Day: February 1, 2017

UC Berkeley cancels Milo Yiannopoulos event amid violent protest

After a protest at UC Berkeley turned violent Wednesday night, campus officials announced that a scheduled speech by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos was canceled. The Breitbart News editor was set to deliver a speech inside a UC Berkeley campus building but hundreds of protesters began throwing fireworks and pulling down the metal barricades police set up to keep people from rushing into the building.

Anti-Trump Republican eyes party switch in deep-blue Hawaii

A Republican lawmaker in deep-blue Hawaii is considering switching parties to become a Democrat after she was pressured to give up her leadership role for criticizing President Donald Trump. Rep. Beth Fukumoto said Republican Party members asked her to resign as Minority Floor Leader after she spoke at the Women’s March in Hawaii.

Flailing Trumpsters Upset a Hijacked Nation

The Trump Gang, hardly two weeks in the White House, is giving strong, petulant signals that it is hijacking the checks and balances of our democratic institutions. Coupling the Boss’s easily brusiable ego, marinated in infinite megalomania, with ideologues harboring objectives that would have frightened Nixonites and Reaganites alike, a runaway train is leaving the station.

1st inmate to get sex reassignment moves to female prison

Inmates inside a Delaware prison where two staff members were being held hostage Wednesday evening reached out to a newspaper in two phone calls to explain their concerns A jury has convicted a Minnesota man who shot and wounded five black men demonstrating against the fatal shooting of a black man by Minneapolis police officers Officials say the first U.S. inmate to receive state-funded sex-reassignment surgery has been moved to a women’s prison Immigration courts are making a technical switch to focus more on deportation hearings for immigrants jailed by the federal government A Republican lawmaker in deep-blue Hawaii is considering switching parties to become a Democrat after she was pressured to give up her leadership role for criticizing President Donald Trump A parole panel has recommended the release of a former follower of cult leader Charles Manson after California governors … (more)

Mavs owner Cuban questions “hypocrisy” of Trump’s order

Inmates inside a Delaware prison where two staff members were being held hostage Wednesday evening reached out to a newspaper in two phone calls to explain their concerns A jury has convicted a Minnesota man who shot and wounded five black men demonstrating against the fatal shooting of a black man by Minneapolis police officers A jury has convicted a Minnesota man who shot and wounded five black men demonstrating against the fatal shooting of a black man by Minneapolis police officers Officials say the first U.S. inmate to receive state-funded sex-reassignment surgery has been moved to a women’s prison Officials say the first U.S. inmate to receive state-funded sex-reassignment surgery has been moved to a women’s prison Immigration courts are making a technical switch to focus more on deportation hearings for immigrants jailed by the federal government Immigration courts are making a … (more)

Trump Pushback Leading to Surge in Buffalo Democrat Volunteers

For the last month or so, college student Thomas Arida has been doing clerical work and answering phones for the Erie County Democratic Committee. With the next general election roughly nine months away, it’s not the most exciting time for local politics, but Arida says after watching the presidential election he wanted to get involved anyway.

Builders accidentally dug up Blue Peter time capsule

President Trump honors first military casualty of his presidency by meeting fallen SEAL’s coffin – and takes Ivanka with him Is Trump drawing up an even stricter migration crackdown? Draft executive order touts deportation for receiving benefits and crackdown on work visas ‘Not a good start to Black History Month’: NBC under fire after Tamron Hall turns down millions and abruptly QUITS after network cancels her Today time slot to make room for Megyn Kelly Pair arrested in London over crippling cyber attack on Washington DC’s CCTV network just days before Trump was sworn in as president F-16 jet pilot accidentally kills civilian and injures Air Force service member by releasing munitions during training exercise on New Mexico military range Female teacher, 28, at Pennsylvania school for students with behavioral problems is arrested ‘for having sex with 16-year-old girl in eight-month … (more)

Editorial, Feb. 2, 2017: Gorsuch should get full and fair public hearing

In a deeply divided country, is it any surprise that President Donald J. Trump’s nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court already is lining up as another partisan and hostile battle? And while Republicans sowed this discord by blocking President Obama’s last nominee to the high court, Democrats have a choice to either play the revenge card, or take a higher road and conduct the kind of full and fair hearings on the nomination they wanted from Republicans.

Why Democrats are Panicking: Gov. Walker: White House interested in…

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday that he spoke with Vice President Mike Pence about how the White House can implement on a federal level parts of the Republican governor’s contentious policy that all-but eliminated collective bargaining for public sector unions in the state. President Donald Trump has talked about wanting to weaken collective bargaining protections for federal employees, most of whom can’t currently bargain over wages or benefits, to make it easier to hire and fire government workers and base pay on merit rather than tenure.

Prince William Sound RCAC Recertification Comments Open

The Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council is seeking recertification as the alternative voluntary advisory group for Prince William Sound, as authorized under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 . The application has been submitted to the U.S. Coast Guard, which is charged with assessing whether PWSRCAC fosters the general goals and purposes of OPA 90 and is broadly representative of communities and interests as envisioned under OPA 90. The Seward City News Editor publishes information sent from third parties.

The Latest: Authorities arrest 76 protesters

Authorities say they arrested d 76 Dakota Access oil pipeline protesters after they refused to leave a camp set up on private land. Law enforcement officers who evicted about 40 Dakota Access oil pipeline opponents from a camp they’d set up on private land have arrested dozens of the protesters.

76 protesters arrested at Dakota pipeline site

Seventy-six people were arrested Wednesday during renewed clashes over the Dakota Access Pipeline, as the Trump administration moves to speed the pipeline-approval process. The people were attempting to create a new campsite on private property as the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, along with the North Dakota Governor’s office and local law enforcement, worked to clean up the main protest site before spring floodwaters rise and wash trash and other debris into the Missouri River.

Flynn puts Iran ‘on notice’ over missile launch as Trump team adopts aggressive posture

The White House put Iran “on notice” on Wednesday for test-firing a ballistic missile and said it was reviewing how to respond, abruptly adopting an aggressive posture toward Tehran that could raise tensions in the region. It was unclear what actions the new Republican administration might take to try to rein in Iran for a missile launch that President Donald Trump and his top aides considered defiance of a nuclear deal negotiated in 2015 by then-Democratic President Barack Obama.

Retailers, trade groups gird for fight against GOP-proposed tax

A woman pushes her shopping cart last May as an employee pulls a long line of carts outside a Target store in Encinitas, California. More than 100 retailers, including Wal-Mart and Target as well as key trade associations, are launching a new coalition aimed at fighting a Republican proposal on how imports get taxed, which they believe would harm their businesses.

GOP Senate pair rule out voting for DeVos, putting nomination in jeopardy

Donald Trump’s nomination of school choice advocate Betsy DeVos as education secretary appeared in jeopardy Wednesday with two Republican senators saying they will vote against her. Amid fierce criticism from Democrats and teachers unions, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska announced their opposition to DeVos due to her lack of experience in the nation’s public schools.

JJ Gunn will stand with Standing Rock at benefita

It’s impossible not to see what’s happening in North Dakota, and Lebanon-area band JJ Gunn, a blues, soul and rock influenced outfit, is not happy about it. JJ Gunn will stand with Standing Rock at benefit show It’s impossible not to see what’s happening in North Dakota, and Lebanon-area band JJ Gunn, a blues, soul and rock influenced outfit, is not happy about it.

Civil rights opponent moves toward US Attorney General confirmation

Ari Berman posted a message on Twitter saying, ” Senate Judiciary Committee just voted to confirm Jeff Sessions, lifelong opponent of civil rights, on 1st day of Black History Month ” in what understatement allows us to call irony. Jefferson Beauregard “Jeff” Sessions III, the junior United States Senator from Alabama and President Donald Trump’s choice to be US attorney general, is .

Roberts, Ginsburg speak, but not on Trumpa s high court pick –

U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts and fellow Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg steered clear of saying anything about President Donald Trump’s pick for a key high court post as they gave separate speeches Wednesday in Kentucky and Virginia. Roberts looked to the court’s past, not its future, during a speech at the University of Kentucky, one day after Trump announced Neil Gorsuch as his nominee to replace the late Antonin Scalia on the high court.

Dems Call for Pentagon to Investigate Flynn’s Russian Ties

Democratic leaders on six House committees are demanding that the Department of Defense explain a speaking fee National Security adviser Michael Flynn received for a 2015 speech made in Russia. Flynn, who’s admitted to receiving money from Russia’s state-run media group RT for speaking engagements, also dined with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Moscow gala where he delivered his speech.

Dems: Pentagon Should Probe Flynn Over Paid Moscow Speech

Several House Democrats have asked the Pentagon to investigate national security adviser Michael Flynn for accepting a paid speaking gig for a Russian state-run media outlet in 2015. Flynn, who retired from the Army as a lieutenant general in 2014, has admitted to speaking at a gala in Moscow and also sitting at the same table as Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Senators voted 56-43 largely along party lines to approve Tillerson’s nomination to be the nation’s chief diplomat. Most Senate Democrats opposed Tillerson’s nomination, angering Republicans who considered the former Exxon Mobil CEO to be highly qualified for the post.

Major commercial players split on state of the RE cycle: survey

Major stakeholders are split on whether the market has already hit its peak, according to a survey conducted by one of the country’s largest commercial real estate trade groups. The report from the Commercial Real Estate Finance Council , whose members include giant asset managers like BlackRock and New York developers like Fisher Brothers, noted that 55 percent of respondents at the group’s annual conference concluded that the real estate market has already passed its high point, while another 43 percent said the market is still moving through the middle of the cycle.

Senate delays vote on Trump EPA pick after Democrats boycott

“Republican U.S. senators on Wednesday delayed a committee vote on President Donald Trump’s pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency after the panel’s Democrats boycotted the meeting, saying that nominee Scott Pruitt doubts the science of climate change. The boycott in the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee delayed the transition to a new administrator for the agency.

Senate confirms ex-Exxon CEO Tillerson as top US diplomat

The US Senate confirmed Rex Tillerson as President Donald Trump’s secretary of state on Wednesday, filling a key spot on the Republican’s national security team despite concerns about the former Exxon Mobil chief executive officer’s ties to Russia. In the vote, 56 senators backed Tillerson, and 43 voted no.

California moves to be 1st “sanctuary state” from Trump’s immigration policy

The Public Safety Committee of the U.S. California State Senate approved a bill Tuesday which would make the state a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants. Introduced by State Senate President pro tempore Kevin de Leon, this bill would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies from using resources or spending money to enforce federal immigration laws, including to investigate, interrogate, detain or arrest anyone due to their immigration status.

GOP Pushes 2 Top Cabinet Picks Through to Full Senate

Republicans jammed two of President Donald Trump’s top Cabinet picks through the Senate Finance Committee with no Democrats in the room Wednesday after suspending a rule that would have otherwise barred them from taking the vote. The tactic seemed a warning shot that they might deploy brute political muscle in the upcoming fight over the Supreme Court vacancy.

Utah bill seeks jail time for flying drones near livestock

A Utah lawmaker wants to send people to jail for harassing farm animals with drones, all-terrain vehicles and even dogs through a proposal that’s unique in the U.S. and has gained an unlikely opponent. Republican Rep. Scott Chew, who’s also a rancher, said Tuesday that he introduced the bill because farmers incur significant costs and hardships when livestock are injured.

This FBI Employee Made $21,000 Paying Fake Car Maintenance Invoices

A former FBI employee pleaded guilty to a four-year scheme where he stole nearly $21,000 of government funds by fabricating and paying fake automotive maintenance invoices, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday. Timothy Johnson, who formerly managed the FBI’s fleet of cars in Washington, D.C., admitted to paying falsified invoices for things like towing and automotive services, wracking up at least $20,995 on the agency’s charge cards.

US Attorney Stanton Announces Resignation

Edward L. Stanton III has announced his resignation as U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, effective Feb. 28. Stanton, who has served as U.S. attorney since August 2010, called the job “the professional honor of a lifetime.” “To be able to serve the district where I was born, raised and educated, and for which I have tremendous love and respect, was a remarkable experience,” he said in a statement.

Trump makes unannounced trip to honor fallen Navy SEAL

Assuming the somber duties of commander in chief, President Donald Trump made an unannounced trip Wednesday to honor the returning remains of a U.S. Navy SEAL killed in a weekend raid in Yemen. Chief Special Warfare Operator William “Ryan” Owens, a 36-year-old from Peoria, Illinois, was the first known U.S. combat casualty since Trump took office less than two weeks ago.

GOP Lawmaker Wants Tennessee IDs to Identify Non-Citizens

Republican lawmakers want to require government-issued IDs in Tennessee to prominently feature the words “alien” or “non-U.S. citizen” in capital letters for anyone without permanent residency status. The Tennessean reports that the bill is sponsored by Rep. John Ragan of Oak Ridge and Sen. Ed Jackson of Jackson.