday.
Magic Castle co-founder Milt Larsen declined to comment to the L.A. Times through a spokeswoman.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Democrats are now reaping the whirlwind of their 2016 election ‘Resistance’

Attorney General William Barr said Tuesday the Justice Department has ...

“My sense is that if Trump wins, Hillary supporters will be sad,” left-wing writer Sally Kohn tweeted the day of the 2016 election. “If Hillary wins, Trump supporters will be angry. Important difference.” Kohn turned out to be wrong about her own side that year, which angrily set about delegitimizing Donald Trump’s victory. She was wrong, too, in her apparent assumption — shared by shop owners who boarded up their windows — that Trump supporters would react as violently to his defeat as the Black Lives Matter movement reacted to a death in Minneapolis.
Which is not to say President Trump and many of his supporters are responding gracefully to their candidate’s failure to repeat his 2016 feat of winning the presidency by a margin of 77,736 votes in three crucial states (Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania). They are not consoled that Joe Biden’s margin of victory in this year’s three crucial states (Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin) was an even smaller 43,809 votes.
Trump has not discouraged efforts by his lawyers and others to, somehow, overturn the result. None has come anywhere close to identifying errors that would justify overturning the result in one state, much less the three needed to reverse the result.
This should not be surprising. When one state whose electoral votes are decisive has a very narrow popular-vote margin, the results will be fiercely contested, as Florida’s were in 2000. The final official margin was just 537 votes.
That’s a lot less than 77,736 or 43,809, or the 118,601 by which George W. Bush carried the crucial electoral votes of Ohio in 2004. Overturning earlier narrow electoral-vote majorities would have required successful challenges of popular-vote margins of 18,488 in two states in 1976, of 317,742 votes in seven states in 1968 and of 33,538 votes in four states in 1960. That’s one reason losing candidates didn’t challenge the results.
Another reason is we have — or had — a norm against delegitimizing election results. In 1960, Richard Nixon chose to observe that norm and not challenge results in multiple states. In 2000, Al Gore contested the results in Florida but conceded after the final court ruling and segued to issue advocacy.
Not so in 2016. In violation of longstanding norms, Obama administration intel and law-enforcement agencies spied on the opposition party campaign. Officials proffered the dodgy Steele dossier before the FISA court without revealing it was paid for by Hillary Clinton’s campaign.
In violation of longstanding norms, Democrats refused to accept the result as legitimate. “I will not accede to this. I will resist,” tweeted liberal think tank head Neera Tanden (President-elect Joe Biden’s choice to head the Office of Management and Budget) five days after the election. Democrats took to calling themselves “the Resistance,” suggesting the Trump administration was morally equivalent to the pro-Hitler Vichy regime in France.
Again and again, leading Democrats — Hillary Clinton, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the late Rep. John Lewis, Joe Biden, Jimmy Carter — called Trump an “illegitimate” president. For three years, Democrats advanced the Russia-collusion hoax without finding or producing any evidence except for the discredited Steele dossier.
Joe McCarthy had the limp excuse that at some point, there were some communists in the State Department. Democrats and their many allies in the news media lacked a similar excuse for propagating the Russia-collusion hoax.
So you can find polls that say most Democrats believe Trump is an “illegitimate” president and that Russians hacked election websites and polls that say most Republicans believe Biden stole the election with the connivance of election officials in multiple states.
High-minded commentators who paid relentless and respectful attention to what were obviously absurd and concocted charges of Russian collusion lament this state of affairs. They urge everyone to heed Joe Biden’s call to “unify” the nation.
They have a point. Democrats misbehaved for four years in trying to delegitimize Donald Trump’s 77,736-vote victory. Trump and many Republicans have been misbehaving for four weeks in trying to delegitimize Joe Biden’s 43,809-vote victory.
The conservative National Review is right to denounce Trump’s “disgraceful endgame.” But its liberal counterparts have done little or nothing to denounce Democrats’ disgraceful flouting of longstanding norms. The few left writers — Glenn Greenwald, Matt Taibbi — have taken flak and separated themselves from institutional affiliations.
Democrats who are dismayed that many Americans aren’t meekly accepting the legitimacy of the Biden presidency are in the process of learning a lesson taught a very long time ago. You reap what you sow.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Billy Owens among candidates Mets considering for GM job

This will become secondary once the Mets sign Trevor Bauer ...

Billy Owens, a longtime A’s executive who worked with Sandy Alderson the two prior years, is believed to be in the mix for the Mets’ general manager opening.
While it’s not clear whether Owens, 49, has formally interviewed for the job, the Mets have held internal discussions about his candidacy, according to an industry source.
Owens, who played minor league ball for seven years after the Orioles selected him in the third round of the 1992 amateur draft, has spent 22 years in the A’s organization and became assistant general manager/director of player personnel in 2016. He is highly regarded throughout the industry for having a keen scouting eye — he pushed Oakland to commit $36 million to a Cuban free agent named Yoenis Cespedes in 2012 — as well as strong people skills.
Alderson, the Mets president, has played his search for a GM (a shift in gears after the Mets couldn’t find a more experienced official to become president of baseball operations) very close to the vest.
The only known people he has interviewed are former Marlins president of baseball ops Michael Hill and Chris Young, the former pitcher turned Major League Baseball executive who became the Rangers’ GM on Friday. Young had withdrawn from the Mets’ search because he wanted to keep his family in the Dallas area, where the Rangers play. Alderson said on Nov. 23 that he had interviewed about six people for the position.
Former Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi, who worked for the Mets during Alderson’s 2011-18 run as Mets GM (and worked with Alderson in Oakland in the 1990s), also stands as a possibility to rejoin the Mets in a baseball operations capacity.


newyorkpost--2020-12-04--Accused MTA overtime cheat Thomas Caputo may lose hefty pension he racked up

No line of work is immune to “ bad apples ” like ...

An accused MTA overtime cheat has been collecting a massive pension that the feds say was boosted by pay he didn’t actually earn — but that gravy train could soon be thrown into reverse!
Thomas Caputo, 56, of Holbrook, LI, raked in $144,000 in pension benefits during the past year, it was revealed in court following his arrest Thursday.
The MTA said Friday that if he’s convicted, officials would seek to claw back the proceeds of his alleged scam and slash his pension accordingly.
“We are pursuing all available options to recoup the stolen overtime and resulting pension,” MTA spokeswoman Abbey Collins said.
“This is an egregious breach of the public’s trust and we will take all necessary actions to root out waste, fraud and abuse wherever it occurs.”
Caputo, a former LIRR track inspector, took early retirement in March 2019 amid an investigation into the $461,646 he took home the previous year.
The eye-popping amount — which made him the agency’s highest-paid employee — comprised a $117,499-a-year salary and $344,147 for an improbable 3,864 hours of overtime.
To actually earn that much, Caputo would have had to work more than 10 hours “every single calendar day in 2018 including weekends and holidays (although he did not)…in addition to his regular, 40-hour work week,” court papers allege.
Instead, prosecutors said, Caputo “frequently” spent that time “at home or at other non-work locations,” including a bowling alley in Patchogue, LI.
And as if that weren’t enough, on several occasions Caputo “also falsely claimed to have worked regular time hours that he did not work,” according to court papers.
Because transit workers’ pensions are based on the three highest-paid years of the 10 before they retire, the feds said Caputo’s alleged scam increased his pension benefits.
The MTA wouldn’t say Friday how much of Caputo’s pension was the result of his claimed overtime.
Last year, The Post visited his home and found renovations that included a brick-and-stone driveway — but no sign of the broken-down Volkswagen Jetta that a Google Street View camera photographed in 2012.
Instead, there was a sleek black Audi Q5 in its place, as well as a BMW and a Honda Accord parked nearby.
No one answered the door at the house on Friday afternoon.
Caputo is among five current and former MTA workers who were charged with one count each of federal program fraud for allegedly scamming overtime payments from the MTA.
The charge carries a maximum 10 years in prison.
Another defendant, Joseph Ruzzo, 56, of Levittown, is also retired, but details of his pension weren’t disclosed.
The three others, John Nugent, 50, of Rocky Point; Joseph Balestra, 51, of Blue Point; and Michael Gunderson, 42, of Manalapan, N.J., remained employed by the MTA.