Author: Admin

Idaho Statesman – by Ken Ritter, AP

LAS VEGAS – In a dramatic end to a contentious trial, defense attorneys declined Tuesday to make closing arguments on behalf of four men accused of wielding assault weapons against federal agents in a 2014 standoff near Nevada anti-government figure Cliven Bundy’s ranch.

The move left defendants Eric Parker, Steven Stewart and Ricky Lovelien of Montana and Oklahoma essentially mute in answer to 10 felony charges including conspiracy, weapon possession and assault on a federal officer.

Defendant Scott Drexler of Idaho testified in his defense on Monday.
Continue reading “Drama closes US trial: Bundy case defense lawyers stay mute”

WSAZ 3 News

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) — More than 150 people came out to the West Virginia Capitol Sunday, standing in solidarity with Charlottesville and also voicing concerns over the statue of a confederate general on the capitol grounds.

In addition to holding a vigil for the victims and city of Charlottesville, the group called on West Virginia Governor Jim Justice to take down the statue of Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.   Continue reading “Calls to remove W.Va. Confederate statue in wake of Va. unrest”

Reuters

Undeterred by the violence over the planned removal of a Confederate statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, municipal leaders in cities across the United States said they would step up efforts to pull such monuments from public spaces.

The mayors of Baltimore and Lexington, Kentucky, said they would push ahead with plans to remove statues caught up in a renewed national debate over whether monuments to the U.S. Civil War’s pro-slavery Confederacy are symbols of heritage or hate.   Continue reading “U.S. cities ramp up removal of Confederate statues”

The Hill – by Morgan Chalfant

The Department of Justice has requested information on visitors to a website used to organize protests against President Trump, the Los Angeles-based Dreamhost said in a blog post published on Monday.

Dreamhost, a web hosting provider, said that it has been working with the Department of Justice for several months on the request, which believes goes too far under the Constitution.   Continue reading “Justice demands 1.3M IP addresses related to Trump resistance site”

Mercury News – by Ken Ritter

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Restrictions placed by a federal judge on what defendants can say about being at Cliven Bundy’s ranch in April 2014 are leading to tense moments in the Las Vegas retrial of four men accused of wielding assault-style weapons to stop federal agents from rounding up cattle belonging to the anti-government figure.

Chief U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro refused Monday to order a mistrial sought by the defense attorney for Eric Parker. Navarro had ordered Parker off the witness stand last week and told the jury to disregard his testimony.   Continue reading “Bundy ranch case: Judge issues list of things defendants can’t say”

The Hill – by Rafael Bernal

The Trump administration is stuck between a rock and a hard place as a deadline approaches for Texas and nine other states to file suit against the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Neither the White House nor the Justice Department have said whether they’ll defend the Obama-era program that’s set to be challenged in court unless the administration rescinds it by Sept. 5.

That puts the administration in difficult territory, particularly given President Trump’s vow to protect recipients of the program, known as Dreamers.  Continue reading “‘Dreamers’ deadline looms for Trump”

NOLA – Associated Press

CARTAGENA, Colombia — Demonstrating the delicate balancing act that has come to define his vice presidency, Mike Pence tried to strike a balance Sunday in Colombia between Latin American opposition to possible U.S. military intervention in neighboring Venezuela, and President Donald Trump’s surprising refusal to rule out that option.

Speaking during a joint news conference with Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos shortly after his arrival in Latin America, Pence also declined to rule out possible military action against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose efforts to consolidate power in the country have drawn alarm. Still, Pence stressed the U.S. would much prefer what he called a “peaceable” solution to the growing political and humanitarian crisis.   Continue reading “In Colombia, VP Mike Pence calls for ‘peaceable means’ to restore democracy in Venezuela”

UTNE – by Craig Cox, May, 2003

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld served on the board of a Swiss company that in 2000 sold light water nuclear reactors to the government of North Korea, which critics, including Pentagon hardliners, say could be used to produce nuclear weapons.

Rumsfeld’s involvement in the $200 million deal with the Zurich-based engineering company ABB is seen as an embarrassment to the Bush administration, which vehemently opposed the deal during the 2000 presidential campaign, reports the London-based Guardian. “One could draw the conclusion that economic and personal interests took precedent over non-proliferation,” said Steve LaMontagne of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.   Continue reading “Remember When: Rumsfeld Company Sold Nuclear Weapon Equipment to North Korea”

ABC News

A hospital in Exeter, New Hampshire, was partially evacuated Friday following detection of an unknown odor and complaints of nausea, according to ABC affiliate WMUR in Manchester.

A hospital spokesperson told WMUR that an unknown odor was detected at Exeter Hospital around 11:15 a.m. ET, with staff and patients complaining of nausea and dizziness. Fire crews were dispatched to the hospital, and both the emergency room and operating room areas were evacuated and closed.   Continue reading “New Hampshire hospital evacuates emergency and operating rooms due to mysterious odor”

AZ Central – by Robert Anglen

A Las Vegas courtroom erupted in drama Thursday when a federal judge ordered a defendant in the Bundy Ranch standoff trial to get off the stand, struck his testimony, dismissed jurors and abruptly left the bench.

Jurors looked stunned as Eric Parker returned to the defense table with his head hung and then buried his face in his hands, according to lawyers in the case.

“He put his head down on the counsel table and appeared to be crying,” defense lawyer Shawn Perez said. “My observation of the jury was they were looking at everybody in the courtroom and going, ‘What just happened?’ ”   Continue reading “Drama erupts at Bundy retrial as judge scolds defendant, orders him off stand”

Breitbart – by Ian Mason

The Associated Press reported Wednesday that the Canadian government is sending “about 100” soldiers to assist police and border guards at the remote road on the Quebec-New York border that has become the nexus of an outpouring of illegal aliens living in America.

The back road crossing, with no official border post, near Champlain, New York, and Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec, has seen thousands of people, mostly Haitians residing in the United States, come by taxi and other conveyances to try to illegally enter Canada. Typically, the outflow is reported as resulting from “fear” of the climate created for illegals in the United States.   Continue reading “Canada Sends Soldiers to Handle Illegals Flooding Her Southern Border”

Yahoo News – by Jon Herskovitz

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) – A U.S. district judge in Austin has rejected an effort by Texas to have a law that would punish so-called sanctuary cities be declared constitutional ahead of the measure taking effect next month.

The Republican-backed law is the first of its kind since Republican Donald Trump became president in January, promising to crack down on illegal immigration. Texas is the U.S. state with the longest border with Mexico.   Continue reading “U.S. judge deals blow to Texas’ ‘sanctuary city’ law”

Popular Mechanics – by Kyle Mizokami

The handgun chosen to be the U.S. Army’s next generation handgun can fire if dropped while loaded. Tests conducted by gun bloggers has confirmed the gun will fire if dropped at a particular angle. The testing followed a multi-million dollar lawsuit by a Connecticut police officer who alleges he was injured after his Sig 320 handgun went off, critically injuring him.

The Sig Sauer P320 was declared the winner of the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System competition in January 2017. The P320, redesignated the M17 for Army and Air Force use, was picked to replace the Beretta M9 handgun, in use since the 1980s. The Army will issue the M17 to officers, aircrews, weapons crews, medics, and special operations forces. The M17 is chambered in 9-millimeter Parabellum and has a magazine capacity of 17 rounds.   Continue reading “New Handgun Chosen by U.S. Army Goes Off If Dropped”

Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of the Interior said on Monday it has rescinded an Obama-era rule that reformed how energy companies value sales of oil, gas and coal extracted from federal and tribal land to protect taxpayers because it caused “confusion and uncertainty” for energy companies.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said the department’s newly formed royalty policy committee would propose alternatives to the rule and “remain committed to collecting every dollar due.”   Continue reading “U.S. Interior Department rescinds coal valuation rule”

Yahoo News

CLINTON, Mo. (AP) — Authorities are searching for a 39-year-old suspect in the fatal shooting of a western Missouri police officer during a traffic stop, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said Monday.

Clinton police officer Gary Michael, 37, who had been on the force less than a year, died late Sunday near Clinton, about 75 miles (120 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City, Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Lowe said. The traffic stop involved a registration violation, Lowe said.   Continue reading “Missouri officer killed during traffic stop, man sought”

Yahoo News – by Chris Kenning and Joseph Ax

CHICAGO/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Chicago will sue the Trump administration on Monday over threats to withhold public safety grant money from so-called sanctuary cities, escalating a pushback against a federal immigration crackdown, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced on Sunday.

The federal lawsuit comes less than two weeks after Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the U.S. Justice Department would bar cities from a certain grant program unless they allow immigration authorities unlimited access to local jails and provide 48 hours’ notice before releasing anyone wanted for immigration violations.   Continue reading “Chicago to sue Trump administration over sanctuary city funding threat”

Yahoo News

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A suspicious package that smelled like ammonia sickened several people at an IRS building in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, on Friday, federal authorities said.

Local officials said about 10 people reported being ill, including vomiting and nausea, after the package arrived at the sprawling building’s mailroom Friday morning.  Continue reading “Suspicious package sent to IRS building in Kansas City”