Category: Democrat

Airport shooter exposes security vulnerabilities

The gunman who killed five people at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport exposed security vulnerabilities at airport public areas that were once an afterthought, experts say. When National Guardsman Esteban Santiago allegedly killed five people and injured eight others after grabbing a gun from his luggage and loading it in a bathroom, his murderous spree highlighted a point of weakness: areas outside of screening checkpoints such as baggage claims, check-in counters and passenger pickup zones where security is comparatively light.

5 dead, 8 wounded in shooting at Florida airport

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. >> An arriving airline passenger pulled a gun from his luggage and opened fire in the baggage claim area at the Fort Lauderdale airport Friday, killing five people and wounding eight before throwing his weapon down and lying spread-eagle on the ground, authorities and witnesses said.

5 dead, 8 wounded in shooting at airport in Ft. Lauderdale, FL

An arriving airline passenger pulled a gun from his luggage and opened fire in the baggage claim area at the Fort Lauderdale airport Friday, killing five people and wounding eight before throwing his weapon down and lying spread-eagle on the ground, authorities and witnesses said. Authorities gave no details on a possible motive for the shooting, which sent panicked passengers running out of the terminal and onto the tarmac, baggage in hand, and forced the shutdown of the entire airport.

Congressman: Obama not creating Grand Canyon monument

President Barack Obama has decided against creating a national monument covering areas of public land around Grand Canyon National Park, an Arizona congressman said Friday. Democratic Rep. Raul Grijalva said White House Council on Environmental Quality officials told him of the decision during a meeting earlier this week.

5 dead, 8 wounded in airport shooting; US veteran arrested

An arriving airline passenger with a gun in his luggage opened fire in the baggage claim area at the Fort Lauderdale airport Friday, killing five people and wounding eight before throwing his weapon down and lying spread-eagle on the ground, authorities and witnesses said. The gunman – identified by authorities as 26-year-old Esteban Santiago, of Anchorage, Alaska, an Army National Guard veteran who served in Iraq – was immediately taken into custody.

The Latest: Report says Russians will continue to target US

U.S. intelligence officials are predicting that Russia will continue to develop capabilities to help President Vladimir Putin target the United States. A new declassified report says that immediately after Election Day, Russian intelligence began a spear-phishing campaign against U.S. government employees and individuals associated with U.S. think tanks or nonprofit organizations working in the fields of national security, defense and foreign policy.

Florida Shooting: Suspect Terrorized Travelers With A Handgun,…

There are new eyewitness details from the tragic shooting that occurred at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Jan. 6. The shooter, who authorities say killed 5 people and injured 13, used a handgun when opening fire, according to an individual who claims he was at the center of the tragedy. A witness at the Fort Lauderdale airport claims the shooter appeared to be a white man who used a handgun, as reported by TMZ , Jan. 6. Chenet Nerette was in baggage claim at Terminal 2 when a shooter, who police believe could be Esteban Santiago , opened fire, killing 5 people, injuring 13 and terrifying hundreds of people.

Lawmaker removes Capitol Hill art with pig in police uniform

A California lawmaker has removed a painting that showed a pig in a police uniform, one of hundreds of artworks on display at the Capitol and sponsored by a member of Congress. Joe Kasper, a spokesman for Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, says the lawmaker unscrewed the artwork from the display and returned it to the office of Missouri Democratic Rep. William Lacy Clay.

Cops didn’t like a student painting hanging in the U.S. Capitol. So a congressman took it down.

An acrylic painting, right, by high school student David Pulphus is on display on Capitol Hill in Washington on Thursday. The painting by Pulphus, which is reported to depict Ferguson, Mo., in a chaotic scene with people marching and police officers that appear to be pigs, was chosen by Rep. William Lacy Clay Jr. as part of the annual U.S. Congressional Art Competition.

Hate-Crime Charges Filed in Attack on Mentally Disabled Man in Chicago

Family spokesman David Boyd and others hold a news conference Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017, in Crystal Lake, Ill., after an 18-year-old man was assaulted in Chicago earlier this week. Four people were charged with hate crimes Thursday in connection with a video broadcast live on Facebook that showed a mentally disabled white man being beaten and taunted, threatened with a knife and forced to drink from a toilet.

Classified report on hacking going to Trump

The nation’s top intelligence officials are making their most detailed and persuasive case yet to President-elect Donald Trump that Russia interfered in this year’s U.S. political process. The officials – Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan and FBI Director James Comey – are preparing to point to multiple motives for Moscow’s alleged meddling as they brief Trump on their classified report Friday in New York.

Joe Biden to Trump: ‘Grow up, Donald’

In an interview with PBS NewsHour that aired Thursday, Biden was asked about President-elect Donald Trump’s tweets, specifically one where he called Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer “the head clown” and another in which he wrote, “Doing my best to disregard the many inflammatory President O statements and roadblocks. Thought it was going to be a smooth transition – NOT!” “Grow up, Donald.

Corzine Agrees to Futures Industry Ban in CFTC Settlement

Jon Corzine has agreed to a lifetime ban from the futures industry to settle a U.S. lawsuit that he failed to properly oversee MF Global Holdings Ltd. as the brokerage spiraled toward failure in 2011. Corzine, an ex-governor and U.S. senator from New Jersey and the former co-chairman of Goldman Sachs Group Inc., also agreed to pay a $5 million penalty from his own pocket to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, under a consent order approved by a federal judge in New York Thursday.

Sources: Trump will ask Congress to pay for border wall

President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has signaled to congressional Republican leaders that the President-elect’s preference is to fund the border wall through the appropriations process as soon as April, according to House Republican officials. The move would break a key campaign promise when Trump repeatedly said he would force Mexico to pay for the construction of the wall along the border, though in October, Trump suggested for the first time that Mexico would reimburse the US for the cost of the wall.

Urban League of Louisiana annual Holiday Awards Luncheon honors 4 leaders

The Urban League of Louisiana hosted its fourth annual Holiday Awards Luncheon on Dec. 28 to honor four people for their leadership and contributions to New Orleans and the state. Held at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant, the party was hosted by former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial , who is now the National Urban League President and CEO, and Urban League of Louisiana President and CEO Erika McConduit .

Education money: Battle for billions begins in Legislature

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee speaks during the annual AP Legislative Preview, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017, at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash. Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center, left, speaks as Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, listens at right during the annual AP Legislative Preview, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017, at the Capitol in Olympia, Wash.

Sources: Trump will ask Congress, not Mexico, to pay for border wall

President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has signaled to congressional Republican leaders that the President-elect’s preference is to fund the border wall through the appropriations process as soon as April, according to House Republican officials. The move would break a key campaign promise when Trump repeatedly said he would force Mexico to pay for the construction of the wall along the border.

Namechecked by Obama, gay ex-Navy officer joins race to revive Democrats

Washington; The gay, 34-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana – namechecked recently by President Obama – has entered the contest for chairman of the Democratic party, presenting himself as an alternative to the two leading candidates. Warning that beleaguered Democrats can ill afford a replay of their contentious presidential primary in the race to lead the Democratic National Committee, Pete Buttigieg said “this is not a time to relitigate an old battle”.

House GOP passes bill to undo a midnighta Obama administration regulations

House Republicans passed a bill aimed at reversing “midnight” or last-minute regulations created in the waning months of a presidential administration on Wednesday. The Midnight Rules Relief Act, which passed the House mostly along party lines 238-184, would allow Congress to repeal rules finalized in the last 60 legislative days of President Obama’s administration.

Dems want probe of Trump Cabinet pick over stock sales

Top Senate Democrats said Thursday that the House ethics office should investigate whether stock sales by a congressman who is now one of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks broke any laws. The Democrats cited a Wall Street Journal report last month that Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., had traded over $300,000 worth of shares in health care companies over the past four years while pushing legislation that might affect those stocks’ values.

Obama is planning one last batch of pardons before he departs – but …

Under mounting pressure to free convicts as a last act, President Barack Obama is planning at least one more batch of pardons and commutations before leaving office in two weeks, but don’t expect many famous offenders to make the list. The list of bold names appealing to Obama for compassion in his final weeks includes accused leaker Chelsea Manning, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Army Sgt.

Top intelligence official says Russia undoubtedly meddled in US election

The nation’s top intelligence official said Thursday that Russia undoubtedly interfered in America’s 2016 presidential election but stopped short of using the explosive description “an act of war,” telling lawmakers such a call isn’t within the purview of the U.S. intelligence community. In a joint report that roiled the presidential campaign last fall, the Homeland Security Department and the intelligence community said the U.S. was confident of foreign meddling, including Russian government hacking of Democratic emails.

Obama renominates Rosenworcel as FCC commissioner, kicking off battle with Republican leaders

Democratic FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel was renominated on Wednesday as one of several nominations sent to the Senate by outgoing President Barack Obama. Democratic FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel has been renominated by outgoing President Barack Obama, a move that will likely draw a battle from Republican leaders, who desire to create a GOP majority-led commission.

Planned Parenthood would lose funding as part of Obamacare repeal, Ryan says

House Speaker Paul Ryan leaves a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 5. Republicans plan to strip Planned Parenthood of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding as part of their rapid push to repeal President Obama’s health-care reforms, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Thursday. Ryan said a defunding measure would appear in a special fast-track bill that is expected to pass Congress as soon as next month: “Planned Parenthood legislation would be in our reconciliation bill,” he said at a news conference, in response to a question about plans to defund the organization.

Plans Solidifying for Women’s March on Washington

Demonstrators hold signs during a rally outside Trump Tower in New York on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016 to protest against President-elect Donald Trump. The Women’s March on Washington , scheduled for the day after Donald Trump is sworn in as president, has secured a permit; Planned Parenthood Federation of America officially signed on as a partner late last month; and Gloria Steinem and Harry Belafonte have been named co-chairs of the march and will serve as the event’s hosts.

Obama urges fellow Democrats to fight for Obamacare

President Barack Obama has urged fellow Democrats to fight for his healthcare bill, as the incoming Trump team vowed to make a repeal of the law a priority. In a two-hour private meeting Mr Obama sought to rally members of his party, as Republicans took their first steps to dismantle his signature bill.

Obama urges fellow Democrats to fight for Obamacare

President Barack Obama has urged fellow Democrats to fight for his healthcare bill, as the incoming Trump team vowed to make a repeal of the law a priority. In a two-hour private meeting Mr Obama sought to rally members of his party, as Republicans took their first steps to dismantle his signature bill.

Leery States Examine Cybersecurity

Several states around the country on Saturday are asking cybersecurity experts to re-examine state and utility networks after a Vermont utility’s laptop was found to contain malware that U.S. officials say is linked to Russian hackers. The Burlington Electric Department, one of Vermont’s two largest electric utilities, confirmed Friday it had found on one of its laptops the malware code used in Grizzly Steppe — the name the U.S. government has given to malicious cyber activity by Russian civilian and military intelligence services.

Leery States Examine Cybersecurity

Several states around the country on Saturday are asking cybersecurity experts to re-examine state and utility networks after a Vermont utility’s laptop was found to contain malware that U.S. officials say is linked to Russian hackers. The Burlington Electric Department, one of Vermont’s two largest electric utilities, confirmed Friday it had found on one of its laptops the malware code used in Grizzly Steppe — the name the U.S. government has given to malicious cyber activity by Russian civilian and military intelligence services.

California hires ex-Attorney General Holder to fight Trump

Democratic leaders in the California Legislature said Wednesday they have hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to advise them on a legal strategy as they gird for a fight against President-elect Donald Trump. The precise role of the high-profile lawyer remained unclear, but his politically connected firm will be paid $25,000 a month plus expenses from the Legislature’s budget to help lawmakers develop strategies “regarding potential actions of the federal government that may be of concern to the state of California,” according to the contract with Holder.

California hires ex-Attorney General Holder to fight Trump

Democratic leaders in the California Legislature said Wednesday they have hired former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to advise them on a legal strategy as they gird for a fight against President-elect Donald Trump. The precise role of the high-profile lawyer remained unclear, but his politically connected firm will be paid $25,000 a month plus expenses from the Legislature’s budget to help lawmakers develop strategies “regarding potential actions of the federal government that may be of concern to the state of California,” according to the contract with Holder.